US-1, the East Coast alternative to I-95!
Public Campgrounds along US-1, which runs from Key West, Florida, all the way to Maine at the Canadian border. In many points along its route, it parallels I-95, sometimes relieving the traffic along that corridor! Unless otherwise noted, all camping is within 20 miles of the highway, one-way. Some campgrounds may not be listed; inquire locally.
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FL:
Note: Anywhere in the Florida Keys and southern Florida, you should have reservations for camping. They tend to fill up quickly in all seasons of the year!
Bahia Honda State Park, the Keys
Note: Reservations essential.
Long Key State Park, Layton
Note: Reservations essential.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo
Note: Reservations essential.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Hobe Sound
Note: Reservations essential.
Sebastian Inlet State Park, Melbourne Beach
Canaveral National Seashore, Titusville
Note: This is walk-in or boat-in tent camping only. No RV's, trailers, or other motors.
Tomoka State Park, Osmond Beach
Faver-Dykes State Park, St Augustine
Anastasia State Park, St Augustine
Little Talbot Island State Park, Jacksonville
GA:
Laura S. Walker State Park, Waycross
Jack Hill State Park, Reidsville
Note: Formerly known as Gordonia-Alatamaha State Park.
George L. Smith State Park, Twin City
SC:
Aiken State Natural Area, Windsor
Sesquicentennial State Park, Columbia
Lee State Natural Area, Bishopville
Cheraw State Park, Cheraw
NC:
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, Apex
William B Umstead State Park, Cary
Note: There are two entrances to this large park: Cary, and Raleigh.
Kerr Lake State Recreation Area, Henderson
VA:
Pocahontas State Park, Chesterfield
Prince William Forest Park, Triangle
MD:
Susquehanna State Park, Havre de Grace
NJ:
Cheesequake State Park, Matawan
CT:
Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison
Rocky Neck State Park, East Lyme
RI:
Fisherman's Memorial State Park
MA:
Salisbury Beach State Reservation, Salisbury
NH:
Hampton Beach State Park, Hampton
ME:
Bradbury Mountain State Park
Camden Hills State Park
Acadia National Park Campgrounds, Bar Harbor
Lamoine State Park, Lamoine (just outside of Acadia NP)
Cobscook Bay State Park, Dennysville/Edmunds Township
Aroostook State Park, Presque Isle
And you have reached Canada!
Up next will be the Great River Road, but we will take you from where the Great River, the mighty Mississippi, begins, up at Itasca State Park, in Minnesota, and move south. The GRR is not one road; it is a series of many roads linked together to follow the Mississippi River.
Donna
The Great River Road/Route
Public Campgrounds along the Great River Route. This is a collection of many different highways and roads that run alongside or near the Mississippi River, from its start at Lake Itasca in Minnesota, down to the Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana. Unless otherwise noted, all camping sites are within 20 miles of the highway. In some places, you have your choice of traveling on the west side of the river, or on the east side. This list does its best to list the campgrounds that we are certain are there. As always, during spring and early summer, check the location to ensure that flooding is not keeping the Campground closed. At the time of this posting, many campgrounds were closed (or partially closed) due to high waters.
MN:
See also US-2 Western Portion for listings.
Itasca State Park, Park Rapids
Note: You can walk across the start of the river in this park. Mosquito repellent highly recommended!
Lake Bemidji State Park, Bemidji
Cass Lake Campgrounds, east of Bemidji:
S Pike Bay, Chippewa NF
Bimidjiwan, Chippewa NF, Pennington
Note: Formerly Knutson Bay CG.
Winnie Campground, Chippewa NF, Pennington
O-Ne-Gum-E Campground, Chippewa NF, Deer River
Savanna Portage State Park, McGregor
Clint Converse Campground, Washburn Lake, Ironton
Rock Lake Campground, Pillsbury State Forest, Brainerd
Crow Wing State Park, Brainerd
Charles A Lindbergh State Park, Little Falls
Ann Lake Campground, Sand Dunes State Forest, Big Lake
Now, Choose your side, west (MN) or east (WI). Remember that bridges are only located in certain towns for crossing that big river!
MN Side:
Frontenac State Park, Frontenac
Kruger Campground, Wabasha
Whitewater State Park, Altura
Great River Bluffs State Park, Winona
Beaver Creek Valley State Park, Caledonia
WI Side:
Merrick State Park, Fountain City
Perrot State Park, Trempealeau
Wyalusing State Park, Bagley
Nelson Dewey State Park, Cassville
Choose your side again, west (IA/MO) or east (IL/KY)! Of course you can meander from one to another, using the bridges when they're available. Watch out, though, as of this writing (2019), quite a number of the riverside parks are under water.
IA Side:
Bellevue State Park, Bellevue
Fairport State Recreation Area, Muscatine
MO Side:
River Front City Park, Canton
Note: If traveling in spring or early summer, call City of Canton before arrival. This park is right on the River, and has been known to flood.
Wakonda State Park, La Grange
Note: An old favorite. As with the park in Canton, though, it occasionally floods.
IL Side:
Mississippi Palisades State Park, Savanna
Morrison-Rockwood State Park, Morrison
Delabar State Park, Oquawka
Henderson County State Fish & Wildlife Area, Keithsburg
Nauvoo State Park, Nauvoo
KY Side:
Columbus-Belmont State Park
Choosing again, west side (AR & LA) or east side (TN & MS):
AR Side:
Mississippi River State Park, Marianna
Storm Creek Lake Recreation Area, Marianna
MS Side:
Leroy Percy State Park, Hollandale
Rocky Springs Campground, Vicksburg
Natchez State Park, Natchez
TN Side:
Reelfoot Lake State Park, Tiptonville
Meeman-Shelby State Park, Millington
LA:
Lake Bruin State Park, St Joseph
Tickfaw State Park, Springfield
St Bernard State Park, Braithwaite
There are no public campgrounds located on the MS River Delta. Quite a few websites suggest taking a tour boat to see the delta, because the highway ends at Venice, LA (LA-23).
Next up will be US-50, from its start in Sacramento CA all the way to its end in Maryland. Why? There are several reasons. One, the Nevada portion is often called "The loneliest road". Two, there are several parts of it that can be called scenic, especially the portions in Nevada and Colorado. Three, it's a long highway!
Donna
North America is more than the USA!
Looks like a pretty darn good list.
Maybe you should start adding camping options in Canada and Mexico?
Actually the other places that under the official purview of RTA are:
Greenland, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. And I don't remember if you have done the campgrounds in Hawaii and Alaska yet?
Mark
US-6, West of the Mississippi River
This is a list of Public campgrounds along US-6, which goes from Bishop, CA, out to the tip of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. In some cases, this highway runs parallel to or concurrently with I-80, so only those areas where the highway is more than 10 miles from the interstate will be listed. Unless otherwise noted, all campgrounds are within 20 miles of the US highway, one way. Some campgrounds may not be listed; please inquire locally.
CA:
Bitterbrush Campground, Inyo National Forest, Bishop
Note: On CA-168, 13 miles west of Bishop.
NV:
Ward Mountain Campground, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Ely
Note: Near Murray Summit, southwest of Ely.
Cave Lake State Park, Ely
Great Basin National Park Campgrounds
Note: Five campgrounds!
UT:
Note: US-6 and US-50 are running concurrently on the western part of Utah. Please see US-50 listings.
Oak Creek Campground, Fishlake National Forest, Oak City
Little Sahara Campsites, BLM, Eureka
Note: Attracts a lot of off-road sand-buggy vehicles.
Tinney Flat Campground, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Santaquin
Payson Lakes Campground, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Payson
Price Canyon Recreation Area, BLM, Price
Note: The road up there is steep and narrow, and not recommended for long vehicles. About the most they recommend is a truck with a short trailer, total length less than 35'.
Note: US-6 intersects with I-70 at Green River and runs concurrently, or parallels it, all the way into Denver. Please see I-70 through Denver.
CO:
Note: This listing starts at Denver and heads northeast.
Jackson Lake State Park, Orchard
Note: Colorado State Parks have gone to an all-reservation, no drop-ins, system. Call ahead!
North Sterling State Park, Padroni
Note: Colorado State Parks have gone to an all-reservation, no drop-ins, system. Call ahead!
Haxtun City Park Campground, Haxtun
Note: There is no website, but several sites mention this campground. Inquire locally!
NE:
Enders Reservoir State Recreation Area
Swanson Lake State Recreation Area
Red Willow Reservoir State Recreation Area, McCook
City of Cambridge Campground and RV Park, Cambridge
Medicine Creek Reservoir State Recreation Area, north of Cambridge
Fort Kearny State Historical Park, Fort Kearny
Holdrege City Campground, Holdrege
Note: Several sites mention the existence of this city-run campground, though it has no website of its own. Inquire locally.
Adams County Fairgrounds Campground, Hastings
DLD State Wayside Area Campground, Hastings
Note: No website, no information available, though several sites mention it. Inquire locally.
City of Sutton RV Park, Sutton
Note: Inquire locally.
Bluestem State Recreation Area, Sprague
Note: 21 miles from Dorchester, NE or Pleasant Dale, NE.
Pawnee State Recreation Area, Lincoln
From here to Council Bluffs, IA, US-6 runs concurrently with I-80.
IA:
Lake Anita State Park, Anita
For most of IA and IL and part of IN, US-6 runs concurrently with or parallel to I-80. .
To be continued in the next post....
US-6 East of the Mississippi River
Continuing from the previous post.... For most of IA and IL and part of IN, US-6 runs concurrently with or parallel to I-80.
IN:
Up until Portage, please see I-80/90 (link above).
Bixler Lake Park Campground, Kendallville
Note: In June 2024, this city's website had an issue. We will check this at a later date.
OH:
Mary Jane Thurston State Park, McClure
East Harbor State Park, Lakeside-Marblehead
Big Creek Park, Geauga Park District, Chardon
Linesville Campground, Pymatuning State Park
Note: This campground is easily reached from US-6. There are other campgrounds in this very large Ohio State Park.
PA:
Woodcock Creek Lake Campground, Crawford County Parks, Meadville
Buckaloons Recreation Area, Allegheny National Forest, Warren
Red Bridge Recreation Area, Allegheny National Forest, Kane
Twin Lakes Recreation Area, Wilcox
Note: USFS states, "Due to small-sized campsites and a railroad underpass with a 10-foot clearance located on the entrance road, it is not recommended for use by RV’s longer than 28 feet or needing greater than 10 foot clearance."
Lyman Run State Park, Galeton
Note: 8 miles from Galeton.
Cherry Springs State Park, Galeton
Note: 18 miles down a forest service road from Galeton.
Hills Creek State Park, Wellsboro
Note: Located between Wellsboro and Mansfield on US-6.
Lackawanna State Park, North Abington Township
NY:
Harriman State Park, Ramapo
CT:
Kettletown State Park, Southbury
Black Rock State Park, Watertown
Mashamoquet Brook State Park, Pomfret
RI:
There are a few public campgrounds in RI, but not on US-6. So sorry!
MA:
Myles Standish State Forest, Carver
Scusset Beach State Reservation, Sagamore
Shawme-Crowell State Forest, Sandwich
Nickerson State Park, Brewster
Wellfleet Hollow State Campground, Wellfleet
Note: Nickerson and Wellfleet Hollow campgrounds serve the Cape Cod National Seashore. CCNS does not have its own campgrounds.
THAT'S IT! THE END OF US-6! Still to come in this thread: US-20, one of the longest continuous roads in the US.
