Camping in America in the summer is one of this country’s grandest experiences. With glorious national parks, majestic mountain ranges, and wide-open skies filled with stars, there is no better place in the world to sleep under canvas.
There are so many amazing campsites and remote wilderness to camp in around the US that it can be hard to choose where to go. This article is here to help. So if you are thinking of heading off on a road trip or just camping for a weekend, these are Six of the most fantastic places to camp this summer.
Acadia National Park, Maine
Acadia National Park is a vast gem in the heart of Maine, on Mount Desert Island. The park is huge, with over 17 million acres of pine forests and over 30,000 miles of rivers, streams, and waterways. The hiking is outstanding and the forested landscape creates the perfect backdrop for three excellent campsites. This is one of the finest spots in the Pine Tree State and an awesome way to explore the great New England outdoors.
Olympic National Park, Washington
The Pacific Northwest’s magnificent coastline makes Olympic National Park one of the most stunning places to camp in the US. Washington boasts a remarkable combination of rugged, wild Pacific ocean and lush, verdant rainforests, which makes it a wonderfully varied and exciting place to camp. There are fourteen sites in total spread out across the National Park, giving you the chance to fully explore this fascinating corner of the world, then depart from Seattle port on a cruise for a truly astonishing vacation.
Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland
Just a stone’s throw from Ocean City, Assateague Island feels a world away from urban life. The National Seashore is all about beach camping, with over 35 miles of sand across the island, and a trip here gives you fantastic opportunities to swim, surf, paddleboard, or kayak to your heart’s content. Crabbing is also a popular pastime, or you can just spend your days hiking around in search of the gorgeous wild horses that call the island home.
Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Flung out into the Gulf of Mexico towards the end of the Florida Keys, Dry Tortugas National Park is an awe-inspiring (and remote) spot to pitch your tent. The 100-square mile National Park is mostly found under the ocean waves (making setting up camp tricky!), but there’s plenty of space on the beach, with the imposing Fort Jefferson in the background. It is hard to beat having one of the world’s largest barrier reefs just a few steps from your tent, and this makes Dry Tortugas an exceptional choice for a camping vacation.
Big Bend National Park, Texas
For wide-open vistas and stunning, star-filled night skies, Texas is the way to go. Big Bend National Park straddles the mighty Rio Grande and offers desert, mountain, and river landscapes to go with exceptional hiking trails and three fantastic campgrounds. Best of all, wild camping is allowed throughout Big Bend, meaning if you feel the tug of adventure, you can just set off into the wilderness and live free!
Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho
With trout fishing, hunting, hiking, and mountain climbing, the Sawtooth National Forest is a true outdoorsman’s dream. This vast expanse of pristine forest set against the towering Smoky Mountains is outstandingly beautiful and makes for a wonderfully wild camping experience. There are campsites scattered across the forest and vary from starkly primitive to fully equipped, meaning you can have whatever sort of camping experience that appeals to you!