10 spektakuläre Orte zum Campen im Sommer

Selbst für diejenigen, die die Sommerferien am Ende des Schuljahres schon lange hinter sich haben, sorgen die wärmeren Temperaturen und längeren Tage der Saison immer noch für lange Nächte und kostbare Zeit, um vom Alltag abzuschalten. Egal, ob Sie ein erfahrener Outdoor-Abenteurer oder ein unerfahrener Naturforscher sind, der Sommer ist die perfekte Zeit, um einen Campingausflug ins Freie zu unternehmen .

Die meisten Campingplätze bieten unterschiedliche Niveaus an Luxus und Unterkünften; Unabhängig davon, für welchen Standort Sie sich entscheiden, zahlen Sie jedoch für weitaus weniger Annehmlichkeiten als in einem Hotel. Während beispielsweise ein Mittelklassehotel in New York Hunderte von Dollar pro Nacht kosten könnte, können Sie eine Woche auf einem Campingplatz in den Catskills für weniger als 200 Dollar verbringen [Quelle: Brookside Campground ].

Campanfänger sollten sich vielleicht für einen Campingplatz entscheiden, der fließendes Wasser und Spültoiletten bietet. Freizeitfahrzeuge oder Wohnmobile bieten auch den Komfort von Betten und geschlossenen Unterkünften. Viele Campingplätze haben Stellplätze, die für Fahrzeuge reserviert sind, aber überprüfen Sie immer im Voraus, ob Sie und Ihr Zuhause auf Rädern einen Platz zum Parken für die Nacht haben.

Erfahrenere Camper bevorzugen möglicherweise einen Campingplatz mit weniger Annehmlichkeiten. Für die wirklich Abenteuerlustigen erlauben viele Orte Camping im Hinterland oder Camping in unerschlossenen und manchmal sogar unbereisten Gebieten. Heißes fließendes Wasser finden Sie hier eindeutig nicht; Stattdessen halten sich Camper im Hinterland – oft Rucksacktouristen, die während einer langen Wanderung an verschiedenen Orten campen – an strenge Richtlinien, um die Heiligkeit der Umgebung zu wahren [Quelle: Schowalter-Hay ].

Selbst bei höchstem Outdoor-Luxus sind Sie dafür verantwortlich, alles mitzunehmen, was Sie für die freie Natur benötigen. Hier ist eine kurze Checkliste:

Aufgeregt werden? Lesen Sie weiter, um mehr über die spektakulären Campingplätze zu erfahren, auf denen Sie Ihren Sommer verbringen könnten.

1. Cave Springs Campingplatz, Arizona
2. Luray-Höhlen, Virginia
3. Nairn Falls Provincial Park, Britisch-Kolumbien, Kanada
4. Sylvan Lake Staatspark, Colorado
5. Umatilla National Forest, Oregon
6. DL Bliss State Park, Kalifornien
7. Anini Beach County Park, Hawaii
8. Adirondack Mountains, New York
9. Yosemite-Nationalpark, Kalifornien
10. Denali-Nationalpark, Alaska

"Arizona? Warum sollte ich im Sommer eine Wüste besuchen?" fragst du dich vielleicht. Mit seinen schroffen Klippen und majestätischen Ausblicken ist der Bundesstaat Grand Canyon jedoch ein attraktives Sommercampingziel. Während der Rest von Arizona bei Temperaturen von bis zu 49 Grad Celsius röstet, können Sie sich in Cave Springs, einem der beliebtesten Campingplätze Arizonas, weit weg von der brennenden Wüste abkühlen.

Vom Campingplatz im dicht bewaldeten Oak Creek Canyon aus können Besucher auf Wanderwege zugreifen, die vielen Vogelbeobachtungsplätze erkunden (Sie können unter anderem die schwarze Phoebe und den gelben Grasmücken entdecken) und im Oak Creek selbst fischen [Quellen : USDA Forest Service , Northern Arizona Audubon Society ]. Ausgestattet mit Grills, Toiletten und Münzduschen ist dieser Campingplatz ideal für Familien mit kleinen Kindern oder weniger erfahrene Camper. Seine Popularität und Unterkünfte haben jedoch ihren Preis: Der Ort ist oft ziemlich überfüllt, besonders am Wochenende. Wenn Ihr Zeitplan flexibel ist, nutzen Sie die Vorteile und machen Sie sich an einem Wochentag auf den Weg [Quelle: USDA Forest Service ].

Cave Springs Campground is a riparian site (meaning it's next to a natural water source), so it keeps the heat at bay better than most of its surrounding region [source: Merriam Webster]. However, it's still in the middle of a desert, and Smokey the Bear can tell you that that means fire. Campers should always check weather conditions and fire advisories before heading out to a site -- if there's one thing that will sour a summer camping trip, it's having the campground wiped out by flames before you arrive.

Cave Springs isn't the only site that shows off its cool rock formations. Read on to find out how chemistry created some of the most spectacular stonework in the United States.

Wenn Sie schon immer einmal in einen Indiana-Jones-Film einsteigen wollten, aber nicht so verrückt nach Waffen und Bösewichten waren, könnten die Luray Caverns Ihr wahr gewordener Traum sein. Die Luray Caverns liegen im Shenandoah Valley in Virginia in der Nähe des Jefferson National Forest und triefen buchstäblich vor Stein: Stalaktiten , die spitzen Felsspeere, die manchmal Höhlendecken punktieren, bedecken die Luray Caverns in eleganten und geradezu atemberaubenden Formationen.

Obwohl die Luray Caverns eine der beeindruckendsten Sammlungen in den USA aufweisen, sind Stalaktiten selbst nicht besonders selten. Sie beginnen sich zu bilden, wenn Wasser in eine Kalksteinhöhle eindringt und eine Kalziumkarbonatlösung entsteht. Höhlen haben eine andere atmosphärische Zusammensetzung als die offenen Bereiche draußen, und wenn die Lösung auf die Luft im Inneren trifft, bildet sich eine winzige Ablagerung aus kristallisiertem Calcit an der Decke. (Wenn die Tropfen fallen und sich vom Boden ablagern, werden sie Stalagmiten genannt .) Fügen Sie der Mischung Millionen von Jahren hinzu, und Sie haben Formationen wie Titania's Veil, eine kaskadierende, schneeweiße reine Calcitformation. Sie werden auch diese Formationen hören, die als Tropfsteine ​​bezeichnet werden ; Heute tropfen sie alle 120 Jahre mit etwa einem Kubikzoll in die Formation [Quelle:Luray-Höhlen ].

In den Höhlen darf nicht gezeltet werden, aber im nahe gelegenen Shenandoah-Nationalpark finden Sie zahlreiche Campingplätze. Viele liegen bequem in der Nähe von Wanderwegen und Einrichtungen, und die Campingplätze Big Meadows und Mathews Arm sind den Höhlen am nächsten. Das Luray-Gebiet selbst ist mit erstklassigen Campingplätzen übersät, was es zu einem großartigen Ort für Camper-Neulinge macht, die noch nicht bereit sind, auf moderne Sanitäranlagen zu verzichten.

Interessiert an Wasser, das etwas schneller tropft? Weiter lesen.

Wenn Kanada Amerikas Hut ist, ist es spektakulär genug, um sich bei Englands nächster königlicher Hochzeit zu behaupten . Dieser atemberaubende Ort in Whistler, British Columbia, Kanada, ist mit Smaragdbäumen bedeckt und von einem fast 61 Meter hohen Wasserfall gekrönt. Seine nördliche Lage und die kühlen Wintertemperaturen (unter 12 Grad Fahrenheit oder -11 Grad Celsius) machen es zu einem idealen Sommercampingziel [Quellen: BC Parks , Tourism Whistler ].

Der Nairn Falls Provincial Park wurde 1966 gegründet und unter offiziellen staatlichen Schutz gestellt (ähnlich wie Staats- und Nationalparks in den USA). Der Park und seine Umgebung (ein Gebiet, das sich von Vancouver bis Whistler erstreckt und als Sea to Sky Corridor bekannt ist) sind wichtig spirituelle Orte für die Lil'wat Nation, ein einheimischer Stamm der Region British Columbia [Quelle: Lil'wat Nation ].

Nairn Falls selbst liegt südlich des One Mile Lake, ein großartiger Ort für ein Picknick oder ein Bad. Viele Besucher genießen auch die Wanderung zum Wasserfall – es ist etwa 3,2 Kilometer ziemlich lockeres Gelände und verspricht nach Abschluss spektakuläre Ausblicke auf die stürzenden Wasserfälle und die mit immergrünen Teppichen bedeckten Klippen [Quelle: BC Parks , Vancouver Trails ] . Während sowohl die Wasserfälle als auch der See großartige Orte sind, um die Kinder mitzunehmen, sollten Besucher besonders vorsichtig sein: Im Gegensatz zum Erholungszentrum-Pool zu Hause gibt es keinen Rettungsschwimmer im Dienst. Wenn Sie campen, schwimmen und Wassersport betreiben, sind Aktivitäten, bei denen ein wenig zusätzliche Wachsamkeit von entscheidender Bedeutung ist.

Wenn Sie ein Wanderanfänger sind oder es gerne rau haben, ist Nairn Falls ein großartiges Sommercampingziel. Der Campingplatz bietet einige wichtige Unterkünfte (wie Trinkwasser, Feuerstellen und Zugang für Fahrzeuge), aber er ist robust genug, um Sie daran zu erinnern, dass Sie definitiv in der Natur unterwegs sind (z. B. keine Toilettenspülung). Wenn Sie sich jedoch wirklich nach fließendem Wasser und echten Toilettenartikeln sehnen, besuchen Sie die nahe gelegene Stadt Pemberton, um schnell etwas Komfort zu finden.

Sylvan Lake State Park isn't trying to deceive anyone with its name. "Sylvan," a word of Latin origin meaning "living or located in the woods or forest," is a perfect description of the campgrounds located just under 150 miles (241 kilometers) west of Denver [source: Merriam Webster].

Many campers are eager for a destination that can help them beat the summer heat, making areas like Sylvan Lake quite alluring . It also doesn't hurt that the lake is located at 8,500 feet (2.6 kilometers) above sea level in the midst of the Rocky Mountains , where the temperatures are easily 10 degrees cooler than they are at lower elevations. Plus, with 44 different campsites to choose from, you'll have an easier time avoiding summer crowds than in some other smaller popular camping areas [source: Colorado State Parks].

At 42 acres (17 hectares), Sylvan Lake has the real estate to offer much more than swimming: Many visitors take advantage of the kayaks and paddle boats available for rent, and if boating isn't your cup of fresh mountain water, superior hiking and bike trails abound. Sylvan Lake State Park is also one of the few state parks that allow hunting (although only during permitted seasons, and definitely far away from camping areas) [source: Colorado Come to Life].

One thing that sets Sylvan Lake State Park apart from many other lush and mountainous campground brethren is its group campsite, which can accommodate up to 60 people. Like the other Sylvan Lake campgrounds, the group area features hot showers and real flushing toilets during the summer [source: Colorado State Parks]. It might be a long shot to convince your boss to hold your next office party there, but you'll never know if you don't try!

If you're looking for a dose of history with your summer vacation , we'll tell you how to relive the wagon train days on the next page.

If you were a kid during the 1990s, you may be familiar with the Oregon Trail computer game, an educational program that let millions of players forge their way through the historic trail. Complete with opportunities to hunt, purchase supplies and name characters after your friends, Oregon Trail helped millions of kids learn what it felt like to be on a wagon train heading west.

If you haven't been able to leave those river-fording days behind, Umatilla National Forest, a protected region spanning 1.4 million acres (566,560 hectares) in northeast Oregon and southeast Washington, might be the most nostalgic camping trip you've ever taken. In the mid-1800s, hundreds of settlers traveled through Umatilla National Forest on their way out west; in the earlier parts of the century, Lewis and Clark even spent some time exploring the region [source: Powell]. Today, the forest is protected under the multiple-use principle, which dictates that it be dedicated to "the greatest good for the greatest number for the longest time" [source: Pister].

When you visit Umatilla National Forest, it's not hard to imagine what some of those uses might be: It boasts more than 715 miles (1,151 kilometers) of biking and hiking trails; rivers offering swimming, kayaking and rafting ; and a lake spanning 145 acres (59 hectares) give visitors quite a variety of summer activities to choose from. Those seeking quieter pursuits can enjoy picking berries or observing osprey, elk and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep -- sure to offer some good photo ops.

With 1.4 million acres (566,560 hectares) to work with, there's a campsite in Umatilla National Forest to meet every level of camping experience. However, it's worth noting that most of these campgrounds have been developed to interfere as little as possible with the surrounding environment, which means you may have a harder time finding sites with amenities like hot water and flush toilets than you would elsewhere [source: USDA Forest Service].

With 156,299 total square miles (404,813 square kilometers) of land area, it's not surprising that California is home to some spectacular camping spots [source: City Data]. One of those is D.L. Bliss State Park, located less than 20 miles (32.2 kilometers) from the Lake Tahoe area in central California. While other areas of the state reach temperatures in the hundreds on the Fahrenheit scale during the summer, D.L. Bliss State Park's temperate heat (around 75 degrees Fahrenheit, or 24 degrees Celsius) and centralized location make it an ideal summer getaway.

As with most parks in the Sierra Nevada mountain range , D. L. Bliss State Park boasts some pretty incredible hiking -- from Rubicon Point, you can even see Lake Tahoe itself. One noteworthy site is the Balancing Rock Nature Trail, where a 130-ton (117,934-kilogram) granite rock balances precariously on a small stone joint. However, you might want to make this one a priority: As the tiny base slowly erodes, the equilibrium that keeps the large stone balanced becomes more and more difficult to maintain [source: California Department of Parks and Recreation].

The area is perfectly safe for visitors, but campers should be aware of one of the most common occupational hazards of wilderness exploration: bears. If you're planning on heading into a bear-friendly environment this summer, keep the following tips in mind:

Visitors should note that D.L. Bliss State Park is only open during the summer, so be sure to plan ahead! The park is also dog friendly -- just be sure to bring a leash and read canine regulations ahead of time.

We've been talking a lot about woodsy places -- sites with plenty of trees, cliffs, and probably a buffalo or two. But if you require sandy toes at all times during your vacation, you're in luck: Anini Beach County Park may be your summer dream trip.

The park is located on the north coast of the island of Kaua'i; the area is relatively secluded, and campgrounds are tucked into the coastline below cliffs that are carpeted in greenery and set off from the open ocean. Even by Hawaii standards, this lagoon water is spectacularly blue.

We've mentioned water sports before, but only at Anini Beach can you roll out of your sleeping bag in the morning and windsurf . A spectacular reef and shallow water (only about four to five feet deep, or 1.2 to 1.5 meters) make it a great -- and notably safe -- spot for beginning snorkelers, but experienced swimmers and scuba divers can enjoy deeper diving where a channel on the northwest side drops 60 feet (18.3 meters) to the open ocean [source: Frommers]. As with all beach excursions, however, keep an eye out for rip currents, which are powerful currents that can pull swimmers away from the shore [source: National Weather Service].

Occupying only 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) of coastline, Anini Beach County Park is fairly small. It's used by daytime visitors as well as overnight campers, so if you're planning to stay overnight, you'll need to purchase a permit from the County of Kaua'i. These are cheap and easy to obtain, but visitors should note that overnight accommodations aren't guaranteed if you show up on a whim [source: Great Hawaii Vacations].

New York might be best known for its bustling streets and unparalleled people watching, but the Empire State has a built-in getaway for its busy residents: the Adirondack Mountains . This cluster of peaks, which is located in northern New York, is primary vacation territory for harried New Yorkers and out-of-state visitors alike.

Formed after the last ice age, when glaciers glided slowly through the northern United States, the Adirondacks reach heights of more than 5,000 feet (1.52 kilometers). However, unlike ranges like the Rockies in the western U.S., the Adirondacks aren't actually a mountain range -- they're actually just a group of 100-plus disconnected mountains clustered together throughout a 160-mile (257-kilometer) wide area [source: Visit Adirondacks].

You'll find plenty of traditional campsites in the Adirondacks, ranging from family-oriented and RV-friendly to primitive and secluded. However, this is one of the relatively few places where you can do what's called glamping, or glamour camping -- a service where hired guides provide comfortable amenities, top-notch meals and even massages for those who prefer to mix, well, pleasure with pleasure.

If you're not especially keen on snow, summer is the perfect time to visit the Adirondacks. Warm days and temperate nights offer long hours for visitors to enjoy hiking , boating, fishing and even rock climbing . Birdwatchers also congregate in the area; if you're an avian enthusiast, consider building in time before or after your trip to join the Annual Adirondack Birding Festival in June [source: Visit Adirondacks].

If you want to check a major destination off your list this summer, make your way to California's Yosemite National Park , where granite cliffs, pounding waterfalls and flower-carpeted meadows have served as muses for outdoor enthusiasts for decades. John Muir , one of Yosemite's most dedicated explorers, once called the park "by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter" [source: National Park Service].

In fact, Muir is one of the main reasons why the park even exists today. Muir was one of the U.S.'s greatest conservationists, and his dogged work -- including taking President Theodore Roosevelt and his son Kermit camping in Yosemite -- was a major factor in the establishment of the National Parks program [source: Sierra Club].

Today, it's easy to see what dazzled Muir. Spanning almost 1,200 square miles (768,000 acres, or 310,800 hectares), the park is home to soaring mountains. They include Half Dome, a nearly 9,000-foot (2.74-kilometer) granite peak that towers over Yosemite Valley, crashing waterfalls and complex and colorful ecosystems [source: National Park Service].

While some campgrounds are open in spring and fall, summer campers will reap the benefits of temperate weather and hefty snowmelt with spectacular waterfalls and lush, blooming mountain meadows. With so much to see, many campers take advantage of guided tours, which can help streamline and enrich their visit.

Since it's such a popular destination, Yosemite is one trip that's difficult to execute properly on a whim. Permits are required for vehicles and campsites, and road closures can occur due to occupational hazards like falling rocks and slow-melting snow. Although the park isn't a particularly dry area, it's also a good idea to keep an eye out for fire warnings.

For the true zoologist, there's really only one place to go this summer. Read on to find out where you can see some of the most avidly studied animal populations in the U.S. -- and why you should bring a good pair of eyeshades when you go.

If you thought Yosemite 's 1,200 square mile (310,800 hectare) footprint was big, let us introduce you to Alaska's Denali National Park. Clocking in at six million acres (almost 9,400 square miles, or 2.43 million hectares), Denali is a truly unique experience.

You won't find anyone kayaking or windsurfing in Denali, but the scenery is so spectacular that we're willing to bet you won't care. Denali was carved by the slow progress of glaciers through the land -- some of which remain in Alaska today -- which means endless craggy cliffs and picturesque valleys for prime summer hiking [source: National Park Service].

There's one obvious reason to camp in Denali National Park during the summer: Alaska gets, very, very cold during the winter. The temperature commonly dips below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius), and the region's proximity to the North Pole also means that it can get fewer than five hours of daylight during the winter. A few days a year, some areas of Alaska even remain in complete darkness.

However, this same location on the Earth's axis means that summer visitors can enjoy up to 24 hours of daylight (hence the state's nickname, Land of the Midnight Sun) [sources: Alaska.com, State of Alaska]. This makes it a perfect place to camp during the summer -- just be sure to bring some heavy-duty eyeshades for when you want to get some sleep.

Denali's chilly climate results in a unique and highly diverse wildlife population. The organisms that thrive, such as caribou, fox, salmon and certain species of bird, have all adapted to the subarctic climate. Denali is a national preserve, which means its wildlife and ecosystems are strictly protected; as a result, the park is one of the most important sites for scientists studying animal behavior [source: National Park Service].

Denali offers two basic options for campers: established camping and backcountry camping. For those seeking a more comfortable experience, established campgrounds offer amenities like running water and RV access. Backcountry camping and backpacking adhere strictly to the Leave No Trace philosophy -- a widely accepted set of principles that mandate considerations like trash removal and minimum human interference with natural surroundings. Less established campgrounds also require campers to take extra safety precautions, such as bear-proofing their sites [source: National Park Service].

Author's Note: 10 Spectacular Places to Camp in the Summer

I'm lucky enough to have traveled to two of these locations -- specifically, Yosemite and Denali National Parks -- so this article was a really exciting opportunity for me to share my passion for both places while learning about a ton of new destinations. Since I've never been camping before (I know, I'm missing out), the research for this article was both personally and professionally quite informative.

One of my favorite facts from my research was about Luray Caverns. I made myself remember the difference between stalactites and stalagmites early in life (the word "stalagmite" has a g in it, and stalagmites form up from the ground), but I never knew the chemical process by which they formed. As soon as I can find a cheap flight to Virginia, keep an eye out for a girl geeking out on some rock formations.

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