Dreaming of a camping adventure but not keen on roughing it in a tent? Rent an RV or trailer from your nearest military installation instead!
In this article, guest contributor Julie Chickery explores the diverse selection of campers available through military Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) on bases nationwide. From compact to spacious models, you’ll find options with amenities to suit every camping and travel style.
Patrons authorized to rent recreational equipment from military bases include active duty personnel and their families, retired military members, disabled veterans, and DoD civilians. Contact the facilities directly to confirm eligibility.
RV Types Available for Rent at Military Installations
While a few military installations rent Class C motorhomes, the vast majority offer towable campers.
Motorhomes
Class C motorhomes are built on a truck or van chassis and are recognizable by their distinctive over-cab sleeping area. The size varies, but they typically have a living area, kitchen, bathroom, and separate sleeping quarters. Many also have slide-outs to expand the living space while parked.
An important thing to verify before booking a Class C motorhome is the number of seat belts. Motorhomes often have seat belts in the living area, such as on the sofa or dinette.
Trailers/Towable Campers
Following is a brief description of the types of towable campers available for rent at military bases.
- Teardrop Camper: Named for their distinctive teardrop shape, these campers are compact and lightweight. They offer basic amenities, such as a small interior sleeping area for 2-3 people, minimal outdoor kitchen facilities, and sometimes a small storage area.
- Pop-Up Camper: These collapsible campers have canvas sides that expand when set up. Typically, each end of the camper has a sleeping area, and the central section makes up a dining/cooking space. Some pop-ups have an additional outdoor kitchen and shower as well.
- A-Frame Camper: These campers are also collapsible, but the sides are made of hard material. The hard siding makes the interior space a little smaller but allows for use in areas that prohibit soft-sided canvas pop-up campers (e.g. areas with a large bear population).
- Travel Trailers: These are full-size campers with hard sides, available in a wide range of sizes and floor plans. The vast majority have full kitchens, bathrooms, living areas, and often separate sleeping quarters. Many also have slide-outs to expand living space.
General Requirements for Renting a Camper on Base
Before you book your rental, make sure your vehicle is properly equipped and can safely handle the trailer’s weight. Each installation’s requirements may vary, but the most common include:
- Category 3 ball hitch (size depends on the type/weight of camper).
- Electronic brake controller (recommended for smaller campers, required for >3,000 lbs).
- Round, seven-way electrical connection.
- Auto insurance policy that will allow you to add the rental trailer.
When it comes to towing safety, it is critical to verify that your vehicle can handle the fully loaded weight of the trailer. For instance, a large SUV like the Chevrolet Traverse or Hyundai Palisade has a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. That weight typically corresponds to a camper of up to 20 – 21 feet in length.
Before you reserve a camper, take time to understand your vehicle’s towing capacity compared to the weight of the trailer, allowing for safety margins.
Which Military Bases Rent Campers?
Dozens of military installations nationwide have campers available for rent, usually through their Outdoor Recreation office. We’ve highlighted 12 of them below, followed by a list of other bases that rent campers.
As you will see, the selection varies greatly by location. Some have only a few options, while others offer a broad inventory. In addition, there are other variables, such as price range and mileage/geographic restrictions. Also, installations in milder climates usually offer rentals year-round, while camper rentals are seasonal in other locations.
Contact the facilities directly for details on pricing, rental policies, and specific models available.
1. Buckley SFB (Colorado)
Conveniently located in the suburbs of Denver, Buckley’s Outdoor Recreation office is one of the few military MWR facilities that allows you to take your rental unit anywhere in the continental U.S.
They offer four models of towable campers, including two different teardrops and two travel trailers. One teardrop is a standard unit that can be towed by a car. The second teardrop option is suitable for offroad camping, with raised suspension and reinforced chassis so you can go off the beaten path.
Buckley’s travel trailer options come in 15’ and 17’ lengths with bunks and a double bed, allowing you to sleep four people comfortably.
2. Camp Pendleton (California)
Camp Pendleton offers both large and small teardrop travel trailers, which are great options for those looking to graduate from tent camping without the need to tow a large trailer. Both sizes have roof vents and electrical hookups. The large teardrop also has a stove top, sink, and water reservoir.
If this is your first time towing a camper, you’ll be happy to learn that Camp Pendleton is known for its fabulous waterfront campgrounds. Choose from three stellar options: Del Mar Beach, San Onofre Beach, and Lake O’Neill for your first rental, and avoid the stress of traveling afar.
3. Ellsworth AFB (South Dakota)
East of the Black Hills, Ellsworth AFB is located in a premier outdoor destination. Luckily for military patrons, they rent three different models of travel trailers. Their smallest camper is the aerodynamic 17’ Jayco Hummingbird, perfect for two people. If you have a larger group (and tow vehicle) they also rent 21’ and 28’ Jayflight travel trailers with bunks.
As an added bonus, many of the Black Hills Forest campgrounds are open and free throughout the fall months, making Ellsworth the perfect choice for a camper rental.
4. Fort McCoy (Wisconsin)
Fort McCoy offers a few different choices for your camping trip. The first option is the small, but mighty, Jay Series Sport A-Liner. This hard-sided pop-up camper has one full bed and a fold-down table that converts to a bed. It also has a kitchen with a refrigerator, stove, and sink.
Their 19’ Jay Feather camper provides a bathroom with sink, shower, and commode. This is a hybrid camper, meaning that is has two canvas pop-outs on each end that provide the sleeping spaces.
Fort McCoy also offers Jay Flight travel trailers in 24’ and 29’ lengths, the latter of which has bunks. Both larger units also have slide-outs, providing a roomier living area to enjoy.
Finally, the post rents “destination trailers” at their Pine View Campground. Offering a modern “home away from home,” these large travel trailers are permanent on-site units that can sleep up to seven and have full sized appliances.
5. Fort Belvoir (Virginia)
Just outside the nation’s capital, Fort Belvoir offers several great options for RV rentals.
One of the newest additions to their fleet is a Conquest Class C. At only 24′ in length, the Conquest is perfect for those who don’t want to drive a large motorhome. The interior includes two beds: over-the-cab bunk and an RV queen (shorter than a standard), as well as a dinette booth, small galley-style kitchen area, and full bathroom with shower.
Fort Belvoir also has three distinct types of campers.
For outdoor explorers, there’s the 15’ Winnebago HIKE Travel Trailer, which has one bunk and sleeps up to two adults. A key feature of the HIKE is the rugged frame and off-road tires, making it capable of handling rough terrain. It also has an exoskeleton rack storage system that provides additional storage for outdoor gear such as bikes, kayaks, and paddleboards.
Their 17’ Coachman Viking travel trailers comfortably sleep up to five people with a queen bed, bunk beds, and a convertible dinette, making it perfect for a small family. Once you add in a full kitchen and bathroom, it’s easy to see the combination of space and ease of towing makes it an excellent choice for family camping.
The spacious 29’ Winnebago ACCESS Travel Trailer sleeps up to five people and has a large slide-out, offering plenty of room to entertain.
If you’d like to try out a camper but don’t have a suitable vehicle to tow it, the post also offers on-site camper rentals you use right there in the Fort Belvoir Travel Camp, which overlooks the Potomac River.
6. Hill AFB (Utah)
Hill AFB has an impressive array of RV rentals, including two models of Class C motorhomes and several types of towable campers ranging between 17’-28’ long.
The Class C motorhomes include a 22’ Thor and a 28’ Coachmen. The Thor sleeps up to five (two in the double bed, one in the overhead bunk, and one in the converted dinette). The Coachmen has two slides for additional interior room and includes a queen size bed, the standard overhead bunk, as well as a convertible sofa and dinette.
When it comes to towables, Hill offers a great selection. The smallest and lightest of their camper rental options are both 17’ in length. Choose from a popular RPOD camper with a Murphy bed and convertible sofa or Coachman Cub. Both are lighter than standard travel trailers, but still have the basics: kitchen, bathroom with shower, and sleeping accommodations.
Hill also offers seven additional travel trailers: six 22’, two 24’, and three 28,’ all with varying interior layouts.
7. Joint Base Lewis-McChord (Washington)
Recognizing that there’s no better way to experience the Pacific Northwest than on an epic camping trip, JB Lewis-McChord has you covered with a range of campers to suit any road trip style. The four models include a teardrop camper and three traditional travel trailers in varying lengths (16’, 18’ and 20’) with kitchens, bathrooms, and sleeping areas.
JB Lewis-McChord also offers permanently staged camper rentals at the Northwest Adventure Center Travel Camp on Lewis North. This is a great option for visitors who are flying into the area and don’t have a tow vehicle.
8. Joint Base San Antonio (Texas)
Nestled in the center of Texas, JBSA is in a great location for camper rentals. The three different locations that comprise the joint base have their own respective Outdoor Recreation office, each with a different inventory of rentals. (Scroll down the page to view each location’s “ODR brochure”).
Their inventory includes Jayco travel trailers in lengths ranging from: 14’ to 30’. Perfectly sized for on-the-go fun, the smallest camper, the Jay Flight Swift is compact with a Murphy bed, small kitchen, and bathroom. The largest, on the other hand, features two sleeping areas (one with bunks) and an island in the kitchen!
9. Little Rock AFB (Arkansas)
Little Rock’s rentals include two different sized travel trailers. The smallest is a 17” Forest River RPOD that comes in a unique aerodynamic shape. It looks small from the outside but still manages to fit a Murphy bed and convertible sofa, as well as a small kitchen and bathroom.
Their larger camper is a 22’6” long Salem trailer that has a Murphy bed, convertible dinette, and bunks, but still comes in at under 4,000 pounds, making it a great choice for families.
10. MacDill AFB (Florida)
Camping is a great way to experience Florida, and MacDill has three different sized travel trailers in 17’, 18’, and 21’ lengths available to rent and take anywhere within the state of Florida. All three have indoor kitchens and bathrooms, with the larger two also having bunks in addition to a queen size bed.
MacDill also has a fabulous waterfront campground and stationary campers that you can rent there. Choose from their 33’ or 40’ campers that both sleep up to 7.
11. Nellis AFB (Nevada)
Nellis’ camper inventory has three options, the first of which is a Boondock Teardrop. Its off-road tires, pitched axle, and higher ground clearance make it perfect for the road less traveled.
The base also has two Winnebago Micro Minnie travel trailers in 19’ and 21’ layouts. The smaller one has a front queen bed floorplan with a convertible dinette in the slide-out, and a large rear corner bathroom. The larger one has a front full bed slide-out floorplan with a convertible dinette, rear bathroom, and bunkhouse.
12. Presidio of Monterey (California)
The Presidio’s camper rentals include four different models of towables between 21-23’, which can sleep 4-6 comfortably.
They also have a unique type of camper called a toy hauler. It combines the features of a traditional travel trailer with a built-in garage space for transporting recreational equipment like ATVs, motorcycles, and bikes. In the Presidio’s model, the garage has a convertible bed/sofa that drops down from the ceiling once you’ve removed the gear, providing you with additional sleeping space.
Other Military Bases to Rent Campers
This article highlighted several great sites for military camper rentals, but the list above is by no means complete! Click on any of the base names below to learn more about rentals at other military installations.
- Barksdale AFB, LA
- Beale AFB, CA
- Fort Carson, CO
- Fort Huachuca, AZ
- Fort Knox, KY
- Fort Jackson, SC
- Grand Forks, ND
- JB Elmendorf-Richardson, AK
- JB Langley-Eustis
- JEB Little Creek, VA
- Mountain Home AFB, ID
- Naval Station Oceana, VA
- Peterson SFB, CO
- Redstone Arsenal, AL
- Schriever SFB, CO
- Scott AFB, IL
- Vandenberg SFB, CA
- Whiteman AFB, MO
Rental prices vary significantly by location. One tip for saving money is to inquire about a weekly rate, which often provides up to a 50% discount over the nightly rate.
Also, don’t forget to see what other rentals you might need from Outdoor Recreation to ensure you have the best camping trip: generator for off grid camping, outdoor kitchen supplies, camp chairs, shade canopies, and more!
Author Bio: Julie Chickery is a travel writer with a passion for exploration. She caught the travel bug while serving 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. After retirement, Julie and her husband, Sean, lived in their fifth-wheel RV for six years before settling down near their grandchildren. She shares travel tips and itineraries for epic road trips on her blog, Chickery’s Travels.
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.