Hiking Trails and Camping Spots to Experience
With an abundance of hiking trails and camping spots in the United States, how can you possibly choose? This is especially true if you’re lucky enough to be traveling the country in a Bowlus, where the entire world is available to you. When you don’t have to worry about where you’re going to sleep, get a meal, or enjoy a hot shower, you can experience places to hike and camp that you’ve never seen before or enjoy an old favorite in a new way.
Acadia National Park, Maine
It’s impossible to say enough positive things about Acadia National Park on the coast of Maine. There is a reason it’s known as the Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast.
A can’t-miss when visiting Acadia National Park is to hike to the very top of the Cadillac Mountain in the morning before the sun rises. When you reach the peak, you’ll be standing on the highest point of the entire North Atlantic seaboard, which means you’ll also be the very first person in the United States to be able to see the sunrise. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.
You’ll also enjoy hiking the Beehive Trail. Although this is the shortest hiking trail on the list at 1.4 miles, it is also rated as difficult—so don’t expect an easy time. It might be a quick hike, but it will wear you out. About halfway, you’ll reach a lake known as The Bowl. You’ll want to take some time to recover on the high-quality seating in the living room of your Bowlus luxury travel trailer before heading back out.
There are two different camping areas that are perfect for parking your luxury travel trailer during your getaway. Blackwoods Campground and Seawall Campground both are designated, but rustic, camping areas without hookups. When you travel in a Bowlus, you can enjoy being off-grid for up to two weeks at a time, so either of these campsites is great. However, both require a reservation, so plan well in advance (around six months before your trip). There are no first-come, first-served campgrounds available.
Denali National Park, Alaska
On the opposite coast is Denali National Park in Alaska.
Denali National Park is made up of an impressive six million acres of wild, untouched land, which makes it a hiker’s wonderland. Of all of the hiking options available, our pick for the best hiking trail is the Savage River Loop Trail.
Savage River Loop Trail is just under two miles and takes around an hour to hike. It follows the Savage River nearly the entire way, which allows you to see a lot of the scenery that Denali National Park has to offer. It’s also not an incredibly difficult hike, so you can bring children with you.
There are also more difficult hikes for those who like a challenge, too. If you’re into mountaineering, you can even head up Mount McKinley, the tallest peak in North America. There are guided trails, as well, and you can even see the park by dog sled or by bus.
Much like Acadia National Park, Denali National Park requires any campsite to be reserved six months in advance. When visiting, check out the Riley Creek Campground or the Savage River Campground. Neither have hookups, so you can enjoy an off-the-grid camping experience in your Bowlus without leaving behind any of the comforts of home. You also won’t have to worry about getting too cold in the Alaska weather, as your luxury travel trailer is heated without the need to be plugged in or start a fire. Not only that, but our signature heated floors will keep you extra toasty when temperatures drop.
Joshua Tree National Park, California
Far from the ice and snow of Denali National Park is Joshua Tree National Park in California.
With 800,000 acres, Joshua Tree National Park is much more than just sand and heat. It sits at the intersection of two ecosystems—the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert. The Mojave Desert, which is on the west side of the park, sits at a slightly higher elevation making it cooler and wetter than the rest of the park. It is also home to the park’s famous namesake, the Joshua Tree. The east side of the park is home to the Colorado Desert, a lower-lying, more traditional desert ecosystem.
Joshua Tree National Park is known for both its hiking and its rock climbing. There are ten different mountain peaks to climb, many of which sit at more than 5,000 feet elevation, which can be difficult for people who aren’t used to hiking at an altitude. Beginners will enjoy the Cholla Cactus Garden loop, at just a quarter of a mile, while experienced hikers can try their hand at Ryan Mountain.
There are multiple first-come, first-served campgrounds available in the park (like the Belle and White Tank Campgrounds) and a few that can be reserved in advance (like Cottonwood and Indian Grove). There are no hook-ups at any of the campgrounds, however, so plan to make full use of the off-grid capabilities of your Bowlus. That’s where the lithium iron phosphate battery, which is the largest in the industry, comes in handy. You won’t even notice that you’re not hooked up.
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
From the arid desert of California to a sleeping volcano in Oregon? Sign us up!
Crater Lake National Park is located in Oregon and is named for the centerpiece of the park—Crater Lake. It is the deepest lake in the entire country, at 1,949 feet, as well as one of the cleanest and clearest domestic lakes.
There are 23 different hiking trails in the park, each offering its own unique experience. That’s a guarantee that you’ll find what you’re looking for in a hiking experience, from an easy hike you can take with your family to a more difficult hike you take solo for a real challenge. The most popular hiking trail is the Garfield Peak Trail because it features panoramic views of the most beautiful parts of the park.
Once you’re done experiencing all of the stunning hiking that Crater Lake National Park has to offer, you can spend time relaxing in your Bowlus. There is only one campground in the park that allows travel trailers, Mazama, which means it’s important to reserve your site well in advance. Once you have a spot there, you’ll be able to enjoy the time that you’re not spending outdoors with the ultimate privacy. And, with all of the room inside the travel trailer, you can even get plenty of alone time if you just need a break from your traveling partners.
Big Bend National Park, Texas
While most people don’t think of Texas as a prime hiking and camping spot, Big Bend National Park subverts all the rules.
Big Bend National Park is home to the world famous Rio Grande River. It’s considered a hiker’s paradise, with many different hiking trails to explore in some of the largest, untouched land Texas has to offer. The Lost Mine Trail is by far the most popular hike in the park but, with 74 trails to choose from, you can have a different getaway every time you come.
When it comes to camping, Big Bend National Park has you covered as well. There are three reservable campgrounds, as well as multiple areas for backcountry and off-the-grid camping. There is also an RV park (Rio Grande Village RV Park) for people who prefer to camp at a place with hookups, although, if you’re traveling there in a Bowlus, that’s not something that you’ll need to worry about. We like the Cottonwood campground, as it’s smaller and more intimate.
After you’re done spending the day in the Texas heat, enjoy a hot shower in the safety and privacy of your own, separate hotel-style shower. As the continuous flow of hot water comes out of the Italian marine showerhead and hits your tired skin, you’ll be able to feel the difference between camping with a Bowlus and camping without one… and you’ll never want to camp without one again.
In Summary…
If you haven’t experienced the hiking and camping at any of the spots on our best-of list, it’s time that you do. When you head out on the road in your Bowlus, the sky is the limit. Our luxury travel trailers allow you to have the best of both worlds—plenty of time spent doing what you love in the outdoors and the comfort and privacy of an expansive, hotel-like camping experience that you can safely have off-grid without worry. Don’t take another trip without one.
Sources:
https://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm
https://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm
https://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm