Private campgrounds can be crowded
There are thousands of campgrounds across the United States, and they generally breakdown into two major categories, public and private. Public campgrounds comprise the vast majority of available sites and include the big national parks and forests, individual state lands, and even your local city or county parks. Private campgrounds range from large national chains, like Kampgrounds of America (KOA), to individually owned sites. Some private campgrounds, like Thousand Trails, are open to members only and not the general public.
Public vs. private campgrounds
Making broad generalizations about campgrounds, even those within the same system, is dangerous, but there are some observations that are generally true:
- Public campgrounds tend to offer larger and more secluded campsites than private campgrounds
- Private campgrounds tend of offer more modern conveniences, like electricity, stores and laundry facilities, than public campgrounds
