Three Out of Four Campers have Camped with their Vehicle – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
PORTLAND, Ore. –The topic of camping usually evokes images of campfires and tents, but new data shows that most campers are partial to keys and a set of wheels, according to a release. The Dyrt – a camping app that includes state and national park campgrounds, RV parks, glamping and free campsites, along with millions of user-generated campground reviews — has found that three out of four campers have camped in or next to their vehicle at some point in their camping journey, proving that vehicles are central to camping.
These statistics are from the 2025 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks, the most comprehensive look at the latest trends, topics and figures for the U.S. camping industry, the release continued. The latest version of The Dyrt’s annual report is compiled from the results of surveys conducted with three groups — thousands of members of The Dyrt camper community, a representative sample of U.S. residents, and camping property managers across all 50 states.
According to the survey results, 53.4% of campers say their preferred type of camping involves a vehicle such as an RV, trailer or camper van. Half of all campers have owned a trailer (49.6%) at some point in their lives, 32.2% have owned an RV and 20.3% have owned a camper van. Slightly more than half of respondents (50.6%) say they bought a camper van, RV or trailer within the last five years. Additionally, when survey respondents were asked how much they were willing to spend on a new rig, the average dollar amount was $58,331.
“Look around any campground and you’ll see a wide price range and variety of sizes of camping vehicle,” The Dyrt founder Sarah Smith wrote in the report. “Camper vans are increasingly decked out with amenities that provide an RV-like experience that can fit in a traditional parking spot. Our van has been back and forth across the country many times since 2021!”
Vehicle campers have a specific list of priorities for what they look for in a campsite. Electric hookups are easily at the top, with 52.3% indicating that is the most important amenity. Next up is a water station (13.2%), sewer hookup (10.3%) and knowing the pull-thru length (8.9%).
For RVers, it’s important to know that roughly one in five camping properties (18.7%) has an age limitation on the RVs allowed on premises. Of those with restrictions, the average age limit for an RV is 12 years old.
When it comes to passenger vehicles primarily tasked with the function of transportation to and from the campground, 53.3% of campers say a truck is the ideal vehicle for camping. That was followed by an SUV at 38.6%. More than half of campers surveyed said they planned to buy a vehicle in the next five years, and 10.3% are planning to buy one by the end of 2025.
Farm campers are the group that is most likely to identify vehicle camping as their primary camping type: 51.4% of people who camp at farms prefer RVs and trailers compared to 45.1% of campers overall; that ratio is 13.6% to 8.3% for camper vans.
About The Dyrt
The Dyrt is the only camping app that has it all: state and national park campgrounds, RV parks, glamping, and free campsites, along with millions of user-generated campground reviews. With The Dyrt PRO, campers get comprehensive free camping tools, reservations at sold-out campgrounds, advanced route planning and maps, as well as discounts on camping. The Dyrt’s 2025 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks and informed by the largest online camping community is the leading source of information for the camping industry.
