Riley Cobb
Van-life contributor
Based in currently somewhere in Utah
riley lives in a van that has a name (Patricia) and writes the way she thinks — fast, lowercase, occasionally without ending the question. she's slept in more national-forest pullouts than most people have seen in their lives and is honest about which ones were worth it. she will tell you the price of everything. coffee budget: aggressive.
40 published articles · most recent October 21, 2026
Articles by Riley Cobb
Family Camping in Missouri: Picks That Won't Drive You NutsMissouri family camping picks that actually work — spring parks, shut-ins, and the state parks worth booking (and one worth skipping the campground for).
Minnesota Camping Permits & Reservations: How They Actually WorkHow Minnesota camping reservations actually work: DNR vs Recreation.gov, BWCAW quota permits, Voyageurs boat sites, and where walk-ups still work.
RV Campgrounds in Michigan: Hookups, Sites, Honest Reviewshonest reviews of Michigan RV parks and state park campgrounds — hookups, costs, where to skip, and the booking strategy that actually works.- Winter Camping in Maryland: Open Sites, Bad Weather, Real TalkWhich Maryland campgrounds actually stay open in winter, what the weather really does, and where it's worth the drive — real talk from the van.
- Winter Camping in Massachusetts: Open Sites, Bad Weather, Real Talkmost MA state park campgrounds close for winter. here's what actually stays open, which yurts to book, and real talk on cold weather tent camping.
Winter Camping in Indiana: Open Sites, Bad Weather, Real TalkWhich Indiana campgrounds actually stay open in winter, what the weather really does to your plans, and honest gear advice from someone who lives in a van.
Winter Camping in Hawaii: Open Sites, Bad Weather, Real TalkWinter camping in Hawaii — which sites are open, where the rain actually falls, and the gear that saved me on six weeks across the islands.- Winter Camping in Georgia: Open Sites, Bad Weather, Real TalkWinter camping in Georgia, the real version: which parks stay open, where the weather turns on you, and what gear actually matters.
- Winter Camping in Connecticut: Open Sites, Bad Weather, Real Talkwinter camping in connecticut is thin on options, heavy on wet cold, and mostly happens in state forests like Pachaug. heres the real version.
Best Months to Camp in Missouri (And the Ones to Skip)When to camp in Missouri month by month — why October wins, July loses, and November is the sleeper pick nobody books.
Best Campgrounds in MissouriA van-lifer's honest take on Missouri's best campgrounds — from Echo Bluff and the Ozark Riverways to Mark Twain National Forest's quiet free spots.
Best Months to Camp in Michigan (And the Ones to Skip)When to camp in Michigan: why September beats July, which months to skip entirely, and specific parks worth booking (or avoiding) each season.
Best Months to Camp in Louisiana (And the Ones to Skip)When to camp in Louisiana: the best months are March, late October, and early November. Here's what to book, what to skip, and why summer is brutal.
Best Months to Camp in Idaho (And the Ones to Skip)when to camp in idaho, month by month — from mud-season march to peak september, with the campgrounds worth booking and the ones to skip.
Best Months to Camp in Iowa (And the Ones to Skip)When to camp in Iowa and when to skip it — a van-lifer's honest month-by-month on weather, bugs, booking, and the parks worth the drive.
Best Months to Camp in Washington D.C. (And the Ones to Skip)when to camp near washington d.c. — the months that actually work, the ones that'll wreck you, and where to book from a van-lifer who's done it four times.
Best Months to Camp in California (And the Ones to Skip)When to camp in California by region and month — the shoulder-season sweet spots, the high-sierra window, and the months to skip entirely.
Best Months to Camp in Arkansas (And the Ones to Skip)When to camp in Arkansas, month by month — why October wins, why summer is a swamp, and which campgrounds actually book up.
Best Months to Camp in Alabama (And the Ones to Skip)when to camp in alabama — which months actually work, which to skip, and the specific parks worth your time from gulf shores to cheaha.
Free Dispersed Camping in Minnesota: Where We Actually Pull InHonest roundup of free dispersed camping spots in Minnesota — Superior and Chippewa national forests, state forests, and the parking-lot backups that actually work.
Backcountry Camping in Montana: Permits, Routes, Bear NotesBackcountry camping in Montana: how permits actually work in Glacier, Yellowstone, and the wilderness areas, plus routes and bear notes that matter.
When Is Camping Season in Minnesota? Month-by-Month Realitymonth-by-month look at mn camping season — when to go, when to skip, bugs, booking windows, and the shoulder weeks locals actually prefer.
Maine State Parks for Camping: The Ones Worth the Drivehonest roundup of maine state parks worth the drive — lily bay, cobscook, camden hills, and the smaller ones, with real booking notes.
Family Camping in Michigan: Picks That Won't Drive You NutsHonest michigan family camping picks — Ludington, Sleeping Bear, Tahquamenon and more — plus the parks and booking traps to skip.
Maine Camping Permits & Reservations: How They Actually WorkMaine camping runs on four different reservation systems — here's how Acadia, Baxter, state parks, and the North Maine Woods actually work.
Kentucky Camping Permits & Reservations: How They Actually Workhow kentucky camping reservations and permits actually work — Recreation.gov, state parks, Red River Gorge backcountry, and the systems worth skipping.
Kansas Camping Permits & Reservations: How They Actually Workkansas camping reservations decoded: KDWP for state parks, Recreation.gov for corps lakes, plus the vehicle permit everyone forgets.
Illinois Camping Permits & Reservations: How They Actually Workillinois camping reservations run across two portals and a bunch of fee quirks — heres how to actually book state parks, shawnee, and corps sites.
Florida Camping Permits & Reservations: How They Actually Workflorida camping runs on three separate reservation systems and the good state parks vanish in minutes. heres how to actually book without losing your mind.
Delaware Camping Permits & Reservations: How They Actually Workhow camping reservations and permits actually work in Delaware — the five state parks, the booking window, and why Recreation.gov isnt in the picture.
Arizona Camping Permits & Reservations: How They Actually WorkHow Arizona camping reservations actually work — Recreation.gov, state parks, Havasupai, The Wave, and where you can still walk up without booking.
Colorado Camping Permits & Reservations: How They Actually WorkHow Colorado camping reservations and permits actually work — state parks, RMNP timed entry, dispersed forest camping, and what's worth booking.
When Is Camping Season in Maine? Month-by-Month Realitymonth-by-month reality on maine camping season — when to book, when to skip, and why late august is quietly the best time to go.
When Is Camping Season in Kentucky? Month-by-Month RealityKentucky camping season month-by-month — the real windows, what to skip, and why October at Red River Gorge is worth planning your year around.
When Is Camping Season in Kansas? Month-by-Month RealityMonth-by-month reality of camping in Kansas — when to go, when to skip, and which state parks actually deliver in each season.
When Is Camping Season in Illinois? Month-by-Month RealityMonth-by-month reality of camping season in Illinois — when to go, when to skip, and which parks actually deliver in each window.
When Is Camping Season in Florida? Month-by-Month RealityFlorida camping season, honest month-by-month breakdown from a van-lifer who's done it in every season — including the summers you shouldn't.
When Is Camping Season in Delaware? Month-by-Month RealityMonth-by-month honest take on Delaware camping season — when parks are open, when to book, and when to just skip it entirely.
When Is Camping Season in Colorado? Month-by-Month RealityColorado camping season by month — when to book, when to skip, and which reservation site is actually worth using.
When Is Camping Season in Arizona? Month-by-Month RealityArizona camping season isn't one season — it's two, running opposite ends of the state. Here's the real month-by-month from someone who's lived it.