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Need a New Resource? Try the Army Corps!
You’re searching for a quiet spot near water for a night or two. A simple place, uncrowded, where you can relax with a nice view of a lake or river. Your search for a state or county park hasn’t produced any results. What next? Did you know a federal agency provides 94,565 campsites in 43 states that you might not have heard about? I’m not talking about national parks or BLM land here, but campsites managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
If you have never heard of them, join the club. The Corps manages more than 41,000 miles of shoreline, 7,800 miles of trails, and 3,735 boat ramps across the United States. We discovered USACE sites through one of our favorite apps, AllStays. You can find their campgrounds on other apps as well. Some sites are reservable, and others are first-come, first-served; their reservable campsites can be found at Recreation.gov.
So why did I have such difficulty researching the Corps for this story? I can’t even find the total number of campgrounds and their locations without going to other websites, like rv-camping.org, RVAtlas.com, and others. I even called a regional office, where a staffer told me that camping is not their priority, and yes, the civilian websites will have more information than their website does. Perusing AllStays, I could not find any USACE sites in Michigan, my home state, Indiana, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, or Colorado, to name a few.
That makes a lot of sense in their defense when you look at everything the USACE does. According to their website, the Corps’ Mission Statement is to “Deliver vital engineering solutions, in collaboration with our partners, to secure our Nation, energize our economy, and reduce disaster risk.” Think waterways, bridges, levees, dams, harbors, ports, and more. That’s a pretty tall order.
Do your research, and you’ll find their campgrounds, located along water resources like reservoirs and rivers, are a delightful secret to discover. You should, as the Corps is one of the leading federal outdoor recreation providers, with more than 400 lake and river projects in 43 states, where you can hike, fish, camp, hunt, and more. Most of those recreation areas are within 50 miles of a major metropolitan center.
We’ve only been to a few Corps campgrounds over the years, but each has given us a pleasant stay at a reasonable price. I’ve found sites for $24, and with our Senior Lifetime Pass, only $12. Check if they are tent-only or accept RVs, plus amenities like water and electrical hookups, flush toilets, showers, and dump stations.
So go off course and look to the Army Corps for your next stay. You might find a pleasant surprise. To find reservable USACE sites, go to Recreation.gov and filter for “Federal Agencies Offering Reservations.” Or, go to your favorite camping app, like AllStays Camp & RV, which lists USACE sites. You may also find books and maps online. Apps and books may also detail campsites that don’t require reservations. Good luck exploring!
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