Best camping destinations in North America
Best camping destinations in North America
Dense forest wilderness areas and backcountry park clearings in North America
Europe's camping offer is among the most developed in the world, with well-maintained campsite networks, freedom camping traditions and overlanding routes supporting an enormous range of styles across the continent's diverse landscapes. The most compelling destinations combine dramatic natural environments with practical infrastructure, from Atlantic coastal sites and alpine meadow pitches to forest campgrounds of the northern wilderness zones.
Freedom camping traditions vary considerably, with Scandinavian everyman's right legislation allowing wild camping across most land in contrast to the more regulated southern European approach where designated sites are standard. Several countries have developed overlanding and motorhome infrastructure supporting vehicle-based camping across extended multi-country itineraries.
Peak season bookings at popular coastal and alpine sites fill weeks in advance and reservation systems are standard across most established networks. Wildfire risk affects camping regulations across southern Europe in summer and checking current fire restrictions before travel is essential.
Lists by region
Nature Reserve in United States
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Pristine lakes, untouched wilderness paradise
More than 1,100 lakes fill 1 million acres of forest along the Minnesota border with Ontario. Paddlers carry canoes between lakes on portage trails and camp on wooded shores. Motors are allowed on only a few lakes. Permits are required for overnight trips. Quotas limit how many groups enter each day.
National Park in United States
Denali National Park
Wild Alaska’s peaks and wildlife
Private cars can drive only 15 miles into the park, so campers ride buses deeper in. Wonder Lake Campground sits at Mile 85 and looks across water to Denali, which rises 20,310 feet. Grizzlies and caribou cross the open tundra. Food must be kept in bear resistant lockers or containers.
National Park in United States
Grand Canyon National Park
Epic Vistas, Timeless Adventure
The canyon runs 277 miles and drops over a mile deep. Mather Campground on the South Rim is near the edge. The North Rim campsite is cooler and open from mid May to mid October. Hikers need a permit to camp at Bright Angel Campground by the Colorado River.
Park in Canada
Algonquin Provincial Park
Lakes, forests and wildlife in serene wilderness
Algonquin became a park in 1893. Its 7,600 square kilometres hold more than 2,000 lakes linked by canoe routes and portages. Interior campsites sit on islands and shorelines far from roads. Loons call across the still water at dusk. In August rangers lead public wolf howls.
National Park in United States
Voyageurs National Park
Watery wilderness of northern Minnesota
Like the Boundary Waters next door, this park is a maze of lakes and islands. Here motorboats are allowed. Most of the more than 270 campsites can only be reached by water. Northern lights show on clear nights. The park is an International Dark Sky Park.
National Park in United States
Zion National Park
Red rocks, epic hikes and nature's beauty
Cottonwood leaves rustle and red cliffs glow at sunset around Watchman Campground. The Virgin River runs beside the sites. A free shuttle runs from the visitor centre into the canyon from March to November. Campers leave the car parked. South Campground is also near the entrance.
State/Prefecture in United States
Alaska
Land of superlatives and adventure
Exit Glacier Campground in Kenai Fjords National Park has walk in tent sites a short hike from the ice. Farther north the sun barely sets in June, so camp life runs late. Bears and moose are common across the state. Food storage rules are strict.
National Park in United States
Mount Rainier National Park
A Majestic Volcano and Wild Beauty
In 1899 the mountain became a national park. Ohanapecosh Campground sits among old growth trees by a clear river. Meadows near Paradise bloom with wildflowers in July and August. Cougar Rock Campground is a short drive from them. The active volcano rises more than 14,000 feet above sea level.
National Park in United States
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Home of the Giant Sequoias
Summer brings cool mountain nights and the most open campsites. Lodgepole Campground sits close to the giant sequoias of Giant Forest. General Sherman holds the record for the most volume of any tree. Black bears roam here, so food lockers are required. Kings Canyon next door has deep granite valleys.
National Park in United States
Glacier National Park
Crown of the Continent
Going to the Sun Road usually opens fully in late June or early July. It closes by October, so the camping season is short. Many Glacier Campground sits below tall peaks near Swiftcurrent Lake. Grizzly bears roam the valley, so campers carry bear spray. Wildflowers peak in July.
National Park in United States
Grand Teton National Park
Stunning Peaks and Wildlife Wonders
The jagged Tetons rise like a wall from the valley floor with no foothills. Jenny Lake Campground takes tents only and fills early each morning in summer. Signal Mountain Campground sits above Jackson Lake. Moose graze along the Snake River at dawn. The old barns of Mormon Row glow nearby at sunrise.
State/Prefecture in United States
Montana
Wild Beauty & Vast Big Skies
Bannack State Park has a campsite beside a gold rush ghost town founded in 1862. Paddlers camp on riverbanks along the Upper Missouri River, where Lewis and Clark travelled in 1805. Big Sky nights bring bright stars. Grizzlies live in the west, so campers keep food locked up.
National Park in Canada
Banff National Park
Majestic Peaks and Turquoise Lakes
Woodsmoke mixes with pine and cold glacier air at campsites ringed by peaks. Two Jack Lakeside Campground has water views and the long ridge of Mount Rundle. Elk sometimes wander through camp. Rangers ask campers to keep a safe distance. Parks Canada reservations open in winter. Summer sites go fast.
National Park in United States
Yellowstone National Park
Geysers, wildlife and untamed wilderness
Slough Creek Campground is a quiet spot near Lamar Valley, where wolves and bison show up at dawn. Old Faithful erupts about every 90 minutes. The park has 12 campsites with roughly 2,000 sites. Carry bear spray and keep food in lockers or locked cars.
National Park in United States
Olympic National Park
Untamed Wilderness, All in One
Waves boom on the Pacific shore while moss drips in the Hoh Rain Forest. Kalaloch Campground sits on bluffs above the beach. The Hoh gets about 12 feet of rain a year. Tide pools at Rialto Beach hold sea stars at low tide. Rain gear is needed even in summer.
Town in Canada
Tofino
Wild Pacific, Rainforest, Endless Waves
Locals surf all year here in thick wetsuits, even in winter storms. Green Point Campground in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve sits on a bluff above Long Beach. A trail leads to the sand. Grey whales pass offshore in spring. Rain is common, so tarps matter.
National Park in United States
Canyonlands National Park
Epic Canyons and Untamed Wilderness
Spring and autumn bring mild days, while summer afternoons pass 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Willow Flat Campground on the Island in the Sky mesa has 12 first come sites with no water. Canyonlands is an International Dark Sky Park, so Milky Way views are common after sunset.
National Park in United States
Yosemite National Park
Nature's Grand Cathedral
Abraham Lincoln signed a law in 1864 that protected Yosemite Valley. Camp 4 is a walk in campsite that has hosted rock climbers since the 1950s. Valley campsites fill in minutes when reservations open. Waterfalls peak in May and June. Upper Pines Campground sits near Half Dome and the Merced River.
National Park in United States
Redwood National Park
Home of the World’s Tallest Trees
These parks stretch along about 40 miles of northern California coast. Coast redwoods here grow over 350 feet tall. Jedediah Smith Campground sits among old growth giants beside the Smith River. At Elk Prairie Campground, Roosevelt elk graze between the tents. Fog keeps summer mornings cool and damp.
Waterfall in United States
Havasu Falls
Crimson cascades shimmer beneath desert skies
Most campers hike 10 miles from the trailhead to reach camp beside the water. Supplies reach the village of Supai by mule. The Havasupai Tribe runs the campsite and permits sell out quickly. Turquoise pools sit below waterfalls. Mooney Falls drops 190 feet. Cottonwood trees shade the campsite.
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