2023’s Best States for Camping in America

Few things are more relaxing than a night under the stars while camping with your favorite folks.

Which states offer the best spots for a rustic retreat?

To kick off the start of camping season, Lawn Love ranked 2023’s Best States for Camping in America.

To come up with our ranking, we compared the 50 states based on 25 metrics, such as campsite access, acreage, and trails. We also considered safety, supplies, camper satisfaction, and affordability.

Check out the five best (and five worst) states for camping below, followed by key insights from our report. (See where your state ranks.)

Best States for Camping
Rank	State
1	California
2	Washington
3	Texas
4	Florida
5	New York

Worst States for Camping
Rank	State
1	North Dakota
2	Rhode Island
3	Louisiana
4	Nevada
5	Mississippi

Key insights:

West Coast adventures: California hikes to first place for the second year in a row, while Washington state trails just behind at No. 2. Both states scored high in Access, Quality, and Supplies, but the Golden State gives campers the most space for a night off the beaten path.

Stay safe if you camp in these two states: They lack phone coverage and have high rates of park deaths. California holds the record for the most park deaths between 2010 and 2020 at 300 — 151 more than the next state, Arizona.
Wide-open spaces: Texas (No. 3) is a big state full of diverse camping opportunities.

The Lone Star State claims the second-highest number of campgrounds, campsites, and camping supply stores. There’s plenty of room to roam with a high total acreage of campgrounds (No. 4) and state and national parks (No. 6).
Trailing behind: Less populated states like West Virginia (No. 41), Wyoming (No. 42), Rhode Island (No. 49), Delaware (No. 44), and South Dakota (No. 45) land at the bottom alongside North Dakota in last place.

These states aren’t necessarily bad for camping. In fact, with lower populations, you might even have less competition and a better chance of scoring a peaceful campsite. Their low rankings are due to a lack of camping locations, attractions, amenities, and supplies compared with the more populated, higher-ranking states.

Our full ranking and analysis are available here: https://lawnlove.com/blog/best-states-camping/