Camping in
America's national parks and
monuments allows a visitor to more fully appreciate the beauty
of America's natural treasures. Although sometimes crowded,
National Park Service campgrounds generally offer spectacular scenery and
plentiful activities. The campground at Devil's
Tower
National Monument (
Wyoming)
is situated in a grassy area with cottonwood trees lining the banks of the
meandering
Belle Fourche River.
Campers can walk to a nearby prairie dog town or along a hiking trail that leads
to the base of impressive Devil's Tower, a sacred site for many Native
Americans. Flamingo Campground at the south end of
Everglades National Park
sits beside Florida Bay in a grassy area of palm trees
and serves as
an ideal location
for campers to enjoy bicycling, canoeing, and hiking. Nine campgrounds
along the Blue Ridge Parkway have always been among our favorites.
Generally uncrowded, these campgrounds are scattered along the 469-mile scenic
parkway, offering convenient places to camp along the way. The campground on
Georgia's
Cumberland
Island National Seashore sits in a grove
of magnificent live oak trees and a short distance from one of the
Atlantic Ocean's most beautiful and unpopulated
beaches. Campers can walk to an old Carnegie family mansion that
has been destroyed by fire. The photo above is of Big
Meadows Campground in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.
This park is best known for scenic Skyline Drive that winds
along the crest of the Appalachians.
Locations
Not all areas managed by the National Park Service maintain
campgrounds within the park borders. For example, the many historical areas
operated by the National Park Service, including Fort Frederica National
Monument (GA), Arkansas Post National Memorial, and Tonto National Monument
(AZ), do not have developed camping facilities. Likewise, National Park Service
facilities in metropolitan areas generally do not have campground facilities.
The majority of the major national parks including Yosemite National Park (CA),
Yellowstone National Park (WY), Rocky Mountain National Park (CO), Great Smoky
Mountains National Park (NC), Big Bend National Park (TX), Grand Canyon National
Park (AZ), Sequoia National Park
(CA), Glacier National Park (MT), and Death Valley National Park (CA/NV), each
have several campgrounds. Even many smaller park units such as
Dinosaur
National Monument (CO/UT),
Colorado
National Monument (CO),
Joshua
Tree
National
Park (CA), and
Lava
Beds
National Monument (CA) offer at least
one developed campground. The campground at Craters of the
Moon
National Monument in
Idaho is in a huge cinder field resulting from
long-ago volcanic eruptions. Camping here is certainly a unique experience.
National
Park Service campground locations
Management
Most national park campgrounds are maintained and operated by
the National Park Service. These campgrounds typically offer picnic
tables, grills, public bathrooms with sinks, flush toilets,
sanitary stations, and individual parking spaces. Many also have dump stations.
Very few campgrounds have electrical or water hookups, hot water, or showers.
A shortage of personnel has caused to NPS to turn the management to some of its
campgrounds over to concessionaires. For example, five of the twelve
campgrounds in Yellowstone National Park are operated by Xanterra Parks &
Resorts, the same firm that operates Yellowstone's nine lodging facilities. Concessionaires
typically operate national park RV parks that have more elaborate facilities. RV
parks are located in a limited number of national parks including Big Bend,
Grand Teton, Olympic, and Yellowstone. National Park Service rangers offer
evening campfire and interpretive programs at most campgrounds, especially on
weekends and during busy summer months. The programs generally begin at dusk and
are nearly always enjoyable and informative. Go a little early and spend time
talking with a ranger or singing songs with other campers.
Reservations
National park campgrounds are
typically operated on a
first-come, first-serve basis. This means it is in your best interest to
arrive and occupy a campsite as early in the day as possible. For busy
parks such as Yellowstone, Sequoia, or Glacier, we often stay at a U.S. Forest
Service campground within a short driving distance of the park, and arise early
the following morning in order to claim a campsite in the park. This isn't
always necessary, but you should use good judgment based on the park you will be
visiting, along with the season and day of the week you plan to visit.
Some National Park Service campgrounds permit reservations. Mather
Campground on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and North Rim Campground each
accept reservations. If you are planning to visit the North Rim you will
almost certainly want to try for a reservation because this campground is full
virtually the entire season. Some large parks accept reservations for
only
one or two of several campgrounds. For example, Furnace Creek Campground in
Death Valley National Park is the only one of the park's nine campgrounds that
accepts reservations by Internet or phone. Glacier National Park in
Montana has thirteen campgounds, only two of which (Fish Creek and St. Mary) are
subject to reservation. Reservations in Yosemite Valley campgrounds are
required from March 15 through November. The reservation system works well
if you know exactly when you will be visiting a particular park. For
reservations in National Park Service campgrounds visit
www.recreation.gov,
or call 877-444-6777.
National
Park Service campgrounds that
accept reservations
Fees
Nightly camping fees generally range between $10 and $20
depending on the park and the particular campground you choose.
Concessionaire-operated RV parks within national park units offer hookups and are more expensive.
For example, Fishing Bridge RV Park in Yellowstone is $45 per night for up to
four individuals. Headwaters RV Park in Grand Teton National Park
(actually, John D
Rockefeller, Jr Parkway) charges
$64 per night. Some campgrounds are available without charge, but these often
are remote or have no
potable water. In
general, busy parks and
campgrounds with
improved facilities
charge at the high end
of the range. Most park
campgrounds accept
checks or cash, but not
credit cards. Senior
citizens with a American
the Beautiful Senior
Pass and handicapped
citizens with an
American the Beautiful
Access Pass camp for
half the regular fee,
even in campgrounds
managed by
concessionaires rather
than the National Park
Service. Both passes can
be obtained at any
national park visitor
center or entrance
station. The access pass
is free while the senior
pass has a one-time $10
fee. These two passports
also provide free
entrance to any areas in
the park system. An annual America the Beautiful Pass ($80) is
available to anyone and provides free park admission but no reduced fees for
camping or other activities. Some parks impose a limit on the number of vehicles
and the number of people who can occupy a single campsite. All parks have a
limit on the length of time you can stay although the limit may be waived if the
campground isn't full.
Additional
information about
National Park
Service fees and
passes
Thinking about spending a night or two in a
lodge during a
visit to one of the national
parks? Comprehensive
information about all national park lodging facilities is available in
The Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges
by David L. and Kay W. Scott. The seventh edition of the newly-published book
includes color
photos, room
rates,
reservation
information,
room recommendations,
dining options,
activities,
maps, and pet
information.
Order Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges from Amazon.
David
and Kay
Scott
have
traveled
American's
national
parks
for
forty
years
including
six
summers
devoted
to
exploring
national
park
lodges.
During
these
travels
they
have
worn out
four VW
campers
and are
currently
on their
third
tent.
The
Scotts
have
camped
along
the
Pacific
Ocean
shoreline
in
Olympic
National
Park and
beside
Florida
Bay in
Everglades
National
Park.
They
have
camped
in the
snow in
Yellowstone
and in a
hail
storm
near a
visitor
center
in
Salinas
Pueblo
Missions
National
Monument in New Mexico.
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