Go Camping Near These Easy Hiking Trails
5 Easy Hiking Trails Near RV Parks
With spring on the horizon, it’s time to start planning your next RV trips! If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to get outside and explore new places, you might want to check out some of the easy hiking trails across the country. Not everyone is ready for an extreme mountaineering adventure, but there are plenty of beautiful beginner-friendly hikes that will help you enjoy the outdoors.
Those who travel in RVs are lucky because there are tons of wonderful RV parks and campgrounds that are situated right next to hiking hotspots. No matter what level you hike at, there’s guaranteed to be a great place for you to set up camp nearby.
Below, we’ve selected five easy hiking trails that are fantastic for any skill level. Some are longer and gentler, while others are short but a bit steep. But all of them showcase beautiful vistas and give you the chance to enjoy the local plants and animals in the places you visit. Check out the list below and start planning for your next trip!
1. Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Park
- Location: Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
- Approximate trail length: 101 miles (but it’s easy to pick up anywhere)
It’s pretty intimidating to look at that 101-mile trail length, but this trail isn’t nearly as scary as it seems. The Appalachian Trail winds through 14 different states in the northeastern part of the country. There are several easy sections that you can complete during the day.
Although you can hop in on the trail just about anywhere, a particularly notable stretch is located in the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. This state is absolutely gorgeous and is covered in deciduous forests, scenic waterfalls, and winding rivers. The Appalachian Mountains are fairly gentle slopes, so you won’t need to bring a lot of climbing gear if you want to travel this trail.
Because the trail is so long and winding, there are countless RV parks and campgrounds dotted along its path. It’s the epitome of enjoying the journey, not the destination, although there are some beautiful landmarks that you can travel to if you do want a payoff for your hike.
Highly-rated RV parks in the area
- Spacious Skies Campgrounds – Shenandoah Views: 9/10 average rating
- Endless Caverns Resort: 8.6/10 average rating
- Shenandoah Valley Campground: 8.4/10 average rating
2. Bernard Mountain Loop Trail
- Location: Acadia National Park, Maine
- Approximate trail length: 4.1 miles, round trip
There’s only one national park located in Maine, but it’s well worth a visit! This hike is considered to be somewhat of a hidden gem, and it’s possible that you won’t see another person while you’re there. The hike itself is easy/moderate, and it’s a nice loop so you’ll always be able to see new things along the route.
This trail is always open, so you can enjoy it anytime you’re in the area. It’s a great hike for birding, so make sure you bring your binoculars and camera so you can get some pictures of the local wildlife. Hiking and biking are both permitted on this trail, so there are different ways you can enjoy it.
Maine is a beautiful state, and the area that contains this trail is largely untouched. You can enjoy the beauty of natural hardwood forests and mossy boulders. The trail itself even goes through a carved-out boulder at one point, so look forward to that!
Highly-rated RV parks in the area
- Timberland Acres RV Park: 8.6/10 average rating
- Bar Harbor / Oceanside KOA Holiday: 8.2/10 average rating
- Narrows Too Camping Resort: 8/10 average rating
3. Hoh River Trail Hike
- Location: Olympic National Park, Washington
- Approximate trail length: 6 miles, round trip
Washington is another state with a stunning mixture of mountains, forests, and ocean. The Olympic National Park is home to hundreds of hiking and biking trails. But not all hikes are created equal! There are some real doozies around this area that definitely cannot be called easy hiking trails. However, the Hoh River Trail Hike is a pretty calm route that will showcase the natural beauty of this area.
If you prefer winding forest trails instead of steep mountain climbs, this is an ideal hike for you. There are hardly any elevation changes, so you can simply trek along and take in the beauty of the forests and lakes. If you’ve hit your stride and want to keep going, there’s an optional extension that will take you up a mountain and add 11 miles to the trip. But for those who just want a nice relaxing hike, you can stick with the six-mile round trip and still have a wonderful experience.
I personally love flat trails like this. There’s no shortage of hiking opportunities in this area, so even if this trail doesn’t call to you, there’s guaranteed to be another option nearby.
Highly-rated RV parks in the area
- Salish Seaside RV Haven: 9.2/10 average rating
- Gilgal Oasis RV Park: 9.1/10 average rating
- Salt Creek Recreation Area: 8.7/10 average rating
4. Chautauqua Trail, Chautauqua Park
- Location: Boulder, Colorado
- Approximate trail length: 1.2 miles, out and back
Sometimes you just need a hike that’s short and sweet. If this is the case, the Chautauqua Trail is one of the best easy hiking trails in the country! This is one of the most popular hikes in the city of Boulder because it cuts through gorgeous fields of grasses and wildflowers. Along the way, you can admire the Flatirons, which rise up in the distance.
If you like to learn a little something when you travel, this hike is also ideal for you. There are educational signs and plaques along the trail that can teach you about the history and the native wildlife of this region.
Although this hike is quite short, there isn’t much shade along the path. If you decide to travel on a sunny day, it can get pretty hot, so plan accordingly. Sunscreen, hats, and water bottles are necessities for this particular trail. It’s worth the effort though!
Highly-rated RV parks in the area
- Timberview Lakes Campground: 9.6/10 average rating
- Riverfront Park Campground: 9.1/10 average rating
- Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site-Campground: 8.2/10 average rating
5. North Vista Trail Hike
- Location: Black Canyon, Colorado
- Approximate trail length: 3 miles, round trip
Finally, we have one more Colorado hike to add to the list. This state is famous for its mountains and ski slopes, so it makes sense that it has some of the best hikes in the world. Luckily, the North Vista Trail Hike gives you gorgeous views without a lot of effort. The main attraction of this hike is the deep canyons. From above, you can gaze down into some of the deepest drops in the world.
Visitors can also check out the Painted Wall, which is a steep cliff that was carved out by the Gunnison River. This hike can give you vertigo with these dramatic canyons, but that’s what makes it so popular. As an added bonus, it’s nice and short, coming in at a three-mile round trip. For many people, this is a perfect length.
Highly-rated RV parks in the area
- Palisades Senior RV Park: 9.6/10 average rating
- Gunnison KOA Journey: 8.6/10 average rating
- Thousand Trails Blue Mesa Recreational Ranch: 7/10 average rating
Start planning your trip
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