Camping In Our National Parks?  Move Fast!

Visiting one of our National Parks is almost a rite of passage in some families!  It is also one the best family vacations in existence! Couples, singles, and friend groups enjoy it as well.  There are so many parks in the US and they are a varied bunch.  There really is one for nearly everyone!  One of the best ways to see the richness and beauty of our  parks is to pitch a tent and enjoy.  Yep, go camping!

Granted, camping is not for everyone but for those who enjoy it, our National Parks deserve a visit.  Not only are you surrounded by awesome, out of the world scenery – trails, forests, desert, animals and plants of all sorts, camping is available in nearly every national park. Compared to many other vacations, it is also reasonably inexpensive.  At many parks  you can purchase camping reservations at any time.   That, however, is not true everywhere.  The most popular and visited parks sell out quickly and require early reservations.  This includes Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and Yosemite.  Let’s take a look at some of the other parks whose high demand requires early registration.

Acadia National Park – This extremely popular park is located in Maine. Take a look at Mount Desert Island campground, which is located just 5 miles south of Bar Harbor.  This camp is best for tent camping and smaller RVs.  There is a rocky shoreline as well as hardwood forests that are heavily wooded.  You will need to make reservations 6 months in advance. Check the first day each month.

Arches National Park – Utah  The Devil’s Garden Campground is located 18 miles from the park’s entrance and has an elevation of 5200 feet. This park has the highest concentration of arches anywhere in the world.  At night, when the day visitors leave, you will have it to yourself.  Book it 6 months in advance.  The amenities include flush toilets, picnic tables, bear boxes, potable water and fire rings.  There are no hookups or showers

Great Smoky Mountains National Park – TN and NC  This is the most popular and visited park in the park system. Therefore is it not surprising that Elkhart Campground- 8 miles from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is also incredibly busy.  The Little River and James creek run through the campground, making it great for fishing or splashing.  The riverfront sites are grabbed up early.  The facilities here include flush toilets, potable water, fire rings, picnic tables, camp store, and amphitheater.  There are no showers or hookups.  Make reservations 6 months early and even quicker if you want an October reservation. October is when the leaves are at their peak and the sites go fast.

Look through our National Parks and see what interests you!.