Best/Worst
Best States for Camping 2025
Overall Camping Rating (1-10)
3.5
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5
7
7.5
State | Overall Camping Rating (1-10)↓ | Best Place to Camp | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Rhode Island | 7.09 | East Beach, Charlestown |
 | Utah | 6.85 | Devils Garden Campground, Arches National Park |
 | Maryland | 6.79 | Assateague State Park |
 | New Hampshire | 6.7 | Pawtuckaway State Park |
 | New Mexico | 6.64 | Gallo Campground at Chaco Canyon |
 | Minnesota | 6.57 | Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness |
 | Colorado | 6.52 | Piñon Flats Campground, Great Sand Dunes National Park |
 | South Carolina | 6.49 | Edisto River Treehouses |
 | Texas | 6.38 | Chisos Basin Campground, Big Bend National Park |
 | Vermont | 6.38 | Smuggler’s Notch State Park Campground |
 | Virginia | 6.32 | Big Meadow Campground, Shenandoah National Park |
 | Massachusetts | 6.22 | Boston Harbor Islands |
 | New York | 6.17 | Camp Orenda |
 | Maine | 6.14 | Flood’s Cove |
 | New Jersey | 6.1 | Worthington State Forest Campground, Delaware Water Gap |
 | Oklahoma | 6.07 | Chickasaw National Recreation Area |
 | Wisconsin | 6.03 | Apostle Islands National Seashore |
 | Michigan | 6.01 | Chapel Beach, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore |
 | Arizona | 5.98 | Havasupai Campground, Havasupai Reservation |
 | Connecticut | 5.96 | White Memorial Conservation Center |
 | Arkansas | 5.95 | Buffalo National River |
 | Oregon | 5.91 | Cape Blanco State Park |
 | West Virginia | 5.86 | Thorny Mountain Fire Tower, Seneca State Forest |
 | Missouri | 5.79 | Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park |
 | Washington | 5.73 | Second Beach, Olympic National Park |
 | South Dakota | 5.72 | Blue Bell Campground, Custer State Park |
 | Iowa | 5.64 | Maquoketa Caves State Park |
 | Kentucky | 5.57 | Daniel Boone National Forest |
 | Nebraska | 5.54 | Fort Robinson State Park |
 | Alabama | 5.52 | Outpost at Gulf State Park |
 | Alaska | 5.51 | Bartlett Cove Campground, Glacier Bay National Park |
 | Delaware | 5.5 | Cape Henlopen State Park |
 | Pennsylvania | 5.39 | Cherry Springs State Park |
 | Georgia | 5.38 | Cloudland State Park |
 | Ohio | 5.36 | Hocking Hills State Park |
 | North Dakota | 5.31 | Juniper Campground, Theodore Roosevelt National Park |
 | Louisiana | 5.29 | Lake Bistineau State Park |
 | Illinois | 5.21 | Starved Rock State Park Campground |
 | Florida | 5.14 | Cayo Costa State Park |
 | Kansas | 5.05 | Wilson State Park |
 | Mississippi | 5.02 | Davis Bayou Campground, Gulf Islands National Seashore |
 | Hawaii | 4.91 | Malaekahana Beach Campground |
 | Tennessee | 4.91 | Elkmont Campground, Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
 | California | 4.78 | Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park |
 | North Carolina | 4.71 | Big Creek Campground, Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
 | Idaho | 4.66 | Point Campground |
 | Indiana | 4.5 | Brown County State Park |
 | Nevada | 4.35 | Arch Rock Campground, Valley of Fire State Park |
 | Montana | 4.14 | Many Glacier Campground, Glacier National Park |
 | Wyoming | 3.81 | Jenny Lake Campground, Grand Teton National Park |
- Each state’s overall camping rating was determined by compiling the results of 9 specific indicators: National Parks per 1,000 square miles, species diversity, forest coverage, campsite quality, rainfall, fuel prices, internet access, crimes per national park, and accidents per national park.
- Most indicators displayed use a 10-point rating scale in which 10 is the most favorable rating.
- Rankings that evaluate different criteria may result in alternate rankings.
