Camping on Public Lands

Escaping to a safe and peaceful wilderness setting – via RV – has wide appeal for families seeking a stress-free vacation. And RV camping is perfect for experiencing nature up close – with all the conveniences of home.

National Parks

The National Park Service (NPS) offers 29,000 campsites in 440 campgrounds. Call the NPS at 1-800-365-2267 or visit  www.nationalparks.org

National Forests

The National Forest Service has more than 4,300 campgrounds in its 155 forests. For reservations, call the National Recreation Reservation Service at 1-877-444-6777 or visit www.ReserveUSA.com.

For information on camping in the national forests, write to individual forest supervisors. A list is available free by writing to:

National Forest Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of Information
P.O. Box 96090
Washington, D.C.  20090-6090

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Recreation Sites

The BLM oversees 264 million acres of scenic outdoor recreation sites in the western United States, including Alaska. For camping information, visit www.blm.gov or write to:

BLM
Public Affairs Office
1849 C Street N.W., MS-5600/MIB
Washington, D.C. 20240

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Projects

There are campgrounds in 2,375 parks located mostly near lakes created through Corps projects. For information, please write to:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
OCE Publications Dept.
2803 52nd Avenue
Hyattsville, MD 20781-1102

National Wildlife Refuges

The 520 National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) are dedicated to wildlife conservation, and camping is allowed only when it's compatible with conservation efforts.

A free list of NWR that permit camping is included in National Wildlife Refuges – A Visitor's Guide, a publication that highlights facilities and activities offered on refuges. Request the publication by name by calling 1-800-344-WILD or by writing to:

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
National Wildlife Conservation Training Center
Shepherd Grade Road, Rt. 1
P.O. Box 166
Shepherdstown, WV 25443