Think It's Crazy to Go Camping in Winter? Let Us Prove You Wrong

Yahoo Travel
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Camping under the Northern Lights (Photo: Thinkstock)

Think twice before putting your camping gear away for the winter. If winter sports are your thing, there are places where even a foot or two of snow won’t crimp your camping style. But if you prefer a warmer option, you can head south and west — though remember that inclement weather can creep into anywhere, so plan accordingly.

Here are our favorite places to inspire some winter adventures.

COLD WEATHER

Colorado

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Camping in the beautiful snowy mountains of Colorado. (Photo: Getty Images)

Want to camp in the snow? Colorado’s your spot. Privately owned parks like KOA offer choices in your camping accommodations ranging from RV sites to rustic cabins. The premier winter camping experience in the state is at Rocky Mountain National Park. One improved campground remains open through the winter and back country camping is allowed in designated areas. Activities include sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Gear rentals are easy to find in nearby Estes Park.

Related: Skip the Crowds and Camp at These Awesome Parks Instead

Mt. Hood, Oregon

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Snowshoeing on Mt. Hood (Photo: Getty Images)

Ask any Oregonian and they’ll tell you that winter is when the locals prefer to go to Mt. Hood. You name the cold-weather sport, you’ll find it here: skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, skating. our favorite cold-camping spot is Trillium Lake Campground, with views of the mountains.

Yosemite National Park

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Snowy Yosemite is a Winter wonderland (Photo: Getty Images)

Winter is one of the best times to visit Yosemite: the crowds clear out and the snow-covered landscapes are even more dramatic. There’s also incredible snowshoeing and skiing (both downhill and cross-country). Granted, camping in winter requires serious gear, but you can snag campgrounds you’d never be able to book in summer. Four of the park’s campgrounds stay open year round, including Upper Pines, Camp 4, Hodgdon Meadow, and Wawona, near the towering sequoias. If you don’t want to rough it, there’s the Glacier Point Ski Hut.

Related: Why Winter Is the Most Amazing Time to Visit the National Parks

New Jersey

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Stokes State Park (alydruk/Flickr)

Camp in winter and there’s no more fighting the bugs or the masses at New Jersey’s State Parks and Forests, which has camp sites in several of the state’s parks and forests. Our pick: Stokes State Forest, which is bisected by part of the Appalachian Trail. Reserve a camping site online at www.reserveamerica.com. Check out more options at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Winter camping tips:

  • Layer everything, including clothing, sleeping bags, and tent floors.

  • Never use propane heaters in a closed environment unless they specifically state that they are for indoor use.

  • Leave a travel plan with someone.

  • Keep close watch on weather forecasts.

  • Take extra rations of food and water, particularly on hikes.

  • Carry fire-starting supplies with you at all times, but obey fire regulations in place at each campground.

  • Call ahead or reserve your site online before you leave home to assure that you have a spot.

WARM WEATHER

Florida

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Long Key State Park (Photo: faungg’s photo/flickr)

The choices seem endless in the Sunshine State. Long Key State Park in the Florida Keys is a good place to start. Sixty campsites overlook the Atlantic Ocean. Kayak rentals are available for exploring the native shoreline. Long Key is 39 miles from Key Largo and 67 miles from Key West, putting in the center of everything that the Keys have to offer. For a real change of pace try Cayo Costa State Park, with miles of beach off Florida’s west coast and accessible only by boat or ferry. The park offers primitive, hike-in camping, cabins, and overnight boat camping on the docks. Manatees winter here and pods of passing dolphin are a regular site from shore.

Texas

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Lake Raven in Huntsville State Park, Texas. (Photo: Barclay Nix/Flickr)

State parks line the Gulf Coast, but there are also inland options that are perfect for winter camping, too. Hunstville State Park has easy access to Houston’s airports and attractions. Many of the 160 campsites sit at the edge of Lake Raven. If hiking is your thing, you’ll have access to the 129-mile-long Lone Star Hiking Trail. The park is part of the heavily wooded Sam Houston National Forest. This dense pine forest effectively screens out the rest of the world. You would never know you are just a short distance from Interstate 45. (One word of caution: there are alligators in the park.)

Related: Go Camping and Boating at the Same Time with This Amphibious Trailer

Another scenic option in Texas is Garner State Park, on the banks of the Frio River. The 330 campsites here include tent sites and premium RV sites. This is a crazy busy park in the summer when floating the river is the primary activity. Visit in the winter, and you’ll share the 1,700-plus acres and 11 miles of hiking trails with a handful birders and “Winter Texans.”

New Mexico

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White Sands National Monument (Photo: Kevin Russ/Stocksy)

It is easy to forget that southern New Mexico has winter camping options far from the snow-covered ski resorts. Oliver Lee Memorial State Park offers 44 developed campsites in a remote setting that backs up to the Sacramento Mountains. It’s the closest place in winter to camp near White Sands National Monument where you can shed your winter layers and play in the glorious white dunes.

Arizona

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Kartchner Caverns State Park (Photo: Corbis)

Kartchner Caverns State Park is an ideal winter destination that allows you to break out of the usual hiking, biking, and birding routine by taking a cavern tour. Or how about a visit to the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park? The state park’s location, just 49 miles from Tucson, makes this a campground easily accessible for those wishing to fly and camp.

Related: No Tents Allowed: The Best Tepee Hotels and Camps in the Country

California

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Camping under the stars at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Photo: Kevin/Flickr)

For a desert camping experience, try Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the largest state park in the lower 48 states. The park has 149 campsites, scattered across the massive park. Backcountry camping is possible. Hiking, four-wheel driving, wildlife viewing, and stargazing are the primary reasons to visit here. A campground on the Pacific Coast Highway? The rugged Point Mugu State Park, between Malibu and Oxnard offers something for everyone. The park is massive, with over 13,000 acres that include mountains, bluffs, and sandy beaches. There are 113 campsites. The park’s website even has information on reserving a rental RV and having it set up for you.

Hawaii

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Beachfront camping at Punalu’u (Photo: Serban Dumitrescu/Flickr)

We saved the best for last. Camping may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Hawaii, but the Big Island of Hawaii has some of the best camping in the country. Think sandy beaches, waterfalls, and rugged lava flows. You can bring a tent or rent gear on island. Island RV rents vans and class C motorhomes for your exploration. An outfitter called Camping Tours Hawaii is perfect if you like someone else to make the plans for you. If you prefer to go it alone, the Big Island has three state parks for tent and shelter camping. RV and van camping is allowed at some Hawai’i County Parks and at Ho’okena Beach Park. The black-sand beaches at Punalu’u Beach Park may just change your definition of camping forever.

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