There’s nothing more frustrating than pulling into a campsite and discovering it’s completely off-kilter. If you’re tired of parking on crooked parking aprons, try visiting any of the 450-plus Army Corps of Engineers RV Campgrounds around the U.S. this summer. Here’s why they’re among the best you’ll find on the road.
Eastbank Campground, Jim Woodruff Dam, Georgia. Image: COE
“We’ve never been to one that wasn’t very clean, very spacious, often water-front sites,” says iRV2 member bamaboy473. The U.S. Army Corps know how to build a great campground. After all, these are the engineers who plan, design, build and maintain most of our nation’s major public works projects like locks and dams, flood control waterways, hydro-electric power systems and more.
The Corps of Engineers (COE) has a long history. It dates back to 1779 and in addition to the long list of public works projects it oversees, the COE is the biggest outdoor recreation provider in the U.S. Each year the Corps’ projects have more than 368 million visits to 4,485 sites at 423 different facilities, including 383 major lakes and reservoirs.
If you fish, boat or just enjoy camping near water, you’ll love COE RV campgrounds. “Almost all of them are on large bodies of water. In my opinion, they are extremely well maintained with large campsites,” says iRV2 member Mr. Nice Guy. He’s right. COE RV campgrounds are mostly dust-free because they’re built with paved roads and concrete parking pads. You won’t find full-hookups at most campsites, but basic amenities usually include water and electricity hookups.
“We LOVE COE parks. In fact, we are in one right now. And we were in one last week. And we will be in a different one in a couple of weeks,” says COE enthusiast chindog in a Corps of Engineers iRV2 Forums Discussion.
How to find COE campgrounds
Watsadler Campground on Hartwell Lake, Georgia. Image: COE
You’ll need to dig to get info about COE RV campsites, but the rewards are worth the effort. “We are retired, and have the senior pass card. We normally pay anywhere from $6-$15 per night, usually around $10-12,” chindog says.
Kick off your RV trip planning research by doing the following:
Choose your Army Corps of Engineers District. Click on any of the seven North American districts to choose your destination. Then select the green “Parks and Recreation” icon on the right side of your page for details about public campgrounds managed by the COE.
Go to Recreation.gov, which features the largest inventory of federal land in America. You can search several ways including state names, zip codes, and facility. You’ll find a comprehensive list of COE RV campground features like natural features, recreation opportunities, and campground details. Most COE RV campgrounds listed at Recreation.gov also feature great photos to give you a better feel for the location.
Purchase the book “Camping With the Corps of Engineers: The Complete Guide to Campgrounds Built and Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers” by Don Wright. Billing itself as “the complete guide to campgrounds built and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” this Amazon Kindle (or paperback) book has all the details about COE RV campsites around the U.S. You’ll find complete descriptions of facilities, amenities and directions to each campground.
Chances are good that you’re a short drive away from great camping at any of the COE projects around the U.S. You might enjoy camping there so much that you’ll want to volunteer as a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers workamper.
See also: 10 Scenic COE Campgrounds With Beautiful Water Views
Rene Agredano and her husband, Jim Nelson, became full-time RVers in 2007 and have been touring the country ever since. In her blog, Rene chronicles the ins and outs of the full-timing life and brings readers along to meet the fascinating people and amazing places they visit on the road. Her road trip adventures are chronicled in her blog at LiveWorkDream.com.
We live in area to have 3 good CORP campgrounds in ILLINOIS: Lake Shelbyville, Carlyle Lake and Rend Lake. Recommend all three highly.
We were at Rend Lake last week and it was extremely well maintained and as usual, a great experience there. We will always try to make an effort to park at a COE campground.
My hubby and I spent some time at Damn West at Carlisle Lake last month. beautiful campground well maintained bathrooms and friendly campers ! We will visit there again !
Sheila Meyer we need a spot for 10 days mar 6 thru mar 15.
We would like to know if your open all year and if you need any volunteers we volunteer for the army corps in Ohio and we love it and we’re looking for some were in the winter
We just spent several days at Isaac Creek in the Claiborne Lake District. We’ve fell in love with it and we’re impressed with all the improvements since our first visit nearly five years ago. Wonderful place. Will be heading back very soon!
We just spent several days at Isaac Creek in the Claiborne Lake District. We’ve fell in love with it and we’re impressed with all the improvements since our first visit nearly five years ago. Wonderful place. Will be heading back very soon!
I’m at a COE campground right now. Oologah lake Oklahoma. Great CG. Well managed, spacious sites and beautiful. Oklahoma has many great COE CG’s.
Great tip, Tom. We’ll have to check out CoE parks in OK. Thanks!
We love to camp at Thomson Causeway in Thomson, Illinois. It’s right on the Mississippi.
Great info…
Does my senior citizen national park pass give me a discount at Coe campgrounds?
Sure it does, 50% discount up to 14 Days stay at most CoE parks.
No you have to buy their senior pass for coe campgrounds
We are looking to buy a 5th wheel would like to know your length you allow. We have an F250 Ford super cab. For the core of engineer
We absolutely love EASTBANK Coe located in Chattahoochee, Georgia. A really steep hill down into the campground, just be careful. Nice large sites, many with waterfront and water views. Clean bathrooms and showers. Has a boat ramp for lake fishing. Two dump stations. Water and electric only. 14 day stay.
We live in Knoxville Iowa, we have 5 parks here. Our favorite is Whitebreast. There is also Howell station below Red Rock Dam. All sites are spacious and parks are very clean.
Do you get a Veteran discount or any other discounts ? How can I get a list of campgrounds?
Where can I purchase a senior pass to corps of engineer campgrounds and a book or guide to the campgrounds?
Where do we get a list of COE campgrounds in Pa. Thanks
We purchased our COE pass at one of their camping grounds (but I believe you can contact the reservation office and purchase through mail. We got our Book ordered at a book store: “Books A Million” (I bet “Barns and Noble” has it too)
We camp at Hernando Point, Hernando, MS as often as possible. It is the best campground in the MS area and the volunteers are wonderful. They keep everything so clean and organized it makes camping a pleasant experience every time. I would love to see this campground get the recognition it deserves. We go to other campgrounds occasionally just to venture out a little but keep coming back to our favorite – Hernando Point, Hernando, MS. No others compare in the cleanliness and beauty. Thank you for keeping this campground open and as beautiful as ever. Our hearts would be broken if it ever closed. Thank you, Happy Camper!
We have just left Ives run COE campground in Tioga PA after 14 days. It was wonderful. This park has all FHU on about 70% of the park, about 20% have w/e and 10% are dry camping and tent sites although we could get into a couple of them with our 40’ fiver. All streets paved as well as the pads except going out to the tenting area. Hosts and work campers very nice. Camper store and laundry could use a face lift though. We would go back in a flash if we are in the area. Lovely place. Great fishing!
We have just left Ives run COE campground in Tioga PA after 14 days. It was wonderful. This park has all FHU on about 70% of the park, about 20% have w/e and 10% are dry camping and tent sites although we could get into a couple of them with our 40’ fiver. All streets paved as well as the pads except going out to the tenting area. Hosts and work campers very nice. Camper store and laundry could use a face lift though. We would go back in a flash if we are in the area. Lovely place. Great fishing! With our senior pass it was $20/night for FHU
Do most of these have dump stations. Would a transfer on wheels be needed?
Never use COE campgrounds. It is a secret that should be hidden from the masses. Just because they are some of the finest RV campgrounds you can find. One of the few things the government does correctly.
There are a lot of COE campgrounds that are great, but there are quite a few that we stayed at which are older and in need of some TLC. Not all are paved but are gravel and sites can be narrow. Don’t get us wrong…we love the COE campgrounds but your article implies that they are all paved and have concrete pads which some older ones do not.
You lost me at the first paragraph when you use the word spacious….
Just returned from Lake Shelbyville,stayed at the Forest “Bo” Woods camp ground its beautiful, quite now that the kids are back in school this is one of the few that has a full hookup for $12
For the COE campgrounds that do not use recreation.gov (example Ocean Pond campground in FL) to pay for a campsite, how do you pay for a site? Is there a kiosk at the campground?
If you stay for two weeks can you move to another site and stay for two more or do you have to leave the park For certain amount of days
We prefer the COE campgrounds and always look for them first during our travels. Some times we alter our route to stay in one. One of our favorites is on the Arkansas river near Little Rock. Another is Hurricane on Land Between the Lakes. Luckily there several close by where we go and spend a few days..
Where do I find the senior discounts for Army corps rv parks?
We are fortunate here in Alabama to have several COE campgrounds, four very close to us. We have camped at all four of those and agree, they are excellent.
Which 4 do u like?
I camp at Gunter Hill near Montgomery & it was awesome. Arrived on Sunday left on Saturday morning. #💯❤️
We just left a COE campground and was very disappointed. We have camped for 42 years all over the USA and in lots of COE campground we have life time membership. We were celebrating our 52th anniversary and knew from experience how nice and relaxing a COE campground was but boy was we disappointed. We had reserved a lakeside site and looked forward to just sitting by lake No one told us that our site was where all the boats kayak ski doo would park so we couldn’t sit by the lake. We had tonight reserved also but last night the quiet time wasn’t observed by other campers so after breakfast we just left. We will not stop camping at COE campground but never at this one. It was the Piney Grove Campground in Ms
How can I complain about a certain campground? We have camped there for years and it makes us so sad to see it not being taken care of like it should be!!
Please tell me of Army Core of Engineers campgrounds in North Carolina.
New to rving but have a few year under our belt. My wife and booked a concert @ Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison Colorado & planned our vacation around that. Spent 30 days on the road site seeing. 13 states we went through. Of the campgrounds we stayed @ Bear Creek Lake outside Morrison Co. was one of the best. Miles of concrete bike paths, golf course etc. Big open sites. Water & electric with showers & bathrooms close to you. Sometimes people (Rvers) expect to much. That park is top of the line in my book. This is a COE park. We are from Michigan & loved it. Will be there again. Maybe this year.
Our first time camping at a COE campground, Kirby Landing on Lake Greeson, was disappointing. We left early and will not return. We camped in our rv over Memorial weekend 2020. While attempting to use the restroom facilities, as the cleaning crew was finishing the women’s restroom, I was yelled at by a large brunette as I walked toward the door: “If you go in there I will call someone to get you out!” There was no closed sign and the door was open. I’m 63 and have camped a lot in my lifetime but never been treated so rudely at a campground! Our first time there will also be our last! We will stick to state parks, where people are more polite. We would love to have been able to report this upon leaving, but the office was closed. I am also planning to call them. The campground was filthy and the cleaning crew was nasty.
Where are the Corp of Engineer campgrounds in Florida and Alabama?
is the campground in fortthompson going to open on june first as planned.we have spots for june 5 to 14 but cant find out if they are going to open
Is there any COE parks in California?
Can canadians join this group to camp at these locations? Is this a membership organization?
We are looking to buy a class A and are thinking we should stay 36′ or less because we like COE or State parks. In ya’lls opinion are most COE or State parks designed for 36′ or less or do they accomodate larger rigs?
looking for a campground in southern minnesota or northern iowa, know of any?
Walking with my three dogs at the Horseshoe campgrounds near Knights Ferry and my dogs and I were attacked by german shephard not on leash and owned by friend of host. Host of campground no help getting the dog to stop, his friend had to capture and restrain the dog. I have been walking there for 10 years and will not return.
I love camping at Tionesta Lake Rec Area in PA. My discount is much appreciated. What’s the best way for me to find similar RV parks that honor my SR discount with full hook up in PA, OH & MI?