79 Most Visited National Destinations By RV Camping

In 2022, the National Parks Service logged nearly 2.6 million recreational vehicles camping on their properties, according to federal data. While that figure is nothing compared to last year’s 311 million visitors, it makes up a significant portion of overnight stays. Some back-of-the-envelope math shows RV camping accounted for about 19% of all campers. 

What’s more is when you review accommodations by location. All of the national parks and recreational areas accommodate campers in different ways but they vary considerably when it comes to RVs. For example, Yosemite National Park hosted the most RV campers in 2022, but when compared to the others that ranked, it offered the most RV campsites. 

According to the NPS webpage for the park, Yosemite has 10 campgrounds that can accommodate RVs and trailers of varying lengths. And, while the Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited park, it actually hosted considerably fewer RV campers. However, a review of the website shows that out of all of the campgrounds in the Smoky Mountains, only one accommodated RVs (even though almost all were accessible with an RV). 

Most Visited National Parks & Recreation Areas by RVs

1. Yosemite | 220,100
2. Great Smoky Mountains | 158,750
3. Gulf Islands | 131,541
4. Glacier | 112,485
5. Olympic | 102,358
6. Joshua Tree | 97,494
7. Death Valley | 95,799
8. Zion | 93,947
9. Cape Hatteras | 79,406
10. Sleeping Bear Dunes | 67,587
11. Shenandoah | 65,223
12. Lake Roosevelt | 58,726
13. Grand Canyon | 56,759
14. Rocky Mountain | 55,326
15. Lake Mead | 54,901
16. Sequoia | 50,295
17. Acadia | 49,647
18. Chickasaw | 46,603
19. Lake Meredith | 44,040
20. Blue Ridge | 42,475
21. Bryce Canyon | 40,305
22. Big South Fork | 38,843
23. Buffalo | 38,047
24. Padre Island | 36,623
25. Organ Pipe Cactus | 36,176
26. Hot Springs | 35,741
27. Kings Canyon | 34,940
28. Mount Rainier | 32,799
29. Curecanti | 32,584
30. Mesa Verde | 29,520
31. Lassen Volcanic | 29,355
32. Ozark | 27,156
33. Capitol Reef | 25,923
34. Assateague Island | 25,887
35. Great Sand Dunes | 25,137
36. Great Basin | 24,433
37. Theodore Roosevelt | 22,321
38. Big Cypress | 22,275
39. Ross Lake | 21,164
40. Big Bend | 20,415
41. Arches | 20,216
42. Mammoth Cave | 18,810
43. Yellowstone | 18,454
44. Colorado | 18,004
45. Cumberland Gap | 17,723
46. Pictured Rocks | 14,219
47. Natchez Trace | 13,902
48. Dinosaur | 13,097
49. Black Canyon of the Gunnison | 12,945
50. Craters of the Moon | 11,453
51. Indiana Dunes | 11,039
52. Glen Canyon | 10,799
53. New River Gorge | 9,963
54. Guadalupe Mountains | 9,607
55. Chaco Culture | 9,522
56. Amistad | 9,030
57. Bighorn Canyon | 8,605
58. Canyonlands | 7,955
59. Bandelier | 6,623
60. Wind Cave | 5,528
61. Chiricahua | 5,243
62. Gauley River | 4,508
63. Natural Bridges | 3,559
64. Lava Beds | 3,312
65. Devils Tower | 3,238
66. El Morro | 2,118
67. Prince William Forest Park | 2,104
68. Navajo | 2,053
69. Cedar Breaks | 2,001
70. Whiskeytown | 1,795
71. Greenbelt Park | 1,420
72. Chesapeake & Ohio Canal | 1,399
73. Mojave | 1,308
74. Hovenweep | 1,221
75. Badlands | 590
76. Catoctin Mountain Park | 213
77. Hawaii Volcanoes | 152
78. Katahdin Woods and Waters | 128
79. Oregon Caves | 108

RV Camping Tips

For many who RV, it’s not just a place to sleep — it’s a way of life. But for everyone else, it’s an experience to be tried once or twice and never again. If you want to try RV camping, remember to plan your trip and make reservations ahead of time. Some of the things experts recommend include: 

• Use checklists for maintenance and gear
• Check your tire pressure before every trip
• Weigh your rig and measure the height
• DIY ahead of time (or buy roadside assistance)

Additionally, it also means plan a budget, ration food, map out your routes and stops, and identify your campgrounds ahead of time. Like we said before, every national park and recreation area is different. Some have RV parks and some don’t, and accommodations vary.  So plan ahead.