Here are the most and least expensive national parks to camp in this summer

Camping has long been sold as the affordable alternative to pricey hotels and resort fees. But if you've tried booking a campsite lately, bought a bundle of firewood at a national park camp store or filled up your gas tank for a road trip, you already know that roughing it doesn’t always come cheap.

A new study from Casino.org compared the costs of camping across America’s 15 most-visited national parks and found that a weekend under the stars can vary wildly depending on where you pitch your tent this summer. Researchers looked at average costs including campsite fees, park entry and permit charges, meals and drinks, gas, firewood, ice and popular outdoor activities to figure out which parks will drain your wallet fastest—and which still deliver a relatively budget-friendly escape.

Topping the list as the most expensive national park for campers is Grand Teton National Park, where a weekend camping trip now averages a hefty $439. Between campground fees, fuel costs and pricey activities, the Wyoming park proved significantly more expensive than many travelers might expect from a tent-based vacation.

Coming in close behind were Yosemite National Park and Yellowstone National Park, two perennial summer favorites where soaring demand and peak-season pricing continue to push costs upward. (None of this will be especially shocking if you’ve tried reserving a campsite in Yosemite lately.)

Meanwhile, the cheapest national park for campers this summer is Hot Springs National Park, where the average weekend cost clocks in at just $218—about half the price of a Grand Teton getaway. The Arkansas park’s lower activity costs and more affordable nearby amenities helped keep the total down.

The study also pointed out how much activities can swing a camping budget. Joshua Tree National Park had the most expensive outdoor activities overall, with full-day bike rentals and horseback riding each hitting around $150. On the opposite end, Great Smoky Mountains National Park offered some of the cheapest bike rentals at about $40 per day, while Acadia National Park had the least expensive horseback riding at roughly $48 an hour.

Overall, camping can still be cheaper than a luxury hotel—but depending on the national park, your “budget” wilderness weekend might still leave your credit card gasping for air.

Most expensive national parks for camping

1. Grand Teton National Park — $439
2. Yosemite National Park — $428
3. Yellowstone National Park — $419
4. Glacier National Park — $408
5. Zion National Park — $404

Least expensive national parks for camping

1. Hot Springs National Park — $218
2. Great Smoky Mountains National Park — $234
3. Indiana Dunes National Park — $239
4. Gateway Arch National Park — $247
5. Cuyahoga Valley National Park — $252