Hack Crowded National Parks in a Campervan
Crowded National Parks in the summer? Can't find a campsite in the park? Or anywhere 10 miles around the park? A Campervan is a great alternative!
Why go in a Campervan?
A Campervan is a great way to explore! It's super convenient (with a little bit of planning ahead of time on appropriate places to park for the night), and gives you a lot more flexibility - especially if you are packing your day full.
We were originally planning on going hiking in Colorado. We didn't know where, we only knew when. Once we got there we decided to head to Rocky Mountain National Park because we only had 3 days and wanted to minimize driving. Unfortunately booking campsites at a National Park 1 week in advance is not really possible during the summer. Every campsite was completely full. Every campsite a few miles out was completely full.
SO, we rented a campervan! There were a lot of good options but we ended up going with Native Campervans because their Smalls van was perfect for our needs. We woke up super early to watch the sunrise and being able to roll out of bed into the front seat of the car in less than 5 minutes was perfect.
How do you figure out logistics?
This part was a big trickier. It was my second time in a campervan but my first time in the Rocky Mountain National Park area. I didn't know the area at all so I didn't to do some research on where I could park the van. The TLDR is look for National Forests or Freecampsites.net. After I figured this out, it only took maybe an hour on Google Maps to plan exact locations of where would be ok to park for the night - away from a busy street, safe/tucked away, close to the National Park entrance.
What was your itinerary?
DAY 1
Prep your groceries, drive out to a lookout or day-use camp, and then chill at your parking spot for the night!
DAY 2
Wake up at 4AM, 30 minute drive to the National Park, and watch sunrise!
Hike Hike Hike
It's 8AM - Prepare breakfast in the back of your campervan while jealous hikers look on in the parking lot :)
More Hiking
Find your spot for the night, prepare dinner, and chill/read a book!
DAY 3
Go for another early morning hike/sunrise spot
Pull off on the side of the road and enjoy the views from your bed, because you can
Have another great day of cooking dinner in the great outdoors
Return the van!
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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