The 15 top gay campgrounds in the USA

01

Roseland Resort & Campground

Proctor, West Virginia

By day, we explored the 11 miles of hiking trails that surround the site. By night, we either stuffed our faces in the pizzeria or enjoyed a boogie in the bar. They even had campfire get-togethers, where we showed off our (ahem!) vocals with an old-style sing-along with fellow guests.

The all-male, all-gay camping site is particularly popular with the bear community, which is more than appropriate considering West Virginia’s state animal is a bear! The campsite holds an Annual Bear Fair, a fabulous celebration of all things big, gay, and hairy. Other fun yearly events include all-nude New Year’s Eve parties. Now that's certainly one way to ring in the new year, eh?!

For accommodation, guests can opt to sleep beneath the stars on the tent sites dotted throughout the grounds or park their RV. If you’d rather have a bed, there are a range of cabin and room options for you to choose from inside converted farm buildings.

02

Sawmill Camping Resort

Dade City, Florida

Country and disco fans face-off, with a choice between a fabulous nightclub (aptly named Woody’s!) or a country-style hoedown in the courtyard. The gay campground regularly hosts events like drag queen bingo or karaoke nights, which leads to some rather amusing shenanigans… We’ve certainly embarrassed ourselves by cracking a go at the mic, but isn’t that what it's all about?

In terms of accommodation, Sawmill has some pretty sweet cabins, albeit rustic. You can also decide to stay in an RV or on the tenting site, depending on how hardcore your penchant for gay camping really is.

03

Highlands Resort

Guerneville, California

They have a glorious swimming pool and breathtaking gardens to lose yourself in. They don’t have much of a party atmosphere, so it’s the perfect spot if you’re looking for a quiet gay getaway.

The gay campsite itself is filled with quaint cabins, each boasting a gorgeous vintage design. From chrome and Formica tables to the linoleum floors. A step through your room’s doorstep is like a step into a different era!

Instead of camping, you can go “glamping”, though this is available during the summer months only. With this, you’ll have access to the heated pool and enjoy a daily complimentary continental breakfast. The tent sites are spacious, each containing a table, umbrella, four chairs, and two loungers.

04

Campit Outdoor Resort

Fennville, Michigan

There is even a Campit’s “Toy Store”, though not the kind of toy store you’d expect. Here you can pick up an assortment of leather items, novelties, and other cheeky accessories you may have forgotten to pack at home…

There are several lodging choices – just in case you're a tad allergic to the outdoors. These include a 5-bedroom bunkhouse B&B, 22 log cabins, or one of the vintage trailers. There are also outdoor options, with several camping sites spread across the compound. We've heard the “New Horseshoe” is especially popular because it is the largest tenting area, offering a more private and rustic experience.

Most accommodation options are also pet-friendly, so you can bring your pooch or puss along with you!

06

The Woods Campground

Lehighton, Pennsylvania

Events are a big deal here. They have huge party-themed weekends: from “Bears At The Woods”, and “Leather Weekend” to one entire weekend just for drag shows. All parties culminate around their large pool area – fully clothing-optional of course!

The idea behind The Woods Community came about because of the negative effect social media and gay dating apps were having on social queer establishments like bars/clubs – in that they have been declining in numbers! Here they encourage face to face interaction, away from Grindr and Instagram. This feeling of being part of a tight knit community is what makes The Woods stand out.

It’s also absolutely massive! The Woods owns no fewer than 161 private acres with streams, a four-acre lake, and plenty of campsites – all of it set against the backdrop of the breathtaking Pocono Mountains. Space is your friend here…“Into The Woods” we happily go…

07

Copper Cactus Ranch Men’s Retreat

Queen Valley, Arizona

Everything is very private, so you're free to go au naturel everywhere – even hiking…we highly recommend trying out nude hiking if you haven't done so already! And with 40 acres of trails, the views over the desert are simply breathtaking. Guests who are camping also permitted to bring their dogs on site.

Copper Cactus has a swimming pool and giant hot tub, which becomes the center point for all evening socials. Look out for owners Rich and Bobby who talented musicians who often get all the guests involved to live out their Beyonce fantasy in an evening karaoke session. They also serve up delicious home-cooked meals and you might even get to learn how to make local dishes like tamales.

08

Hillside Campgrounds

New Milford, Pennsylvania

This campsite is open between May and September every year, with a jam-packed calendar of themed events for those who like their camping to come with a big side of FUN! From Fall-themed Bears in Flannel to hot Latin Carnivale, there's an event for every kind of person, no matter their preferences. These events always feature good music, yummy food and excellent company, sometimes with fabulous costumes and performances as well.

A real highlight is definitely the poolside cocktail party, although any time you care to visit you can enjoy yourself beside or in the swimming pool. Of course, this is camping, so if you want to spend your time hiking the nature trails and hanging out by a bonfire at night, you do you!

You can choose to stay on a site for your own tent or RV, or book a rustic cabin either with or without a private bathroom. Any necessities can be stocked up on at the MaN Store within the grounds, plus there's Embers Cafe for your food and drink options if you don't want to sort that out yourself.

09

River Ridge Campground

Mount Olivet, Kentucky

The keyword here at River Ridge is ‘rustic', although that doesn't mean you're going without any comfort. For those who don't want to stay in a tent or RV, there are private suites in the main lodge and small cabins, some of which sleep up to 4 guests. Pets are permitted for guests not staying in the main lodge building.

Social butterflies will love all the fun events here throughout the year, from big-screen movie nights to karaoke, dancing, contests, and drag queen bingo. Even if you're not staying on-site you can get day passes to attend the events and socialize. For those who just like to chill with a beer beside the campfire, you'll also find your tribe.

10

Creek Ridge Campground

Stockbridge, Michigan

Owners Ron and Mike strive to make Creek Ridge a place “where friends become family” as guests enjoy the simple things in life. There's space for camping or parking your RV, as well as small cabins for two or four people. During the day you can relax in the clothing-optional swimming pool, go hiking or fishing in the woods, or just relax by your fire pit.

Club Solitude is where much of the weekend event activities take place, and there aren't many campgrounds with an actual nightclub for you to live out your dancing queen fantasies! If you need somewhere to really unplug and forget about your worries, we reckon a weekend at Creek Ridge is just the ticket.

11

Rainbow Ranch

Groesbeck, Texas

For hanging out, you can’t beat the Ranch’s swimming pool. It looks out at the Lake Limestone and is a great spot for making friends. Music gets played around the pool to keep up the good spirits. And since the crowd is pretty much exclusively LGBTQ, you know the playlists are hopping with Britney, Gaga, and Ariana.

Events are held every other weekend, so if you are gasping for a quieter time, check out the weekends that don’t have anything on. Otherwise, prepare for pool parties, drag bingo, cookouts, and Mardi Gras celebrations! The 4th of July and New Year’s Eve are particularly busy times, both with an enormous party and fireworks display.

We came across a few choices for food in the surrounding area outside the grounds – we suggest visiting Los Pepes. It’s a fabulous spot that serves up Mexican food. You’ll need a car though – as while it’s only a 15-minute drive, you’ll be trekking for hours if you go on foot.

12

Camp Buckwood

Brown County, Indiana

Guests hang out around the swimming pool and hot tub area, taking advantage of the clothing-optional policy. Their hot tub is one of the biggest we’ve ever seen – and we’ve seen a lot. There are lots of lounge chairs to lay back on and absorb the warm sunlight. And if it starts to rain, you can escape to The Pavilion house.

You can choose to sleep beneath the stars on a tent site or go for the RV/cabin option – all depending on your budget/dedication to the true camping experience. Standard cabins are fairly affordable during weekday nights and off-peak times. 

We loved the night-time entertainment, with drag shows one night and a foam party the next. Most events take place in the shack Rusty’s – could it have a more American sounding name?

And if you are really up for trying something new – you can try your luck at fishing. Lake Shasta doesn’t require a license to fish in, and it’s full of largemouth bass, catfishes, and bluegills. We came close to catching a giant catfish, but it sadly wasn’t meant to be. Oh well, who wants to get catfished on a gay camping ground anyway?

13

Grizzly Pines

Navasota, Texas

We ate on-site every day at the house restaurant, which whipped up giant portions and left us feeling super full. 

Everyone we met there was very sociable, interested in our stories and travel experiences, and told us about their own crazy shenanigans. And the staff were just as lovely. They were attentive, provided quick service, and had such a laid-back vibe that they blended in with the guests.  

For sleeping, you can rough it up Bear Grylls-style by sleeping in a tent (yes, another bear joke, we couldn’t resist!). Or you can choose a more luxurious option and go with a cabin. Most choices are quite affordable – especially if you’re visiting with a group, where we’d recommend The Solstice Lodge. It fits four people and has lots of living space.

The owners love to hold events, having hosted pool parties, naked male bonding, and fetish weekends in the past. It certainly breaks the ice for first-timers unsure of how to fit in (i.e. us), but we made good friends in no time.

14

The River's Edge

Dewy Rose, Georgia

The grounds have so many spots for meeting and chatting with fellow guests. Our favourite spot was the games room – where we had snooker battles and board game face-offs with people. 

The hot tub was the busiest spot. After all, who can resist a place where guys strip down to soak in some warm, foamy water? They also have a heated swimming pool that uses saltwater (the more environmentally friendly option). I may have swallowed a mouthful when jumping in and started violently gagging – Seby had to get me a juice to rinse it out. *facepalm* 

The guests were a mix of young and old; twink and muscly; all getting along in perfect harmony. Who knew a bunch of catty gays could become so familial when you put them in the woods? Lots of the guys we chatted with had been there multiple times – always having a fabulous time and that the staff even remembered them by name. Now that’s great service.

15

Circle J Guest Ranch

Dallas, Texas

Most of the people on this site where the outdoorsy type and happy sleeping on the tenting grounds. However, if that’s too much, you have options to rest in an RV or a luxury cabin/suite. This was where Seby tried his hardest to convince me to sleep outside.

“Come on, everyone else is doing it”
“If everyone else is doing it, then it means there’s more room for me in the cabins!”

What can I say? He failed to convince me…

The pool is a tad bit smaller than in some of the other camping grounds on this list. Yet, it is every bit as cool, relaxing, and sociable. Guests often indulge in a game of volleyball – which ignited our competitive streak. Luckily, we were made to play on the same team, because if one of us had won over the other, it’d have caused problems for sure.

The community spirit extends into the night, with campfire singalongs and storytelling serving as a nice alternative to camping sites that are more party-focused. 

We had our first experience of horseback riding too – with basic lessons available. Trainers can help you regardless of your lack of experience or familiarity with horses. Just don’t do it bareback! 

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