Fall is a great time to go camping! Since this year’s Camping Season started during the “Sheltering at Home” phase, a lot of campgrounds were closed. Once they reopened, part of the Camping Season was already over! Most of us have not been able to camp as much as we would in a “normal” year. That’s what makes camping this Fall especially appealing!
Some of us have tried to camp in our own backyards, with tents and campfires. That can be fun, but there’s nothing like hitting the road with your camper in tow!
Depending on what state you live in, the camping season can last into October or even later. A lot of KOA campgrounds are open year-round! I live in North Carolina, and for me, camping in July and August is too hot! We are forced to stay inside our air-conditioned camper, which isn’t much fun. We are not able to do the things that make camping so enjoyable!
In the Fall, you can get outside and do some of these fun things;
- Campfires on a crisp Fall evening
- A walk through the woods with the leaves turning colors
- Campground Fall events
- Watching football on an outside TV
- Apple Picking
- Hay Rides
- Halloween parties/trick or treat
Camping in October
If you enjoy Autumn, it can be a great time for a getaway before winter sets in. Years ago, when I first started camping, we had a small 4-person tent. After many years of camping in rainy & cold weather, and waking up to a wet sleeping bag, we bought our first used travel trailer. I have never gone back to tent camping, but I can see why some people would prefer it. The cost of camping is lower, and you don’t have to get a special vehicle(truck) to pull your camper. It’s much easier to be spontaneous when tent camping.
Recently, we purchased a new Conquest Travel trailer that we tow with our Ram truck.
When searching for a campground in Fall, you may find a limited number of campgrounds that are open after October 1st, especially in the Northern states. Please check ahead before heading to the campground. Here is a list of 5 different states and a variety of campgrounds open into October and later;
*NOTE: With COVID still around, some of these campgrounds may not have Fall/Halloween events this year – Please check the campground website for further information*
Five States for Great Fall Camping
1. North Carolina
North Carolina has a beautiful fall! If you head toward the mountains in Western NC you will find some great places to camp. I suggest by the Blue Ridge Mountains or Great Smoky Mountains. Of course, it’s always fun to head to the coast to do some camping on the Outer Banks. Here are just a few great campgrounds that I found;
- Yogi Bears Jellystone Park-Camp-Resort, 182 Jellystone Prkwy, Bostic, NC – open year-round. They have great Fall weekend activities; Sept. 25-Nov.1
- Linville Falls RV Park & Cabins, Linville Falls, NC – open until Nov. 11. They have a Halloween Extravaganza on 10/31 with fun activities!
- Cherokee/Great Smokies KOA, 92 KOA Campground Rd, Cherokee, NC – open year-round. They have a Haunted Halloween Weekend, 10/09-10/11
- Cape Hatteras RV Resort, 24798 NC 12, Rodanthe, NC – open year-round. They have a hayride along with other activities
2. Virginia
Virginia is a beautiful state! There are eight mountain ranges in Virginia as well as the Shenandoah National Park, and Chesapeake Bay. If that’s not enough, October is wine month in Virginia!
- Crabtree Falls Campground, 11039 Crabtree Falls Hwy, Tyro, VA – open 3/15 – 11/15. Crabtree Falls is the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi!
- Williamsburg/Busch Gardens KOA, 4000 Newman Rd, Williamsburg, VA – open year-round. Special Fall/Halloween events; Busch Gardens “Howl-O-Scream” and the KOA Halloween weekend events, 9/25-10/30
- Shenandoah Valley Campground, 296 Riner Ln, Verona, VA – open 3/19 – 10/31. Halloween Festivals 3 weekends in October.
- Blue Ridge Campground, Smith Mountain Lake, 8131 Burnt Chimney Rd, Wirtz, VA – open 4/1 – 10/31. Beautiful scenery!
3. Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is one of the largest states in the US. You will find historic cities like Philadelphia and Gettysburg, and natural beauty with the Appalachian and Pocono mountains. Pennsylvania has a lot of diversity! It’s a great place to camp in the Fall!
- Foxwood Family Campground, 400 Mt. Nebo Rd, East Stroudsburg, PA – open 4/17-11/01. Special events in October; Fall-Aholic, Pumpkin Fest, Chili Cook-off, and Halloween weekend.
- Presque Isle Passage, 6300 Sterrettania Road, Fairview, PA – open 4/01-10/31. Presque Isle State Park is a 3200-acre peninsula that arches into Lake Erie. This is Pennsylvania’s only “seashore”.
- Burnt Cabins Grist Mill & Family Campground, 582 Grist Mill Rd, Burnt Cabins, PA – open year-round with limited camping December – March. Check out the Fall Folk Festival, October 16-18
- Gettysburg Campground, 2030 Fairfield Rd., Gettysburg, PA – open 3/30-11/22. Fall Events; Apple Harvest Festival(2 weekends), Halloween(2 weekends)
4. Ohio
Ohio is a smaller state but has a lot to offer! Large cities like Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus. Beautiful Lake Erie to the North. They have several great football teams and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Ohio also has some mountains in the eastern part of the state.
- Timber Ridge Campground, 51900 Portman Rd., Amherst, OH – open 4/15-10/15. Woolley Bear Festival in October, Vermilion, OH.
- Coshocton KOA, 24688 County Road 10, Coshocton, OH – open year-round, Giant Corn Maze Adventure 9/25-10/31, Halloween Weekends 10/02-11/01
- Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort, 4185 Township Road 99, Mount Gilead, Ohio – open 5/01-10/18. Halloween events, weekends in October, including Zombie Apocalypse 10/16-10/18!
- Berlin RV park(Amish country), 5898 State Route 39, Millersburg, Ohio – open through October. Amish Country restaurants and attractions.
5. Wisconsin
Wisconsin definitely has its share of fall colors! You may find the weather is a little cooler, but it’s well worth the extra jacket and blanket to camp there in Fall! From the capital city of Madison to the Great Northwoods, Wisconsin is a beautiful state!
- Camp Holiday, 11475 Rudolph Lake Ln, Boulder Junction, Wisc. – open until November 1. Wisconsin has many fall festivals, including Apple festivals and Oktoberfest.
- Wisconsin Dells KOA, South 235A Stand Rock Road, Wisconsin Dells, Wisc. – open until October 6. Late September Chili Cook off, October Halloween Events with trick or treating, decorate your camper, and a costume parade!
- Lake Arrowhead Campground, W781 Fox Court, Montello, Wisc. – open until October 18. From 9/18-10/18 Halloween events!
- Smokey Hollow Campground, W9935 McGowan Rd, Lodi, Wisc. – open until October 11. Smokey Halloween weekends; 9/18-20 and 9/25-27. Octoberfest 10/2-4. Last call for Fall on 10/9-11.
In Conclusion…
Fall can definitely be a great time of year for camping! Many of these states have campgrounds that close in late October or early November, so if you are a camper….get out there! We are going to do lots of camping in the next month so watch for more posts on camping!
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Please leave a comment and let me know if you have had any interesting camping trips this year or if you plan on doing some fall camping. I would love to hear from you! Please remember to PIN photos to Pinterest and share on this post on your social media pages.
*You may also enjoy reading these posts: 3 Great Campground Reviews Break out and Go Camping!
Oh definitely! I love fall camping! Thanks for the great resources
Thanks! Have fun camping!