Every year thousands of Americans pack their tents and head for the mountains. Away from the busy city life, there is nothing better than breathing in 100% pure oxygen.
With cloudy days behind us, it is time to get back out there and begin a new adventure. Lets us help you do that with the best views nature has to offer. This top 6 highlights some of the most breathtaking campsites that will leave you feeling fully rejuvenated.
1. Yosemite National Park – California
There is no better place to start this list than the Yosemite National Park. With hundreds of different campsites offering a variety of views, this site gives you the freedom to choose your perfect spot.
Although the water usually leans towards the too freezing to even consider side, it does offer a variety of water activities like fishing or canoeing. From vast fields, towering redwoods, to roaring waterfalls, Yosemite’s got it all. An abundance of parking is readily available thanks to the multitude of parking lots and street/road parking.
The park is usually kept very clean and safe thanks to the rangers so you can relax knowing there are people watching our for you while there. If you need food or supplies there are about a dozen shops spread throughout the park that offer everything from firewood, gas, groceries, and even gifts. We have fallen in love with the beauty that this park radiates. If you are looking for a great campsite, you cannot go wrong by picking the Yosemite National Park.
2. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
Did someone say mountain range for days? Well, we can only imagine that you are referring to the beautiful Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. This park is more than just a campsite, offering other activities like hiking, boating, biking, fishing, climbing, wildlife viewing, and even ranger led programs.
Their app allows you to keep up to date with park news and improve your stay. Most sites offer standard amenities including modern comfort stations, potable water, metal fire grates, picnic tables, and metal bear boxes. The maximum length of stay is 7 days per person at Jenny Lake, and 14 days at all other campgroundsāno more than 30 days in the park per year.
You are not a huge fan of winter? No problem! This park transforms into a winter wonderland every year. Winter recreation activities are not in shortage as the park becomes a popular destination for cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and photographers.
Unfortunately, all park campgrounds are by advanced reservations only as of 2022. Campsites are reservable on Recreation.gov. Slots tend to fill up fast during camping season so if you are considering this site take advantage of their six month reservation window and book early! With so much to do and such stunning views, we couldn’t help but mention this beautiful campsite.
3. Arches National Park – Utah
When we think of camping, we picture watching the night sky on a warm summer’s night as the fire crackles in the distance. There is no park that takes sky watching more seriously than Arches National Park in Utah. With a landscape that is best known for impressive arches and large rock formations, it is always an impressive site. Some of these formations are over 65 million years old. Rain erodes the rocks and creates these impressive arches that have given the park its name. It is easy while standing next to these huge formations to forget that the same forces that shaped this park will continue to widen them until they collapse as these arches are naturally impermanent.
While Arches is a relatively large park, its amenities are limited. It contains a small visitor center and administrative area near the park entrance along US 191, and one campground at Devils Garden. Beyond these limited visitor and employee areas, the park remains natural and unlit to protect the night sky.
We recommend booking here as soon as possible to ensure you get a desirable date.
Due to the park’s commitment to protect the views and limit visitor’s impact, the reservations for the campsite fill up quickly and there are no amenities in the campground unlike other sites. With no cell reception, potable water, dumping sites, or showers the campgrounds are intended to be fully disconnected and alone.
There are toilets and fire rings alongside firewood in the park; however, this site is more focused on giving you an unmatched level of peace and tranquility.
If you wish to run away from the constant buzz of city life, there is no park more equipped to help you unplug. We hope the wide night sky and impressive arches will put into perspective just how impressive and vast is this universe.
4. Minnewaska State Park Preserve – New York
New York, you did it again! The views that the Minnewaska State Park Preserve offers are truly worth a visit. With over 8500 campsites, there’s something for everyone in. Sites easily accommodate anyone bringing anything from tents, trailers and even motorhomes. Most sites have a picnic table, fire pit or ring and nearby restrooms. If you are looking for premium amenities like electric, water and sewer hook-up, and platforms you will be impressed to know that many sites offer it.
Situated in the Shawangunk Mountain ridge, which rises more than 2,000 feet above sea level and is surrounded by rugged, rocky terrain, the park has no shortage of views. Featuring numerous waterfalls, three crystalline sky lakes, dense hardwood forests, incising sheer cliffs and ledges opening to beautiful views, clear streams cut into valleys, 35 miles of carriage roads and 50 miles of footpaths on which to bike, walk, hike and simply enjoy boredom will never be a problem. Moreover, for those near New York, this park is only an hour and a half drive from the city. .
Visitors can enjoy hiking, biking, swimming, picnicking, scuba-diving, rock-climbing, bouldering, boating and marveling at the scenery. Horseback riding and cross-country ski trails are available as well.Ā
Arranging a stay is also rather simple. Reservations can be made from up to 3 p.m. on the day of arrival to 9 months in advance by calling toll-free 1-800-456-CAMP or visiting http://newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com
We hope that if you are near the park you can check just how much it has to offer.
5. Denali National Park and Preserve – Alaska
The park offers a wide variety of campgrounds that give equally breathtaking views to all visitors alike. Although there are no electrical or water hookups for RVs, other campgrounds outside the park do provide such amenities if you need them. All campgrounds have toilets, potable water, -except Igloo Creek and Sanctuary River- and recycling collection containers for aluminum cans, glass, plastic jugs and bottles.
If you have a fury friend, they are welcomed on campground and park roads. Nevertheless, please keep in mind that if you are bringing dogs, they are not allowed on trails or in the wilderness.
Want something unique to do while staying here? Denali is the only national park with a kennel of working sled dogs! Stop by to meet the dogs or attend a ranger-led mushing demonstration. Not your cup of tea? We also recommend going Flightseeing. One of the more dramatic ways to tour Denali National Park and Preserve is from the window of a small aircraft. From the air, park visitors can take in the enormity and diversity of the park landscape – soaring over gentle foothills, along meandering glaciers, up to the rugged peaks of the Alaska Range.
We hope you can enjoy the beauty this park has to offer and find the peace and tranquility the Alaskan Mountain Range has to offer.
6. Glacier National Park – Montana
A showcase of melting glaciers, alpine meadows, carved valleys, and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a paradise for adventurous visitors seeking wilderness steeped in human history. Enjoy the crackling of a campfire and sleep under the stars in any of the 13 campgrounds and 1,009 sites to choose from.
Campsites fees vary between $10 and $23 dollars per night during the summer season and reservations for campsites at Fish Creek, Many Glacier, Apgar, Sprague Creek, and St. Mary campgrounds can be made throughāÆRecreation.gov.
Our personal recommendation is to camp at the Apgar Campground ($20/night). This campsite is the largest campground in Glacier and makes it so you can camp in style!
The site is near Apgar Village, where you will find the Apgar Visitor centre, a camp store, a casual restaurant and tons of gift shops. Reservations for horseback riding, boat rentals, a shuttle service, and Red Bus tour are also available in the village.
Situated in a lot surrounded by trees, it provides tent and RV campers with shade and privacy. Potable water is accessible in the campground, and restroom facilities have both flush toilets and sinks with running water.
Evening sunsets on Lake McDonald are only a short stroll from the campground, and there are evening ranger programs at the Apgar Amphitheater. With tons of activities and places to make your stay truly pleasant, we feel this is the perfect entry to end our list.
In Conclusion
There are truly breathtaking views waiting for you in many U.S National Parks. Whether you are looking for a mountain rage, roaring waterfalls, or a truly uninterrupted night sky; we hope this list has helped you find your next adventure. We understand that the last few years have been filled with stress and compromises. Therefore, stop postponing and get back our there! Experience all that nature has to offer and get back the energy by becoming one with nature.
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