As long as people have been traveling in RVs, family-owned and operated campgrounds have been around to welcome them with friendly smiles and a personal touch. Many independently owned and operated campgrounds have been run by the same family for generations, while others have been purchased or developed by husband and wife teams and families with children who work together to create unique experiences and memories for their guests.
Here’s a sampling of several family-owned campgrounds and RV parks located in popular vacation destinations out West:
Family-Owned Campgrounds in the West
1. Annett's Mono Village in Bridgeport, California: The Annett family has continuously operated this remote Eastern Sierra campground since 1952. However, the land around Twin Lakes upon which the resort sits has been in the Annett family since the early 1900s. Annett’s Mono Village currently has 3,00 sites, 90 of which are full-hookup RV sites with water, sewer, and electrical connections.
The 7,100-foot elevation campground also has rustic and modern cabins, a small motel, a cafe and cocktail lounge, a grocery store and gift shop, as well as boat and pontoon rentals with trout fishing a popular activity. Visitors also enjoy hiking in the Sierra and visiting historic attractions nearby, including the tiny town of Bridgeport, which is home to California’s second oldest courthouse, built in 1880, and Bodie State Historic Park, one of the largest and best preserved ghost towns Out West.
2. Buffalo Bluff RV Park in Cody, Wyoming: Ron and Kelly Hunt relocated from Snohomish, Washington, to Cody in 2015 so that their two boys could grow up in a smaller community. They wound up purchasing a property outside of Cody and developing a campground. The big rig-friendly park has 60-foot pull-through sites, a dog park, and free WiFi.
Cody can serve as a base camp for the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, which includes the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Cody Firearms Museum, the Draper Natural History Museum, the Plains Indian Museum, and the Whitney Western Art Museum. Hiking and river rafting opportunities are also nearby, as well as Yellowstone National Park, which is an hour away.
3. Custer's Gulch RV Park and Campground in Custer, South Dakota: Ray and Elaine Zobel purchased this campground in December 2007 and began operations in 2008. The park has 92 sites and, at the time of this writing, was working to install fiber optic Internet service. Nearby attractions include Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Wind Cave National Park.
4. J & H RV Park in Flagstaff, Arizona: Jo Anne and Harvey Mickelson acquired this campground in 1982 and have made many improvements to it over the years. The 52-site park is currently managed by their daughter, Angie Chance. Amenities include a big camp store, an outdoor group fireplace, and Friday happy hours.
The park can be used as a base camp for visiting Grand Canyon National Park, Wupatki National Monument, Sunrise Crater Volcano National Monument, and Walnut Canyon National Monument, as well as attractions in Flagstaff itself, including Lowell Observatory and the Museum of Northern Arizona. RVers who live in Phoenix often spend the summer at this 7,000-foot-elevation campground to escape the desert heat.
5. Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Brandon, South Dakota: Three generations of the Aljets family have owned and operated this family destination campground, which is just outside Sioux Falls. They built the campground from the ground up, and it joined the Jellystone Park franchise network in 1992. Campground amenities include a heated swimming pool, mini golf, golf cart and pedal cart rentals, gaga ball pits, and an indoor theatre. The park offers organized family activities with Yogi Bear during the camping season. In the fall, the park operates an 8-acre corn maze next door to the campground.
6. Orangeland RV Park in Orange, California: This RV park was founded in 1972 by Eldredge Welton and his wife, Virginia. The 195-site park is now overseen by Welton’s daughter, Cindy Wimbish, and other family members. Orangeland has more than 100 citrus trees on site, including navel oranges, Valencia oranges, blood oranges, mandarin oranges, tangerines, ruby red grapefruit, white grapefruit, as well as lemons and limes. The fruit is so plentiful that the park allows guests to pick as much as they want during their stay.
Built on the site of a historic working orange grove, Orangeland harkens back to the early 1900s, when citrus was one of Southern California’s primary industries. Today, Orangeland is primarily used as a base camp for RV enthusiasts bound for Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and other popular attractions. Orangeland is also a popular destination for Snowbirds during the winter months. Park amenities include a heated swimming pool, Jacuzzi, exercise room, miniature golf, cornhole and other games.
7. San Diego Metro KOA Resort in Chula Vista, California: Three generations of the Bell family own and operate this park, which is one of San Diego County’s oldest family-run campgrounds. Amenities include a large resort-style swimming pool with two hot tubs; jumping pillows; a playground; barrel train rides; a rock climbing wall; movies under the stars, an onsite restaurant, and craft beer and wine tastings. Organized activities include bike parades, scavenger hunts, and arts and crafts, including tie-dye t-shirt making. Pool-front, deluxe park model RV rentals are also available.
This campground is a convenient base camp for visiting San Diego attractions, including historic Balboa Park, which is home to both art and performing arts venues, such Centro Cultura de La Raza, which celebrates Chicano, Latin and indigenous art and culture; the Fleet Science Center; and as well as the San Diego Model Train Museum, one of the largest of its kind in the country. The San Diego Zoo and San Diego’s popular Gaslamp Quarter are also nearby.
8. Sugar Loafin' Campground in Leadville, Colorado: Located at an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Sugar Loafin’ is one of the highest privately owned and operated campgrounds in the United States. The campground was built in 1967 by Aldo and Edith Seppi. It initially had 18 campsites, but has since grown to nearly 100 RV and tent sites and two park model RV cabin rentals. The campground, a popular base camp for hiking enthusiasts as well as participants in the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race and the Leadville 100 Trail Run, is currently managed by son Don Seppi.
9. Ventura Ranch KOA Holiday in Santa Paula, California: Scott Cory and his wife, Madoka, became sole owners and operators of this family destination campground in 2017. The campground, which is located in a hilly canyon about 90 minutes northwest of Los Angeles, was initially developed by Scott Cory and a business partner in 2010.
The 148-site park features RV sites as well as a variety of rental accommodations, including furnished park model RV rentals, tipis, and furnished safari tents. Amenities include a resort-style swimming pool, a rock climbing wall, a pedal cart track, a ropes course, ziplines, and a meditation labyrinth. There are enough attractions to keep families entertained at this campground for several days. Nearby attractions include the beaches in Ventura and Oxnard.
10. Winding River Resort in Grand Lake, Colorado: Wes House has owned and operated this 8,800-foot elevation campground near Rocky Mountain National Park since 1972. His son-in-law, Nick Hanson, and grandson, Mitch Gardner, are currently taking over management of the campground. The park offers RV sites as well as furnished Conestoga wagons, cedar-sided and log cabin rentals.
On-site activities include horse and pony rides and wildlife viewing opportunities. It’s likely you’ll spot some moose, elk, fox, coyotes, bears, and many types of birds that make the area their home. The campground also has its own animal farm, which often features piglets, bunnies, chicks, baby goats, and calves.
Final Thoughts
RVers who stay at family-owned and operated campgrounds out West have an opportunity to support family-owned businesses. They also enjoy the continuity that comes with being welcomed by the same people year after year, who work to make their RVing adventures something they’ll always remember.
