There are dozens of gay campgrounds across North America. Here are just a few recommended ones.
1. Roseland Resort in West Virginia
Roseland is one of the best-known gay-owned and operated campgrounds in the US. It’s set amongst 222 acres of West Virginia countryside. Besides stunning views, it offers bed-and-breakfast-style cabins and tent sites. There’s also a pool, bar area, and the Walnut Tree restaurant. It’s aimed at gay men over the age of 21. It scores highly on Trip Advisor for its clean facilities and friendly staff.
“This place is amazing. Beautiful scenery, great facilities, but most importantly very, very nice people. I can’t stress that enough. Just a lot of fun, easygoing energy,” says one reviewer.
One recent visitor praised the local landscape: “One of the most underappreciated aspects of Roseland is how much amazing hiking there is,” said Mike (@thedreamofthenineties)
Roseland Resort & Campground
Gay owned and operated campground 925 Nolte Ln · Proctor, WV 26055(304) 455-3838
Website
2. Sawmill Camping Resort, Florida
One of the most highly-rated gay and lesbian camping grounds in the southeast, “where camping meets nightlife.” Sawmill offers it all: Four bars, Woody’s Nightclub, a clothing-optional pool, several nature trails, lakeside walks (around Ricki Lake!), local zip lines, and antique shopping. There’s also a nightly campfire and regular entertainment on the courtyard stage.
Sawmill Campground
Where camping meets nightlife 21710 US-98 · Dade City, FL 33523(352) 583-0664
Website
“How wonderful is it to find a place where you can go and be you,” said one visitor on TripAdvisor. “Very welcoming and inviting. Along with all the amenities, one could want while camping … Sawmill Campground is truly the best”
3. Vitambi Springs in Florida
Near the tranquil Lake Vitambi, you’ll find Vitambi Springs at 28280 Etumakee Way, Clewiston, FL 33440. Once again, do check Google Maps before setting off on your drive as it’s quite out there in the wilderness! It’s around 90 minutes to Miami, Naples, or Fort Lauderdale.
Around two-thirds of this huge site is clothing optional. It offers a range of accommodations, including inn rooms, private cabins, military barracks, plus space for RVs and tents. There’s a pool, a lakeside dock with canoes, a bar, gym, café, ‘Big Oak Lodge’, and plenty of wild deer wandering around. There’s also a regular calendar of events, such as Bad Bear Weekend.
Vitambi Springs Resort
The wild is calling! 28280 Etumakee Wy · Clewiston, FL 33440(863) 983-8488
Website
4. Copper Cactus Ranch in Arizona
Copper Cactus Ranch is a gay men’s retreat for all men over the age of 21.
Nestled in a hidden valley of the Superstition Mountains, it offers bed and breakfast accommodations along with camping facilities. Amenities include a hot tub and pool, BYOB Saloon, full food menu, karaoke, community fire pit, and 40 acres of trails. It’s also clothing optional!
Local attractions include the Tonto National Forest, Hike Peralta Trails, and the town of Superior.
There’s also an airport shuttle service if you’re flying rather than driving to the resort. It hosts regular events, such as a Wellness Weekend and Drum Circle, and ‘Cowboy Fling’ weekend.
Copper Cactus Ranch Men’s Retreat
Clothing optional ranch 4516 N Elephant Butte Rd · Queen Valley, AZ 85118(520) 231-5034
Website
“You get to meet new people and everyone is so nice and very welcoming!” one customer, Cesar Alonso Borey, told GayCities. “They don’t treat you like a stranger even if it’s your first time there. Uncle Bobby and Rich always do their best to make you feel very comfortable! You get to talk to people like we used to! A wonderful, relaxing, fun experience!”
5. Campit Resort in Michigan
Campit Resort bills itself as an “affordable getaway and vacation destination” for the LGBTQ+ community, their friend, and allies. “We are all affirming, with a reputation as a very friendly, welcoming, and safe place to relax and play.”
It offers 33 acres to explore and roam, ten minutes from the towns of Saugatuck and Douglas. The Lake Michigan beaches are also not far away.
Besides space for tents and RVs, 22 log cabins can be rented, plus a five-bedroom bunkhouse. It also offers a clubhouse with regular entertainment, a swimming pool, and nature trails. Themed weekends are aimed at both gay men and lesbians.
Someone who’d visited several times told GayCities he liked it for its range of sleeping options, while nearby Saugatuk is also very gay-friendly and offers several cider mills, breweries, and a winery to visit.
Campit Outdoor Resort
Gay camp for adults! 6635 118th Ave · Fennville, MI 49408(269) 543-4335
Website
6. The Woods Camping Resort in Pennsylvania
Open since 1994 and nestled in the Pocono Mountains, Woods Camping Resort in Lehighton, Pennsylvania, is another of the best LGBTQ+ camping grounds. Set amidst 161 private acres with its streams and a four-acre lake.
You’ll find it open between May and October, with a whole calendar of events to explore and activities from yoga and volleyball. In addition to plenty of space to rent for tents and RVs, it offers 30 cabins and three resort homes.
Events include the annual bears gathering, leather/country weekend, and Christmas in July weekend, among many others. To make a reservation, you’ll need to take out a membership.
The resort’s ethos is simple: less digital interaction and more real-life interaction!
The Woods Camping Resort
16-acres of clothing optional paradise 3500 Forest St · Lehighton, PA 18235(610) 377-9577
Website
“In an era when old methods of meeting people have dwindled, The Woods has risen.”
“At The Woods, you are among like-minded people in an inviting atmosphere that encourages face-to-face interaction. You can choose from a variety of activities and places where you’ll be among real live people! Talking, laughing, dancing, and yes, cruising if you so choose.”
The inclusive resort welcomes everyone from the LGBTQ+ spectrum: “The only people not allowed at The Woods are bullies, racists, fighters, immature jerks, and those who get overly intoxicated.”
7. Triangle Recreation Camp in Washington
Triangle Recreation Camp (47715 Mountain Loop Highway, Granite Falls, WA 98252) in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, 21 miles east of Granite Falls, has a history dating back to 1975.
Situated in a beautiful, extremely rural part of the country, this clothing-optional site tends to pull in visitors from Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia.
It is regarded as the premier “recreational campground that is Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer owned and operated” in the northwest of the US. It’s open from mid-April to October and offers 80 acres to set up your tent or RV.
Triangle Recreation Camp
Riverside LGBTQ+ campground 47715 Mountain Loop Hwy · Granite Falls, WA 98252Website
There’s stunning scenery to enjoy, including a local waterfall, beach, and forests dominated by huge, centuries-old trees.
8. Freedom Valley in Ohio
Freedom Valley is an acclaimed camping ground in Ohio, about 57 miles from both Akron and Cleveland.
It offers a large bunkhouse, a handful of cabins and trailers, plus plenty of space for tents amongst its flowery meadows. It is aimed at “all Men of all backgrounds, sizes, and ages (over 21).” It offers a pool, firepit, plus several themed weekends throughout its summer season.
Freedom Valley Campgrounds
Award-winning gay campground 1875 US-250 · New London, OH 44851(419) 929-8100
Website
In 2017, respondents to a survey in the South Florida Gay News voted Freedom Valley their second favorite campground in the US (behind Sawmill). It’s been praised for its appearance, accommodations, and community atmosphere.
9. Jones Pond in New York
Jones Pond in Angelica, NY, has a history as a gay camping ground going back to 1991. You can choose from a bunkhouse or cabin, while there’s an expansive area to rent space for a tent or RV (175 camping sites!).
An all-day cafe takes care of all your food needs, while there are over 100 acres of rural, Western New York State to explore.
Jones Pond Mens Only Campground & RV Park
Pond, pool and plenty of men 9835 Old State Rd · Angelica, NY 14709(585) 567-8100
Website
Aimed at men aged over 21, it’s clothing optional around the pool area. Like the other sites mentioned here, there are plenty of themed weekends throughout the summer, like an annual Pride celebration and Cowboy Weekend.
10. Camp Camp in Maine
Camp Camp is not a camping ground, but an annual LGBTQ+ camping event that takes place every August in southwestern Maine (45 miles west of Portland, Maine).
It’s been running for over 25 years and routinely attracts around 200 attendees.
Activities include everything from hiking, zip-lining, rock wall climbing, and canoeing to pottery and stained glass workshops. You sleep in bunk beds in cabins named after LGBTQ+ icons like Ellen DeGeneres, Harvey Milk, and Oscar Wilde.
The organizers say that around 75% of those who attend return for at least a second visit: a testimony to the unique and special atmosphere fostered by this inclusive event.
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