The Best Wild Campsites in America
A campsite in Hot Creek, close to Mammoth's numerous hot springs. | Brian Chorski
Sometimes, you really, really need to get away from it all. We're talking away. Recently, we picked our favorite campsites across the country—we surveyed luxe RV resorts and stand-by state campgrounds. But then, there were the Wild ones—and by "Wild," we mostly mean dispersed, boondocking-ready spots on public land. Think free-range adventure. Think finding your own patch of forest, mountain or desert. These are the spots.
ALABAMA
Tuskegee Primitive Camp
Choice Sites: Campsite 11
Noted: Massive campsites
Nearby: Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site and Museum
Mostly used by hunters. But in the off-season, the spacious, easy-to-access sites are a great escape.
ALASKA
Glenn Highway Pullouts
Choice Sites: Matanuska Glacier, at mile 91.
Noted: Glacier viewing
Nearby: Eureka
North of Anchorage, there’s a 139-mile stretch of road called the Glenn Highway: one of Alaska’s most scenic drives. Pull over and camp free.
ARIZONA
“Edge of the World"
Choice Sites: Early birds get the view
Noted: 1943 lookout tower
Nearby: Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Famed among travelers of the Coconino National Forest, this vaguely named area lies up a long Forest Service road south of Flagstaff. Google, and consider your vehicle choice.
ARKANSAS
Ozark-St Francis National Forest
Choice Sites: Haw Creek Falls Point of Interest
Noted: Swimming holes
Nearby: Hagarville
Camp along riverbanks, explore waterfalls, and hike through stunning rock formations.
CALIFORNIA
Hot Creek
Choice Sites: Off Whitmore Tubs Road
Noted: "Hidden" hot springs
Nearby: Yosemite
So many sites in this zone, high enough in elevation that you'll want a summertime puffer. Numerous springs and dips.
COLORADO
Lake Como Roadside Campsites
Choice Sites: Anything before the switchbacks
Noted: Valley views
Nearby: Great Sand Dunes National Park
On the east end of the San Luis Valley, spots large enough to accommodate most rigs.
FLORIDA
Dupuis Campground
Choice Sites: Any non-equestrian sites
Noted: Big rig friendly
Nearby: Lake Okeechobee
You can stay for up to eight days here in South Florida—with onsite showers. A great place to settle in with an RV.
GEORGIA
Ball Field Dispersed Camping Area
Choice Sites: Any spot
Noted: Great for groups
Nearby: Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
One mile from Lake Conasauga, you’ll find a large grassy field, once used by Cherokee people to play stickball and settle disputes. Camp for free and enjoy an unobstructed night sky.
HAWAII
Papaloa Wayside Park
Choice Sites: Under the trees on the beach
Noted: Beach-side camping
Nearby: McGregor Point
Just below the West Maui Forest Preserve, these first-come sites are tent-only, though you can drive right to them. Near offshore coral gardens, the beach offers exceptional snorkeling access.
IDAHO
Big Bar
Choice Sites: Close to the water
Noted: Feral fruit trees
Nearby: Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
This zone sits on the Idaho side of dramatic Hells Canyon, opposite the Oregon wilderness area of the same name. Stark, but wildly beautiful.
ILLINOIS
Shawnee National Forest Garden of the Gods
Choice Sites: Hike in at Indian Point trailhead
Noted: Unique rock formations
Nearby: Ohio River
The rock formations at Garden of the Gods are otherworldly. Take the roughly 1-hr hike through a sandstone wonderland, and remember to bring a camera.
INDIANA
Blackwell Horse Camp
Choice Sites: #10, #3
Noted: Equestrian trails
Nearby: Monroe Lake
Located at the Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area trailhead, this campground can cater to large rigs and offers easy access to Indiana’s hill country.
IOWA
Yellow River State Forest
Choice Sites: Brown’s Hollow and Heffern’s Hill
Noted: Hiking
Nearby: Effigy Mounds National Monument
Some of Iowa's best hiking trails. Camp free along the “backpacking trail,” about a half-mile from several trailheads. Car campers pay a small fee at either Little Paint or Big Paint campgrounds.
KANSAS
Osage State Fishing Lake
Choice Sites: Hunt ‘em down!
Noted: Camp right on the water
Nearby: Topeka
This quiet public fishing lake has several loops for RVs or tent camping. The best thing about it is the fishing, but it’s also a great stopover for anyone heading east or west on I-70.
KENTUCKY
Turkey Foot Campground, Boone National Forest
Choice Sites: 3-8
Noted: War Fork Creek access
Nearby: Dozens of hiking trails
Pack in and pack out everything at this primitive, perfect base for hiking.
LOUISIANA
Rutherford Beach
Choice Sites: Travel farther for more privacy
Noted: Beach camping
Nearby: Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge
One of the few places in the US where you can camp for free on the sand, right next to the water. Gulf Coast sand is even firm enough to hold just about any size RV.
MAINE
Moosehead Lake Lakeside Sites
Choice Sites: Kelly Warf and Big Duck Cove
Noted: Pristine lakeside camping
Nearby: Kokadjo
Ninety primitive campsites dot the banks of Moosehead Lake. Some are accessible by car; others, only by boat.
MARYLAND
Green Ridge State Forest
Choice Sites: #49, #100 #66
Noted: Sites along the Potomac
Nearby: Gettysburg
These 100 primitive sites amidst nearly 50,000 acres of forest offer a serene Appalachian Mountain experience.
MICHIGAN
Green Road near Nordhouse Dunes
Choice Sites: Large areas on two-track road
Noted: Very private sites
Nearby: Lake Michigan
While vehicles are not allowed in the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area, the roads on the outskirts are home to many dispersed sites large enough for trailers.
MINNESOTA
Toohey Lake
Choice Sites: At the water’s edge
Noted: Boat launch on site
Nearby: Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Tucked along a small lake in northern Minnesota, the rustic campground can be accessed via vehicle and has room for trailers. A built-
in launch makes paddling adventures possible, too.
MISSOURI
Willie Lee & Wolf Junction in Mark Twain National Forest
Choice Sites: Open areas on Glade Top Trail
Noted: Sweeping views
Quick Nearby: Branson
Not far from the Arkansas border, the gravel Glade Top Trail National Scenic Byway provides access to some of the best out-of-the- way camping and hiking in southern Missouri.
MONTANA
Shields River Dispersed Sites, Custer-Gallatin
National Forest Choice Sites: There are just a few
Noted: Good for bigger rigs
Nearby: Livingston
A small but well-regarded hideaway in the West Crazy Mountains. Serious fishing and hiking nearby. Bring everything you need.
NEBRASKA
Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest
Choice Sites: 116,000 acres: explore!
Noted: Horse corrals
Nearby: Niobrara River
A great Sandhills base. Paid campground at Steer Creek, but also dispersed sites throughout the area.
NEVADA
Poverty Flats
Choice Sites: Room to roam
Noted: Stellar off-roading trails
Nearby: Valley of Fire
You’re out there if you’re here, on BLM land also known as Snowbird Mesa. Incredible night skies, plenty of room for big rigs.
NEW JERSEY
Bodine Field Campground
Choice Sites: Bodine Field 11 and Bodine Field E
Noted: RVs allowed up to 22 feet
Nearby:: Wading River
One of nine campgrounds in Wharton State Forest, with river access for canoeing and kayaking. No pets and no alcohol, but still one of the Garden State’s best places to camp.
NEW MEXICO
Caja del Rio
Choice Sites: Near Camino Real National Historic Trail
Noted: Cows and coyotes
Nearby: Santa Fe
True boondocking, yet very close to town. Many spots for all kinds of vehicles in wide-open piñon pine territory.
NEW YORK
Cranberry Lake Backcountry Campsites
Choice Sites: Catamount Island (only accessible by boat)
Noted: Lake access
Nearby: Town of Cranberry Lake
Canoeing and kayaking paradise. Several dispersed sites with fire rings and lean-tos—but you can camp almost anywhere for three nights as long as you’re 150 feet from the water or trail.
NORTH CAROLINA
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Choice Sites: Seaward of the dunes
Noted: Ferry ride required
Nearby: Bermuda??
Camp wild on the Atlantic beaches on a far-flung barrier island. It does sound pretty good. No designated spots, few out-of-bounds areas.
NORTH DAKOTA
Scoria Pit Dispersed Campsites
Choice Sites: Wide-open pullouts
Noted: Lots of space
Nearby: Sully Creek State Park
Located high on a grassland area near I-94, these sites are roomy enough for even the largest rigs to have a good boondocking experience.
OKLAHOMA
Winding Stair Campground, Ouachita National Forest
Choice Sites: 1, 3, 5, 14, and 15
Noted: Pull-through sites
Nearby: Emerald Vista
Along the Talimena Scenic Byway: 23 sites, pads for tents, paved spurs for vehicles, and several other amenities. Small fee.
OREGON
Alvord Desert
Choice Sites: Infinite
Noted: Alvord Hot Springs
Nearby: Steens Mountain Wilderness
Simultaneously iconic yet very remote: A vast, flat dry lakebed in one of the most sparsely populated parts of America.
PENNSYLVANIA
Manny Gordon Recreation Area
Choice Sites: Dispersed Campsites 1 and 2
Noted: Fire rings, picnic tables
Nearby: Scranton
Roadside rustic campsites make the perfect place to spot wildlife and enjoy views. Reserve via the Commonwealth’s website.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Francis Marion National Forest, Elmwood Recreation Area
Choice Sites: Shady, at field’s edge
Noted: Free camping for 14 days
Nearby: The South Carolina coast
An hour outside of Charleston, spacious sites are popular with turkey and deer hunters. Offseason—great for just getting away.
SOUTH DAKOTA
Nomad View, near Badlands National Park
Choice Sites: Edge of the rim
Noted: Minutes from park gate
Nearby: Sturgis
An extraordinary overlook window into the national park (where you can also wander the backcountry and camp without a permit, a rarity).
TENNESSEE
Meriwether Lewis Campground
Choice Sites: #28, #29
Noted: Paved RV parking
Nearby: Nashville
Located off the Natchez Trace Parkway, a no-frills experience with easy access to hiking trails. Perfect for adventurists and history buffs alike.
TEXAS
Elephant Mountain
Choice Sites: North side
Noted: Covered picnic tables
Nearby: Big Bend National Park
Looking for free camping in West Texas? Hard to beat Elephant Mountain, home to desert bighorn sheep and barbeque-style fire rings.
UTAH
Moonscape Overlook
Choice Sites: Close to the edge
Noted: Um, the view
Nearby: Capitol Reef
You’ll likely want a high-clearance vehicle and a good amount of time to reach this outlook over extraterrestrial desert landforms.
VERMONT
Green Mountain National Forest FR207
Choice Sites: Mountaintop sites
Noted: Breathtaking views
Nearby: Appalachian Trail
There are several dispersed campsites in the Green Mountain National Forest, but those along FR207 are easiest on the eye. High clearance often required.
VIRGINIA
Switzer Lake, George Washington National Forest, Harrisonburg
Choice Sites: Skidmore Fork Rd/ Switzer Lake Rd after second river crossing
Noted: Lake access
Nearby: Shenandoah National Park
The road to Switzer Lake is rough. Once you’re there, water views and fishing (bass, trout and panfish) repay the effort. Often busy, but clears out on weekdays.
WASHINGTON
Old Cascades Highway
Choice Sites: Pull-offs big enough for a rig
Noted: The Tye River
Nearby: Lake Chelan
Just north of (and roughly parallel to) Highway 2 outside Skykomish, this old road is lined with inviting spots in the deep Northwestern green.
WEST VIRGINIA
Army Camp, New River Gorge National Park
Choice Sites: 1-5
Noted: Grills and picnic tables
Nearby: Beckley
Eleven free sites here, clean and well-maintained. The river itself is one of the premier destinations for float trips in the Southeast.
WISCONSIN
Beaver Lake Recreation Area
Choice Sites: #8, #2
Noted: Rustic RV-sized camping
Nearby: Lake Superior
In the heart of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, the lake provides access to prime bass and trout fishing, as well as hiking along the North Country National Scenic Trail.
WYOMING
Shadow Mountain Road, Jackson
Choice Sites: 9 and 10
Noted: Views for days
Nearby: Bridger Teton National Forest
All about big Western scenery, with epic views of the Teton Range. Get there early to snag a good spot and set up camp, then kick back for an unforgettable sunset.
