National Parks

National Parks You Can Camp Anywhere In The Backcountry

In this guide, we list some U.S. National Parks that allow backcountry camping, and which parks allow you to camp anywhere, also known as "Anywhere Camping," or dispersed camping. We'll also let you know if the park requires permits, and any additional camping fees that must be paid.

National Parks You Can Camp Anywhere In The Backcountry

Some U.S. National Parks, allow you to camp anywhere in the backcountry. Backcountry, refers to camping outside of designated campgrounds within national parks or other public lands.

This style of camping allows adventurers seekers and outdoor enthusiast to go deeper into the parks natural environment, away from the typical amenities and crowds found within their established campgrounds, with assigned campsites.

In this guide, we'll cover some of the most popular U.S. National Parks that allow backcountry camping, and we've categorized it by whether you can really camp anywhere or if the National Park in question, has a more of structured style of backcountry camping areas.

This means, that although it's in the backcountry, far away from the regular campsites, they will still have certain areas or campsites that are designated for those who wish to camp deep into the parks backcountry.

Below, we've made sure to clearly indicates whether a permit is required, the cost of the permit, and if there is an additional nightly camping fees for backcountry campers.

Note: These backcountry camping fees do not include the normal entry fees required at each U.S. National Park.

If you know the park you are wanting to camp in, use the table of contents to go directly to the information for your preferred national park.

National Parks That Let You Camp Anywhere

These parks offer a more rugged, less structured backcountry camping experience where you can generally camp anywhere within the backcountry, giving you the freedom to find your own spot.

Denali National Park & Preserve

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, you can camp anywhere in the backcountry within designated units.
  • Permit Required: Yes, a free permit is required.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, you can camp anywhere in this vast wilderness.
  • Permit Required: No permit required, but registration is encouraged for safety.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, you can camp anywhere in the park’s backcountry.
  • Permit Required: No permit required.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

North Cascades National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, you can camp anywhere in certain areas of the backcountry.
  • Permit Required: Yes, a free permit is required.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Lake Clark National Park & Preserve

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, you can camp anywhere in the backcountry.
  • Permit Required: No permit required, but registration is encouraged for safety.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Kobuk Valley National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, you can camp anywhere in the backcountry.
  • Permit Required: No permit required.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Katmai National Park & Preserve

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, backcountry camping is allowed anywhere in the park.
  • Permit Required: No permit required, but registration is encouraged for safety.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Great Basin National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, you can camp anywhere in the backcountry.
  • Permit Required: No permit required.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Canyonlands National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, in certain areas of the park, you can camp almost anywhere.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $30 per trip.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Big Bend National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, in certain desert and river zones, you can camp almost anywhere.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $10 per trip.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Death Valley National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, in most backcountry areas, you can camp almost anywhere, with some restrictions.
  • Permit Required: No permit required.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Badlands National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, camping is allowed anywhere in the backcountry, at least 0.5 miles from any road and out of sight of roads.
  • Permit Required: No permit required.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Voyageurs National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, while some areas require a permit, others allow for more flexibility.
  • Permit Required: Required in some areas, varies.
  • Nightly Fee: Varies depending on location.

Glacier Bay National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, most of the backcountry is open to camping without designated spots.
  • Permit Required: No permit required, but registration is encouraged.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Katmai National Park & Preserve

  • Camping Anywhere: Yes, backcountry camping is allowed anywhere in the park.
  • Permit Required: No permit required, but registration is encouraged for safety.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

National Parks That Have Designated Backcountry Camping Areas

These parks have more structured backcountry camping with designated campsites or zones, making them a good choice for those who prefer a bit more predictability and infrastructure.

Yosemite National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, Yosemite requires backcountry campers to stay in designated sites or zones.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $10 per reservation + $5 per person.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Rocky Mountain National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, the park has designated backcountry campsites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $36 per trip.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Grand Canyon National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, the park requires backcountry campers to stay in designated sites or use specific zones.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $10 per permit + $12 per person per night.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee beyond the per-night charge.

Olympic National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, the park has designated backcountry campsites in many areas.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $8 per person per night.
  • Nightly Fee: Nothing extra beyond the nightly permit fee.

Glacier National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, campers must stay at designated backcountry sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $7 per person per night.
  • Nightly Fee: Nothing extra beyond the nightly permit fee.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

  • Camping Anywhere: No, these parks have designated backcountry campsites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $15 per person.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Zion National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, Zion requires backcountry campers to use designated sites or specific zones.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $15 per person.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Acadia National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is limited to designated sites on some islands.
  • Permit Required: Yes, where applicable.
  • Nightly Fee: Varies by location.

Arches National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is only allowed in designated areas.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $7 per person per night.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Big Bend National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, most backcountry camping is in designated sites, with some zones allowing more freedom.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $10 per trip.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Biscayne National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is limited to designated keys.
  • Permit Required: Yes, where applicable.
  • Nightly Fee: Varies by location.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, camping is limited to designated areas.
  • Permit Required: Yes, where applicable.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Bryce Canyon National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is restricted to designated sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $5 per person per night.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Capitol Reef National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, camping is limited to designated areas.
  • Permit Required: Yes, where applicable.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, camping is limited to designated backcountry areas.
  • Permit Required: Yes, free permit required.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Crater Lake National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is allowed only in designated areas.
  • Permit Required: Yes, free permit required.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Everglades National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, camping is limited to designated backcountry sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $15 per person.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Grand Teton National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, camping is limited to designated backcountry sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $35 per trip.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is restricted to designated sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $4 per person per night.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is restricted to designated sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $6 per person.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Haleakalā National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, camping is limited to designated backcountry sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $5 per person.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Isle Royale National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, camping is limited to designated backcountry sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $7 per person per night.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Kenai Fjords National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is limited to designated areas.
  • Permit Required: Yes,

where applicable.

  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Kings Canyon National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is limited to designated sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $15 per person.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is limited to designated sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $10 per person.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Olympic National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, the park has designated backcountry campsites in many areas.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $8 per person per night.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Redwood National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is limited to designated sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, where applicable.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Saguaro National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is restricted to designated sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $8 per person per night.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Shenandoah National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, camping is limited to designated backcountry sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $5 per person.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, camping is limited to designated backcountry sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, where applicable.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Yosemite National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, Yosemite requires backcountry campers to stay in designated sites or zones.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $10 per reservation + $5 per person.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Yellowstone National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, backcountry camping is allowed only in designated sites.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $25 per permit.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Zion National Park

  • Camping Anywhere: No, Zion requires backcountry campers to use designated sites or specific zones.
  • Permit Required: Yes, $15 per person.
  • Nightly Fee: No additional nightly fee.

Notes:

  • Permit Fees: These can change, so it’s always best to check with the individual park before planning your trip.
  • Nightly Fees: In many parks, the permit fee covers nightly fees, but in others, there might be additional costs.
  • Regulations: Ensure you follow all park regulations, including Leave No Trace principles, to preserve these wild spaces.

Also, if you are looking to camp at a regular campsite, here are all the National Parks that allow camping, and what it cost to have a designated campsite or RV hookup per night.

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FAQs

What should I consider when planning a backcountry camping trip in a U.S. National Park?

Do I need a permit for backcountry camping in Denali National Park?

What are the fees for backcountry camping in the Grand Canyon National Park?

Can I camp anywhere in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve?

What are the best National Parks for backcountry camping without a permit?

Is backcountry camping allowed in Yosemite National Park?

What is the process for obtaining a backcountry camping permit in Rocky Mountain National Park?

Are there additional fees for backcountry camping in Canyonlands National Park?

Which National Parks require campers to stay at designated backcountry sites?

What safety precautions should I take when backcountry camping in Alaska’s National Parks?

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