East Coast vs West Coast: Who Has the Best Camping
Posted by Desiree Ras onSummer is slowly making its way to Fall. While everyone is excited for Halloween and Pumpkin Spice Latte’s, there is something you still have to do before summer is out.
Go on a camping trip.
However, deciding which coast is almost as hard as choosing your starting Pokemon. So let the battle of the beaches begin!
The Best in The West
There are so many great camping spots in the West that it’s hard to mention them all and remain a ‘versus’ blog post. So, to stay impartial, we narrowed it down to the three ultimate best camping spots in the West.
Saddlebag Lake Compound
Close to Bridgeport, California, nestled in the Hoover Wilderness, is Saddlebag Lake Compound. The camping site is rich with lakes, rivers, streams, and hiking trails for the experience or beginner hiker. There are also some great spots if you feel like reeling in the day’s catch! Nearby you can find the Inyo National Forest, which offers fantastic bouldering and climbing opportunities for the adventurous.
Cape Disappointment State Park
The name does not do the park justice – it’s everything but a disappointment! The Cape Disappointment Park is situated near Ilwaco, Washington. It’s probably the best place to start any road trip, even if you’re taking a weekend away from home. That is why an excellent start to a trip there is visiting the century-old lighthouse for a couple of deep breaths of fresh sea air. With clam digging down Pacific Coastal's coast and cooking them over an open camping fire to exploring neighboring coastal tidelands and salt marshlands. Your stay will feel like something out of a movie.
Enjoy the most magnificent vistas of the Washington coast while hiking through an old-growth forest. You will remember everything you do here for the rest of your life.
Bull Prairie Campground
Bull Prairie Campground is located in Umatilla National Forest near Heppner, Utah. Hang a hammock from the huge Ponderosa pine trees and cast a line into the 28-acre Bull Prairie Lake, stocked with trout yearly. When you're ready to continue exploring, take a stroll around the lake on the wheelchair-accessible route. The route is also a fantastic area to go biking.
Now for the East:
Acadia National Park
Camping at Acadia National Park is a fantastic way to explore the park. Acadia National Park on Maine's northeastern coast is home to breath-taking, untamed ocean views, and spectacular scenery. Acadia's black sky is illuminated at night by the light of hundreds of stars, and sleeping directly beneath them is an experience unlike any other.
The Blackwoods Campground is Acadia's main campground. It's in the heart of Mount Desert Island’s Park, just a few miles from nearby Bar Harbor. Campgrounds provide plenty of privacy, shade, a fire pit, and s, as well as a short walk to the beach.
First Landing State Park
First Landing State Park near Virginia Beach, VA, is one of the most incredible spots to camp on the East Coast. First Landing State Park is Virginia's most visited state park and one of the most historic spots in Virginia (and the United States), commemorating the arrival of the first colonists on new territory. This is a lovely park since you can stay overnight and access the beach and hiking trails when you get up. You're also not far from Virginia Beach's central resort area, making this an excellent site for families camping in Virginia Beach. There are around 200 distinct overnight camping places at First Landing. Three primary types of lodging are available: camping sites, cottages, and yurts. The stories are perfect for tents and RVs both, and the season runs from March until the first weekend of December.
The Great Smoky Mountains
The Great Smoky Mountains, a diversified subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, stretches along the Tennessee-North Carolina border. With some of the most beautiful scenery and animals, the Great Smoky Mountains are one of the most incredible places to camp on the East coast. The Park has a variety of campsites, including those for hikers and those with horses. Most offer restrooms, cold running water, and fire pits; however, some are more basic if you want to reconnect with nature. The National Park also offers a variety of exciting activities. A climb up to the top of Clingmans Dome, a 6,643-foot circular mountain with excellent views of the park, or a visit to Fontana Lake, a small lake along the park's southern boundary where you can kayak canoe, or paddleboard, are two of the best things to do there.
You can also search for the over 100 waterfalls hidden among the beautiful greenery and hike all (or portion) of the 71-mile Appalachian Trail.
Now the real face-off.
In terms of scenery, The East Coast features some stunning scenery, including woods and meadows. In the north, you may witness brilliant fall colors and rugged shores. White sandy beaches and tropical scenery may be found in the south. Human growth has transformed many of these natural wonders into concrete jungles. However, the West Coast has diverse scenery while being large and open. There are deserts, woods, and mountains. Giant sycamores and saguaros are available. Visit the Pacific Northwest to see towering volcanoes or breath-taking sunsets over the ocean with islands in the background. Whether you like hiking or photography, the beauty here allows you to do both.
In terms of parks, the United States East Coast features many national parks. Acadia, Everglades, and the most visited national park, the Great Smoky Mountains, may all be found here. However, seeing more than just one national park on the East Coast in a short journey is not always possible.
Most national parks in the United States are located on the West Coast. There are nine in California, five in Utah, and three in Washington. However, there are plenty more places to explore on the West Coast.
And finally, regarding accessibility, most of the East Coast's infrastructure, particularly in the northeast, is hundreds of years old. Many minor roads, low clearances, and tunnels can cause problems for RV drivers. Generally, you may only remain in established and private campsites and RV parks. On the other hand, camping on the East Coast might be prohibitively pricey.
The West Coast has all of the typical camping kinds and lots of boondocking opportunities. You have the option of camping on public grounds. While these will require you to be self-sufficient, they may help you save money. Because of the wide-open expanses, heavy trucks are usually much simpler to drive on the highways and roads out west.
And the winner is…. West Coast!
The East Coast features stunning scenery and fauna, but the harsh weather and busy places make it unsuitable for camping. If you had to pick between the two coastlines for your next camping trip, consider going west.
You can quickly locate accessible camping locations with plenty of room and solitude. With the correct equipment, you may camp for several days or weeks in specific regions without paying any camping fees.
Many RVers choose the West Coast because there are fewer restrictions on low clearances and a greater variety of camping options. So, if you're looking for an adventure, pack your bags and travel to the wild west.
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