57 national forests with campgrounds open year-round
Posted
Nicole Caldwell
As winter approaches, camping opportunities become more limited in most parts of the United States. However, for much of the South—as well as RVers and ambitious cold-weather enthusiasts—camping season never ends. Throughout national forests across the U.S., year-round camping options are abundant, offering many amenities and accessibility options.
Outwander used forest service data from the Department of Agriculture to identify year-round campgrounds in national forests nationwide. The campgrounds are listed in alphabetical order. We looked at the number and names of available year-round campgrounds for each.
National parks, from Yellowstone and Grand Canyon to Acadia and Valley Forge, focus largely on preserving natural and historic resources. National forests, meanwhile, are managed for everything from recreation and resource preservation to grazing and wildlife.
With the overcrowding (especially in recent years) of visitors to national parks, national forests can offer a welcome respite for travelers seeking peace and solitude. Visitors should always check forest and campground websites before traveling in case of weather advisories or temporary closures.
Several national forests on this list feature just one or two year-round campgrounds, while Idaho's Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest boasts 40. Depending on the adventure you're pursuing—whether snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or avoiding the white stuff altogether and opting for a trip south for warm-weather hiking—these campgrounds provide a range of settings to serve as home base during every kind of outdoor escape.
woodsnorthphoto // Shutterstock
Pennsylvania: Allegheny National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
- Campground names:
- - Clarion River Campsites
- - Willow Bay Recreation Area
Noah Sauve // Shutterstock
California: Angeles National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 25
- Campground names:
- - Appletree Campground
- - Bear Campground
- - Bear Canyon Trail Camp
- - Big Rock Campground
- - Blue Ridge Campground
- - Cabin Flat Campground
- - Cooper Canyon Trail Camp
- - Devore Trail Camp
- - Glenn Camp Campground
- - Gould Mesa Trail Camp
- - Hoegees Trail Camp
- - Idlehour Trail Camp
- - Little Jimmy Trail Camp
- - Los Alamos Campground
- - Millard Trail Camp
- - Monte Cristo Campground
- - Oak Flat Campground
- - Peavine Campground
- - Pyramid Lake--Los Alamos Group Campground
- - Southfork Campground
- - Spring Camp Campground
- - Spruce Grove Trail Camp
- - Sulphur Springs Trail Camp
- - Valley Forge Trail Camp
- - West Fork Trail Camp
Gestalt Imagery // Shutterstock
Arizona: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
- Campground names:
- - Black Jack Campground (Weather-dependent)
- - Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area Campground
melissamn // Shutterstock
Utah and Wyoming: Ashley National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 6
- Campground names:
- - Big Pine I River Camp
- - Big Pine II River Camp
- - Bootleg River Camp
- - Cats Paw River Camp
- - Cottonwood River Camp
- - Dripping Springs Campground
melissamn // Shutterstock
Montana: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
- Campground name:
- - Bear Creek Campground and Picnic Area
Susan Natoli // Shutterstock
South Dakota and Wyoming: Black Hills National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
- Campground names:
- - Black Fox Campground
- - Castle Peak Campground
charles hester // Shutterstock
Georgia: Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 17
- Campground names:
- - Deep Hole Recreation Area
- - DeSoto Falls Recreation Area
- - Cooper Creek Recreation Area
- - Cottonwood Patch Campground
- - Hickey Gap Campground
- - Jacks River Fields Campground (Limited access in winter)
- - Lake Russell Recreation Area Campground
- - Lake Sinclair Recreation Area
- - Lake Winfield Scott Campground (Partial seasonal closure)
- - Morganton Point Campground
- - Mulky Campground
- - Oconee River Campground
- - Sarah's Creek Campground
- - Tallulah River Campground
- - Toccoa River Sandy Bottoms Recreation Area
- - West Fork Campground
- - Willis Knob Horse Camp
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock
Wisconsin: Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
- Campground names:
- - Picnic Point Recreation Area
- - Wabasso Lake Recreation Area
lynn friedman // Shutterstock
Minnesota: Chippewa National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
- Campground names:
- - Noma Lake Campground
NayaDadara // Shutterstock
New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas: Cibola National Forest and Grasslands
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 12
- Campground names:
- - Black Kettle Campground
- - Bosque Campground
- - East Bluff #1 Campground - Lake McClellan
- - Lake Marvin Campground
- - Lake McClellan Campground
- - McDowell Campground
- - Mills Canyon Campground
- - Red Canyon Campground
- - Red Cloud Campground
- - Skipout Campground
- - Spring Creek Campground
- - Tajique Campground
Rosamar // Shutterstock
California: Cleveland National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 4
- Campground names:
- - Bobcat Meadow Campground
- - Corral Canyon Campground
- - Crestline Picnic Area
- - El Cariso Campground
BCFC // Shutterstock
Arizona: Coconino National Forest Recreation
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
- Campground names:
- - Chavez Crossing Group Campground
- - Clints Well Campground
Cavan-Images // Shutterstock
Washington: Colville National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
- Campground names:
- - Tiffany Springs Campground
Bob Pool // Shutterstock
Arizona: Coronado National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 10
- Campground names:
- - Arcadia Campground
- - Bog Springs Campground
- - Lakeview Campground
- - Peppersauce Campground
- - Rock Bluff Group Site
- - Stockton Pass Campground
- - Sycamore Campground
- - Twilight Group Campground
- - Upper Arcadia Group Site
- - White Rock Campground
Nikki Yancey // Shutterstock
Montana and South Dakota: Custer Gallatin National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 7
- Campground names:
- - Battle Ridge Campground (Weather dependent)
- - Blacks Pond Campground (Weather dependent)
- - Canyon Campground
- - Cow Creek Campground And Picnic Area (Weather dependent)
- - Holiday Spring Campground (Weather dependent)
- - Lantis Spring Campground (Weather dependent)
- - M-K Campground (Limited service in winter)
Dennis MacDonald // Shutterstock
North Dakota: Dakota Prairie Grasslands
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
- Campground name:
- - Buffalo Gap Campground (Limited services in winter)
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
Kentucky: Daniel Boone National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 3
- Campground names:
- - Bee Rock Campground (Partial seasonal closure)
- - S-Tree Campground (Partial seasonal closure)
- - Turkey Foot Campground
Isaac Crabbe // Shutterstock
Oregon: Deschutes National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 4
- Campground names:
- - Allen Springs Campground
- - Camp Sherman Campground
- - Lower Bridge Campground
- - Pine Rest Campground
Iv-olga // Shutterstock
Utah: Dixie National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
- Campground names:
- - Blue Spruce Campground (Weather dependent)
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock
California: Eldorado National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
- Campground names:
- - Dru Barner Campground
phonghoang // Shutterstock
South Carolina: Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 8
- Campground names:
- - Brick House Campground
- - Buck Hall Recreation Area
- - Elmwood Recreation Area
- - Cassidy Bridge Hunt Camp
- - Honey Hill Recreation Area
- - Lick Fork Lake Recreation Area
- - Sedalia Campground
- - Whetstone Horse Camp
Film Adventure // Shutterstock
Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia: George Washington & Jefferson National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 5
- Campground names:
- - Camp Run Campground
- - Greenwood Point Campground
- - Hone Quarry Campground
- - Little Fort Campground
- - Wolf Gap Recreation Area
Kushal Bose // Shutterstock
Washington: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
- Campground names:
- - Government Mineral Springs
- - Sunset Falls Campground and Day Use
William Silver // Shutterstock
New Mexico: Gila National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
- Campground names:
- - Aeroplane Mesa Campground
- - Cosmic Campground International Dark Sky Sanctuary
Alisha Bube // Shutterstock
Indiana: Hoosier National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 3
- Campground names:
- - Blackwell Campground
- - North Face Loop
- - Shirley Creek Campground
Al Bittler // Shutterstock
California and Nevada: Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
- Campground names:
- - Fletcher View Campground
- - Kyle Canyon Picnic Area
ehrlif // Shutterstock
Michigan: Huron-Manistee National Forests
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
- Campground names:
- - Timber Creek Campground
- - Twinwood Lake Campground
Evan Haas // Shutterstock
Idaho: Idaho Panhandle National Forests
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 3
- Campground names:
- - Copper Creek Campground
- - Meadow Creek Campground
- - Robinson Lake Campground
Tim Malek // Shutterstock
New Mexico: Lincoln National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
- Campground name:
- - Skyline Campground
Steven Beck // Shutterstock
California: Los Padres National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 20
- Campground names:
- - Baja Campground
- - Ballinger Campground
- - Bates Canyon Campground
- - Davy Brown Campground
- - Figueroa Campground
- - Friis Campground
- - Fremont Campground
- - Hi Mountain Campground
- - Holiday Group Campground
- - Horseshoe Springs Campground
- - La Panza Campground
- - Los Prietos Campground
- - Miranda Pine Campground
- - Nira Campground
- - Paradise Campground
- - Rancho Nuevo Campground
- - Rose Valley Campground
- - Sage Hill Group Campground
- - Toad Springs Campground
- - Upper Oso Campground
Marieke Peche // Shutterstock
Colorado and Utah: Manti-La Sal National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
- Campground name:
- - Upper Six Mile Ponds Campground
Randy Kostichka // Shutterstock
Missouri: Mark Twain National Forest
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 8
- Campground names:
- - Bar-K Wrangler Camp
- - Berryman Campground
- - Cobb Ridge Recreation Area
- - Fourche Lake Recreation Area
- - Greer Crossing Recreation Area
- - Hazel Creek Campground
- - McCormack Lake Recreation Area
- - Pinewoods Lake Recreation Area
Daniel Koglin // Shutterstock
Texas: National Forests and Grasslands in Texas
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
- Campground names:
- - 514-D White Rock Horse Camp
- - 566 Piney Creek Horse Camp
JNix // Shutterstock
Alabama: National Forests in Alabama
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 4
- Campground names:
- - Brushy Lake Recreation Area
- - Payne Lake Recreation Area
- - Pine Glen Recreation Area
- - Warden Station Horse Camp
P T Hamilton // Shutterstock
North Carolina: National Forests in North Carolina
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 15
- Campground names:
- - Arrowhead Campground
- - Badin Horse Camp or Old Horse Camp
- - Badin Lake Campground and Group Camp
- - Canebrake Horse Camp
- - Cedar Point Campground
- - Cove Creek Group Campground
- - Flanners Beach/Neuse River Campground
- - Horse Cove Campground
- - Kuykendall Group Campground
- - North Mills River Campground (Limited services in winter)
- - Oyster Point Campground
- - Uwharrie Hunt Camp
- - West Morris Mtn. Campground
- - White Pines Group Campground
- - Wine Spring Horse Camp
marekuliasz // Shutterstock
Nebraska: Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
- Campground name:
- - Bessey Recreation Complex and Campground
Robert Travis // Shutterstock
Idaho: Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
- Number of year-round campgrounds: 40
- Campground names:
- - Bridge Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
- - Castle Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
- - Cedars Campground (Weather dependent)
- - Crooked River Campground #3 (Weather dependent)