\n
At the 11 campgrounds with saunas below, your camping days can be about not just adventure, but recovery. Though many sit near excellent recreation opportunities, there\u2019s no need to spend every day packing on the miles hiking or paddling. Instead, you can spend a leisurely afternoon in a DIY-Nordic spa experience \u2014 or spend an evening soaking while you sit under a blanket of stars. <\/p>\n
These are the best places to pitch a tent this summer if you\u2019re all about communing with nature, and <\/em>all about soothing sore hiking muscles. <\/p>\nSnow Peak Campfield, Washington<\/h2>\nPhoto: Snow Peak Campfield<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nCampsites from: $79\/night<\/li>\n Open: Year-round<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThe name Snow Peak may sound familiar to anyone with high-end camping gear (or who has sprung for the brand\u2019s famous camping French press). The Japanese outdoor brand opened a campground in Washington (which it calls a \u201ccampfield\u201d) in 2024, and it feels more like a trendy, design-forward outdoor experience than your average campground. The property blends minimalist aesthetics with a strong focus on community, offering everything from standard tent sites to fully outfitted setups with the brand\u2019s signature tents and camp furniture already set up for you.<\/p>\n
Guests can also take advantage of the on-site Ofuro Spa, inspired by Japanese design principles and onsen culture. The complex includes an open-air hot soaking tub, a cold-plunge pool, and a wood-fired sauna tucked into the coastal forest. It\u2019s not just an add-on amenity \u2014 it\u2019s part of the brand\u2019s philosophy, designed to help campers slow down and connect with the environment. There\u2019s also a big camp store with plenty of Snow Peak gear and a cafe with morning coffee service and afternoon happy hour. It was rated one of TIME Magazine\u2019s \u201cWorld\u2019s Greatest Places 2024,\u201d so it\u2019s definitely attracting attention.<\/p>\n
Lake Pemaquid Campground, Maine<\/h2>\n\nCampsites from: $40\/night<\/li>\n Open: Mid-May-early Oct<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nLake Pemaquid is a bit like a summer camp for all ages, with a huge lake, a swimming pool, tennis courts, a skatepark, and regular evening events like movie showings and live music. But it has something your average summer camp usually doesn\u2019t offer: a sauna, located just steps from several outdoor hot tubs. It\u2019s a huge campground so you can almost always get a last-minute site, and weekly rates start at just $250.<\/p>\n
Lake Pemaquid is about an hour and a half north of Portland and two hours south of Bar Harbor, so it makes a great place to hang out for a few days of classic lakeside vacationing if you\u2019re road tripping through Maine. There\u2019s a marina on site, so you can spend the morning paddling around the coast and late afternoon soothing those sore shoulder muscles with a relaxing sauna session.<\/p>\n
Desolation Hotel Hope Valley, California<\/h2>\nPhoto: Desolation Hotel Hope Valley<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nCampsites from: $49\/night<\/li>\n Open: May-October<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nLake Tahoe can get fairly crowded in the summer, but nearby Hope Valley, just 30 minutes or so south of South Lake Tahoe, is one of the places in-the-know campers go to beat the crowds. Desolation Hotel Hope Valley is the new, reimagined version of a historic hotel in California\u2019s Hope Valley, surrounded by pines and hiking trails into the hills. Because Tahoe usually gets so much snow in the winter, the hotel\u2019s campground sites are usually only open between late May and early October, but cabins and other rooms are available year-round.<\/p>\n
The hotel has plenty of useful amenities, like snowshoe rentals and an on-site restaurant, but hikers may appreciate the roomy wood-fired sauna most of all. The resort describes it as a \u201ctimeless, organic experience that benefits the body and allows you to connect with the earth\u2019s natural elements.\u201d It\u2019s available for all guests, so there\u2019s no extra cost to use it, even if you\u2019re pitching a tent at one of the resort\u2019s fairly affordable tent sites, rather than staying in a luxe cabin.<\/p>\n
Mukwah Camping, Alberta, Canada<\/h2>\n\nCampsites from: $20 CAD\/night per tent (about $15)<\/li>\n Open: May-October<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nMukwah Campground sits deep in the foothills of Alberta along the Panther River, and feels more like a backcountry basecamp than a traditional campground. It\u2019s run by a guided rafting trip outfitter, so the whole setup has an adventure vibe. Sites are simple and surrounded by trees, close to hiking trails, and offer easy access to paddling put-in spots.<\/p>\n
After a day or two of rafting, you can spend a few nights in the wilderness \u2014 and spend a few afternoons chilling in the wood-fired sauna next to the river. The set-up is ideal for a makeshift Nordic spa situation, since the river stays reliably chilly all year. The sauna is shared and low-key, making Mukwah a great spot for anyone who wants a remote, affordable camping experience, but isn\u2019t quite willing to totally give up their favorite spa amenity. It\u2019s about 2.5 hours from Calgary, making it easy to fit in a weekend camping or rafting trip.<\/p>\n
Maple Grove Springs, Idaho<\/h2>\nPhoto: Maple Grove<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nCampsites from: $80\/night, with Tue and Thu discounts<\/li>\n Open: April\/May-October, weather dependent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nMaple Grove Hot Springs in southeastern Idaho isn\u2019t just a campground that happens to have a wellness feature \u2014 it\u2019s more of a hot springs and wellness resort that happens to have camping. It covers 45 acres along the Bear River with pools set along the water looking out on the surrounding cliffs.<\/p>\n
What really sets it apart, though, is the Scandi-style, wood-fired sauna, with available sessions running into the afternoon and evening. While you can use it on its own, it\u2019s meant to be part of a cold-therapy cycle, moving between the river, the hot springs, and the sauna in scheduled blocks. The sauna is communal and quiet, with a ban on phones and music to keep the atmosphere focused on relaxation and mindfulness. In terms of camping, you can choose from one of three walk-in sites with great views, or book one of the two campervan sites also available.<\/p>\n
Roam Basecamp, Wisconsin<\/h2>\n\nCampsites from: $35\/night<\/li>\n Open: Year-round<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nROAM Adventure Basecamp in northern Wisconsin is basically built for people who want to spend all day outside and not deal with any logistics. It sits near the CAMBA trail network, so you can roll out of your tent or cabin and immediately be on miles of singletrack (or cross-country ski and fatbiking trails in the winter).<\/p>\n
While access to Wisconsin\u2019s great outdoors is the main draw, the wood-fired, Finnish-style sauna is a nice plus. While the campground isn\u2019t luxurious, it is convenient, with everything well laid-out and available cabins in case you don\u2019t feel like pitching your own tent. Note that the campground is open year-round, but the campsites usually operate between late spring and late fall. You\u2019ll need to book a cabin if you\u2019re planning on winter adventures, which start around $149 per night.<\/p>\n
Wasatch Mountain State Park, Utah<\/h2>\nPhoto: Wasatch Mountain Sauna<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nCampsites from: $25\/night<\/li>\n Open: Pine Creek is open-year round, other sections scale back in the winter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWhy spring for a fancy camping resort when you can just use a state park campground with a sauna? Wasatch Mountain State Park is your average public campground in some ways, but it has one luxe feature anyone can use: a fully automated on-site sauna from Wasatch Mountain Saunas. The campground is in the Heber Valley, with everything from golf courses to Nordic cross-country trails spread across nearly 23,000 acres. Camping is centered around the Pine Creek area, where you\u2019ll find a mix of tent and RV sites.<\/p>\n
But what really makes it unique among state parks is the new-ish addition of the Wasatch Mountain Sauna \u2014 and it\u2019s surprisingly modern. Instead of being staffed, you\u2019ll reserve a time slot and pay online, which will send a private entry code to your phone. Use the code to let yourself in, and you\u2019ve got access to a campground sauna just steps from your campsite. There\u2019s also an outdoor cold plunge, shower, and deck area for cooling down between sessions. It\u2019s a rare and welcome amenity for a state campground, especially given how affordable the tent sites are. Private sauna sessions are $199 for a group, or you can book a shared slot for $26 per person.<\/p>\n
Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa, Colorado<\/h2>\n\nCampsites from: $85\/night<\/li>\n Open: April-October for tent camping<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThis campground in Colorado is focused more on wellness than camping, with plenty of spa-focused amenities you don\u2019t expect to see at most campgrounds. In addition to a lodge and private casita, it also has yurts, teepees, and camp and RV sites set in a wide valley with views of the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo mountains. It has multiple pools, all fed by natural hot springs and ranging between 98 degrees and 108 degrees Fahrenheit. There\u2019s also a cold plunge, big decks with fire pits, and stargazing pools so you can watch the cosmos while soothing sore muscles. Add in the dry sauna, and it\u2019s not surprising it\u2019s so highly rated.<\/p>\n
In addition to the camping and soaking facilities, Joyful Journey also has a full menu of spa services ranging from massages to reflexology treatments. Drop-in rates for soaking privileges are fairly reasonable, at $18 for adults, but full use of the facilities is included if you spend the night.<\/p>\n
West Glacier KOA, Montana<\/h2>\nPhoto: West Glacier KOA<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nCampsites from: $65\/night<\/li>\n Open: May 1-Oct 15<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWest Glacier KOA Resort is a campground that feels less like roughing it and more like a budget-friendly outdoor resort just minutes from Glacier National Park. It sits near the west entrance to the park, providing a convenient place to stay where you can hike all day, then come back to amenities you wouldn\u2019t normally associate with a campground. That includes not just roomy tent sites, but rentable cabins and an on-site cafe and espresso bar. Better still, after a long day in the park, you can return to your campsite and soothe your sore leg muscles in one of the adults-only saunas (as well as the outdoor pool or roomy hot tubs). Throughout the summer, the KOA also hosts events, likre evening music, tie-dye parties, pop-up food trucks, and more.<\/p>\n
Saddle Mountain, California<\/h2>\n\nCampsites from: $70\/night<\/li>\n Open: Year-round<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nSaddle Mountain in Carmel, California, is probably the most luxurious entry on this list, making it appealing for campers who want luxury amenities just steps from their tent. While it does have luxury cabins and tents akin to an AutoCamp-style resort, it has standard walk-in and drive-in campsites, too.<\/p>\n
From the property, you can access hiking trails with views of Big Sur and the Pacific Ocean, or just hang out and play lawn games all afternoon. There\u2019s an outdoor pool, but there\u2019s also a dry sauna for guests \u2014 ideal for when the coastal fog rolls in and you need a cozy way to spend the afternoon. That said, it does tend to be mostly sunny as it sits a few miles inland, close to Carmel\u2019s wineries and tasting rooms. You\u2019ll also be just a quick drive from both Monterey and the stunning Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.<\/p>\n
Surf Grove, British Columbia<\/h2>\nPhoto: Surf Grove Tofino\/@highfive.to.happiness<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nCampsites from: $89 CAD\/night (about $65)<\/li>\n Open: Year-round<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nSurf Grove Tofino is less about roughing it and more about a high-end camping experience near one of Vancouver Island\u2019s most popular oceanfront towns. It sits just a short walk from Cox Bay in Tofino, a town very popular with everyone from storm-watchers to surfers, and mixes the outdoors with convenient amenities like beachfront access and on-site bike and surf rentals.<\/p>\n
When it comes to campgrounds with saunas, it\u2019s hard to beat the experience of sitting in a cedar barrel sauna after a brisk Pacific surf session or mist-covered hike through the rainforest. It feels like a truly unique experience, with the wild terrain of Tofino steps away but the luxury of being able to go from campground to ocean to sauna and back again as many times as you\u2019d like. Use of the sauna isn\u2019t included in the cost to camp there, but you can rent it by the hour, starting at $100 CAD (about $73). It may sound a little steep, but you can fit a crew of up to six in each one. Even if it\u2019s just two people, it\u2019s probably worth it, as the saunas have a glass wall looking out onto the rainforest.<\/p>\n
When it\u2019s time to sleep, Surf Grove Tofino\u2019s tent sites have Wi-Fi, fire pits, nearby bathrooms, electricity hook ups, and private picnic tables.
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