Did you have trouble getting camping reservations where and when you wanted them last year? If you did, you’re not the only one. According to The Dyrt survey, from 2019 to 2022, the number of campers who reported difficulty finding a campsite to book rose from 10.6% to 58.4%. After falling to 45.5% in 2023, it bounced back to 56.1% in 2024. Yep, last year wasn’t good for getting reservations.
Getting the dirt from The Dyrt survey
But that’s not all the news in the latest report from The Dyrt. Dyrt? Yes, The Dyrt, is the only camping app with all of the public, private and free camping locations in the United States. The reservation statistics are just a part of its just-released 2025 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks.
“In a wild year of economic and political uncertainty, it heartens me to think: We will always camp,” writes The Dyrt founder Sarah Smith in an introductory letter to the report. “Some trends may come and go, but the need to connect with nature — and to connect with one another in nature — is what helps humans stay grounded.”
Since 2021, more than 25 million have gone camping the first time
The report was based on results of surveys conducted with three groups: thousands of members of The Dyrt camper community, a representative sample of U.S. residents, and camping property managers across all 50 states. According to the findings, 81.1 million Americans camped in 2024, with 5.8 million first-timers making their camping debut. Since 2021, more than 25 million Americans have gone camping for the first time.
“Increasing access to the outdoors is a key part of our mission here at The Dyrt,” continues Smith. “My favorite stat in this year’s report: Cancellations and no-shows dramatically decreased last year, which means there was less wasted campsite inventory and more people enjoying the great outdoors.” Only 58.9% of campers said they used all their reservations in 2023, and that number rose to 70.7% last year.
But The Dyrt survey gives some hope. “Campsites are being added at private campgrounds all over the country to accommodate the growing number of campers,” says The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long. “I think the difficulty in finding sites these days is more concentrated in the highly competitive public campgrounds and at certain sought-after properties and parks that have gained a level of fame in recent years.”
The Dyrt survey shows more and more are moving to RVing
RVing figures predominantly in the results of The Dyrt’s 2025 Camping Report. More than half (53.4%) of campers say their preferred type of camping involves a vehicle such as an RV, trailer, or camper van.
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Since we are both retired, we make our reservations at least 6 months ahead of time. And our overnight stops are pre-planned. And no, we do not reserve multiple campgrounds for the same nights.
Even gas and rest stops are already mapped out. Gives me something to do during the winter months and something to look forward to without worrying.
Bob, concur (we do same way) the only issue we have had was Grand Teton’s Colter Bay RV Park. They release sites on a 6mo rolling basis but there are never sites available the day they are released because other’s have previously reserved the sites that extends past day of supposed release (eg., 27 Jul not available because it was booked on 13 Jul). I actually called the Recreation.gov CS line and the rep somewhat laughed and said the way the “system” works, it is impossible to plan ahead for reservations there and just hope for a cancellation closer to when we wanted to go. She assured me there were no “bots” involved. So we are staying at a commercial cg 45 miles away. Safe travels!
Thank you, Russ and Tina, for the survey summary. No, we were not among the 50%+ who had a problem finding a site. Will let you know how our trip to Alaska goes. Have a great day and safe travels!
Campgrounds in the lower-population (relative to the other regions), but scenically-gorgeous Mountain states seem to have the second least difficulty for getting reservations. But what this doesn’t show is that the Mountain states also have the largest area of USFS, BLM, and state land with free-inexpensive dispersed camping areas. For example, in Colorado, a State Wildlife Area (SWA) Pass or fishing-hunting license gives RVers access to free camping in many SWAs throughout the state–eastern plains, high mountains, and far western plateaus. In addition, Colorado’s 12 national forests and 2 national grasslands have dozens of cheap campgrounds each. Many of these are no reservation/FC-FS!
I don’t have a problem getting a camping spot on the left coast because I won’t spend my money anywhere I can’t defend myself against armed criminals.
“Left coast” …I see what you did there! 😂🇺🇸
Using your analogy are you insinuating the right coast is somehow any better?
I find the following statement misleading in the article titled “2024 sees increased complaints about campsite availability”:
“….. The Dyrt, is the only camping app with all of the public, private and free camping locations in the United States.”
The Dyrt requires an upgrade to “PRO” for $39.99 per year for Free Dispersed Camping and Overnight Parking. We get all that using Campendium, Harvest Hosts and Passport America on the PC laptop and iPhone while on the road. We have another 28 applications on my iPhone that include Dyrt.
I’m in the North East. My wife and I camp for one week, every month, year round. We have never been unable to find a spot due to campground crowding. We stay in state parks or military FamCamps.
If there is a will there is a way 😃
my wife and I like a site in the campground where we camp at. So far that site is reserved all summer long. Told my wife we can take the generator and camp at other sites in the same campground.
Dunno about other states in the PNW area but here in Oregon we are infested with Idaho people every day looking for cheaper items while not paying any taxes like they do in Idaho. The campgrounds we have been to are loaded with people from Idaho, and the newly raised non-resident fees Oregon slapped them with seems to have little effect.
Facts are facts…like it or not.
It seems we in WA are infested with people from Oregon. Hum, maybe WA should do the same by “slapping” a non-resident fee on you out-of-staters! As for “cheaper” items, I have found the few times I have gone to Oregon things seem to be the same cost with some consumable items being higher with Oregon’s recycling surcharges.
Oregon is a beautiful place to visit, especially the coast, but some people seem to have a chip on their shoulders. Perhaps it is because they get to pay a state income tax rather tan a sales tax. One thing about it, they seem to think they own the roads up here and drive like a bat out of hell.
Us old fogies pay no income tax in Oregon with SS and VA income.
Never have a problem getting sites. All my trips are booked a year in advance since my wife needs to have her vacation time scheduled a year in advance.
I live in Utah near all the NPs. If I’m not on the computer the day sites become available, I’m out of luck. The state parks are almost impossible to book too. There is lots of boondocking here, but every year, it seems more and more of it is closed because people don’t camp there, they live there, thus damaging the area with trash, etc. It all makes it hard to camp in my own backyard.