8 Campgrounds for Winter Camping

While camping outdoors may seem like a warm-weather activity, an increasing number of family travelers are embracing winter camping. These hearty adventurers cite the pleasures of solitude, quiet and dark skies for unparalleled stargazing. Others choose winter for access to attractions not overcrowded with summer tourists.

While most campgrounds are closed April to November, several operated by Spacious Skies welcome campers year-round. Most are in central and southern states, but one in the northeast, Spacious Skies French Pond in New Hampshire, is open through winter. It is especially well-located for skiers, within minutes of family-friendly Pat’s Peak Ski Area.

In the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Spacious Skies Shenandoah Views overlooks sweeping vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains and access to Skyline Drive and Luray Caverns. Campers can “warm up” in the constant year-round temperature inside the underground chambers of this natural landmark. It’s always a spring-like 54 degrees there, regardless of the temperatures outside. The campground offers facilities for RVers, tent campers and families who prefer cabins or yurts.

Don’t expect snow while winter camping at Spacious Skies Savannah Oaks, under Spanish moss-draped oaks along the Ogeechee River near Savannah, Georgia. But do prepare for overnight lows ranging from the upper 30s to low 40s. Several other Spacious Skies properties in southern states are open all winter, including Sandy Run in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Belle Ridge, on the Cumberland Plateau in Monterey, Tennessee. In all, eight Spacious Skies campgrounds are open throughout winter.

Winter camping is not for everyone, certainly not for the unprepared. Before your family considers a camping vacation in colder months, consult – and heed – the advice in Warm Winter’s Night, a Guide to Winter Camping by Appalachian Mountain Club staff. The staff are experts in all types of year-round outdoor activities and a helpful guide as you consider winter camping.