Choose your winter camping adventure: pitch a tent or cozy up in a cabin rental at one of these winter campgrounds. The real draw is what’s outside your shelter door. Bring your ice skates, sleds, fishing poles and hiking boots because these winter campgrounds offer more than just a snowy landscape.
Rockport State Park
Peoa, Utah
Set up for a weekend of ice fishing and snowmobiling at this Northern Utah campground. Explore the nearby snowmobile trails or plan your trip around the annual Rockport Fishing Tournament on February 15, 2014.
Glimmerglass State Park
Cooperstown, New York
Snowmobiling, hiking and cross-country skiing are just a few of the reasons to come to this winter campground for a weekend in the snow. Glimmerglass also draws anglers for the ice fishing. The Beaver Pond Loop, sites 38 through 43, is open year round. Pack light; campsites in this loop are walk-up only after October 13.
Snow Peak Cabin
Republic, Washington
If you love backcountry skiing, this is the winter camping spot for you. Located 6,400 feet up in the Kettle Mountain Range, this cabin is only accessibly by foot. In the winter, visitors can ski or snowshoe to the cabin from the Kettle Crest Trailhead. Once there, thousands of acres of backcountry skiing are accessible right out your front door. Inside the cabin, which sleeps six, you have access to a propane stove, a wood stove, cutlery, cookware, solar lighting and an outhouse.
State Forest State Park
Walden, Colorado
Leave your tent at home and snowshoe to a cabin at this winter campground–cabins 4, 5 and 6 are open year-round. If you do want to sleep in the snow, pitch your tent at one of the five campsites in North Michigan Dam, which is plowed regularly. To stay warm during the day, ski through the park or drive your snowmobile along the trails designated for motorized vehicles.
Brown County
Nashville, Indiana
From early November to March, winter campers are invited to make reservations in Buffalo Ridge, Horseman Electric and Horseman Primitive. Rates are reduced this time of year and fewer amenities are available. Explore along the Brown County trails and don’t forget to visit the lookout tower for panoramic views of the picturesque winter landscape.
Hyde Memorial
Santa Fe, New Mexico
New Mexico’s first state park is a great winter campground for cold weather lovers. Walk-in sites are open when snow is on the ground, and sledding hills and an ice skating pond are available to campers. If you can’t carry gear for all activities, at least bring your winter boots to trek along trails within the park.
Mohawk Trail State Forest
Charlemont, Massachusetts
Cabin camping is the only way you can stay at this park in the winter months. Reservations can be made for the only days the cabins are available, which is Thursday through Sunday. Each cabin comes equipped with a heated shower and wood stove so you can play in the snow all day and stay warm by the fire all night.
Lakeside Campground
Lakeside, Oklahoma
This winter campground leaves sites B1 through B23 open during the offseason. However, there’s no park attendant on duty, so be sure to pay at the honor station in the front of the campground. After you set up camp, explore the Cross Timbers hiking trail that weaves through blackjack woodland for 14 miles on rocky ledges above the lake.
Stokes State Forest
Branchville, New Jersey
This northeastern campground is open year round, and offers winter campers plenty of opportunity to stay active from sunup to sundown. Trails are open for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling and both lakes are accessible for ice-skating. If you don’t want to sleep in a tent, you can reserve a cabin, all of which have a two-night minimum.
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