57 national forests with campgrounds open year-round
As winter approaches, camping opportunities become more limited in most parts of the United States. However, for much of the South—as well as RVers and ambitious cold-weather enthusiasts—camping season never ends. Throughout national forests across the U.S., year-round camping options are abundant, offering many amenities and accessibility options.
Outwander used forest service data from the Department of Agriculture to identify year-round campgrounds in national forests nationwide. The campgrounds are listed in alphabetical order. We looked at the number and names of available year-round campgrounds for each.
National parks, from Yellowstone and Grand Canyon to Acadia and Valley Forge, focus largely on preserving natural and historic resources. National forests, meanwhile, are managed for everything from recreation and resource preservation to grazing and wildlife.
With the overcrowding (especially in recent years) of visitors to national parks, national forests can offer a welcome respite for travelers seeking peace and solitude. Visitors should always check forest and campground websites before traveling in case of weather advisories or temporary closures.
Several national forests on this list feature just one or two year-round campgrounds, while Idaho’s Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest boasts 40. Depending on the adventure you’re pursuing—whether snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or avoiding the white stuff altogether and opting for a trip south for warm-weather hiking—these campgrounds provide a range of settings to serve as home base during every kind of outdoor escape.
Pennsylvania: Allegheny National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Clarion River Campsites
– – Willow Bay Recreation Area
California: Angeles National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 25
– Campground names:
– – Appletree Campground
– – Bear Campground
– – Bear Canyon Trail Camp
– – Big Rock Campground
– – Blue Ridge Campground
– – Cabin Flat Campground
– – Cooper Canyon Trail Camp
– – Devore Trail Camp
– – Glenn Camp Campground
– – Gould Mesa Trail Camp
– – Hoegees Trail Camp
– – Idlehour Trail Camp
– – Little Jimmy Trail Camp
– – Los Alamos Campground
– – Millard Trail Camp
– – Monte Cristo Campground
– – Oak Flat Campground
– – Peavine Campground
– – Pyramid Lake–Los Alamos Group Campground
– – Southfork Campground
– – Spring Camp Campground
– – Spruce Grove Trail Camp
– – Sulphur Springs Trail Camp
– – Valley Forge Trail Camp
– – West Fork Trail Camp
Arizona: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Black Jack Campground (Weather-dependent)
– – Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area Campground
Utah and Wyoming: Ashley National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 6
– Campground names:
– – Big Pine I River Camp
– – Big Pine II River Camp
– – Bootleg River Camp
– – Cats Paw River Camp
– – Cottonwood River Camp
– – Dripping Springs Campground
Montana: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground name:
– – Bear Creek Campground and Picnic Area
South Dakota and Wyoming: Black Hills National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Black Fox Campground
– – Castle Peak Campground
Georgia: Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 17
– Campground names:
– – Deep Hole Recreation Area
– – DeSoto Falls Recreation Area
– – Cooper Creek Recreation Area
– – Cottonwood Patch Campground
– – Hickey Gap Campground
– – Jacks River Fields Campground (Limited access in winter)
– – Lake Russell Recreation Area Campground
– – Lake Sinclair Recreation Area
– – Lake Winfield Scott Campground (Partial seasonal closure)
– – Morganton Point Campground
– – Mulky Campground
– – Oconee River Campground
– – Sarah’s Creek Campground
– – Tallulah River Campground
– – Toccoa River Sandy Bottoms Recreation Area
– – West Fork Campground
– – Willis Knob Horse Camp
Wisconsin: Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Picnic Point Recreation Area
– – Wabasso Lake Recreation Area
Minnesota: Chippewa National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground names:
– – Noma Lake Campground
New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas: Cibola National Forest and Grasslands
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 12
– Campground names:
– – Black Kettle Campground
– – Bosque Campground
– – East Bluff #1 Campground – Lake McClellan
– – Lake Marvin Campground
– – Lake McClellan Campground
– – McDowell Campground
– – Mills Canyon Campground
– – Red Canyon Campground
– – Red Cloud Campground
– – Skipout Campground
– – Spring Creek Campground
– – Tajique Campground
California: Cleveland National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 4
– Campground names:
– – Bobcat Meadow Campground
– – Corral Canyon Campground
– – Crestline Picnic Area
– – El Cariso Campground
Arizona: Coconino National Forest Recreation
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Chavez Crossing Group Campground
– – Clints Well Campground
Washington: Colville National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground names:
– – Tiffany Springs Campground
Arizona: Coronado National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 10
– Campground names:
– – Arcadia Campground
– – Bog Springs Campground
– – Lakeview Campground
– – Peppersauce Campground
– – Rock Bluff Group Site
– – Stockton Pass Campground
– – Sycamore Campground
– – Twilight Group Campground
– – Upper Arcadia Group Site
– – White Rock Campground
Montana and South Dakota: Custer Gallatin National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 7
– Campground names:
– – Battle Ridge Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Blacks Pond Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Canyon Campground
– – Cow Creek Campground And Picnic Area (Weather dependent)
– – Holiday Spring Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Lantis Spring Campground (Weather dependent)
– – M-K Campground (Limited service in winter)
North Dakota: Dakota Prairie Grasslands
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground name:
– – Buffalo Gap Campground (Limited services in winter)
Kentucky: Daniel Boone National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 3
– Campground names:
– – Bee Rock Campground (Partial seasonal closure)
– – S-Tree Campground (Partial seasonal closure)
– – Turkey Foot Campground
Oregon: Deschutes National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 4
– Campground names:
– – Allen Springs Campground
– – Camp Sherman Campground
– – Lower Bridge Campground
– – Pine Rest Campground
Utah: Dixie National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground names:
– – Blue Spruce Campground (Weather dependent)
California: Eldorado National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground names:
– – Dru Barner Campground
South Carolina: Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 8
– Campground names:
– – Brick House Campground
– – Buck Hall Recreation Area
– – Elmwood Recreation Area
– – Cassidy Bridge Hunt Camp
– – Honey Hill Recreation Area
– – Lick Fork Lake Recreation Area
– – Sedalia Campground
– – Whetstone Horse Camp
Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia: George Washington & Jefferson National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 5
– Campground names:
– – Camp Run Campground
– – Greenwood Point Campground
– – Hone Quarry Campground
– – Little Fort Campground
– – Wolf Gap Recreation Area
Washington: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Government Mineral Springs
– – Sunset Falls Campground and Day Use
New Mexico: Gila National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Aeroplane Mesa Campground
– – Cosmic Campground International Dark Sky Sanctuary
Indiana: Hoosier National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 3
– Campground names:
– – Blackwell Campground
– – North Face Loop
– – Shirley Creek Campground
California and Nevada: Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Fletcher View Campground
– – Kyle Canyon Picnic Area
Michigan: Huron-Manistee National Forests
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Timber Creek Campground
– – Twinwood Lake Campground
Idaho: Idaho Panhandle National Forests
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 3
– Campground names:
– – Copper Creek Campground
– – Meadow Creek Campground
– – Robinson Lake Campground
New Mexico: Lincoln National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground name:
– – Skyline Campground
California: Los Padres National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 20
– Campground names:
– – Baja Campground
– – Ballinger Campground
– – Bates Canyon Campground
– – Davy Brown Campground
– – Figueroa Campground
– – Friis Campground
– – Fremont Campground
– – Hi Mountain Campground
– – Holiday Group Campground
– – Horseshoe Springs Campground
– – La Panza Campground
– – Los Prietos Campground
– – Miranda Pine Campground
– – Nira Campground
– – Paradise Campground
– – Rancho Nuevo Campground
– – Rose Valley Campground
– – Sage Hill Group Campground
– – Toad Springs Campground
– – Upper Oso Campground
Colorado and Utah: Manti-La Sal National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground name:
– – Upper Six Mile Ponds Campground
Missouri: Mark Twain National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 8
– Campground names:
– – Bar-K Wrangler Camp
– – Berryman Campground
– – Cobb Ridge Recreation Area
– – Fourche Lake Recreation Area
– – Greer Crossing Recreation Area
– – Hazel Creek Campground
– – McCormack Lake Recreation Area
– – Pinewoods Lake Recreation Area
Texas: National Forests and Grasslands in Texas
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – 514-D White Rock Horse Camp
– – 566 Piney Creek Horse Camp
Alabama: National Forests in Alabama
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 4
– Campground names:
– – Brushy Lake Recreation Area
– – Payne Lake Recreation Area
– – Pine Glen Recreation Area
– – Warden Station Horse Camp
North Carolina: National Forests in North Carolina
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 15
– Campground names:
– – Arrowhead Campground
– – Badin Horse Camp or Old Horse Camp
– – Badin Lake Campground and Group Camp
– – Canebrake Horse Camp
– – Cedar Point Campground
– – Cove Creek Group Campground
– – Flanners Beach/Neuse River Campground
– – Horse Cove Campground
– – Kuykendall Group Campground
– – North Mills River Campground (Limited services in winter)
– – Oyster Point Campground
– – Uwharrie Hunt Camp
– – West Morris Mtn. Campground
– – White Pines Group Campground
– – Wine Spring Horse Camp
Nebraska: Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground name:
– – Bessey Recreation Complex and Campground
Idaho: Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 40
– Campground names:
– – Bridge Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Castle Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Cedars Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Crooked River Campground #3 (Weather dependent)
– – Ditch Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Dixie Meadow Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Fish Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Five Mile Campground (Weather dependent)
– – French Gulch Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Granite Springs Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Halfway House Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Knife Edge Campground and River Access (Weather dependent)
– – Leggett Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Lolo Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Mackay Bar Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Mallard Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Meadow Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – North Fork Slate Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – O’Hara Saddle Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Orogrande Campground #1 and #2 (Weather dependent)
– – Orogrande Campground #3 and #4 (Weather dependent)
– – Orogrande Summit Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Oxbow Campsite (Weather dependent)
– – Poet Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Race Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Red River Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Rocky Bluff Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Sam’s Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Sing Lee Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Slide Creek Dispersed Site (Weather dependent)
– – Slims Camp (Weather dependent)
– – South Fork Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Spring Bar Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Table Meadows Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Ten Mile (Weather dependent)
– – Trapper Creek Camp Area (Weather dependent)
– – Twenty-mile Bar Dispersed Site (Weather dependent)
– – Weitas Creek Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Wildhorse Campground (Weather dependent)
– – White Sand Campground (Weather dependent)
Washington: Olympic National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground name:
– – Littleton Horse Camp
Michigan: Ottawa National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Golden Lake Campground
– – Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping
Arkansas and Oklahoma: Ouachita National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground name:
– – Cedar Lake Recreation Area
Arkansas: Ozark-St. Francis National Forests
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 9
– Campground names:
– – Barkshed Recreation Area
– – Bear Creek Lake Recreation Area
– – Brock Creek Lake Recreation Area
– – Cove Lake Recreation Area
– – Gunner Pool Recreation Area (Weather dependent)
– – Long Pool Recreation Area
– – Ozone Recreation Area
– – Redding Recreation Area
– – Richland Creek Recreation Area
Colorado and Kansas: Pike-San Isabel National Forests
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 10
– Campground names:
– – Cimarron Campground
– – Deer Creek Campground
– – Dexter Campground
– – Hall Valley Campground
– – Handcart Campground
– – Lone Rock Campground
– – Osprey Campground
– – Ouzel Campground
– – Platte River Campground
– – Whiteside Picnic Area
Arizona: Prescott National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 3
– Campground names:
– – Alto Pit OHV Day Use/Campground
– – Powell Springs Campground
– – White Spar Campground
Colorado: Rio Grande National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground name:
– – Rio Grande Campground (Weather dependent)
Oregon: Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Harr Point Campground
– – Acorn Woman Lakes Campground
Idaho: Salmon-Challis National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground name:
– – Meadow Lake Campground
California: San Bernardino National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground name:
– – Horse Springs Campground
California: Sequoia National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 9
– Campground names:
– – Auxiliary Dam Campground
– – Chico Flat Dispersed Camping
– – French Gulch Group Campground
– – Headquarters Campground
– – Old Isabella
– – Paradise Cove Campground
– – Pioneer Point Campground
– – South Fork Rec Campground
– – Tillie Creek #1 Group Campground
California: Shasta-Trinity National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 10
– Campground names:
– – Ackerman Campground
– – Bridge Camp Campground
– – Deadlun Campground
– – Dekkas Rock Group Campground
– – Hayden Flat Campground (Partial seasonal closure)
– – Hirz Bay Campground
– – Lakeshore East Campground
– – Lower Jones Valley Campground
– – Madrone Campground
– – Minersville Campground (Walk-in sites only in winter)
Illinois: Shawnee National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Camp Cadiz Campground
– – Pine Hills Campground
California: Sierra National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 9
– Campground names:
– – Bear Wallow Camping Area
– – Bretz Mill Campground
– – Crane Valley Group Campground
– – Dry Gulch Campground
– – Gravel Flat Camping Area
– – Kirch Flat Campground
– – Kirch Flat Group Campground
– – Lupine Cedar Bluff Campground
– – Recreation Point Group Campground
Oregon: Siuslaw National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 26
– Campground names:
– – Alder Dune Campground
– – Baker Beach Campground
– – Big Elk Campground
– – Blackberry Campground
– – Castle Rock Group Campground
– – Driftwood II Campground
– – Dry Lake Horse Camp
– – East Dunes Campground
– – Eel Creek Campground
– – Horse Creek Campground
– – Hauser Sand Camping
– – Horsfall Beach Campground
– – Horsfall Campground
– – Horsfall Sand Camping
– – Lagoon Campground
– – Rocky Bend Group Campground
– – Sandbeach Campground
– – Siltcoos Sand Camping
– – South Jetty Sand Camping
– – Spinreel Campground
– – Spinreel Sand Camping
– – Sutton Campground (Partial seasonal closure)
– – Tahkenitch Landing Campground
– – Tillicum Beach Campground
– – Umpqua Sand Camping
– – West Winds Campground
Alaska: Tongass National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 2
– Campground names:
– – Ohmer Creek Campground
– – Yakutat Beach Campsite 2
Arizona: Tonto National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 14
– Campground names:
– – Bagley Flat Campground and Boat Dock
– – Burnt Corral Campground and Day Use Area
– – Cave Creek Group Campground
– – Cholla Campground
– – Frazier Horse Camp and Group Campground
– – Indian Point
– – Kellner Group Site
– – Oak Flat Campground
– – Schoolhouse Campground
– – Sheeps Bridge
– – Sulphide Del Rey Campground
– – The Point Boat Dock, Campground and Picnic Area
– – Timber Camp Recreation Area and Group Campgrounds
– – Windy Hill Campground
Oregon: Umpqua National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 9
– Campground names:
– – Ash Flat Campground
– – Boulder Flat Campground
– – Diamond Lake Resort
– – Island Campground
– – Mineral Camp Campground
– – Steamboat Falls Campground
– – South Umpqua Falls Campground
– – Threehorn Campground
– – Toketee Campground
Idaho and Oregon: Wallowa Whitman National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 1
– Campground name:
– – Pittsburg Campground
Oregon: Willamette National Forest
– Number of year-round campgrounds: 8
– Campground names:
– – Big Meadows Horse Camp (Weather dependent)
– – Box Canyon Horse Camp (Access road not maintained in winter)
– – Cougar Crossing Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Elk Lake Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Lakes End Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Lookout Campground (Weather dependent)
– – Marion Forks Campground (Weather dependent)
– – South Pyramid Horse Camp
Story editing by Cu Fleshman. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.
This story originally appeared on Outwander and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
By Nicole Caldwell
