The 2 Worst States to Go Camping in Your RV
Camper vans have been growing in popularity in recent years, as they’re an excellent way for folks to explore the country and enjoy the great outdoors. However, while America is a large country with a lot of camping options, some states are better options than others to camp in. Here’s a look at what a new study says are the two worst states to go camping in an RV.
A look at how this RV study came to its conclusions
Lawn Love conducted this study, looking at 25 different criteria for judging all 50 states. Those 25 criteria were separated into five categories: access, quality, supplies, safety, and affordability. Not all criteria were judged the same, and the more important criteria were given extra weight.
For example, the number of campgrounds was the most crucial criterion in the access category, and it had a weight of four. Most other measures simply had a weight of one. Since there were 25 criteria, the researchers could look at various aspects in terms of camping in the state. For instance, in terms of safety, the researchers looked at how many deaths happened at parks and the state’s cell phone coverage.
This year, California was named the best state to go camping in with an RV. The Golden State had an overall score of 67.59. It led the nation in terms of quality and access and was in second place regarding supplies. However, the state was in last place in terms of safety, and it was 47th for affordability.
These are the 2 worst states to go camping in your RV
At the other end of the spectrum, the study named Rhode Island the second-worst state to go camping in with an RV. The Ocean State had an overall score of 24.04. It didn’t do well in any category; in fact, it was near the bottom in three. Rhode Island came in at 48th in terms of access; it was in last place for quality and was ranked 43rd for supplies. However, the state was ranked 29th for safety and 30th for affordability.
The worst state to go camping in an RV with is North Dakota. It had an overall score of 23.77 and was near the bottom in four categories. On top of that, the Peace Garden State was in last place in two categories: the access and affordability categories. It ranked 48th in terms of quality and 47th for supplies. However, North Dakota is the safest state to camp in since it was ranked first nationwide.
It’s just a study, and you can still go camping in those 2 states
While the researchers used a lot of objective data, such as the average RV rental costs or how many acres of national parks there are, at the end of the day, the study isn’t perfect. For example, in the quality category, the researchers looked at campground reviews. Those reviews can be faked or inaccurate. It also looked at the number of campgrounds, and larger states will probably have more.
Objectively speaking, Rhode Island and North Dakota don’t have many campsites, and in Rhode Island’s case, it doesn’t have much parkland either. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to camp in an RV in those two states. It also doesn’t mean campers will have a bad time in those states. If you want to go camping in Rhode Island or North Dakota, then it’s entirely possible to do that and have a good time.
