If the national forests in the United States were combined they would cover an area that is equivalent to the size of Texas. Not only does the Forest Service maintain these lands for future water and timber resources, but they also manage them for the recreation benefit of the public.
USFS Goal: "to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people..." - Gifford Pinchot
Camping is one outdoor recreation that benefits greatly from this service. Campers have available ten's of thousands of campsites at over 1,700 locations managed by the USDA Forest Service, Army Corps of Engineers, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation. Details of individual campgrounds are available online from Recreation.gov.
Finding a campground at Recreation.gov is easy. You can search for a campground by entering your personal preferences and then choosing a campground from the results.
Each campground page will tell you a little bit about the area and show a detailed map of that campground's layout. You can then choose the area of the campground that interests you and read specifics about each campsite to find one that meets your needs. Information about special events, services, and amenities is also provided. Once you have found a campsite you like, just a click of your mouse and you can make a secure online reservation.
The following Web sites have everything you need to research and plan a camping vacation in one of the national forests.
- USDA Forest Service - home page.
- Recreation.gov - find and reserve campgrounds.
- Campground Reviews - by Fred and Suzi Dow.
- Maps and Brochures - ordering information.
