Where to Camp

Colorado, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico and New york are scenically diverse, yet they all offer rugged and natural outdoors adventure. These five states have been voted by About.com readers as the best camping destination in the United States.

Within the National Park System there are hundreds of parks, recreation areas, and other facilities; and within these parks are over one hundred campgrounds open to the public.

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.

The state park systems offer opportunities for everyone to get outdoors and enjoy the wonders of nature. No matter where you live, there's usually a state park within a short distance from your home.

The Army Corps of Engineers are familiar to most of us from their involvement in dam construction to control river flows, build lake reservoirs, and produce hydroelectric power. Part of their charter is to also open up these river and lakeside areas to the public and provide recreation opportunities for fishing, boating and camping.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for land, mineral, and wildlife management on millions of acres of US land. With over one-eighth of the US land mass under their control, the BLM also has plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities to offer.

Private campgrounds, unlike the many public campgrounds that are maintained by the government, are owned and operated by private individuals or businesses. Consequently, each campground must be evaluated on its own merits.

A guide to the AAA, Trailer Life, Wheelers and Woodall's campground ratings.

Resources to help you find a campground and plan your next camping trip.