An RV Tour of America's Northern National Parks

One of the best ways to spend a family vacation is to visit one of America’s national parks. In fact, the great American road trip is one of the most iconic vacations, and it is even more iconic in an RV. However, because of deep winter conditions, many of the country’s national parks are only open in the warm summer months. For this reason, there can often be a short window from which people can visit the majority of these beautiful parks, making them very popular tourist attractions. In fact, parks such as Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park collectively receive nearly 10 million visitors per year. Because of the current coronavirus pandemic, it may be best to stay away from the most crowded parks and visit some of the lesser-known ones. Below, we have compiled a list of five beautiful, summer-only national parks and some things you can enjoy there, as well as some RV camping options. Continue along to read about each park and decide which you would like to visit.

1. Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale National Park is located on an island in the middle of the northern section of Lake Superior. Because it is only accessible via boat, ferry, or seaplane, it is significantly less trafficked than many other parks. However, what it lacks in visitors, it surely makes up for in beauty and solitude. Here, guests can enjoy a variety of excellent activities, most of which are centered around the great lake. These include boating, canoeing and kayaking, hiking, fishing, and even scuba diving. This year, because of the pandemic, ferries to the island have been closed. However, you can still reach it by seaplane or private boat. Because the park is located on a remote island, there is no RV camping within park boundaries. However, the island is commonly accessed via three towns bordering Lake Superior, and these towns have plenty of campground and RV parks available to RVers. Whether you plan to stay in Duluth, Grand Marais, Thunder Bay, Houghton, or any other nearby town, you can easily find excellent camping to return to after a beautiful day in the park.

2. Voyageurs National Park

Located in the North Woods of Minnesota, Voyageurs is an intricate maze of waterways that borders Canada. This water-based park is best in the summer months, as the weather sits at below zero degrees for the majority of the rest of the year. Popular summer activities include canoeing and kayaking, hiking, and scuba diving. Many of the hiking trails are only accessible via boat, so you may want to bring your own canoe or kayak along. In the summer months, the Aurora Borealis is often visible. There are also lots of unique plants and animals to observe.For RV camping purposes, there are no campsites located directly within the national park. However, there are various campsites in the areas outside the park. Campsites can be found in Kabetogama, Ash River, and the Superior National Forest.