The 10 best US national parks for RV campers

22.08.2024 - 08:06 / lonelyplanet.com

Aug 21, 2024 • 6 min read

Looking to get closer to nature and linger longer at a US national park? RV camping is the perfect way to experience the majestic wide-open spaces of the US national parks.

Camping in an RV within a national park provides a comfortable base to immerse yourself in a park’s beauty from sunrise to sunset (and beyond for great stargazing). National park campsites also create a fun sense of community between RV campers, who share everything from vehicle advice to travel tips, BBQ recipes and s’mores around the campfire.

The national parks listed below are top destinations not only for the quantity and quality of RV campsites within the parks but for the access that RVs have to tour the parks on wide, paved roadways with key park attractions within roadside viewing distance.

Number of RV campsites:  3 campsites with 160 total RV spots
Reserve your RV spot here:  Acadia’s Recreation.gov website
The most scenic RV route through the park: The 27 miles of Park Loop Road unveils a spectacular vista of mountains, ocean, lakes and forests, with plenty of nearby trailheads for hiking. Acadia National Park does become quite crowded in summer, so consider a fall visit to avoid the heaviest traffic and also do some prime Maine leaf-peeping.

Number of RV campsites:  1 campground with 51 sites
Reserve your RV spot here:  Arches’ Recreation.gov website
The most scenic RV route through the park:  Arches National Park’s Main Park Road traces 18 miles from the entrance to Devils Garden Campground on a nicely paved roadway, with multiple pull-out stops with views of the park’s epic rock arches. After your visit here, you can add stops to southern Utah’s Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion for an epic Utah national parks RV roadtrip. 

Number of RV campsites: 3 campsites with 207 total spots
Reserve your RV spot here:  Reserve Denali (NOT Recreation.gov)
The most scenic RV route through the park:  The only RV route in Denali National Park is the first 15 miles of Denali Park Road, although RV campers at the Teklanika River Campground can continue another 14 miles to the campsite on a gravel road. Both segments of the road provide spectacular sweeping views of Denali’s mountainous landscape.

Number of RV campsites:  173 spots in 2 campgrounds
Reserve your RV spot here:  Flamingo Adventures (Not Recreation.gov) 
The most scenic RV route through the park:  Take your time with plenty of pull-offs to appreciate the rich biodiversity inside Everglades National Park. The well-maintained 40-mile road from the Eastern Homestead Entrance to the Flamingo Visitor Center has vibrant birdlife (and lurking gators) in the lush green wetlands of the Everglades.

Number of RV campsites: 5