The United States is home to more than 10,000 state park units, attracting some 739 million annual visitors. As more and more travelers seek the open road and open spaces, these numbers will continue to grow. More and more of these parks are catering to RV travelers with campgrounds, hookups, and other amenities. As a bonus, state parks also offer grandeur, history, and natural beauty.
Georgia: Vogel State Park
Vogel, one of Georgia’s oldest state parks, sits at the base of Blood Mountain inside Chattahoochee National Forest. The park is particularly popular during the autumn months when the Blue Ridge Mountains put on a colorful display of fall foliage. RV campers can choose from 90 campsites with electric hookups.
South Dakota: Custer State Park
Located in the rugged Black Hills of South Dakota, Custer State Park protects 71,000 acres of terrain and a herd of some 1,300 bison—one of the largest publicly owned herds on the planet—who are known to stop traffic along the park’s Wildlife Loop Road from time to time. The park has nine campgrounds, including the popular Sylvan Lake Campground. Many sites include electric hookups and dump stations.
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New Mexico: Elephant Butte Lake State Park
Enjoy camping, fishing, and boating at Elephant Butte Lake, New Mexico’s largest state park. The lake can accommodate watercraft of many styles and sizes including kayaks, jet skis, pontoons, sailboats, ski boats, cruisers, and houseboats. Besides sandy beaches, the park offers developed camping sites with electric and water hook-ups for RVs.
Arizona: Catalina State Park
Catalina State Park sits at the base of the majestic Santa Catalina Mountains. The park is a haven for desert plants and wildlife and nearly 5,000 saguaros. The 5,500 acres of foothills, canyons, and streams invite camping, picnicking, and bird watching—more than 150 species of birds call the park home. The park provides miles of equestrian, birding, hiking, and biking trails that wind through the park and into the Coronado National Forest at elevations near 3,000 feet. The camping area offers 120 electric and water sites with a picnic table and BBQ grill. Amenities include modern flush restrooms with hot showers and RV dump stations. There is no limit on the length of RVs at this park.
Texas: Galveston Island State Park
Come to the island to stroll the beach or splash in the waves. Or come to the island to go fishing or look for coastal birds. No matter what brings you here, you’ll find refuge at Galveston Island State Park. Just an hour from Houston, but an island apart! With both beach and bay sides, Galveston Island State Park offers activities for every coast lover. You can swim, fish, picnic, bird watch, hike, mountain bike, paddle, camp, geocache, study nature, or just relax! Visit their nature center to learn more about the park and its programs.
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Florida: Myakka River State Park
Myakka River State Park can be found north of Fort Myers with wetlands and forests surrounding the Myakka River. The campgrounds make a perfect home base while you go kayaking on the river, hiking the park’s trails, or exploring on one of their boat tours. The park has three campgrounds with 90 sites total including Palmetto Ridge with full hookup gravel-based sites and Old Prairie and Big Flats campgrounds with dirt-based sites.
California: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offers primitive campgrounds as well as developed campgrounds including Borrego Palm Canyon Campground and Tamarisk Grove. Borrego Palm Canyon has full hookup sites that can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet in length. The smaller Tamarisk Grove campground has 27 well-shaded sites with no hookups but potable water and showers available. The state park is recognized as a Dark Sky Park with some of the darkest night skies for stargazing. It also has miles of great hiking trails with beautiful mountains, deserts, and canyon views.
Virginia: Shenandoah River State Park
This lovely park is on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River and has more than 1,600 acres along 5.2 miles of shoreline. In addition to the meandering river frontage, the park offers scenic views of Massanutten Mountain to the west and Shenandoah National Park to the east. A large riverside picnic area, picnic shelters, trails, river access, and a car-top boat launch make this a popular destination for families, anglers, and canoeists. Ten riverfront tent campsites, a campground with water and electric sites, cabins, camping cabins, and a group campground are available. With more than 24 miles of trails, the park has plenty of options for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and adventure.
Related Article: The 15 Best State Parks for RV Camping
Georgia: Stephen C. Foster State Park
Known across the country due to its International Dark Sky Designation, this breath-taking park is at the western entrance of Okefenokee Swamp—one of Georgia’s seven natural wonders. It is a favorite with astronomy fans for the abundance of stars that illuminate the night sky. Reserve a guided pontoon boat tour of the swamp, kayak out on your own, or enjoy a cool walk on 1.5 miles of hiking trails. You’ll get an intimate look at the variety of wildlife that calls this park home. Visitors can stay overnight in a wooded campground or fully equipped cabins.
Alabama: Gulf State Park
Gulf State Park is home to two miles of pristine white-sand beaches along the Coastal Connection Scenic Byway. Sink your toes into the fine, sugary sand, fish, bike, kayak, or canoe. Birding, hiking, and biking are other popular activities. The park also offers a Segway tour. Even if you’ve never ridden one, the tour guides will keep you upright and make sure that you enjoy your experience. RV campsites, cottages, cabins, and lodges are available in the park if you decide to stay the night or longer.
Related Article: America’s Best State Parks
Worth Pondering…
Stuff your eyes with wonder…live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.
—Ray Bradbury