Looking for the most RV friendly national parks? Or, conversely, are you checking to see which parks might present a challenge for RVers? We’ll take a look at both the least and most RV friendly national parks across the country.
However, even if a national park is not RV friendly, don’t let that deter you from visiting! You can still explore many parks by using a tow vehicle, or looking for campgrounds in nearby towns or just outside park boundaries.
For this article, we looked at which national parks had RV campgrounds inside their boundaries. Also, while most national parks do not have hookups or other amenities, these RV friendly campgrounds mostly did. We also looked at whether RVs were able to access the rest of the park, whether there were roads they could not easily drive, and at whether there was parking for oversized vehicles.
The Least RV Friendly National Parks:
- New River Gorge National Park
- Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
- Gates of the Arctic National Park
- Dry Tortugas National Park
- Gateway Arch National Park
The Most RV Friendly National Parks:
- Yellowstone National Park
- Death Valley National Park
- Acadia National Park
- Everglades National Park
- Arches National Park
- Grand Canyon National Park
The Least RV Friendly National Parks
The fact that these national parks are considered the least RV friendly parks does not mean that they’re not excellent parks. It simply means they aren’t necessarily the easiest to visit for RV camping. Some of them don’t have campgrounds at all. Some are located in remote areas where it would be hard to drive an RV. However, these parks are all still worth visiting!
New River Gorge National Park
New River Gorge National Park has only primitive camping available. There are not any campsites that can accommodate RVs. Also, some roads in the park aren’t accessible for all RVs, and you may need to find some alternate routes.
However, the park is still worth a visit to see this region of the Appalachians. You’ll find sparkling waterfalls and amazing scenery throughout the park. Consider camping at Babcock State Park and driving to see New Royal Gorge. You’ll have more access if you have a tow vehicle or small campervan which you can take into the park.
RV rentals near New Royal Gorge National Park
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
It can be hard to find RVs in general on the island, and there is no RV camping at this national park. However, the unique geologic features, the fascinating history, and the gorgeous landscape make this a can’t-miss national park! There are some roads here that are hard for larger RVs to navigate, but the difficulty of bringing large rigs to the Big Island means there aren’t many RVs available to try the drive. You should be able to navigate these roads in a campervan.
RV rentals near Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Gates of the Arctic National Park
The fact that there are no roads, trails, or ranger stations at Gates of the Arctic makes this a hard place to bring an RV. The only way into the park is by flight or some serious hiking. The park is a few hundred miles from Fairbanks, and you could book an air taxi to take you to the park. Consider looking for campgrounds in Fairbanks where you can stay before and after your trek to the northernmost national park in the U.S.
Dry Tortugas National Park
The only way to reach Dry Tortugas is by boat or seaplane, making it a tough park to enjoy in an RV. However, you can park your RV on the mainland and book one of those travel options to explore the park. You’ll also find RV campgrounds in Key West, which is the nearest town.
Gateway Arch National Park
Gateway Arch National Park doesn’t have any camping at the park at all. In fact, it’s located in the middle of St. Louis. There is parking for oversized vehicles about 1/3 of a mile from the park, but it’s not a terribly RV-friendly place. However, it’s worth a visit to the Gateway Arch anyway to see an iconic American landmark. You can also visit other historic buildings like the Old Courthouse. You can camp in several campgrounds near St. Louis while you explore the area.
RV rentals near Gateway Arch National Park
The Most RV-Friendly National Parks
Although most national parks aren’t known for their camping amenities, there are some that have hookups, laundry facilities, and other bonus features. Here are a few of the most RV friendly national parks.
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park’s Fishing Bridge Campground has full hookups, which is a rarity in national park campgrounds. You’ll get water, sewer, and electrical hookups along with cell phone service and a laundry room. The campground has plenty of trees, and evening ranger programs at the campground amphitheater. This campground fills up quickly, and you’ll want to make reservations well in advance. It’s closed from mid-October through mid-May.
RV rentals near Yellowstone National Park
Death Valley National Park
Furnace Creek Campground has pull-through and back-in sites available with full hookups. There is also drinking water available, along with picnic tables, flush toilets and a dump station. Stovepipe Wells Campground also accommodates RVs, although it has fewer amenities. Panamint Springs Resort is also in the park and has full hookups. Another advantage of Death Valley is that prime time for camping is in the off-season from most other parks. You’ll want to visit in late fall, winter, or early spring and avoid the warmer months. Most of the park is accessible by RV, although there are some roads that require an off-roading vehicle with high clearance.
RV rentals near Death Valley National Park
Acadia National Park
The Schoodic Woods Campground has electric and water hookups available. There are also flush toilets available, along with potable water and a dump station. Beautiful scenery, harbors, and quaint small towns are nearby. There’s plenty of fishing, and the Schoodic Research Learning Center is a family-friendly educational center you can explore.
RV rentals near Acadia National Park
Everglades National Park
The Flamingo Campground at Everglades National Park has electric hookups available, along with two dump stations and solar-heated showers. The dry season is from December through mid-May, making this an excellent winter destination. Long Pine Key Campground is a seasonal campground that’s open from Nov – May. It does not have hookups, but there is a dump station and cell service.
RV rentals near Everglades National Park
Arches National Park
Devils Garden Campground is the only campground inside Arches, and it allows RVs and trailers. There are no hookups or dump stations available. The main scenic drive through the park is paved and is a good road for RVers. There are lots of places to pull over for photos or to walk to some of the arches in the park.
RV rentals near Arches National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
There are several Grand Canyon campgrounds that allow RVs, but the Trailer Village RV Park has the most amenities. The campground has full hookups and fits vehicles which are 28-50 feet long. It’s pet-friendly. There’s also a shuttle bus that stops every 15 minutes for park guests. There is RV parking at the South Rim, but to ensure you get a spot, you’ll want to arrive by 9:30 am. You can park in one of several RV lots in the area and get around the South Rim via shuttle.
RV rentals near Grand Canyon National Park
While these national parks are the top and bottom of the crop when it comes to RV friendliness, every national park is worth visiting! Although some parks don’t have convenient RV campgrounds within their boundaries, most have campgrounds available nearby. The same goes for amenities – many national parks don’t have hookups or other perks, but campgrounds outside the park often do.
Hopefully, this article has inspired your wanderlust. Check out our recommendations for campgrounds across the country, including at national parks!
