Back to Nature
Jack: “Hey Jill, do you know what we need to do?”
Jill: “Oh boy.”
Jack: “I’m glad you asked. We need to get back to nature!
Jill: “Oh boy.”
Jack: “Yup, get out there, breathe in the cool, clean air, get our hands dirty…”
Jill: (“This always happens when he starts watching Last Alaskans re-runs.”)
Jack: “… bonding with nature, back to our roots, ‘earning’ our spoil…”
Backpacking, camping, hiking; these are the activities that keep our soul alive. Well, that and hours of non-stop torrid sex, but I digress.
For us, outdoor activity in the fall is the perfect time of the year. The change in climate keeps you cool and the menacing bugs are minimal. Taking a few days to backpack through the wilderness and break camp in ‘perfect’ spots is an absolute treat for us. For others, perhaps a little more structure is warranted. Fortunately, this great country of ours offers an endless sea of camping options.
We thought we would help with the navigation given the various national forest, national park, and state forest websites. Ok, so maybe not us, per se, but rather, an app.
It’s called The Dyrt, and it’s now the leading crowdsourced app for researching and finding campsites across the country. It contains over 35,000 campgrounds, and features user-generated campground images, videos, and reviews. It even offers in-app campground reservations to make planning your next camping adventure that much simpler. The Dyrt now has more user-submitted campground picture reviews than any camping site or app.
Without further ado…
California: Jumbo Rocks Campground
With California’s abundant beautiful and varied terrain—from northern rocky beaches and warm southern sand, and High Sierra mountains to desert dreamscapes—any number of gorgeous spots could have been named the top campsite. But the people have spoken, and the winner is this surreal campsite in Joshua Tree National Park. With 124 sites for tents or RVs, this site is perfect for exploring the unique rock piles, winding mazes, and grottoes of Joshua Trees.
Florida: Fort Desoto County Park
Made up of a set of Keys (that’s lingo for, Islands) off Tampa, Fort Desoto is a beautiful way to escape the hustle of the urban landscape, and a classic snapshot of the Florida coast. The area is defined by mangroves and wetlands that are home to more than 300 species of birds. Campers can boat between islands to take it all in.
Maine: Blackwoods Campground
Located in Acadia National Park, Maine’s most famous park, Blackwoods sits on Otter Cove on the rocky Atlantic coast. The campsite is close to bike carriage trails, beachline, and the trail up Cadillac Mountain, the highest peak on the East Coast. It’s also only five miles from Bar Harbor (Bah Habah, if you wish to sound like a local), and offers a free shuttle into town.
Montana: Many Glacier Campground
Like California, Montana is flush with gorgeous public lands and sites from which to explore them. But few compare to the beauty of Glacier, the state’s northernmost national park, with its distinctive peaks, jewel lakes, and awe-inspiring vistas. Many Glacier is on the park’s east side, slightly less visited than the busy west side. The campsite boasts 41 sites that can be reserved; and 62 first-come, first-serve sites. It’s absolutely worth reserving this one in advance. For the record, Montana is this country’s hidden jewel. It’s not called Big Sky for nothin’!
Washington: Deception Pass State Park
Washington might best be known for Olympic National Park (and the North Cascades are its best-kept secret), but campers have rated Deception Pass the best of all the state has to offer. There are three camping areas in this park spread out over two islands for a total of 300 sites nestled along forested shoreline and pebble beaches. Campers rate Deception Pass as exceptionally family friendly as well.
AND because five is simply not enough… 50 Best Campsites in the USAhttps://thedyrt.com/magazine/local/best-campgrounds-us/