Best Campsites In Early Spring In North America

Best Campsites in Early Spring in North America

Spring is coming in a few months and adventurers are probably already planning where to go. The days will be longer; you can finally stop hibernating and reconnect with nature.

Get out of the house and spend a few days camping in one of America's national parks, stunning state parks or just outside a small and charming town.

Recent studies show this is a good idea. They have shown that merely a walk in the park can calm the mind while changing the way the brain works to improve mental health. According to science, people who spend time in parks cope better with stress, feel happier and have more self-esteem.

Recharge your mind and body with stunning views of wild nature, breathtaking waterfalls, majestic lakes and rivers, red rock landscapes, lavish forests, tall rocky spires and cliffs, to name a few.

When you think of a campsite, don't imagine pitching a tent in the woods and hoping you won't come across any bears. While it's an option, many sites have restaurants, iconic landmarks, entertainment, and tons of opportunities for outdoor activities nearby, especially if you camp right on the water's edge.

Crimson Lake Campground, Crimson Lake Provincial Park, Canada

Crimson Lake Campground has more than 170 powered sites surrounded by trees and offers easy access to the magnificent lake. Amenities include a boat launch, showers, playground, and campground store. Have fun fishing, water skiing, hiking, and mountain biking the miles-long trail that loops around Crimson Lake. Reviews note this park for being a "kid-friendly place with big private treed sites."

Slough Creek Campground, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The park has 12 camps, some of which require reservations. Slough Creek Campground is among the quieter ones – it's hidden about two miles down an unpaved road in the Lamar Valley. Fly-fishermen love it. The place is also ideal for wildlife watching. Fishing Bridge RV Park is the only campground offering water, sewer, and electrical hookups-50 amp service; it is for hard-sided vehicles only.

Chinquapin Group Campground, Oregon

The large meadow makes a perfect location for group fun such as reunions, school field trips and scouting events. Water, picnic tables and fire rings are readily available. The more adventurous will enjoy swimming areas in Grayback Creek, creek side trails with meadows, marshes, spring wildflowers, wildlife and berry picking all within walking distance. Visit the nearby Oregon Caves National Monument to see one of the few marble caves in the world.

Polson Motorcoach & RV Resort, Montana

This is Montana's top-rated RV park. One of its best features is that it is a gateway to the stunning Glacier National Park. Sleep under the stars and take in the regal views of Flathead Lake and the Mission Mountains. Adventurers can rent an RV site for a single night, a month or even longer. The resort is perfect if you also enjoy long nights, boating, rafting, fishing, hiking, golf, and horseback riding.

Lake Louise Campground, Canada

This is a forest-type park with electric hookup only. Sites are set up for two rigs side by side, with a common pull-through gravel access and a table on each site, according to RV Park Reviews. No tents are allowed in the trailer park, but there is a section for tents only. Showers are in a centralized area and may need to be driven to depending on your site location.

Zion River Resort, Utah

This is a dream destination for any camper. The resort is near the southern entrance of the beautiful national park. A lot of people go there in the winter to escape the cold and enjoy stunning scenery of green valleys, red rocks, redstone cliffs, and possibly some snow. Full hook-ups, concrete parking pads, grills, and free WiFi are available for guests.

Brown County, Indiana

The best time to come is in late April if you want to enjoy the beauty of the wildflower season. Take part in a number of hikes, walks, birding adventures and more with fellow outdoor enthusiasts. The area's nickname is the "Little Smokies" because of its similarity to the Great Smoky Mountains. Visitors have many options for charming and comfortable lodgings – electric, primitive, non-electric, rally camp, shelter, and pone youth tent.

The Shady Dell, Arizona

The Shady Dell has been providing trailer and camping spaces along the famous Highway 80, a center of exploration and family getaways since the early 20th century. Nowadays, the trailer park is a great combination of pragmatism and old-fashioned adventurism. "Wow, what a great experience to sleep in a vintage Airstream!! This park is incredible and they have stayed true to the original trailers. It gives you the actual experience of RV camping in the 1950s!" a review on TripAdvisor says.

Robert W. Craig Campground, West Virginia

The campground is very close to the Jennings Randolph Lake providing many recreational opportunities such as boating, swimming, picnicking, and fishing. It spans 952 acres in the hills of the Allegheny Mountains. Hike the Sunset Trail, High Timber Trail or the 3D Archery Trail. The Kalbaugh Pond appeals to anglers. The nearby Potomac River is renowned for whitewater rafting.

Deep Creek Campground, Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina

Deep Creek Campground is an awesome place to stay for a few days. It's all about the water. This 92-site campground is ideal for all kinds of freshwater activities, some of which are more intense than your usual workout. Also, you are very close to Juney Whank Falls, Tom Branch Falls, Indian Creek Falls. The stunning views make for perfect day hikes. The more adventurous campers can set up at horse camps. They offer hitch racks for horses and primitive camping facilities.

Tishomingo State Park, Mississippi

Tishomingo State Park is situated in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The park is immersed in history and picturesque splendor. The well-known Natchez Trace Parkway, the premier highway of the early 1800s and a modern scenic parkway, runs directly through the park. Visitors get a chance to witness unique landscape of massive rock formations. You have to be at least 21 years old to book a campsite or a cabin. There are seven cabins and 62 standard campsites, each of which can accommodate eight people.

Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Pennsylvania

Pine Grove Furnace State Park is among the best camping places in North America. You are close to the Appalachian Trail, which is one of the most beautiful in the entire world. Hiking through the forest is a breathtaking experience. Campgrounds are open from April through December. Steeped in natural and historical features, the 696-acre park is at the northern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in an area known as South Mountain. Visitors also enjoy mountain lakes and biking the rail trail.

Moraine Park Campground, Rocky Mountains, Colorado

Moraine Park Campground is the only one open year-round. The others will open in late May or in the summer. The camp, which is also one of the more popular wildlife-viewing spots in the region, offers some of the best sights of the park, famous for its high peaks and pine forests. Mule deer and elk are a regular presence. You may also get a chance to encounter coyotes, black bears (this is how to survive an attack), bighorn sheep and moose.

Bismarck Lake Campground, South Dakota

Bismarck Lake Campground is set amidst a scattering of aspen groves and Ponderosa pine on the southeast edge of Bismarck Lake at 5,000 feet. This is the place to be if having fun and relaxing in the Black Hills National Forest is what you're after. Sites in the campground are widely spaced and open up to views of lakes. Wildlife in the area abounds. Take advantage of opportunities for mountain biking, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and riding off-highway vehicles. A day-long trek to the summit of nearby Harney Peak is exceptional. The campground accommodates tents, trailers, and RVs.

Laguna Larga Campground, Carson National Forest, New Mexico

Not a lot of people use the campground, which has a convenient location for anglers because it's right on the lake. The number of proper sites is limited. Four campsites are set on fishing water's edge at 9000', dispersed camping elsewhere around lake. The experience can be very special. Campers will have to supply their own water. Fires are allowed, but pets aren't. Activities include biking, boating, fishing, horseback riding, and climbing.

Devils Garden, Arches National Park, Utah

All 50 sites in Arches' campground, Devils Garden, are usually reserved in advance during the busy season, which is March through October, according to NPS. There are no showers and you have to bring your own wood or charcoal for the grills. But the views of this red rock wonderland, which makes for one of the best road trips in the country, and the range of activities among the thousands of natural stone arches are worth every bit of inconvenience. Hiking, rafting, mountain biking (here's why you should try it), rock climbing (you should master these skills) are a few options.  

Lake Campground in Algonquin Park, Canada

Mew Lake Campground is open all year round. There are 131 campsites, a radio-free zone, recreational vehicle (RV) campsites, electrical sites, showers, beach and yurts. They are eight-sided, mounted on a wooden deck floor and offer electric heat. They sleep up to 6 people. Backcountry camping is available. Explore Algonquin, its vast landscape of maple hills, rocky ridges, spruce bogs, lakes, ponds, and streams. Because of the popularity of Algonquin, the Park's backcountry, it is often full on long weekends during July and August.

Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area, Georgia

This is a place for year-round recreation. All outdoorsy fun activities are centered on the gorgeous 18-acre Lake Winfield Scott. The area is located high in a mountain valley within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, approximately 80 miles from Atlanta. There is a cabin with electricity and water, and sites for tent and RV camping. There is a swimming area, picnic tables, and a bathhouse. The 31 campsites are configured in two loops for tent or RV camping.

Deer Park, Olympic National Park, Washington

Deer Park boasts mountain views worth the climb and starry skies like few other places since it's at 5,400 feet in elevation. There 14 sites, fire pits with grates, picnic tables, accessible pit toilets, animal-proof food storage. Potable water is not available. Firewood gathering is prohibited. Backpackers must obtain a wilderness camping permit Go hiking and explore the rugged glacier-capped mountains, wild Pacific coast, or lavish rainforest.

Sam Pryor Shawangunk Gateway Campground, New Paltz, New York

The campground is fairly new. It opened in 2015. It has 50 tent sites with a limit of four people per campsite, maximum of two 2-person tents per campsite. No RV's or large vehicles allowed. Amenities include pay showers, covered pavillion, fire ring, drinking water and more. Climbers call the Shawangunk Ridge  "The Gunks." It is a popular climbing area that boasts over 1,000 routes and miles of cliff face.

George Lake Campground in Killarney, Canada

This famous 400 square miles wilderness landscape displays the wild Georgian Bay Coast of pink granite, the La Cloche Mountains' white quartzite ridges and more than 50 crystal clear, sapphire lakes set among Jack Pine hills. Extensive backcountry canoeing and sea kayaking adventures are visitors' favorite.  The hiking is outstanding hiking. The campground has access to beaches and dozens of gorgeous trails.

Boyd’s Key West Campground, Key West, Florida

Why not take a trip to the last town in the long chain of islands that stretch into the Gulf off the tip of Florida? Key West is the definition of "the end of the road." Boyd's is the place to be if you are in an RV. The campground is near downtown Key West and close to beaches for snorkeling, fishing or just lounging and relaxing. The lush park offers oceanfront campsites, 50-amp and 30-amp electricity and 24-hour security.