RV sales have slowed and fewer people are buying RVs. Has that changed campground crowding? Is it easier to find a campsite now, particularly in state and national parks?
Campgrounds are changing and evolving, some for the better and some for the worse. RV Travel readers discuss their experiences and offer tips to help other campers find that perfect spot.
Here are a few observations from our readers. These do not necessarily represent the views of RVtravel.com.
Time to reinstate the Civilian Conservation Corps?
Alan A. has been doing combo camping but is disappointed with the Rec.gov campgrounds. He writes, “My wife and I sold our hard side camper several years ago in favor of combo trips—3 or 4 days camping followed by a motel stay. The combination of fuel savings and ease of driving made our new plan very cost-effective and a way to put the spontaneity of camping back into our lives.
“However, lately we have been very disappointed with the cleanliness and maintenance of Rec.gov campgrounds. The park service has relinquished its historical control over campground conditions to contractors. In our opinion, the campgrounds, especially in the Utah area, are poorly maintained and dirty with little control exercised over campers of all ages constantly riding their UTV and OHV vehicles in circles on campground roads. I think it’s time we consider reinstituting the CCC [Civilian Conservation Corps] or a similar service organization to help return our precious parks and land to a condition that makes us proud.”
Selfish people reserve all the weekends
Don T. wrote that traveling by RV is becoming inconvenient and agrees that some people are hogging all the weekends. “We just completed a month-long trip from WA to AR and back. What we found along the way (off-season) was most campgrounds are allocating large blocks of campsites to full-timers, leaving very few for overnight or weekend campers. Combine this with high prices (especially at KOAs) and it is becoming very inconvenient to travel by RV anymore. Someone made the comment that selfish people reserve all the weekends and we found that to be very true.”
RV getting too old to rent out anymore
Barb M. may need to sell up to rent out her RV. She writes about that and the general state of RV travel. “We have a 2013 24-foot Coachmen. To justify the cost of the camper and winter storage fees we rent it out through an online company. But that will probably come to an end before much longer. Some online companies will not let you rent through them if your camper is too old. Even though we have done some remodeling to the camper. That being said, we may just sell up.
“The parks are getting too big, more like amusement parks with crowds. I don’t want a camper six feet from my camper. That is not camping. We have and do make reservations when necessary. We like to do short trips camping during the week because we like less crowds. We stay away from KOA camps and others of the same kind. We also try to find out-of-the-way campgrounds. We find they are usually more accommodating and cheaper because they offer the basics.
“State parks are our favorite. They are more like real camping. Only the basics. Electric is usually all we need. State parks usually have a place to fill up with water and have a do-it-yourself dump station. It is sad to see how much camping has changed. We camp to get away and enjoy nature, not kids, parties, crowds and games. We do like games like cards, Yahtzee, Scrabble, etc., in the shade of trees with a fire in the pit.”
Campground rates have gone up in Canada, too
Aly P. writes about rates going up in Canada and corporations buying out campgrounds. “My husband and I are from Canada. The rates have gone up quite high here too. Many private campgrounds are being bought out by corporations. Some places are asking for seasonals with campers older than 10 years to leave. Many don’t have anywhere else to go.
“Long gone are the days when you could drive in and look for a site you like and pay later at the front gate. Now you have to book months in advance (January and February) but campgrounds fill up so fast you’re lucky if you can even get anything. The price of gas has gone up here too, so it’s very expensive to haul our camper around. If rates continue to go up we will likely not be camping as often. Used campers are not selling as well as they did during COVID. We might just put a pool in our backyard and park our camper out there.”
Extra fees can push the cost for a campsite up to $300 a night!
Mike O. has found prices skyrocketing after add-on fees. He writes, “Living in southern California we’ve found the worst campgrounds to be in is the Sun Outdoors chain of campgrounds. Prices are outrageous to begin with, then they add on a $20 resort fee plus a $40 site lock fee, and if you show up 15 minutes early for check-in they want even more. After you add taxes on you can easily pay upwards of $300 per night for a site at some campgrounds.”
Now, some questions for you:
- Are you finding campgrounds booked up? Or is finding a place to stay not a problem?
- Are campgrounds changing for the better or for the worse?
- Are you seeing more permanent and seasonal RV parks?
- Are rising costs affecting your camping style?
- If campgrounds continue to be crowded and RVing continues to become more popular, will it affect how or when you RV?
- Do you have any tips or secrets you’d like to share about finding campgrounds that aren’t as crowded?
Please use the form below to answer one or more of these questions, or tell us what you’ve experienced with campground crowding in general.
Read last week’s Crowded Campgrounds column: RVers saying goodbye to RVing; ‘Who wants to spend $100 a night to stay at crowded park?’
I agree with Alan A. After high school, the young man/woman has three choices. (1) Go to college. (2) Go in the military. (3) Go to the CCC. Those are your options, pick one.
What’s wrong with getting a job or going into the skilled trades?
Agree, Anne. Some even start their own business! While rare nowadays, some might choose to get married and be a house husband or wife!
A great choice for the last 50+ generations and I hope it becomes a more popular and affordable choice again.
Perfectly acceptable choice.
I strongly agree Anne! 🙂 Many (most?) people should not go to college and have tens of thousands of dollars of debt and poor job prospects. Meanwhile, there are blue-collar jobs with low-cost training programs and high beginning wages, coupled with essentially no debt. Sadly, kids are repeatedly fed the line that they SHOULD go to college, that they MUST go to college.
I agree with the Blue Collar option, but for some reason, it is very difficult to attract persons to a Blue Collar Job. I recently retired from a $140K+/yr, self-employed, self-taught, clean hands, successful Blue Collar career/business in motorsports which I wanted to pass on to any takers so my existing customers had someone to turn to upon my retirement. No education fees, no-books fees, just come work with me for a year or so, and I’ll teach you all aspects of my business along with provide a $20/hr income as you learn, after which the business and all customers become yours for free. I could not find any takers. I was just dumb-founded by this.
Yes my husband and I are facing the same situation. M-F 100,000 salary and no interest. I can’t understand these young people
That’s what I did Anne, went into the trades. Then ran my own company for over 35 years
Try getting these young people of today’s “gimme generation” to do anything anymore …with a cell phone glued to their hands, would take an act of Congress
Right, since going to college has worked out so well for so many, let’s provide even more incentive for people to take on crippling debt…
I think it’s almost funny that many of these commenters call corporate chain RV parks like KOA, Jellystone Park, and Sun Outdoors “campgrounds.” They are not now, nor have ever been, campgrounds, but overpriced RV “resorts” with RVers packed together like sardines in a can.
No real “campground” costs $300/night anywhere in the US. I just glad we have always lived in the West where there is plenty of public land available for true “camping”, whether in an RV, tent, or just a bedroll under the stars!
At present our RVing is going to dog trials with our terriers which means we limit our drive days to one overnight stop at most. We have a 40′ DP which we purchased so we could travel more and possibly see more of this great nation. Won’t happen now due to horrendous CG rates and the fact that our coach is over 10 years old. Our coach is in pristine condition with numerous up grades and people when they see it think it might be 5 or 6 years old. Also no kids and we come from a generation who knows how to behave and that costs the CG less to rent dirt to us. Thanks to the over entitled, me, me generations with too much credit card money.
We’ve been traveling in our 17 year old 38′ DP and have never been unable to stay at a RV park, or a campground. Guess, it’s all in where you go. Our strong preferences are state parks and COE. Just don’t have much use for RV Parks/Resorts. Don’t need/use the amenities.
I show dog AND travel for fun ALL over the US I a 38 ft 1998DP and have ZERO issues finding nice accommodations all over. State Parks are 99% dog friendly and no rig age limits and affordable. National Parks System, USFS campsites, Corps of Army Engineer parks all reasonable in costs and don’t age discriminate on rigs. KOAs usually don’t either.
If you want a fancy resort you will pay more indeed. Usually if there is an age restrion on the rug if it looks like new they will waive the restriction.
It’s all in what you want for a camping experience in the end.
Thank you, Nanci! 🙂 Reviving the CCC seems a helpful idea, but I observe many businesses advertising for employees. How large an hourly wage would be necessary to attract employees for another federal entity? Federal employees also receive many benefits that push the cost of each far beyond their hourly wage or annual salary. I’m not sure how practical this idea really is. The culture of the country is very different now than in the 1930s, particularly the work ethic. 🤔😯🙁 Thanks again, have a great weekend, and safe travels! 🙂
Finding healthy, capable people to do manual labor at any rate would be impossible. Fast food workers quit the first time their supervisor tells them to mop the bathroom floor.
Thank you, John S. 🙂 I am removed from most people in their late-teens or early-20s, so my impression is based on very limited first-hand information. Nonetheless, I cannot disagree with your comment. It certainly is consistent with comments our builder and some of the subcontractors made while our house was built 7 years ago. I guess life should be a video game if young adults are to be enticed to participate in “work.” Have a great weekend and safe travels! 🙂
We’re letting thousands of such people walk across our border daily. If we’re not going to send them back…
Perhaps not the Depression era CCC meant to put the country back to work, but a broad national service requirement modeled after what other 1st world countries do would be the ideal. There is so much to be said for a program that requires 1 to 2 years of national service of young citizens, be it in the military, Americorps, programs modeled on the CCC to restore our national treasures, or teaching to give underprivileged children a leg up.
National service program don’t just serve the nation, but expose young people to others of different backgrounds and perspectives, teach them to work as teams at problem solving, and the satisfaction that comes from service and doing things that matter.
Thank you, Joseph! Yes, after working for one or two years there is a strong likelihood of that person having a much better idea of what they’d like to do and how to best pursue it. Thanks again, have a great weekend, and safe travels! 🙂
No politician would sacrifice votes by even suggesting such a thing. How would it work anyway? By the time they’re old enough to work, it’s too late. Kids don’t even play outside anymore, the few that would be capable would be more valuable doing other things.
Agreed. Try prying younger people away from the ridiculous cell phones and yap sessions from the couch and potato chips.
It would be nice to see some actual price data broken down by state, type, brand, etc to support the claims and observations made in articles like this.
Selfish? Are the weekend reservations being used by RVers, or are they just reserving the sites? If those sites are being used, it is not being selfish. While we are retired, I do remember back to our working days with a family. Other than using vacation time outside the school year, weekends were the only times we could camp.
And nothing has really changed in the past 40 years. It was always toughest to find recreational opportunities on weekends vs. weekdays.
You said it all before I could Jim
I just had a spree of reservation making and was very successful. I have an annual trip to Yosemite in Oct. and got my favorite campsite for several nights. I also got a nice spot on a creek in a small campground in Central Oregon and several nights near redwoods (and happily also on a creek!)in S. OR. I am staying in National or state parks and rarely have hookups. I also prefer weekdays as less crowded and easier to reserve. My elderly little toyota RV has 300 watts of solar panels and an extra battery that covers all my needs. I do camp in climates where an evaporative cooler is effective and don’t have ac, microwaves, etc. All in all, I’m very happy with my experiences!
A shoe on another foot….
Why don’t we require the retirees, who apparently have plenty of time to sit around and gripe and complain how bad things are, fill the ranks of the CCC, military service or be ‘volunteers’?
As the “Church Lady” (Carvey) used to say…hmmmm…
Require the retirees? Because most of the elderly aren’t physically able, what’s wrong with you?!?
Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones…
Get up and be part of the solution….
And I’m sure there are plenty of things ‘wrong’ with me, but the word count here would not let me list even a fraction of them…
Hmmm. Consider how much could be accomplished if our government give-away programs were attached to a work requirement. Free this. Free that. As a retiree, after working from age 12 to age 68, I personally think it’s someone else’s turn!
Will you lead the way?
No – I won’t. Camped for 50+ years – Primitive, Scouts you name it.
Don’t camp anymore mostly because of the way quite a number of people behave and think they ‘deserve’ whatever.
Ridiculous. I’d love to head back to my military job for a few years, but after a 20 year career and another few decades tacked on, they surprisingly have no use for my 70 years of “experience”.
Thank you Nanci!! I always love this column. Since when are people who work all week and can only camp on weekends “selfish”? While I am full time now and we don’t know what a weekend is, I spent my entire working life camping from Friday to Sunday. It was all we could do. Those 2 1/2 days kept our sanity and I really don’t think this has changed much. Make reservations well in advance. Be flexible and tolerant of those who are just trying for a slice of happiness.
I so agree with your “selfish” comment, Darla. I guess that if I have a site for the weekend that when this guy comes in, I should just leave and give it to him? If that’s the case, do I get my money back, OR does he expect me to pay for it too? This whole camping thing is just soooo stressful !!!!!!!, if I can’t have it my way!
All the people shown here explaining their dilemma over camping anymore are exactly spot on. Too many people and plenty of corporate greed…like it or not…have ruined the experience for all except the grossly rich.I am glad us old fogies had our time when times were good…I don’t see that happening anymore.
Selfish people reserve all of the weekends?? Seriously?? Pretty sure those are just people who still work during the week. How horrible to have some working slob interrupt your nonstop vacation…
Seems like many of those complaining about high costs of camping are east of the Mississippi. The majority of Corps of Engineers, and many national park and USFS, campgrounds are in the East and Midwest. Plus every state, even Florida, has state parks, and none of those Federal or state cgs. cost anywhere close to $300/night! Most of those lakeside cgs. have electric hookups and some even FHU sites, so running the AC in summer is no problem. If you must have a “campground” with a swimming pool with slides, a jacuzzi, pickleball courts, a laundry, and a clubhouse with a health club and seafood restaurant, then you will have to pay for it!