Because all campsites are different, it is very hard to judge which ones are better than others. So we decided to create our own rating scale, one for paid campsites, one for free campsites or boondocks, and another for urban free sites, each with their own criteria.
PAID FOR CAMPSITES
We strongly believe that camping should be free and affordable, therefore our price category is rated as following:
$1-$8: 5 stars (*****)
$9-$12: 4 stars (****)
$12-$15: 3 stars (***)
$16-$20: 2 stars (**)
$21-$25: 1stars (*)
$26- above: 0 stars
The rest of the categories are also rated out of five stars, 5 being the best and 1 being the worst.
1) Blueberry Patch Campground, Finger Lakes National Forest, New York
Price: $10 – 4
Location: 4
Noise: 5
Amenities: 2
RV/ trailer friendly: 2
Scenic: 4
Overall score: 3.5 stars
2) Salmonberry Campground, Alsea, Oregon
Price: $ 20 – 2
Location: 4
Noise: 4
Amenities: 3
RV/ trailer friendly: 3
Scenic: 4
Overall score: 3.5 stars
3) Bearlodge Campground, Black Hills National Forest, Wyoming
Price: $12 – 4
Location: 4
Noise: 3
Amenities: 2
RV/ trailer friendly: 3
Scenic: 4
Overall score: 3.3 stars
4) Dunewood Campground, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana
Price: $15 – 3
Location: 4
Noise: 2
Amenities: 4
RV/ trailer friendly: 3
Scenic: 4
Overall score: 3.3 stars
5) Sierra Hot Springs, Sierraville, California
Price: $27.50 per person (includes $20 access fee to the hot springs) – 1
Location: 4
Noise: 5
Amenities: 5
RV/ trailer friendly: 3
Scenic: 2
Overall score: 3.3 stars
6) Lower Piedra Campground, Durango, Colorado
Price: $18 – 2
Location: 4
Noise: 4
Amenities: 2
RV/ trailer friendly: 3
Scenic: 4
Overall score: 3.16 stars
7) Berlin Lake, Ohio
Price: $22 – 1
Location: 3
Noise: 3
Amenities: 4
RV/ trailer friendly: 5
Scenic: 3
Overall score: 3.16 stars
8) Goose Island Campground, Moab, Utah
Price: $12 – 4
Location: 2
Noise: 3
Amenities: 1
RV/ trailer friendly: 3
Scenic: 3
Overall score: 3.16 stars
9) Upper Little Truckee Campground, Truckee, California
Price: $17 – 2
Location: 4
Noise: 2
Amenities: 2
RV/ trailer friendly: 3
Scenic: 4
Overall score: 2.8 stars
10) Corallville Dam Campground, Iowa City, Iowa
Price: $28 – 0
Location: 2
Noise: 4
Amenities: 4
RV/ trailer friendly: 5
Scenic: 1
Overall score: 2.6 stars
FREE CAMPSITES
1) Sage Creek Campground, Wall, South Dakota
Location: 4
Noise: 5
RV/ trailer friendly: 4
Features: 3
Scenic: 5
Overall score: 4.2 stars
2) Grey’s River Road, Alpine, Wyoming
Location: 5
Noise: 3
RV/ trailer friendly: 4
Features: 3
Scenic: 5
Overall score: 4 stars
3) Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania
Location: 4
Noise: 4
RV/ trailer friendly: 3
Features: 2
Scenic: 4
Overall score: 3.4 stars
4) Teton National Forest, Moose, Wyoming
Location: 4
Noise: 4
RV/ trailer friendly: 2
Features: 2
Scenic: 5
Overall score: 3.4 stars
5) Tongue River Campground, Dayton, Wyoming
Location: 4
Noise: 4
RV/ trailer friendly: 2
Features: 3
Scenic: 4
Overall score: 3.4 stars
6) Roadside stop mile marker 331, Hwy 101, Oregon
Location: 3
Noise: 3
RV/ trailer friendly: 4
Features: 2
Scenic: 5
Overall score: 3.4 stars
7) Sacramento Pass Recreation Area, Hwy 50, Nevada
Location: 3
Noise: 3
RV/ trailer friendly: 4
Features: 3
Scenic: 4
Overall score: 3.4 stars
8) Hickison Petroglyphs Campground, Hwy 50, Nevada
Location: 4
Noise: 4
RV/ trailer friendly: 3
Features: 2
Scenic: 3
Overall score: 3.2 stars
9) Hells Backbone Road, Dixie National Forest, Boulder, Utah
Location: 3
Noise: 5
RV/ trailer friendly: 1
Features: 1
Scenic: 5
Overall score: 3 stars
10) Milford Lake free loop Campground, Kansas
Location: 3
Noise: 4
RV/ trailer friendly: 4
Features: 1
Scenic: 3
Overall score: 3 stars
11) Mackay Dam Campground, Mackay, Idaho
Location: 3
Noise: 4
RV/ trailer friendly: 2
Features: 1
Scenic: 4
Overall score: 2.8 stars
12) Old Alpine Road, Alpine, Wyoming
Location: 3
Noise: 2
RV/ trailer friendly: 4
Features: 1
Scenic: 3
Overall score: 2.6 stars
URBAN BOONDOCK SITES
1) Lion’s Park, Vermillion, South Dakota
Location: 5
Noise: 3
Parking: 3
Features: 5
Safety: 5
Overall score: 4.2 stars
2) Walmart Supercenter, Ashland, Ohio
Location: 4
Noise: 4
Parking: 4
Features: 3
Safety: 4
Overall score: 3.8 stars
3) Edith Street, Missoula, Montana
Location: 4
Noise: 4
Parking: 3
Features: 4
Safety: 4
Overall score: 3.8 stars
4) Walmart Supercenter, Kendallville, Indiana
Location: 4
Noise: 4
Parking: 3
Features: 2
Safety: 4
Overall score: 3.2 stars
5) Walmart Supercenter, Walla Walla, Washington
Location: 3
Noise: 4
Parking: 1
Features: 3
Safety: 4
Overall score: 3 stars
6) Walmart Supercenter, Fountain, Colorado
Location: 4
Noise: 1
Parking: 2
Features: 3
Safety: 1
Overall score: 2.2 stars
All in all, the free campsite fared much better than all the others although sometimes it is worth coughing up some cash to stay in a designated paid for campsite. There are many different agencies that take care of campsites. Some are privately owned (we didn’t stay in any of those because they tend to be outrageously expensive), the ones in National Forests are usually managed by the National Forest Service, BLM land is public land and therefore free or inexpensive, and Army Corps of Engineers has a lot across the country and although they are pricy they are required to also have at least one free camping area on their land. Oh and, not all Walmarts are the same!
We hope this is helpful information and that if you go on a trip and stay in any of these places you will give us feedback and your opinion 🙂
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