Wild Camping for RVers & Nature Lovers

Wild Camping while RVing can be a nature lovers dream. With so many wild and wonderful locations scattered across the nation, all you need to do is point your rig in the right direction and get rolling to find a plethora of these well-known destinations. From forests and deserts to canyons and canopies, adventure awaits for those eager to get out and explore. An RV trip to any of the locations listed below is an amazing and accessible way to truly experience all of the natural wonders they have to offer. Many of these spots are fairly accessible to a long RV but when approaching any dirt road or narrow entrance, be sure to scout out that what lies ahead is suitable for your RV and driving abilities. Don’t let normal cautions dissuade you as luck favors the bold, especially when on an RV adventure!

Acadia National Park, Maine

Acadia National Park is a scenic wonder any time of year. Claiming to be the “Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast” and full of peaks to hike, trails to explore the woodlands, and old carriage roads to drive on, the name holds true. The diverse ecosystems here change drastically from season to season with abundant wildlife and endless plant diversity shaping the spring and summer giving way to vivid fall colors and the stark beauty of winter in the northeast. Look here for RV restrictions but generally an amazingly accessible RV destination.

Also check out nearby: Camden Hills State Park


Assateague Island, Maryland

This location is for beachfront nature lovers and offers almost 40 miles of beach and ocean access. Assateague State Park has plenty of campground to choose from for RVers and quite a few trails and other natural features in addition to the wonderful beaches and ocean views found here. There are plenty of great camping spots but visitors can also take advantage of a ton of other activities including: crabbing, surfing, swimming, biking, and horse rides, to name a few.

Also check out nearby: Frontier Town RV Resort & Campground


Badlands National Park, South Dakota

The Badlands can feel like a serene moonscape set in some favorite Western or Sci-Fi film. This desolation makes for true natural beauty and is a recommended place to visit on one of your next RV trips. Wild rock formations blend seamlessly with the flowing prairies. Badlands National Park only offers two campgrounds but both are open year-round and offer all of the amenities you’ll need for a great RV experience. There is plenty of nearby public land for those of you fond of boondocking.

Glacier National Park, Montana

Glacier National Park is a must see for just about anyone. For nature lovers, it is an inspiring location both rugged and wild with a feel that reminds visitors how the west might have felt for those living here or exploring this grand land hundreds of years ago. The park is home to over 700 miles of trails for hikers of all abilities to explore with many of these leading to truly unique backcountry campsites and some of the best fishing this writer has ever experienced. RV enthusiasts can take advantage of 13 different campgrounds and be sure to take the drive over the legendary Going-To-The-Sun Road for its stunning viewpoints and waterfalls giving the driver a real feel for the vast beauty of the park. It gets pretty busy during peak times of year here so plan your trip ahead of time being sure to make a reservation at a campground as they fill up quickly. Glacier is nature on a grand scale and always makes for a more than memorable trip.

Also check out nearby: West Glacier KOA


Gunnison National Forest, Colorado

This is one of the lesser known attractions in a nature lovers state and is a great spot for RVing a bit off of the beaten path. The Gunnison National Forest is actually clustered into a group of three wild and vast National Forests located on the Western Slope of Colorado. The largest untouched region of the state gives visitors access to 1.6 million acres of public land and over 3,000 miles of trails. The camping in the region is abundant with many different options available from the basic to the excessive and RV access is possible to many of them. Meadows and forests sit in the shadows of grand peaks reaching over 14,000 feet towards the heavens with 300 lakes dotting this uncivilized, in the best sense of the word, location.

Also check out nearby: Tall Texan RV Park & Cabins


Olympic National Park, Washington

This region of the country is stoic, scenic, and full of mystical surprises. Old growth forests dominate the peninsula in the far northwestern reaches of the country and the lush growth makes one wonder if there might be any merit to the many bigfoot sightings that abound here. This diverse wilderness covers over 1 million acres and has snowcapped peaks pointing towards over 70 miles of spectacular, though somewhat intimidating coastline. Most of the campgrounds in the park can only accommodate RVs 21 feet or less with a few being able to handle larger rigs up to 35 feet so be sure to look into the restrictions ahead of time.

Also check out nearby: Elwha Dam RV Park


Joshua Tree State Park, California

Joshua Tree is equal parts wilderness and Doctor Seuss dreamland. The Mojave and Colorado deserts meet in Southern California to create a stunning landscape that has to be seen to be believed. The namesake tree of the park is a natural wonder in itself with cactus like features twisting and turning into a wild and weird desert tree trunk. There are 4 main campgrounds here and due to the popularity of the park, all are reservations only. There are another 4 that are first come first serve, so options abound. There are other camping options on the outskirts of the park for RVers if these fill up and the entire park can easily be driven by any size rig. Be sure to take a look at the night sky once the sun goes down and the desert landscape and distance from large cities lead to some of the best star gazing in the southwest.