Camping isn’t just an hobby, it’s also – and mostly – a way to connect you again with the nature (and with yourself!). And believe us, camping in the parks and in the coast of Western USA is more special than elsewhere.
When was the last time you experienced something bigger than you expected?
When is the last time you felt like being submersed in the wilds of nature?
When is the last time you completely disconnected and took in those special moments of life?
When is the best time to visit West Coast?
We can guarantee you that the following campsites in some of the most beautiful National Parks of the US will trigger those nostalgic feelings and put you back into nature’s lab. Nat and Dave from Infinite Adventures have spent the last 7 years camping around the globe and here are some of their favourite spots. You can visit all of them on their converted school bus overland adventures throughout North America.
Zion National Park (camp right next to Virgin River)
Over 150 million years of rock can be seen throughout this park that is a part of the Grand Staircase (Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce). You can camp in the valley next to the Virgin River, enjoy your wine or beer in the evening listening to the sound of rushing water, and climb up to Angel’s Landing the next morning. The vast grouping of colours, rock formations and early morning light makes this a hiker’s and photographer’s paradise.
Months of operation: Open year round
Best time to visit: April to October
Read here about the best time to visit East Coast, USA
Monument Valley (sunrise and sunset overlooking the spires and buttes)
Monument Valley has been the focus of many movies and commercials. The iconic mittens, spires and mesas lie within the Navajo Nation. There is a campsite right along the rim overlooking Monument Valley. Pitch your tent in the soft sand, make sure your tent entrance faces the valley and stay in your sleeping bag while the sun rises above the buttes and mesas.
Months of operation: Open year round
Best time to visit: March to November
Yellowstone (get up early to see wolves and bears)
Are you ready to experience the USA’s first national park? There is no park in the world that can compare with the scenic, geologic, and animal diversity that Yellowstone National Park provides. Choose a campsite close to Lamar Valley and get up before sunrise. Your chances of seeing one of the wolf packs running across the valley or a mama bear with her cub are the best early in the morning. Patience is a virtue and make sure you have good binoculars or even a spotting scope to get the most out of it!
Months of operation: mid-May to mid-September
Best time to visit: Spring or fall to avoid mass tourism
Kenai Fjords (camp along the shore to scope for sea otters, seals and whales)
Located on the east side of the Kenai Peninsula and Resurrection Bay, Seward is known as the “Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park.” You can camp right along the shore on a municipal campground. With some luck you will see sea otters, seals or even whales right from your tent. This all is topped by magnificent views of snowcapped mountains and glaciers surrounding you.
Months of operation: Open year round but limited facilities during winter months
Best time to visit: end of May to mid-September, June and July for almost 24 hours of sunlight
Denali National Park (camp along Denali Highway)
Camping right inside Denali National Park is, of course, awesome, but if you want even fewer tourists surrounding you, experience the wilderness all by yourself while camping along the Denali Highway. Calling it a ‘Highway’ is a bit misleading as this is a remote dirt road – the first road that was built to reach the National Park in the mid-1900s.
You are allowed to bush-camp along the road or you can get a boat ride up Maclaren River for a more remote camping experience, out in the bush, with no mobile phone reception or roads. Set up your tent, and with excitement mixed with anxious anticipation head off towards the glacier for an adventure. You may even find some caribou prancing around you.
Months of operation: mid-May to end of September, road is closed in winter
Best time to visit: June and July
Wrangell St Elias (mountain vista and glacier view campsite)
Wrangell St. Elias is the largest National Park in the United States, but only gets a fraction of visitors compared to the Grand Canyon. There are many activities like hiking, ice climbing, glacier walks, guided mine tours, rafting, and scenic flights around 16,000-foot peaks, 25-mile long glaciers and massive icefalls available. But the best is the campsite right at the end of the dirt road leading into the park.
Pitch your tent wherever you like facing one of the majestic glaciers and hopefully spotting one of the black bears (from a safe distance!) that frequently come and feed on the abundance of berries and wildflowers during the summer months. At the end of August there’s even a chance to see the Northern Lights!
Months of operation: mid-May to end of September
Best time to visit: during summer months
Are you ready to visit some of these beautiful camping spots?
