State parks throughout the United States are a great way to experience the great outdoors and numerous beautiful and interesting natural scenery the country has to offer. Camping in these state parks provides an opportunity for families and friends of all ages to explore nature and spend a night under the stars, whether it’s camping on a beach by the ocean waters, enjoying the solitude of the mountains, or escaping to warmer climates during the winter. There’s plenty of options when it comes to the nation’s best state park camping.
Anastasia State Park
Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine, Florida features over 1,600 beautiful acres of ancient sand dunes, maritime hammocks, tidal marshes, and unspoiled beaches that make the grounds a captivating place for a camping experience out in an amazing expanse of nature.
300 Anastasia Park Rd, St. Augustine, FL 32080, Phone: 904-461-2033
Blackwater Falls State Park
Located in West Virginia, near the town of Davis, Blackwater Falls State Park gets its name for the Blackwater River’s falls, where amber-hued waters cascade down five stories before twisting and tumbling through a gorge measuring eight miles in length.
1584 Blackwater Lodge Rd, Davis, WV 26260, Phone: 304-259-5216
Blue Bell Campground
The Blue Bell Campground is located within Custer State Park in the city of Custer, South Dakota.
Lame Johhny Rd, Custer, SD 57730, Phone: 605-255-4515
Bullards Beach State Park
Bullards Beach State Park is a family-oriented, large park just two miles outside of Bandon, oregon.
Bullards Beach Rd, Bandon, OR 97411, Phone: 541-347-2209
Cherry Creek State Park
Cherry Creek State Park, located in Aurora, Colorado, is Denver’s spacious and natural backyard playground with rolling hills and prairies.
4201 South Parker Rd, Aurora, CO, 80014, Phone: 303-693-3957
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Visitors are welcomed by rippling, rust-colored sand arcs upon entering the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Kanab, Utah. These arcs are contrasted by steep red cliffs, pinion pines and juniper trees, and blue skies, making the park an amazing destination for scenic drives, photography, camping, or even just “playing in the sand.” Coral Pink Sand Dunes has a campground with twenty-two campsites within a gorgeous desert environment of junipers and surrounded by the park’s coral pink sand. The sand dune field of the Colorado Plateau is one geological feature visitors should make sure not to miss during their stay.
12500 Sand Dune Rd, Kanab, UT 84741, Phone: 435-648-2800
Davis Mountains State Park
Davis Mountains State Park is a historic and beautiful park located up in the mountain terrain of Fort Davis in West Texas. Visitors can learn about the park’s history and the nearby frontier fort, explore miles of hiking trails, and camp out beneath the starry night sky among several other outdoor recreation activities.
TX-118, Fort Davis, TX 79734, Phone: 432-426-3337, Video
Doheny State Beach
Known as the first state beach in California, Doheny State Beach in Dana Point is one of the state’s most popular state beaches, attracting nearly one million people every year.
25300 Dana Point Harbor Dr, Dana Point, CA 92629, Phone: 949-496-6171
Fort Stevens State Park
Formerly the primary military fort of the Harbor Defense System between the Civil War era through World War II, Fort Stevens State Park is now an approximately 4,300-acre state park that offers opportunities for camping and many other recreational adventures.
100 Peter Iredale Rd, Hammond, OR 97121, Phone: 503-861-3170
John Bryan State Park
John Bryan State Park is western Ohio’s most scenic state park, located only a mile away from the town of Yellow Springs.
3790 Ohio 370, Yellow Springs, OH 45387, Phone: 937-767-1274
Kohler-Andrae State Park
Located in the town of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the Kohler-Andrae State Park is a scenic gem along the shores of Lake Michigan, providing a peaceful camping destination for people of all ages.
Lake Thunderbird State Park
Lake Thunderbird State Park in Norman, Oklahoma offers a great camping destination with a wide array of recreational and water activities.
Manchester State Park
The Manchester State Park just outside of Port Orchard, Washington makes for an ideal getaway for both Puget Sound campers and day-trippers alike on a trip to the state’s Kitsap Peninsula, particularly among maritime and military buffs. Manchester State Park is especially well known for its large brick structure, once a warehouse for torpedoes. During World War II, the fort here stocked an underwater minefield. Today, the grounds are now a state park that offers opportunities for camping, diving, swimming, hiking, and kayaking. The 128-acre campground features beautiful views, restroom and shower facilities, horseshoe pit, and a volleyball court.
7767 E. Hilldale Rd, Port Orchard, WA 98366, Phone: 360-871-4065
North Fork Campground
The North Fork Campground in the White River National Forest is situated high up within the towering aspen grove along the Colorado Rocky Mountains western slope, providing a perfect setting for campers looking for a place for relaxation and recreation.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a very popular state park campground that offers nearly two hundred campsites located either near or on the Big Sur River, including both tent sites and RV sites.
Rockhound State Park
The Rockhound State Park features a rugged slope setting thanks to the Little Florida Mountains. Located near Deming, New Mexico, the park boasts a tranquil campground, displays of colorful wildflowers, unique geological features, and miles of trails.
Sinks Canyon State Park
The campgrounds at the Sinks Canyon State Park provides a great base for exploring the natural beauty of land near Lander, Wyoming.
Standing Stone State Rustic Park
Standing Stone State Rustic Park is nestled within the Cumberland Plateau’s Standing Stone State Forest near Hilham, Tennessee. The park gets its name from the massive rock that stands upright twelve feet high on a sandstone ledge, named appropriately as the “Standing Stone.”
Tumalo State Park
Located along the Deschutes River around four miles outside of Bend, Oregon, Tumalo State Park offers a campground with a season biker/hiker area, two group seasonal camping areas, seven yurts (two of which are pet-friendly), fifty-four tent campsites, and twenty-three full hookup campsites.
Van Damme State Park
The Van Damme State Park in Little River, Claifornia is just a few miles away from Mendocino along Highway One. This beautiful park provides opportunities for camping throughout the entire year, a fern-filled lush forest, and a scenic beach. The highway actually runs through the middle of the park and separates the Fern Canyon trail head and the park’s campground on the east from the parking lot and beach on the west. Along with camping, Van Damme State Park is also great for kayaking, jogging, birding, biking, hiking, and more. Kayaks can be launched in the protected cove.
8001 CA-1, Little River, CA 95456, Phone: 707-937-5804
