Campsite

Campsite, campground, and camping pitch are all related terms regarding a place used for camping (an overnight stay in an outdoor area). The usage differs between British English and American English.

In British English, a campsite is an area, usually divided into a number of camping pitches, where people can camp overnight using tents, campervans or caravans. In the US, the expression used is campground and not campsite. In American English, the term campsite generally means an area where an individual, family, group, or military unit can pitch a tent or park a camper; a campground may contain many campsites.

There are two types of campsites (US) or pitches (UK): one, a designated area with various facilities; or two, an impromptu area (as one might decide to stop while backpacking or hiking, or simply adjacent to a road through the wilderness).

The term 'camp' comes from the Latin word campus, meaning "field". Therefore, a campground typically consists of open areas where a camper can pitch a tent or park a camper. More specifically, a campsite is a designated area set aside for camping, often requiring a user fee. Campsites typically feature a few (but sometimes no) improvements.

Dedicated campsites, known as campgrounds, usually have some amenities. Common amenities include, listed roughly in order from most to least common:

Campgrounds may include further amenities:

Camping outside a designated campsite may be forbidden by law. It is thought to be a nuisance, harmful to the environment, and is often associated with vagrancy. However some countries have specific laws and/or regulations allowing camping on public lands (see Freedom to roam). In the United States, many national and state parks have dedicated campsites and sometimes also allow impromptu backcountry camping by visitors. U.S. National Forests often have established campsites, but generally allow camping anywhere, except within a certain distance of water sources or developed areas. Camping may also be prohibited in certain ‘special areas’ of national forests containing unusual landforms or vegetation. And if conditions allow campfires, a campfire permit is required for campfires outside of developed campsites.

In Britain, it is more commonly known as wild camping, and is mostly illegal. However, Scotland has a relaxed view and wild camping is legal in most of Scotland.