Top 10 RV Campgrounds To Visit To Escape Winter
Camping During The Winter
If you live in an area that regularly gets snow, camping in the winter is usually out of the question—at least if you don’t like to spend your nights shivering or fiddling with the heater in your RV! But if you’re willing to travel a few states away, you may be able to extend camping season for your family well into winter. You just have to know where to go to avoid the campgrounds that get snow. So take a look at ten of the most desirable winter camping spots where you can warm up this year.
Saguaro National Park – Arizona
Winter is beautiful in Arizona, as temperatures rarely get below freezing—as long as you stick to the desert and stay out of the mountains up north! Saguaro National Park in southern Arizona makes that easy. Located near Tucson, this huge expanse of land gets its name from the saguaro cacti you’ll see throughout the park. With December’s average high being 65 degrees and the low being 39 degrees. You can typically avoid snow when you camp in this national park in the winter.
The park itself only features hike-in camping areas, but there are several developed campgrounds just outside the park where RVs are welcome. The most popular place to camp nearby is Gilbert Ray Campground, which costs $20 per night for RVs. This spot has 130 RV sites with 30-amp electrical hookups, modern bathrooms, picnic tables, and an RV dumping station. Basically, this is a great campground when you want your winter to include cacti, not snow!
Death Valley National Park – California & Nevada
Death Valley is known as the hottest national park, so you’ll want to head here when you need a break from freezing temperatures. Depending on where you stay in Death Valley National Park, the low in December is 38 degrees and the high is 65. So whether you’re most excited to see the sprawling sand dunes or super high mountain peaks at this national park, you won’t freeze while doing it!
The most popular RV campground here is Furnace Creek Campground, which has 18 sites with water/sewer and 30/50-amp hookups. There are also dumping stations, tables, and firepits throughout the campground. As you might guess, most campers want to stay here during the winter, so be sure to reserve a spot long before your trip and expect to pay about $36 per night.
Everglades National Park – Florida
You can always count on Florida to keep you somewhat warm in the winter, and Everglades National Park is a great place to start. Not only is the temperature great in December—with a low of 59 degrees and a high of 78!—but there’s also plenty to explore in this area. Some of the features in these wetlands include mangrove jungles, marshes, and rivers that are home to alligators, crocodiles, manatees, turtles, panthers, and more. Plus, the night sky viewing here is amazing, as you can see the Milky Way most nights.
The main campgrounds for RVs here are Flamingo Campground and Long Pine Key Campground. Reservations are recommended for both, as they’re popular in the winter and feature amenities like restrooms, picnic tables, grills, and a dump station. Some spots have electrical hookups, but they tend to go fast, so you should call ahead to reserve one if you plan to thaw out in the Everglades in comfort this winter!
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument – Arizona
If you go about as far south in Arizona as you can—just north of the state’s border with Mexico—you’ll be near Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Like Saguaro National Park, this area is named for the type of cactus you’ll find there, as this spot features the organ pipe cactus. And considering it’s in southern Arizona, it’s no surprise that this area also boasts perfect winter temperatures, with highs of 68 degrees and lows of 39 degrees in the winter.
Twin Peaks Campground allows for RV camping, with 174 RV sites. There are restrooms with running water and showers, as well as a dump station for RVs. However, there aren’t any hookups at this campground. From April to December, camping sites are first come, first served and $20 per night. But you’ll need reservations in order to camp from January to March. No matter when you arrive, you’ll quickly be reminded you’re in the desert by the amazing views of countless stars in the sky, and the howling and yipping of coyotes in the distance as you settle in!
Valley of Fire State Park – Nevada
Another great spot for desert camping in the winter is Valley of Fire State Park. While its very name might beckon to you when you want to warm up—as December’s low of 38 degrees may be enticing when you’re coming from a colder city!— the name actually doesn’t refer to the temperatures here. It’s a reference to the red sandstone formations inside the park, which look like they’re on fire when they reflect sunlight.
If this sounds like a view you want in the winter, it’s time to head this way in your RV! This cool winter spot offers several RV sites with water and electric hookups at the Atlatl Rock Campground. There are also bathrooms that offer hot showers, and best of all, every site is close to trails with breathtaking views on your way to the petroglyphs.
Crooked River State Park – Georgia
If you want picturesque views of refreshing water during the winter, drive your RV over to Crooked River State Park. Located near Georgia’s coast, you’ll be right on the Crooked River, surrounded by oak trees and palmettos. You’ll also be a short distance from a boat ramp and a ferry that will take you to nearby beaches where wild horses roam!
Winters here are mild, with a high of 65 degrees and a low of 40 degrees in December. The campground here has 62 sites, complete with water and electrical hookups for RVs, as well as a dump station. Other amenities include Wi-Fi, hot showers, laundry facilities, a bait & tackle shop. You can also enjoy the mini golf course, boat rentals, bike rentals, and a nature center.
Lost Dutchman State Park – Arizona
You really can’t go wrong with desert camping in Arizona, and Lost Dutchman State Park is proof of that! This gorgeous camping spot is located in central Arizona’s Superstition Mountains. As you might expect from the desert, December’s average high is 65 degrees and the low is 41 degrees.
The campground at Lost Dutchman State Park has 68 RV sites with water and electrical hookups. Each site also has a picnic table and fire pit. While you’re there, expect to see or hear some mule deer, jackrabbits, coyotes, and javelina. And consider taking one of the many hiking trails into the scenic Tonto National Forest!
Carolina Beach State Park – North Carolina
Not many states are nice enough in the winter for beach camping, which is what makes Carolina Beach State Park so special. This pretty camping spot features low temperatures of 41 degrees and highs of 60 degrees in December, so it’s the place to be when you don’t want to freeze while enjoying nature! Popular activities here include fishing, hiking along six miles of sandy trails, and viewing nature up close—especially unique plants like the Venus flytrap.
The campground here has 69 sites without hookups, as well as 10 sites with water, electrical, and sewer hookups. Every campsite also has a picnic table and fire ring or grill, and you can find bathrooms with hot showers just steps away.
Big Bend Ranch State Park – Texas
If you’re looking for a huge park where you can spread out and explore for days, Big Bend Ranch State Park is it! It’s located just north of the Texas/Mexico border, which means the Rio Grande River runs along it. As such, this is the perfect place for adventurous rafting, peaceful canoeing, or some fishing as you enjoy December’s high of 63 degrees and low of 44 degrees.
There are several campsites in this state park, but they’re all primitive, so there are no dump stations or spots with hookups. However, the sites at these campgrounds do have picnic tables, fire rings, and primitive bathrooms. Most sites here cost $12 to $16 per night, plus a daily entrance fee.
Joshua Tree National Park – California
If you want to not only get out of the cold, but also feel like you’ve entered another world entirely, visit Joshua Tree National Park this winter. Named for the interesting trees you’ll find here—also called yucca trees—this park is where two deserts meet: the Colorado and the Mojave. Aside from Joshua trees, you’ll see lots of huge boulders, cholla and yucca cacti, roadrunners, and many other desert plants and animals. The high temperature in December is 59 degrees, and the low is 35 degrees.
There are nine campgrounds inside the park, and reservations are required from September to May. The most popular ones are Black Rock Campground and Cottonwood Campground, which cost about $25 per night. While there are no hookups for RVs, they do have potable water, dump stations, flush toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings at these campgrounds.
Extend Your RV Camping Season
If you’re intrigued by these winter camping spots but don’t have an RV, try renting one for your next road trip across America! Check out our selection of RVs for rent, and then contact us with any questions you have.
