RV parks and RV campgrounds are the places where you park an RV overnight, usually with a pitch, a picnic table and some kind of hookup. In the USA and Canada you will choose between public sites (national parks, state parks, national forests, BLM land and Parks Canada), private RV parks and resorts such as KOA, and free or low-cost options like dispersed camping. As a rough guide, public campgrounds cost about $20–$60 a night, private RV parks $50–$90, and upscale or beachfront resorts $90–$150 or more. The right choice depends on your RV's length, the hookups you need and how early you book.
RV parks and campgrounds compared
| Type | Booked through | Typical hookups | Typical cost a night | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National park campgrounds | Recreation.gov, or first come, first served | Often none; electric at some | About $35–$55 (Rocky Mountain, 2026) | Staying inside the park |
| State park campgrounds | State systems such as ReserveCalifornia or ReserveAmerica | Varies: none to full | About $20–$60 | Lakes, coast and scenery on a budget |
| National forest and BLM campgrounds | Recreation.gov or pay on arrival | Usually basic; some electric | Within the public range; some are cheaper | Quieter, more remote stays |
| Private RV parks | Directly with the park or online booking sites | Water, electric, often sewer | $50–$90 | Easy full hookups and facilities |
| KOA | koa.com | Water, electric and full hookups | Varies by location; often similar to private parks | Families and first-timers |
| Upscale resorts and beachfront parks | Directly with the resort | Full hookups, often 50 amp | $90–$150+ | Pools, views and holiday stays |
| Dispersed camping (BLM and national forest) | No booking | None | Usually free; a few areas charge a small fee | Self-contained RVs and solitude |
| Membership networks such as Harvest Hosts | Annual membership | Usually none | No camping fee, from $99 a year | One-night stops on long drives |
| Parks Canada and provincial parks | Parks Canada reservation service, or each province's system | Unserviced to full | About C$40–$47 for serviced sites in Banff | Canadian Rockies and coastal trips |
Types of RV campground
National park campgrounds
These are run by the National Park Service and most can be booked on recreation.gov. You get the best location, but facilities are simple. At Rocky Mountain National Park in summer 2026, non-electric sites cost $35 a night and electric sites $55. Many parks have no hookups at all, and some limit stays to 14 nights in the summer months.
State park campgrounds
State parks are booked through each state's own system. California State Parks use ReserveCalifornia and release sites six months ahead. Prices vary widely by park and site type, so check the fee on each campground's booking page. A booking fee is added, and in California it is $8.25 and non-refundable.
National forest and BLM campgrounds
The US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management run basic campgrounds, many of them bookable on Recreation.gov. Expect a table, a fire ring and often no hookups. The BLM camping pages list its campgrounds and say that fees and stay limits differ by site.
Private RV parks, resorts and KOA
Private parks sit outside the public system and book directly. Private parks generally run about $50–$90 a night, and luxury resorts $90–$150 or more. California's coast is among the priciest, and the Florida Keys can pass $150. KOA says it has more than 500 locations across the United States and Canada, so you will rarely be far from one.
Dispersed camping and boondocking
Dispersed camping means parking on public land outside a campground, with no water, toilets or hookups. On BLM land the limit is generally 14 days within any 28-day period, then you must move to a new location, often at least 25 to 30 miles away. Limits vary by state and field office. National forests usually allow about 14 days, but the exact rule varies by forest, so check with the local ranger district. Most sites need no permit or booking.
Membership options
Harvest Hosts gives members overnight stays at farms, wineries, breweries and attractions with no camping fee. Plans start at $99 a year for the Classic plan. Your RV must be self-contained, with an interior toilet and onboard waste tanks, stays are one night as standard, and hosts expect you to spend roughly $30 with them. Most stops have no hookups.
Canada
Parks Canada campgrounds are booked at reservation.pc.gc.ca, and each province runs its own system for provincial parks. Parks Canada reservations open each winter on set launch dates; for 2026 they ran from 20 January to 12 February, depending on the park. In Banff and Kootenay, electrical sites were C$40 a night and water, sewer and electrical sites C$47.25. See the Parks Canada site for current fees. For routes, try our Icefields Parkway guide and the Canada RV rental guide.
Hookups explained
A full hookup connects your RV to electricity, water and sewer. Water and electric sites leave out the sewer, so you empty your tanks at a dump station instead. Empty black and grey water tanks only into a sewer hookup or a dump station, and many campgrounds without sewer hookups have one.
Power comes as 30 amp or 50 amp. A 30 amp supply gives up to 3,600 watts, enough for an air conditioner and a few small appliances, but not everything at once. A 50 amp supply gives up to 12,000 watts. An adapter lets you plug a 50 amp RV into a 30 amp post, but you still only get 30 amps. Some Canadian parks, such as Jasper, offer 15, 30 and 50 amp service.
Sites come as back-in or pull-through. Pull-through sites let you drive straight in and out without reversing, which is easier in a larger RV. Back-in sites can be cheaper and are sometimes more private.
Check length limits before you book
Many public campgrounds cap RV length, and some limits count your RV and anything you tow together, so check how each campground measures it. At Rocky Mountain National Park the limits range from 30 feet at Aspenglen and Timber Creek to 40 feet at Moraine Park. Mather Campground in Grand Canyon allows 30 feet, and Lewis Lake in Yellowstone only 25. In Jasper, several campgrounds take RVs under 27 feet.
Open the campground and individual site details on the booking page, find the maximum length, and compare it with your RV including bumpers, bikes and hitch. If you are close, choose another site or park. Our guides to Class A, Class B and Class C motorhomes, and to travel trailers and camper trailers, show how lengths vary. Smaller rigs fit more sites.
Booking windows, demand and cancellations
Most campsites on Recreation.gov can be booked six months before arrival, though the window varies by facility and some sites are released later. Popular parks fill as soon as the window opens, so note the release date and book on the day. California State Parks work on the same six-month rolling basis. Parks Canada opened 2026 reservations on set launch dates between 20 January and 12 February, depending on the park, and some campgrounds, including several in Jasper, are first come, first served.
Cancelling on Recreation.gov costs a $10 service fee. If you cancel the day before arrival or on the day, you also lose the first night. Reservation fees are not refunded. Some campgrounds keep first-come, first-served sites. In summer, Rocky Mountain National Park's only first-come, first-served campground is Longs Peak, and it is tents only, so do not count on turning up with an RV. Many private parks are easiest to book directly, with their own cancellation terms.
What RV parks cost
Costs depend on the hookups, region and season. For planning, use these ranges:
- Public state or federal campgrounds: about $20–$60 a night.
- Private RV parks: $50–$90.
- Upscale resorts and beachfront parks: $90–$150 or more.
The Midwest tends to be least expensive and the West Coast and Florida the dearest. Taxes and booking fees come on top. For the whole trip budget, see how much it costs to rent an RV.
Campground rules and etiquette
- Quiet hours and generators: Rocky Mountain National Park has quiet hours from 10pm to 6am, including generators. Jasper allows generators only 8–10am and 5–7pm and has quiet hours from 11pm to 7am.
- Pets: in national park campgrounds pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet, kept quiet and never left unattended.
- Fires: use fire rings only. Bans change quickly in dry weather, so check the park or nps.gov page before you light one.
- Stay limits: often about 14 days on federal land, though the period it applies to varies (28, 30 or 60 days in different places), and some parks set shorter summer limits.
Hiring an RV: check before you arrive
Hired RVs come from owners and local businesses, booked through our partner Outdoorsy. Before you pick a campground, confirm it allows your RV's length. Check that your power cord matches the pedestal, and whether the listing includes a sewer hose, a drinking-water hose, a pressure regulator and a 30 to 50 amp adapter. Ask the owner if you are unsure. Insurance and payment protection come with every booking, and 24/7 roadside assistance is optional. Start with our RV rental guide or the USA RV rental guide, and see RV hire in the USA and in Canada. For the road itself, try the Pacific Coast Highway.
Outside North America, see UK holiday parks, the Australia campervan hire guide and the New Zealand campervan hire guide.
RV parks and campgrounds FAQs
What is the difference between an RV park and an RV campground?
The terms overlap. RV park usually means a private site with hookups, shops and facilities. RV campground more often means a public site in a park or forest with fewer services. People use both words for the same thing in searches, and both types are covered above.
How far ahead should I book an RV campground?
For popular national parks, book as soon as the window opens, which is usually six months ahead on Recreation.gov. For private parks, a few weeks is often enough outside school holidays. Parks Canada opens reservations in late January or early February, depending on the park.
Can I camp for free in an RV?
Yes, on much BLM and national forest land, using dispersed camping. You need a self-contained RV, you carry your own water, and you must follow the local stay limit, generally 14 days.
Do I need hookups?
No, but they help. Without hookups you rely on your RV's tanks and battery, and campground generator hours limit when you can run a generator. Water and electric sites are a good middle choice for most trips.
Which campground is best for a first-time RV renter?
A private park or KOA with pull-through sites and full hookups is the easiest start, as staff are on hand and rules are clear. A short trip with one or two stops lets you learn the hookups before heading to a national park.
Find an RV for your trip: search RVs near you.