Clear skies for camping and some awesome outdoor views ...
Photo by: Constantin Jurcut (Stock Exchange)

Welcome to AllCampgrounds!

It seems like just yesterday we were talking about national parks and camp grounds being shuttered during a threatened government shutdown.

That was back at the beginning of the camping season, and things have sure turned around since then: June 1 marks the start of National Great Outdoors Month, and all campsites around the country, including state and national camp grounds, are chugging along.

AllCampgrounds is doing its part with some great info for campers.

Heed the Call of the Wild for Less, advises MSBNC, with this piece on high-quality, low-cost camping opportunities around the country. It also breaks the news about the latest campaign from the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, providing plenty of great incentives to get people out on the trail. The goal? Helping younger folks enjoy the camping season alongside RV campers, who tend to be more mature. It’s official, everyone is trying to enjoy more of the outdoors! The Democrat and Chronicle puts it this way: Camping, Albeit Not Roughing It, Proves Recession Proof.

The Great Smoky Mountains are among the most popular camping destinations year around, and lend their name to one of the top national parks. If you’re on your way there, check out 10 Things to See and Do in the Smokies. You can also find plenty of posts about the Smokies here on the AllCampgrounds blog, including important reminders about bear safety and what to do if you encounter one. Remember, the whole Smoky Mountains area is bear country, and they were there first!

The Bellingham Herald in Washington state wants you to know about the area’s great RV camping and tent camping opportunities, including a variety of camp grounds that have been recently renovated and expanded: The Mid-Columbia Tri-City Herald, which serves Kennewick, Pasco, and Rickland, Washington, is also in on the act: Plenty of Adventure Available Close to Home. And if you’ve been wondering exactly when you can say that camping season has officially started, well, it happened in Canada on May 20th: Camping Season Gets Going Today with a long weekend.

If you’re like me, you might wonder where all these official Months and Days actually come from. Well, when you go camping this June you’re actually a part of history, as this is the second-ever Great Outdoors Month, with the original presidential proclamation May 28, 2010. Here’s a quick list of private camp grounds offering special discounts in celebration of the month, all of them close to prime state and national camp grounds. You may also be interested in GetOutdoorsUSA! — the campaign for a National Get Outdoors Day (celebrated on June 14th, smack dab in the middle of the month.)