Ranking the Best (and Worst) Campgrounds in America
We analyzed more than 111,000 Google reviews from America's most-reviewed public campgrounds to uncover the country's best and worst places to camp, according to real campers.
America is home to thousands of campgrounds, but not all offer the same experience. When breathtaking scenery and peaceful campsites are marred by crowded loops and neglected facilities, where you stay makes all the difference.
TRIO helps people stay connected in remote places, so naturally, we’re pretty interested in where Americans might adventure to disconnect.
That’s why we put together a complex, original algorithm to figure out which public campgrounds currently offer the best overall experience.
We started with the nearly 5,000 campgrounds listed on Recreation.gov before narrowing our analysis to the country’s most-reviewed locations. From there, we measured and weighted elements from more than 111,000 Google reviews to identify the campgrounds campers consistently rate among America’s best and worst.
Here’s how America’s campgrounds ranked overall.
HOW IT WORKED
Each campground received an Overall Score from 0 to 100 based on a combination of its average Google review rating, and the overall sentiment expressed throughout its reviews.
We evaluated eight individual categories that consistently shape the camping experience:
- Cleanliness
- Facilities
- Staff
- Peace and quiet
- Scenery
- Activities
- Bugs and pests
- The surrounding environment.
We also considered connectivity within our rankings, so we included user-reported cell service across Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile (the three major phone carriers), along with campground Wi-Fi availability.
Note: Connectivity was analyzed separately from our overall rankings. Because cell service and Wi-Fi availability often reflect geographic remoteness rather than campground quality, we chose not to factor them into scores. Instead, we presented them as a standalone resource so campers know what to expect before heading off-grid.
Parks By the Numbers
Key Takeaways
- Schoodic Woods in Maine took the top spot, with Indian Cove in Arkansas coming in at #2.
- Kalaloch Campground in Washington earned the best scenery marks in the country; Red Cliffs in Utah led all campgrounds for activities.
- Rainbow Point in Utah drew the most complaints about bugs and pests; Hodgdon Meadow in Yosemite rated worst for peace and quiet.
- California placed the most campgrounds in the top 25 with five, followed by Utah and Arkansas with four each, and Colorado with three.
The 10 Best Campgrounds in America
Here’s how America’s campgrounds ranked overall.
The grades below show how each campground performed across the eight factors included in our analysis. The results? Well, they’re spread across the entire map, from the Maine coast to the California desert.
The Best Spots Are Often the Hardest to Reach
One of the most interesting findings to emerge from our analysis was the relationship between campground quality and connectivity. Many of the country’s highest-rated campgrounds are located in more remote areas, where spectacular scenery and quieter surroundings naturally come at the expense of reliable cell service.
…the better-rated the experience, the less correlation there is to cell reception.
Five of the top 25 are signal dead zones
Using user-reported connectivity data across Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, along with campground Wi-Fi availability, we found that campgrounds averaged a Connectivity Score of 41 out of 100, which is not particularly high. Among the Top 30 highest-rated campgrounds, that average dropped even further to just 36.
In other words, the better-rated the experience, the less correlation there is to cell reception.
For plenty of campers, no bars on their phone is the whole point, and it’s a worthwhile tradeoff for them. It also highlights how choosing the right campground often means balancing the desire to disconnect socially with actually being able to disconnect from work.
The Full Ranking
All 136 campgrounds, ranked. Search by name or state, sort by any column, or toggle the connectivity view to compare cell service alongside each campground’s Overall Score.
| #▲ | Campground | Location | Score | Stars | Reviews | Signal | Connectivity |
|---|
Category Standouts
While the Overall Score captures the full camping experience, some campgrounds stood out in specific categories. These are the destinations that earned the strongest (and weakest) feedback in each area.
The 10 Lowest-Rated
Remember, even the lowest-ranked campgrounds in our analysis remain popular enough to generate hundreds of visitor reviews. Across those reviews, however, recurring themes such as poor maintenance, overcrowding, inconsistent staff experiences, and aging facilities consistently drove lower Overall Scores.
How We Did It
Methodology
We started with roughly 5,000 campgrounds listed on Recreation.gov and narrowed to the 136 most-reviewed sites. From there, we read more than 111,000 reviews using natural language processing and keyword sentiment analysis.
Each campground’s Overall Score (0–100) is a weighted combination: 60% average star rating, 40% review sentiment. We flagged 89 keywords across eight categories campers consistently write about: Cleanliness, Facilities, Staff, Peace & Quiet, Scenery, Activities, Bugs & Pests, and Environment. Each category is graded Excellent, Great, Good, Fair, or Poor based on the direction of the mentions — or marked Neutral when a factor came up too rarely to call.
Connectivity data is sourced from The Dyrt, based on user-reported signal across Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, plus whether the campground offers WiFi, combined into a 0–100 score. Connectivity was reported separately and did not factor into the Overall Score or rankings. A small number of campgrounds lacked sufficient signal data to rate.
Illustrations by Tara Jacoby
Wherever you camp, stay connected
When planning a weekend getaway or a cross-country road trip, choosing the right campground means balancing scenery, amenities and, depending on your needs, staying connected. TRIO is passionate about helping people stay connected while exploring the outdoors. Sometimes, the best campsites are the hardest places to reach.
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