The 10 Prettiest Places to Camp on the East Coast

Return to the full list: the most scenic places to camp in the US

The East Coast is home to some of the most convenient camping in the country, especially given how many places to pitch a tent are within a short drive of major cities like DC, NYC, and Boston. Fortunately, they’re also some of the prettiest, whether you’re camping along the rocky shores of Maine, deep in the forests of Vermont, or tucked away in the misty mountains of New York’s Adirondacks. While the region is often overshadowed by the vast wilderness of the West, the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic offer their own brand of rugged beauty — not to mention perfect fall foliage getaways, especially in Vermont and New Hampshire, where the leaves explode into a riot of red, orange, and gold every fall.

What’s unique about East Coast camping?

Camping on the East Coast is often more competitive than in other parts of the country due to the region’s high population density and proximity to major cities. That can make demand for campsites consistently high, particularly on weekends and holidays.

Unlike in the West, where vast tracts of public land allow for more dispersed camping, the East Coast has fewer federal lands available for camping, meaning most visitors rely on state park systems and private campgrounds. So campgrounds can fill up quickly — sometimes months in advance. Seasonal demand also plays a role: in the Northeast, the camping season is mostly during the summer, whereas in Maryland and Virginia it can be almost year-round. Because of this, securing reservations ahead of time during peak season dates is essential, especially in popular destinations like Acadia National Park.

For national parks and many national forests managed by the US Forest Service, the primary platform for reservations is Recreation.gov. It’s a centralized system and one of the easiest to use, with extensive information about each campground or location. Though the booking procedures vary from campsite lotteries to booking windows to day-of online reservations, it’s all extremely well detailed, and sites usually cost no more than $25 a night.

The BLM, or Bureau of Land Management, manages vast public lands primarily in the West, but its presence on the East Coast is limited. However, where applicable, the BLM offers both developed campgrounds and dispersed camping. Developed sites may require reservations and fees, whereas dispersed camping typically does not. You’ll need to look at the webpage for the place you want to camp to figure it out, as each location has different policies and booking tools.

The final major landowner when it comes to campsites on the East Coast are the various state agencies. Some manage land through parks departments, some have conservation agencies, and some manage sites through the same offices that oversee waterways and or forestry. Some states may even have co-management of parks and sites. Because it gets complicated, there’s no hard and fast rule for who manages any given campground in any given state.

East Coast camping weather considerations

It’s often said that most places on the East Coast experience all four seasons, from scorching summer heat to freezing winter snow. And depending on where you are, that’s true. Camping seasonality on the East Coast varies significantly depending on latitude, elevation, and proximity to the coast. While camping is possible year-round in the southernmost part of the region, the best seasons for camping shift as you move northward.

Camping in New England is highly seasonal, with the most reliable conditions between late spring to early fall. In northern areas, snow can linger in higher elevations into May, making early-season camping unpredictable. Mild temperatures make the summer months the most popular, though coastal areas and lakeside campgrounds can be busy with vacationers. Fall (September-early November) is arguably the best time to camp for brisk nights and vibrant foliage, but by late October, temperatures drop quickly, and many campgrounds close for the season.

The Mid-Atlantic region has a longer camping season than New England, but it still follows a distinct pattern. Spring can be wet, with cool nights and occasional strong storms, and summer is peak season, with warm but generally tolerable temperatures in the mountains (though humidity can make lower-elevation areas in Maryland and Virginia very uncomfortable). Coastal campgrounds, especially those along the Jersey Shore and in Delaware’s state parks, fill up quickly in July and August. Fall is an excellent time for camping, though extremely busy in fall foliage areas like the Catskills, Adirondacks, and Pennsylvania’s forests. Snow is common by late November, and it’s not uncommon for campgrounds to close for winter.

The 10 prettiest places to camp on the East Coast

The list below includes campgrounds from Virginia north to the far coasts of Maine. While no single list can fully capture the vast range of landscapes and natural beauty available on the East Coast, these campsites represent some of the region’s most scenic and diverse camping experiences. Between the Chesapeake Bay in the Mid-Atlantic, the sprawling forests of New England, and the lake-dappled landscapes of New York, you can find places to camp on remote barrier islands, pitch a tent in dense Appalachian forests, sleep beside highland lakes, or even wake up to wild ponies grazing steps from your campsite.

Jump to:

Saranac Lake Islands, NY | Duck Harbor, ME | Assateague Island, MD | Cape Henlopen State Park, DE | Green River Reservoir State Park, VT | Town Hall Road Dispersed Camping, NH | Rocky Mount Backcountry Camping, VA | Wellesley Island State Park, NY | Peddocks Island, MA | Lake George, NY

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Saranac Lake Islands

• Location: Saranac Lake, New York
• Campground type: Boat-in
• Facilities: Basic
• View: A reflective lake and gorgeous natural scenes

Saranac Lake Islands Campground in New York’s Adirondack Mountains has more than 80 lakeside, private campsites spread across the shores of Lower, Middle, and Upper Saranac Lakes. The lakes are surrounded by lush forests of towering pines and maples, and from your tent, you might wake up to the sight of morning mist rising off the glassy lake, loons floating across the surface, or wildlife wandering the shoreline. Some sites are boat-in only, some are tucked into sheltered coves, and others have sweeping views of the open lake. Reservations are recommended but not required.

Duck Harbor

• Location: Isle Au Haut, Maine
• Campground type: Boat-in
• Facilities: Basic
• View: Craggy coastline, ocean views, verdant fir forest

Duck Harbor Campground is on Arcadia National Park’s Isle au Haut, a rocky island mostly separated from the rest of the park. It has just five secluded sites, all tucked into a spruce fir forest overlooking the rocky coastline. From your tent, you can hear the crashing waves and enjoy unobstructed views of the harbor’s deep blue waters, framed by the jagged outlines of distant islands. Sunrises and sunsets are as dramatic as you’d expect, and the photo opportunities of both the night sky and of early morning fishing boats in the rising ocean mist are truly out of this world. It’s accessible only by ferry from nearby Stonington and reservations are required.

Assateague Island National Seashore

• Location: Berlin, Maryland
• Campground type: Car camping
• Facilities: Developed
• View: Wild horses and Atlantic ocean sunrises

Assateague Island National Seashore offers one of the most unique camping experiences on the East Coast, as campers have views of wild horses that roam freely across pristine beaches, rolling dunes, and salt marshes. The campground is spread between sites on both the ocean and bay sides of the barrier island, allowing for sunrise views over the Atlantic or sunsets across Chincoteague Bay. But the highlight is likely the island’s wild horses, descendants of 17th-century livestock brought by settlers. They often wander through the campsites, and you can spend peaceful mornings and evenings watching them mosey through the park’s beautiful wetlands and shoreline. Reservations are required year-round.

Cape Henlopen State Park

• Location: Lewes, Delaware
• Campground type: Car camping
• Facilities: Developed
• View: Coastal dunes, maritime forest, and glimpses of ocean

Cape Henlopen State Park offers sweeping coastal views unlike anywhere else in Delaware, with dunes, maritime forests, and the vast Atlantic Ocean in full view. The campground sits near the beach and salt marshes, where ocean breezes drift through pine trees and seabirds circle overhead. From certain campsites, campers can catch glimpses of the ocean or the Delaware Bay, both of which are especially viivid at sunrise and sunset. It’s one of the best places to camp on the East Coast if you like history, with a historic fort and public lookout tower. Sites in Loop G are generally the most in demand as they’re farther from the busier areas. Reservations are recommended. Read more on The Dyrt.

Green River Reservoir State Park

• Location: Hyde Park, Vermont
• Campground type: Boat-in
• Facilities: Primitive
• View: Moose, loons, forest, and wetlands

Green River Reservoir State Park in Vermont has 27 paddle-in-only campsites spread across 19 miles of shoreline, providing a sense of waterfront seclusion at each. It’s surrounded by wetlands and ponds, so don’t be surprised if you see loons drifting across the water in the morning or catch sight of a moose across the shoreline at sunset. All sites here are quite lovely, but 17, 20, 21, and 30 — spread between Big Island and Loon Island — are especially beautiful. Each one is on its own small outcropping, surrounded by water on multiple sides. Reservations are required, and you’ll likely want to reserve your canoe or kayak in advance through a third-party company in nearby Stowe or Morrisville.

Town Hall Road Dispersed Camping

• Location: Chatham, New Hampshire
• Campground type: Car camping
• Facilities: Primitive
• View: A babbling brook and healthy green forest

Dispersed camping on Town Hall Road in New Hampshire, in White Mountain National Forest, may be the state’s best-kept camping secret (sorry to spoil it, New Hampshirites). The road can get busy, but it’s for good reason: the sites are accessed from pullouts on the side of the road but are situated next to Slippery Brook. This narrow, boulder-filled river is surrounded by dense forest, meaning campers get the convenience of car camping with the feeling of being at a private site deep in the forest. Sites are spread out and fairly private, but be forewarned that it’s first-come, first-served, and popular on summer weekends. Read more at The Dyrt.

Rocky Mount Backcountry Camping

• Location: East Luray, Virgnia
• Campground type: Walk-in
• Facilities: Primitive
• View: Endless views of the sweeping Blue Ridge Mountains

Shenandoah National Park is an extremely easy place to camp last-minute, as there are not official backcountry sites and you can pitch your tent wherever you’d like (following some loose parameters). One of the best places to explore is the Rocky Mount Loop, as there are several tent sites along the scenic trail situated on rocky outcroppings. If you’re lucky enough to snag one, you’ll have views of sunsets across the valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains, followed by mornings of graceful mist rising below you while you enjoy a hot coffee from the cozy confines of your tent. Reservations are required, but since there’s no cap, you don’t need to worry about your chosen dates filling up.

Wellesley Island State Park Campground

• Location: Fineview, New York
• Campground type: Car camping
• Facilities: Full service
• View: Canada, Eel Bay, and the St. Lawrence River

Wellesley Island State Park in New York’s Thousand Islands region gives campers unparalleled views of the St. Lawrence River, with its sparkling waters stretching toward the Canadian shoreline. The Eagle Loop (Loop E) is particularly popular for its panoramic river views and peaceful setting, making it an ideal choice if you want to wake to the sight of boats gliding past in the morning mist. Many of the waterfront sites in Loop E are elevated just above the shoreline, providing unobstructed views of the river while still offering the privacy of the surrounding forest. Sunset from these sites is spectacular, with the sky lighting up in hues of orange and pink over the water. Reservations are required.

Peddocks Island

• Location: Hull, Massachusetts
• Campground type: Walk-in (after a ferry to island)
• Facilities: Developed
• View: Boston Harbor islands and Massachusetts Bay

Peddocks Island is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area and is one of the few places where you’ll find a picture-perfect coastal campsite just minutes from a major East Coast city. Tent sites are on a hill near the ferry dock, surrounded by a canopy of trees that provide shade and a sense of seclusion. Some sights have filtered glimpses of the harbor and Boston skyline beyond. The island has beaches, historical sites, and forests, so campers have excellent access to all it offers. And since the only way to reach the island is by ferry, and the only way to stay overnight is to camp, evenings provide a sense of seclusion and peacefulness you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else this close to Boston. Reservations are required.

Lake George Islands Campgrounds

• Location: Clemons, New York
• Campground type: Boat-in
• Facilities: Varies
• View: Adirondack summits and Lake George waterfront

If you’ve ever wanted to camp on your own private island, the campsites on islands in pretty Lake George are the place to do it. Several of the islands in the Glen Island, Long Island, and Narrow Island groups have just one campsite per island, and if you can’t snag one of those, several other islands have just three or four campsites. That ensures pure seclusion, with views of the Lake George shoreline and other rocky islands with tall pines scattered throughout the waterway. Note that Lake George can get crowded with boat traffic on busy summer days, so you’ll want to pick one closer to the shoreline if you’re not comfortable with long paddles on busy lakes. Reservations are recommended, though you can get a same-day site by phone if space allows.