When you think about camping, the desert might not be the first place that comes to mind. But perhaps it should be, because these stark and rugged areas make up a large portion of the country’s western geography. There are four major deserts in the United States and each of them is characterized by scorching hot summers, cold winters and dry, arid landscapes. But while the desert may come with a reputation of being inhabitable, the truth is that there are plenty of pleasant ways to enjoy the extreme environment. From the Great Basin Desert, America’s largest, to the high deserts of Oregon and Idaho, state parks make great places from which to explore the beauty of the desert.
Be bold and plan a desert camping trip at one of these American state parks.
1. Mojave Desert
Snow Canyon State Park, Ivins, Utah
Located at the intersection of the Mojave Desert and the Great Basin Desert, Snow Canyon State Park is nestled into a stunning red rock canyon. The park is popular with outdoor enthusiasts that flock to Snow Canyon to hike, observe wildlife and work on their photography skills. The park’s campground has 14 RV sites with water and electrical hookups and 17 multi-use campsites. Restrooms, hot showers and a dump station are available to campers as well. Book now.
2. Red Desert
Boysen State Park, Fremont County, Wyoming
Wyoming’s Red Desert, located in the south central part of the state, encompasses over 9,000 high altitude miles. One of the desert’s most famous features is the Killpecker Sand Dunes, 55 miles of living sand dunes that stretch across the Continental Divide. The closest Wyoming State Park to the Killpecker Sand Dunes is Boysen State Park, about a three-hour drive away. One of the largest parks in the Wyoming State Park system, Boysen State Park’s campground has over 230 non-electric campsites, along with restrooms and drinking water available during peak seasons. Book now.
3. Oregon’s High Desert
Cove Palisades State Park, Culver, Oregon
Located in Central Oregon’s high desert region, Cove Palisades State Park is actually a great place for fans of water activities. The park encompasses Lake Billy Chinook, a popular place to go kayaking, water skiing, fishing and boating. The park’s two campgrounds feature nearly 300 campsites that can accommodate everyone from tent campers to RVs. Full hookup sites as well as a dump station, showers and restroom are available to campers, in addition to a camp store, off-leash pet area, outdoor amphitheaters and even boat moorages that can be reserved in advance. Book now.
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4. Southwest Idaho’s High Desert
Bruneau Dunes State Park, Bruneau, Idaho
Home to the tallest single-structured sand dune in the United States (470 feet high to be exact), Bruneau Dunes State Park is a great place to try your hand at sand boarding. If adventure sports aren’t exactly your thing, the park is also beloved for its fishing, hiking, swimming and bird watching. The campground, open year-round, has both RV and tent sites with electricity. Water is turned off during the winter months. Showers, flush toilets and a dump station are also available. Book now.
5. Chihuahuan Desert (New Mexico)
Oliver Lee Memorial, Otero County, New Mexico
The Chihuahuan Desert stretches from Mexico all the way up into Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Experience the rugged beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert at Oliver Lee Memorial in New Mexico. The park features peaceful desert camping in the shadows of the beautiful Sacramento Mountains. The small campground has 10 campsites available for reservation as well as a number of first come first served sites. A handful of the campsites available for reservation have electricity and water hookups, and can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet in length. Book now.
6. Chihuahuan Desert (Texas)
Big Bend Ranch State Park, Marfa, Texas
Just west of Big Bend National Park sits Big Bend Ranch State Park, a 275,000-acre park that helps to preserve the unique landscape of the Chihuahuan Desert. The park offers a wide range of recreational opportunities, from 238 miles of hiking, biking and horse trails, to 70 miles of dirt road suited for four-wheel-drive vehicles. Designated as an International Dark Sky Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park is the perfect place to set up camp and stargaze. The park has over 100 drive-in and hike-in primitive campgrounds for those that want to sleep off the beaten track. Book now.
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7. San Luis Valley Desert
San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area, Alamosa County, Colorado
Located a stone’s throw from Great Sand Dunes National Monument, San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area has its own small sand dunes and unique desert landscape. The park features an 890-acre lake and provides critical habitat for wildlife such as songbirds, reptiles and raptors. The park’s campground has 51 campsites featuring views of the lake that can accommodate RV and tent campers. All sites have electrical hookups and there is an on-site dump station. Book now.
8. The Colorado Plateau
Yampa River State Park, Routt, Colorado
Headquartered near Steamboat Springs, Yampa River State Park is actually three parks in one. To experience the desert environment of the Colorado Plateau, check out the portion of the park near Dinosaur National Monument where years of erosion in the desert canyons have revealed massive dinosaur bones. There are plenty of places to camp in the area, including the park itself. At the park’s headquarters near Steamboat there is a campground with 35 electric campsites that can accommodate RVs, as well as 14 primitive campsites. Showers and flush toilets are also available. Book now.
9. Great Basin Desert
Kodachrome Basin State Park, Kane County, Utah
The Great Basin Desert is part of the great basin between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Utah’s Wasatch Range, and is considered the largest desert in the United States. The desert encompasses a large part of Nevada, but to experience the rugged land in Utah, check out Kodachrome Basin State Park. Flush with monolithic spires and sandstone formations, this park is so colorful that it inspired a National Geographic Society expedition to name the special land after the color film popular in the 1940s. To experience the park (and desert!) in all its glory, book one of the 50+ campsites, with full and partial hookups. The campground has flush toilets and hot showers. Book now.
Are you ready for an outdoor adventure? Plan your camping trip!