50 States, 50 Lakes: A Bucket List of the Best US Lake Camping
Every so often, you come across some internet gold that isn't necessarily viral but is exactly the kind of thing you're into. This week it came from a guy named Mike (@uhohitsbigmike on X) who posted a handwritten note with the caption: "Here's my dad's list of the #1 lake he wants to visit in each state."
One lake per state. Fifty picks. Just his dad's handwriting on a sheet of paper. Shoutout to Mike and his dad, because a list like this is the kind of thing that turns "we should get out more" into actually getting out more.
We're not going to run through all 50 (go zoom in on the original for that). These are the ones that jumped out to us. The ones that we'd like to plan a trip around. With options in all 50 states, odds are a couple sit in your neck of the woods that you can plan a trip around too.
Lake Tahoe - California & Nevada
Tahoe made Mike's list twice, once under California and once under Nevada, which tells you everything. It's a sought-after destination for a reason. It's the deepest alpine lake in the country, ringed by granite peaks, with water so clear you can watch your anchor drop 20 feet. The lake is incredible, and you can find trailheads and mountain-bike lines that start just down the street.
Camp here: D.L. Bliss State Park on the California side sits on one of the best parts of the lake, with sites a short walk from Lester Beach. Next door, Emerald Bay's Eagle Point campground looks down on the most photographed cove in the Sierra.
Why we want to go: The idea of a quiet morning on the beach, an afternoon hike into the alpine, and a nice dinner in town in the evening, all without moving camp, is a unique kind of camping you can't get everywhere.
Flathead Lake - Montana
Flathead is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi, and one of the cleanest big lakes in the country: cold, clear, and rimmed by cherry orchards and Glacier peaks. It's a proper swimming-and-boating lake that never seems to feel crowded.
Camp here: Flathead Lake State Park is split into several campgrounds around the shoreline. Wayfarers near Bigfork is the one for cliffside sunset sites; Big Arm looks straight out at Wild Horse Island and is the only spot on the lake where you can rent a yurt.
Why we want to go: We'd spend a full day out on the water and still be close enough to explore everything that Glacier National Park has to offer. It's also home to some incredible wildlife.
Priest Lake - Idaho
Priest Lake is the payoff for driving a little farther than everyone else: a 19-mile stretch of deep, clear water tucked under the mile-high Selkirks in Idaho's far north, with a smaller "Upper" lake you can reach by paddling a connecting channel. Fishing and kayaking are the main events, and the night sky here is genuinely dark, so it's great for stargazing.
Camp here: Priest Lake State Park has about 150 campsites split between two areas, Indian Creek and Lionhead, plus a few camping cabins for an easy first trip. Indian Creek has hookups and a swim area; Lionhead is the quieter, tent-first spot at the north end.
Why we want to go: It's far enough out to feel like a real escape, but with hookups and cabins on hand, you're not committing to a hardcore backcountry trip to get there.
Lake George - New York
Nicknamed the "Queen of American Lakes," Lake George is a 32-mile Adirondack lake with clear water, mountain backdrops, and something most lakes can't offer: campsites on its own islands. There's a walkable village at the south end for the day you want a burger instead of hot dogs over the fire.
Camp here: New York rents out boat-in campsites right on the lake's islands, spread across three clusters (Long Island, Glen Island, and Narrow Island). Each site is a private slice of shoreline with a fire ring and picnic table. They book up months ahead through ReserveAmerica, so plan early (and note: no pets on the islands).
Why we want to go: If you can get a campsite on one of the islands, it sounds incredible. With a fire ring, a picnic table, and a short boat ride back to the village when someone wants a real meal, this one is right at the top of the list for when we get out east.
Lake of the Ozarks - Missouri
This is the Midwest's big-water playground, a sprawling reservoir with more shoreline than the California coast, built for boats, coves, and long summer weekends. It's less wilderness, more loaded-cooler energy: rent a boat, find a beach, tie up for lunch, and camp within earshot of the water.
Camp here: Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Missouri's largest, has two lakeside campgrounds, boat ramps, and its own swim beaches, so you're never far from the water.
Why we want to go: It has to be near the top of the list for anyone who hasn't been. Tucking into a little cove and spending the whole day on the water sounds hard to beat.
Crater Lake - Oregon
Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States, sitting a thousand feet down inside a collapsed volcano and fed entirely by snow and rain. The blue is almost hard to believe in person. This one's more scenic-drive-and-hike than swim (the water's a cold, long way down), but the 33-mile Rim Drive is one of the best in the country.
Camp here: Mazama Campground is the main basecamp inside the park, a few hundred forested sites a short drive from the rim. You can reserve up to six months out, and it usually opens in mid-June once the snow clears, so book ahead.
Why we want to go: Camping in the pines and walking up to the bluest water in the country ten minutes later is something you have to see in person at least once.
Lake Winnipesaukee - New Hampshire
New Hampshire's biggest lake is a classic New England summer spot: 72 square miles of water dotted with more than 250 islands, framed by the Ossipee and Sandwich mountains, with old-school lake towns like Wolfeboro and Meredith around the edges. Swimming, fishing, and boat-hopping between islands are the main attractions.
Camp here: For a drive-up spot, Ellacoya State Park has a 600-foot sand beach on the southwest shore (note: its campground is RV-only). For the real experience, boat out to a rustic island site like Bear Island and camp with the water on all sides.
Why we want to go: Camping on one of the islands is the dream. Waking up with the mountains in the distance and a whole lake to explore on the boat.
Lake Powell - Utah
Lake Powell is a bit of a wild card on the list: a desert reservoir winding for nearly 200 miles through red-rock canyons on the Utah/Arizona line. You camp on sand, under sandstone walls, with slot canyons and hidden coves to explore by boat or kayak. Nothing else here looks remotely like it.
Camp here: Lone Rock Beach is the standout: a first-come primitive area in Wahweap Bay where you drive right onto the sand and pitch your tent at the water's edge beneath the Lone Rock formation (4WD helps near the shoreline). It's cheap, open year-round, and unforgettable.
Why we want to go: There aren't too many places you can drive right onto the sand to camp. Waking up right on the beach and spending a few days exploring the lake and slot canyons would be an incredible experience.
Why a List Like This Is Worth Chasing
Here's the thing we liked about Mike's dad's list: it's a map. Not the sentimental kind, a practical one. Fifty lakes, one per state, and every one is a reason to load the car, grab a couple of friends or the family, and go see a part of the country you'd otherwise drive past.
And that's really why we're writing this. We haven't been to any of these yet, but the list turned "we should get out more" into an actual shortlist. That's the appeal of camping in a nutshell: you start with the closest lake, knock out the one a couple of states over, and before long you're planning the Idaho or Montana trip you never would've considered.
We'll try to visit as many of these lakes as we can. If you've got your own version of this list, or you've actually camped at any of these and can tell us where to point the car, we'd love to hear it.