It can be challenging at times to find camping on the east coast in the off-season. Here are a few tips for finding great campsites for your road trip.
By Carly Eisley
Off-season camping can be a joy, if done correctly. The crowds have thinned and access to many campgrounds, trails, and parks is much easier. We have been the only campers in a National Park campground on a weeknight in December!
The downside to the decreased volume of visitors in many areas is a decrease in demand for sites. This leads to many camping areas closing completely, or partial closures of camping areas to save funds during the quieter times of the year. The snow and ice of winter lead to road closures that make some facilities shut down simply because they are inaccessible.
How to Find East Coast Campgrounds in the Off Season
Camping on the East Coast can be particularly challenging – there aren’t very many areas of land available for free dispersed camping, so established campgrounds are often the only option. Here are a few resources to help get you on the road … and then back off again sleeping in a nice, legal campsite.
3. KOA Campgrounds
They may not be remote, not always scenic, and sometimes a little crowded, — but there are a lot of
KOA Campgrounds everywhere and there will likely be one fairly close to major parks and attractions. They have a
list of all of their year-round campgrounds for easy planning.
4. Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts
Cabins, tent sites, and RV sites in a larger RV-park like atmosphere
are available at Jellystone Park sites. Again, probably not secluded and remote, but it’s a place to stay that will be open and have bathrooms and showers.
5. Eastern US National Parks
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park – This park that spans North Carolina and Tennessee offers two year-round campgrounds at each end of the park, Cades Cove and Smokemont.
- Everglades National Park – Two campgrounds, Long Pine Key and Flamingo, are open year-round in this Florida park.
- Congaree National Park – This park in South Carolina offers two sites, Bluff and Longleaf, year-round. You’ll have to park and hike into the campgrounds.
Visit
this website to find more information on National Parks that offer camping. There is a handy map with links to click directing you to each individual park’s page.
6. Hipcamp & The Dyrt
Hipcamp and
The Dyrt are two of our favorite online resources for finding camping on the East Coast. Like Airbnb, Hipcamp allows you to message your campsite host before you arrive so that you can get the most up-to-date information on current conditions (great for questions like “Is it really muddy after the latest storm cycle?” and “Where is the best place for us to park our camper van on the property?”). The Dyrt features reviews of campsites all over the country and reading through some of the more recent reviews can be helpful.
7. Phone a Ranger
Perhaps the best resource for finding camping on the East Coast any time of year – and
especially in the off-season – is the local park staff. Not sure where to go? Call the local state park division, forest service ranger, etc. Better yet, stop into an office or visitor center if possible. They’ll tell you what’s open, what’s accessible, which roads might close based on weather (I’m lookin’ at you Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive), etc. TALK to people. It’s invaluable.
Book an Escape Campervan for Your East Coast Adventure
Camping in the off-season, especially in a camper van, means cold weather and other challenges. But with some advance planning and a hefty dose of flexibility, an off-season camping trip just might be your best ever. So go ahead and book your camper van, get out there, and enjoy the solitude. Happy camping!
