# Winter camping

> Camping when everyone else stays home: routes that still work in winter, plus our guides to warm nights in a tent, van or motorhome.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/themes/winter-camping/

Camping when everyone else stays home: routes that still work in winter, plus our guides to warm nights in a tent, van or motorhome.

Winter camping means empty campgrounds, crisp air and stars by dinnertime. There are two ways to enjoy winter on the road: in the snow, for example at a winter campground in the Alps with heated restrooms and a ski lift nearby, or in the sun, on routes in the south that stay mild even in January.

Below you will find routes that our season estimate rates as pleasant in winter, and our guides on gear, heating and safety. Heading into the mountains? Carry the winter equipment the country requires and check for pass closures before you leave.

## Practical guides

- [Winter camping: packing list and tips for warm nights in a tent, van or motorhome](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/winter-camping-packing-list/)
- [Winter in a motorhome: heating, water, snow chains and parking](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/eu-winter-camping/)
- [Carbon monoxide in a van: staying safe when heating and cooking in a small space](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/van-co-safety-heating-cooking/)
- [Condensation in a van: causes, ventilation and a routine that keeps it dry](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/van-condensation-and-ventilation/)

## USA

- [Texas Gulf Coast](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/texas-gulf/): 3 d
- [Lowcountry: Charleston to Savannah](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/lowcountry/): 3 d
- [Florida Gulf Coast and the Everglades](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/florida-gulf/): 3 d
- [Highway 1: San Francisco to Santa Monica](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/highway-1/): 4 d
- [Florida’s Forgotten Coast](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/forgotten-coast/): 3 d
- [Pacific Coast Highway south: Malibu to San Diego](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-socal-coast/): 4 d
- [Santa Ynez Valley: missions, wine and dunes](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-santa-ynez/): 3 d
- [Oʻahu circle: Diamond Head to the North Shore](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-oahu-circle/): 2 d
- [Kohala and the Hāmākua Coast: Kona to Hilo the northern way](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-kohala-hamakua/): 3 d
- [Superstition Mountains, the Apache Trail and Tonto Basin](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b18-superstitions-tonto-basin/): 3 d
- [Tucson and Mount Lemmon: from saguaros to pine forest](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b18-tucson-mount-lemmon/): 3 d
- [Oak avenues, salt marsh and tidal beaches – by camper through the Lowcountry and the Golden Isles](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-294-lowcountry-charleston-savannah/): 8 d
- [Manatees, cypress swamps and shell beaches – by camper along Florida’s Gulf Coast to the Everglades](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-295-florida-gulf-everglades/): 8 d
- [Cypress, zydeco and sugar cane – by camper from New Orleans through Cajun Country to St. Francisville](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-333-louisiana-cajun-country/): 8 d
- [Pelicans, ferries and endless beach – by camper along the Texas Gulf Coast to Padre Island](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-334-texas-gulf-coast-padre/): 7 d
- [Quartz sand, dune lakes and oyster boats – by camper along the Emerald Coast and the Forgotten Coast from Pensacola to St. Marks](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-335-florida-panhandle-emerald-coast/): 7 d
- [Lava fields, black beaches and cloud forest – a campervan loop around Hawaiʻi Island](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-336-hawaii-big-island/): 7 d
- [Single-lane bridges, bamboo forest and sunrise above the clouds – by campervan along the Road to Hāna and up Haleakalā](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-353-hawaii-maui-road-to-hana/): 5 d
- [Coquina forts, sand tracks and launch pads – by camper along Florida's Atlantic coast from Amelia Island to Vero Beach](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-367-florida-atlantic-coast-st-augustine/): 8 d
- [Sugar sand, cannon forts and shrimp boats – by camper along the Alabama and Mississippi Gulf Coast from Gulf Shores to Waveland](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-377-alabama-mississippi-gulf-coast/): 7 d
- [The River Road to Big Bend: Presidio, Terlingua and Santa Elena](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b19-big-bend-river-road/): 4 d
- [Texas Hill Country on US-290: LBJ country, Luckenbach and wildflowers](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b19-hill-country-290/): 3 d
- [Pines, pitcher plants and cypress swamps – by camper from the edge of Houston through the Piney Woods of East Texas](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-418-east-texas-piney-woods/): 7 d
- [Spanish missions and the Frio River canyonlands](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b19-frio-canyon/): 3 d
- [Cowtown, dinosaur tracks and mammoths: Fort Worth to Waco](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b19-fort-worth-waco/): 3 d
- [The Rio Grande Valley: South Padre Island and subtropical refuges](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b19-rio-grande-valley/): 4 d
- [Blackwater, cypresses and crystal-clear springs – by camper from the Okefenokee Swamp down the Suwannee River to the springs of North Florida](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-447-okefenokee-suwannee-springs/): 8 d
- [Louisiana’s River Road: plantations, Baton Rouge and St. Francisville](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b19-louisiana-river-road/): 3 d
- [Spring pools, manatees and sand pines – by camper from Orlando through the Ocala National Forest to the springs of Central Florida](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-528-florida-springs-ocala-forest/): 7 d
- [Pine scent, crater lakes and elk in the headlights – by camper across the Mogollon Rim in Arizona’s White Mountains](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-537-arizona-white-mountains-mogollon-rim/): 7 d
- [Florida’s Space Coast: Kennedy Space Center to Daytona](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b20-space-coast/): 3 d
- [A1A from Jacksonville to Daytona: forts, lighthouses and coquina](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b20-a1a-first-coast/): 3 d
- [Central Florida springs: Wekiwa to the Ichetucknee](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b20-central-florida-springs/): 4 d
- [The Grand Strand and Georgetown to Charleston](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b20-grand-strand/): 3 d
- [Lowcountry oaks, Ashley River plantations and Congaree](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b20-ashley-river-congaree/): 3 d
- [Fog, cliffs and elephant seals – the Pacific Coast Highway by camper](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-001-pacific-coast-highway/): 5 d

## Europe

- [Sicily loop: temples, Etna and Baroque towns](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/sicily-baroque/): 7 d
- [Calabria’s Coast of the Gods](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b1-costa-degli-dei/): 4 d
- [Western Sicily: Segesta, Erice and the salt pans](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b1-sicily-west/): 5 d
- [Inland Sicily: mosaics, majolica and the Madonie](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b1-sicily-interior/): 4 d
- [Almería: Tabernas desert and Cabo de Gata](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b3-cabo-de-gata/): 4 d
- [Costa de la Luz: Cádiz to Tarifa](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b3-costa-de-la-luz/): 3 d
- [Huelva: Aracena, Riotinto and Doñana](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b3-huelva-donana/): 3 d
- [Valencia to Cartagena: Costa Blanca and Murcia](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b3-costa-blanca-murcia/): 5 d
- [Mallorca: the Serra de Tramuntana road](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b3-mallorca-tramuntana/): 4 d
- [Alentejo: standing stones, marble towns and border castles](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b3-alentejo-castles/): 4 d
- [Down the Guadiana: Beja to Castro Marim](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b3-guadiana/): 3 d
- [The hidden Algarve: villages and the Serra de Monchique](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b3-algarve-hills/): 3 d
- [Serra da Arrábida and the Setúbal peninsula](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b3-arrabida/): 2 d
- [Along the Tagus: Templar castles and river gorges](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b3-tagus-castles/): 3 d
- [Around Etna: lava castles, the north slope and the Alcantara Gorges](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b11-etna-alcantara/): 3 d
- [Val di Noto: Syracuse to Scicli](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b11-val-di-noto/): 3 d
- [Seville to Córdoba along the Guadalquivir](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b13-guadalquivir/): 4 d
- [Málaga’s hinterland: El Torcal and the Caminito del Rey](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b13-malaga-torcal/): 3 d
- [Mallorca’s south and east: coves, caves and castles](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b13-mallorca-east/): 3 d
- [Menorca: Talayotic sites, lighthouses and turquoise coves](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b13-menorca/): 3 d
- [Lisbon to Sintra along the Cascais coast](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b13-lisbon-sintra-coast/): 2 d
- [Portugal’s Silver Coast: Mafra to the great monasteries](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b13-silver-coast/): 3 d
- [Eastern Algarve: Ria Formosa, Tavira and Cacela Velha](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b13-eastern-algarve/): 2 d
- [Andalusia’s white villages](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/pueblos-blancos/): 3 d
- [Messinia: Ancient Messene, Navarino Bay and the Venetian castles](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b16-messinia/): 4 d
- [Eastern Crete: Lasithi, Spinalonga and the palm beach of Vai](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b16-crete-east/): 4 d
- [Alentejo coast and the Rota Vicentina](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rota-vicentina/): 4 d
- [Hairpins, limestone coves and salt pans – by motorhome or van around Mallorca, from the Tramuntana to Es Trenc](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-216-mallorca/): 7 d
- [Lagoons, cliffs and stork nests – by camper from the Ria Formosa along the Costa Vicentina to Setúbal](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-271-algarve-alentejo-coast/): 8 d
- [Palm beaches, Minoan palaces and windmills – across Crete by camper from Chania to Vai](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-325-crete/): 8 d
- [Crete: Chania to Knossos](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b7-crete-west/): 7 d
- [Monasteries, surf and palaces in the mist – by camper along the Silver Coast to Lisbon and Sesimbra](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-329-portugal-silver-coast-lisbon/): 7 d
- [Laurel forest, lava fields and trade-wind clouds – by camper across Tenerife and La Gomera](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-341-tenerife-la-gomera/): 8 d
- [Lava fields, wine hollows and shifting dunes – by camper across Lanzarote and Fuerteventura](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-361-lanzarote-fuerteventura/): 8 d
- [Cork oaks, marble and starry skies – through the Alentejo by camper from Évora via Marvão to Beja](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-370-alentejo-evora-marvao/): 8 d
- [Lava, temples and salt pans: around Sicily by motorhome](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-024-sicily-round-trip/): 8 d

## Oceania

- [Auckland and the wild Waitākere west coast beaches](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzn-auckland-west-coast/): 2 d
- [Two days along the Bay of Plenty from Waihī to Te Kaha](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzn-bay-of-plenty-coast/): 2 d
- [The East Cape road from Ōpōtiki to Gisborne](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzn-east-cape-road/): 4 d
- [Rotorua, Taupō and Tongariro: a volcanic plateau road trip](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzm-rotorua-taupo-tongariro/): 3 d
- [Tongariro National Park, Whakapapa and Ōhakune in two days](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzm-tongariro-ruapehu/): 2 d
- [Waitomo caves and the SH3 coast road to New Plymouth](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzm-waitomo-to-new-plymouth/): 3 d
- [Around Mt Taranaki on the Surf Highway and mountain roads](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzm-taranaki-circuit/): 3 d
- [The Forgotten World Highway from Stratford to Taumarunui](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzm-forgotten-world-highway/): 2 d
- [The Whanganui River Road from Whanganui to Ōhakune](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzm-whanganui-river-road/): 3 d
- [Hawke's Bay: Napier, Hastings, wine and Cape Kidnappers](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzm-hawkes-bay-napier-hastings/): 3 d
- [Wellington to Wairarapa wine country and Cape Palliser](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzm-wairarapa-cape-palliser/): 3 d
- [Surf breaks, limestone stacks and sandstone ridges – by camper along the Great Ocean Road to the Grampians](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-301-great-ocean-road/): 8 d
- [Taihape to Wellington through Manawatū and the Kāpiti Coast](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzm-taihape-to-wellington/): 3 d
- [From Picton Through the Marlborough Sounds to Nelson](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzw-sounds-picton-nelson/): 2 d
- [Along SH1 from Picton through Marlborough Wine Country to Kaikōura](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzw-marlborough-kaikoura-coast/): 2 d
- [From Nelson to Abel Tasman, Takaka and the Top of the South](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzw-abel-tasman-golden-bay/): 4 d
- [From Nelson to Westport via Nelson Lakes and the Buller Gorge](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzw-nelson-lakes-buller-westport/): 3 d
- [Rainforest, granite bays and wombats at dusk – a campervan loop around Tasmania](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-302-tasmania-loop/): 8 d
- [Bays, bush and penguins – by camper along the Princes Highway from Sydney to Melbourne](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-305-sydney-melbourne-coast/): 8 d
- [Rainforest, surf and glacier ice – by camper from Nelson down the West Coast to Wānaka](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-307-nz-west-coast-glaciers/): 8 d
- [Pōhutukawa, geysers and volcanic cones – by campervan through Coromandel, Rotorua and the Volcanic Plateau](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-309-nz-coromandel-rotorua-tongariro/): 8 d
- [Punakaiki to Hokitika: Pancake Rocks, Lake Brunner and Gorge](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzw-punakaiki-hokitika/): 3 d
- [Christchurch to Greymouth over Lewis Pass with Hanmer Springs](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzw-lewis-pass-hanmer/): 2 d
- [Greymouth to Christchurch over Arthur's Pass](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzw-arthurs-pass-christchurch/): 2 d
- [Christchurch and Banks Peninsula to Akaroa](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzw-banks-peninsula-akaroa/): 2 d
- [From Franz Josef and Fox Glacier to Haast and Jackson Bay](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzw-franz-josef-haast/): 3 d
- [Fiords, penguins and glacial lakes – by camper through Fiordland, the Catlins and Otago to Aoraki](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-310-nz-fiordland-catlins-otago/): 8 d
- [Riesling slopes, copper towns and quartzite walls – by camper from Adelaide to the Flinders Ranges](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-311-adelaide-barossa-flinders/): 8 d
- [Sea lions, granite sculptures and vineyard slopes – by camper across the Fleurieu Peninsula to Kangaroo Island](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-312-kangaroo-island-fleurieu/): 8 d
- [Karri giants, granite coves and beach kangaroos – by campervan through Western Australia’s South West to Esperance](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-313-wa-south-west-albany-esperance/): 8 d
- [Pelicans, lighthouses and rainforest – up the north coast of New South Wales to Byron Bay by camper](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-315-nsw-north-coast-byron/): 8 d
- [Mountain ash, muscat and snow poles – by camper through Victoria’s High Country](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-316-victorian-high-country/): 8 d
- [Sandstone gorges, gold-rush villages and snow-grass plains – through the mountains of New South Wales by camper](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-317-blue-mountains-snowy/): 8 d
- [Mackenzie Country lakes and Aoraki / Mount Cook](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzz-mackenzie-mount-cook/): 3 d
- [Oamaru to Dunedin along the North Otago coast](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzz-waitaki-moeraki-coast/): 2 d
- [Dunedin city and the wildlife of Otago Peninsula](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/nzz-dunedin-otago-peninsula/): 2 d

## FAQs

**Can you go camping in winter?**
Yes. Many campgrounds in the Alps stay open in winter, often with heated restrooms and electric hookups. What matters most is a well-insulated sleeping pad, a sleeping bag rated for the night temperatures, a safe way to heat and winter equipment for the vehicle.

**What do you need for winter camping?**
Above all a sleeping pad with a high R-value (about 4 or more, 5.5 or more for hard frost), a sleeping bag with a suitable comfort rating, layered clothing, a stove that works in the cold and, in a van or motorhome, a carbon monoxide alarm. The full list is in our winter camping packing guide.

**How many routes are in this list?**
230 routes: USA 65, Europe 60, Oceania 105.

**How is this list chosen?**
This list is put together automatically from our route data (season estimate, trip length, terrain, passes and size limits), currently 230 trip guides.