For Behind the Shot Part 2, we are featuring photos and stories captured at Taylor Park Reservoir, Colorado; Icefields Parkway, Jasper, Alberta, Canada; Capitol Reef National Park, Utah; and many more destinations. Click here to participate in the 2027 Truck Camper Magazine Calendar Contest and be considered for a Behind the Shot feature.
Garrick Sillers
Montaña de Oro State Park, California
2001 Ford F-350
2024 Wolf Creek 890
Camera Used – iPhone
Montaña de Oro State Park on the central California coast is one of our favorite places to camp. My wife and I first discovered it while tent camping with our two boys when they were young. Now we return on March 15th every year for our anniversary. This place is magical for us.
Spending the evening by the fire with fresh barbecued salmon and the ocean nearby, all in the comfort of our camper, is better than any hotel or restaurant. We love it even more now with a truck camper. We have camped here in tents and trailers, but the truck camper is by far the best fit for this location.
Shane Palmer
Lake John, Walden, Colorado
2025 Ford F-350
2024 Northstar 850SC
Camera Used – iPhone
We were on a road trip to Lake John near Walden, Colorado, and stopped to enjoy the views and some time off the road.
Keig Cunningham
Taylor Park Reservoir, Colorado
2008 Ford F-350
2005 Okanagan 96DB
Camera Used – Canon 5D Mark III
Taylor Park is one of our favorite places to camp and ride the incredible dirt bike trails in the area. I was getting ready to unhook for a week of riding and noticed it was a picture-worthy moment with the rig all set up.
Mark Nissen
Cottonwood Canyon Road, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
2012 Hallmark K2
Camera Used – Canon 80D
This is part of our Southern Utah exploration. It was our second time taking our Hallmark off-road. The road was easier than expected because it had recently been graded. Cottonwood Canyon Road is a scenic shortcut to Kodachrome Basin State Park from Page, Arizona.
Purchasing the Geology Road Guide at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument visitor center provides a mile-by-mile description of the area. We began recognizing different formations along the route. Be sure to check the weather, as the road becomes slick when wet. Take your time and stop along the way to hike and see the sights.
Katie Callaway
Ross Prairie Campground, Florida
2020 Ford F-150
2024 Soaring Eagle Adlar 6.5 XL
Camera Used – Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
On my way home to the Tampa Bay area, I got tired while driving and decided to stop here again. I was able to camp for the night, and the price was just $12.00 US.
Jamie Sibley
Bahía de los Ángeles, Baja California, Mexico
2022 RAM 5500
2026 Rugged Mountain X14
Camera Used – Phone
We spent several years living aboard our sailboat, exploring much of the Sea of Cortez on both the mainland and Baja sides. Along the way, we often saw people camping near the same anchorages we visited and dreamed of returning by land. This winter, we finally made that trip in our truck camper. While we stayed in many incredible places, we kept coming back to Bahía de los Ángeles. Once we found this amazing boondocking spot, we stayed for a while to fully enjoy it.
Rick Spurgeon
Quartzsite, Arizona
2006 RAM 2500
2002 Summerwind 811S
Camera Used – iPhone 15
This was from our annual trip with friends, camping at La Posa South, Quartzsite, Arizona.
Courtney Williamson
Truckee, California
2003 Ford F-550
2018 Northern Lite 10-2
Camera Used – iPhone
In the middle of a Tahoe storm cycle, I stopped to shovel and snapped this quick progress photo during maintenance.
Courtney Williamson
Icefields Parkway, Jasper, Alberta, Canada
2003 Ford F-550
2018 Northern Lite 10-2
Camera Used – iPhone
We pulled over along the Icefields Parkway to take in the glacier views with the family after camping in Jasper, Alberta. It was April, so everything was still covered in snow. It was absolutely beautiful.
David Montrose
2021 Ford F-350
2006 Eagle Cap
Camera Used – iPhone 15 Pro
This was during a desert sheep hunt in the Mormon Mountain Wilderness. We camped on Mormon Mesa and had spectacular sunsets after monsoonal rains, with reflections glowing in the camper windows. There was no one else around—just pure Nevada solitude and rough roads getting in.
Kayla Patton
Apache Lake, Arizona
2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
2001 Bigfoot 25C8.11
Camera Used – iPhone 14
After opening presents with family on Christmas Day, we set out for an adventure with no real plan. That is one of the best perks of having a truck camper. Realizing too late that all grocery stores were closed, we made a quick stop at a gas station for essentials. We stocked up on beer, ramen, hot dogs, and snacks before heading toward the newly reopened Apache Trail.
The “Primitive Road, No Trailers, 4-Wheel Drive Only” signs gave us pause, but this is exactly what we built our rig for. We continued along steep, rocky terrain, navigating narrow sections with drop-offs on one side and rock walls on the other. When we finally reached Apache Lake, it was well worth it.
This photo captures our campsite that weekend, an unforgettable beachfront spot with stunning mountain views. Welcome to Arizona.
Christian McKellar
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah
1979 Ford F-350
1955 Alaskan 8-foot, no cabover
Camera Used – Nikon D90
This trip was not about the location. It was about getting out. I am a 20-year-old college student, and I picked up this Alaskan in Idaho in the summer of 2025 with plans to restore it. I had always wanted an Alaskan. The process took much longer than expected, and the rot was extensive. The camper tags had expired in 2013.
My friend Grayson, who is in the photo, helped with much of the restoration. As soon as we finished, we loaded it onto my 1979 Ford F-350 and headed to the mountains. It was slightly rainy, but beautiful. We drove about 15 miles up the trail and found a spot next to a stream for fly fishing near Snowbird, Utah. The camper worked great, and so did the new heater I installed.
Mark Nissen
Burr Trail Switchbacks, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
2012 Hallmark K2
Camera Used – Canon 80D
This was part of our Southern Utah exploration. We decided to take the back way into Capitol Reef National Park via the Burr Trail and Notom Road. The first portion of the road is paved, but it turns to gravel once inside the park. The colors and rock formations along the route are incredible.
With no traffic, we were able to stop mid-switchback to capture the road and the Waterpocket Fold. Descending more than 800 feet of switchbacks reveals the formation from the opposite side. At the bottom, we turned left for the 30-mile drive to Highway 24 and continued into Capitol Reef National Park. Be sure to check the weather before driving this route.
Click here to see all of the photos entered so far in the 2027 TCM Calendar Contest. Enter your photos in the 2027 Truck Camper Magazine Calendar Contest below!
