Find Your Winter Camping Getaway

by Kendra Clapp OlguínJan 22, 2021

To some, camping is exclusively a summer pastime but many know otherwise: that a winter camping getaway can be just as fun as its summer sibling. Here are ten campgrounds that will get you outside and enjoying the fresh, brisk air.

Alpen Rose RV Park in Durango, CO

Located in the peaceful Animas River Valley and only two miles from historic downtown Durango, mountain views surround Alpen Rose RV Park. Nearby winter activities include Trimble Hot Springs, hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing in Weminuche Wilderness, shops, restaurants, and skiing at different nearby slopes. Open year-round, the park has 100 full hookup RV sites.

View down a scenic black diamond ski run at Purgatory resort in Durango, Colorado. There is a snowcapped mountain range in the distance and a blue, clear sky. The evergreen trees surrounding the hill are covered in snow. Alpen Rose RV Park in Durango, Colorado is the perfect winter camping getaway in Northern Colorado. — iStock.com/Kara Grubis

Pony Express RV Resort & Campground, in North Salt Lake, UT

Pony Express RV Resort & Campground is just minutes away from the Great Salt Lake and downtown Salt Lake City, giving you access to restaurants, shopping, and more. Ways to stay at the resort include RV sites, Airstream trailer rentals, and cabin rentals. This winter camping getaway is just a short drive away from dozens of ski resorts, giving you plenty of ways to go out and enjoy the winter air. Popular activities besides skiing include snowshoeing on nearby trails, relaxing at Crystal or Saratoga hot springs, and renting snowmobiles.

An aerial view of Salt Lake City in the winter and covered with snow. The view is from a nearby ski resort. This area's winter camping getaway is the Pony Express RV Resort & Campground in North Salt Lake, Utah. — iStock.com/phdpsx

Moab Valley RV Resort & Campground in Moab, UT

Located just outside Arches National Park and near Canyonlands National Park, Moab Valley RV Resort & Campground is at the heart of the red rock adventure-land. Whether soaking in the scenery while hiking, biking or riding on an ATV, camping in Moab during the winter allows you to avoid the sweltering heat of the summer. Accommodations at the resort and campground include RV sites, tent sites, and vacation rentals, including a vintage Airstream trailer.

Turret arch in Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, with snow on the ground and a blue sunny ski behind. Moab's winter camping getaway is Moab Valley RV Resort & Campground in Moab, Utah. — iStock.com/VladTeodor

Crown Villa RV Resort in Bend, OR

Nestled to the east of the Cascade Mountains, Crown Villa RV Resort is Central Oregon’s premier RV Resort. Whether you stay in a vacation rental or RV site, the resort will have you relaxing in no time. For those looking for adventure, endless opportunities exist for hiking, snowshoeing, fishing, skiing and snowboarding on the slopes of the Cascades. Nearby Mount Bachelor is a popular place to go snowboarding or skiing.

Evergreen trees covered in snow atop a mountain in Bend, Oregon. A family with a dog cross country ski and hike at Mt. Bachelor. Crown Villa RV Resort is the perfect winter camping getaway in Bend, Oregon. — iStock.com/svetlana57

Lewis & Clark Campground & RV Park in North Bonneville, WA

Located in the southwestern region of the Columbia River Gorge and just 40 minutes away from Portland, Oregon, the Lewis & Clark Campground & RV Park offers campers year-round water & electric RV sites. The campground’s prime location is close access to trails within Mt. hood National Forest trails leading to awe-inspiring waterfalls such as Horsetail Falls. For the snowboarders and skiers, the slopes of Mt. Hood are just a short drive away.

An ice covered winter wonderland along the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. This was taken at Horsetail Falls. All of the vegetation is covered with ice. Lewis & Clark Campground & RV Park is the perfect winter camping getaway in the Columbia River Gorge. — iStock.com/andipantz

Wildfox Cabins & Campground in Lakeville, ME

Wild Fox Cabins & Campground in beautiful Lakeville, Maine, sits on the banks of Junior Lake, one of the eleven “chain of lakes” in the area. This campground is a paradise for sportsmen and nature lovers alike. The 155 scenic acres surrounding their grounds are spectacularly beautiful and offer bountiful hunting for both large and small game, hiking cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or snowmobiling. For those who enjoy ice fishing, Junior Lake will have you catching salmon, whitefish, and perch in no time. These winter cabins in the remote north east are the perfect place to getaway and disconnect.

Ice fishing trap waits patiently for fish under the ice on a lake in Maine. Wildfox Cabins & Campground in Lakeville, Maine, is the perfect winter camping getaway in the northeast coast. — iStock.com/mountinez

Jim & Mary’s RV Park in Missoula, MT

RVers know how hard it can be to find a winter camping getaway in northern states. Open year-round, Jim & Mary’s RV Park gives those looking to adventure in the winter wonderland of eastern Montana a place to call home. Perfect for wildlife viewing, the park sits near the National Bison Range where you can see bison, of course, but also elk, whitetail and mule deer, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, coyotes, and more. Road trip warriors will be happy to hear that Glacier National Park stays open all year and is a 3.5 hour drive away. The Snowbowl is located just 20 minutes away from Missoula for those looking to ski or snowboard.

Beautiful evening in the hills surrounding Missoula, Montana. Snow covers the ground and the mountains in the back. Jim & Mary's RV Park in Missoula, Montana, is the area's ideal winter camping getaway. — iStock.com/mattalberts

The Historic Wapiti Lodge in Cody, WY

Perched above the Shoshone River and in the heart of Wapiti Valley, this historic lodge offers several RV sites open during winter months. This optimal location between Cody and the East Entrance to Yellowstone National Park makes it the ideal base to explore northwestern Wyoming. Cody, 18 miles to the east, offers shopping, a world-famous rodeo, the five museums of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, and more. Thirty miles west of the lodge is the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Even if roads into the park are closed, there are different ways to tour the park, including snowmobiling.

A person snowmobiles down a pass in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Snow covers the trees on both sides of the pass. Wapiti Lodge is Yellowstone's winter camping getaway. — iStock.com/Milan Sommer

Woody Mountain Campground in Flagstaff, AZ

Open without running water but with a fill station on site, Woody Mountain Campground is just minutes from downtown Flagstaff where you can explore a variety of activities, restaurants, local shops, and more. Winter activities include the nearby Arizona Snowbowl, Nordic Village, Coconino National Forest, Fort Tuthill County Park, Buffalo Park, Flagstaff Snow Park, Mormon Lake Lodge, and more. Additionally, The location is also perfect for day trips to Grand Canyon National Park.

Arizona Snowbowl is an alpine ski resort in the southwest United States, located on the San Francisco Peaks of northern Arizona, seven miles (11 km) north of Flagstaff. The Snowbowl ski area covers approximately one percent of the San Francisco Peaks, and its slopes face west and northwest. Woody Mountain Campground is Flagstaff's ideal winter camping getaway. — iStock.com/Md Esharuzzaman Emu

Canary Beach Resort in Villard, MN

While RV sites at the resort might not be available during the winter, campers can enjoy staying at Canary Beach Resort’s lakefront cabins that are open year-round. Winter activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing (Centennial Trail is accessible from the resort), hunting at the nearby Pope County Walk-In access (Sept-May 31), ice fishing on Lake Villard, and snowmobiling.

A woman cross-country skis across a frozen lake in northern Minnesota. The Canary Beach Resort gives those from Minneapolis the perfect winter camping getaway. — iStock.com/GeorgeBurba

Whatever winter camping getaway you end up choosing, be sure to practice safe social distancing, wearing masks in public and around others not in your household, and staying home if you feel sick. To help, here is our guide on how to camp during COVID.

To some, camping is exclusively a summer pastime but many know otherwise: that a winter camping getaway can be just as fun as its summer sibling. Here are ten campgrounds that will get you outside and enjoying the fresh, brisk air.

Whatever winter camping getaway you end up choosing, be sure to practice safe social distancing, wearing masks in public and around others not in your household, and staying home if you feel sick. To help, here is our guide on how to camp during COVID.

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