I often see comments saying that there is no more campground crowding. I was so hoping that would apply to our quest for a campsite near the Twin Cities in Minnesota this July.
It is always difficult to get an RV site or campsite close to our kids and grandkids in the Minneapolis area. I knew that rising site prices, the cost of gas, and the ever-increasing number of people selling their RVs could free up sites, so I was hopeful.
We needed a few weeks booked before we start our camp host gig at a regional park just west of the Twin Cities. I’m not new to this opening reservation day rush and had accurately accounted for the two-hour time difference, written down dates along with site numbers, and had my credit card in hand. I had even signed in the day before to make sure I remembered my password. (I didn’t.)
At 5 a.m., three hours early, I tested everything out to make sure I could sign in and get to the reservation site. I waited. Tested 30 minutes early, tested 15 minutes early, and tested five minutes early.
Bingo! I was in the wait queue, and I watched with great hope and anticipation as the little person slowly marched toward the time I would be let in. I was ready to make my reservation for two weeks of full hook-ups at a regional park. The queue read, “Don’t worry, you can take as long as you need to make your reservation when you are let in.”
Arrived! Success! I was in! In, but not so successfully. Dozens of people had already made their reservations and almost all the long RV sites were gone. There was only one slanted, not-level site big enough for us left. We were once hosts at this park. I know these sites. Some of them are so tight we might not get the awning out.
But there is not much left close to the cities. Our go-to Casino RV Park closed a bunch of RV sites to put in a %#@! golf something-or-other. Another private RV park doesn’t seem to need the business. They don’t answer their phone, respond to messages, or reply to emails.
So, I pressed “add to cart”. Got the necessary site and went back to bed.
This reservation stuff is not for the weak of heart. And, yes, campground crowding is still real.
Are you having similar issues with booking campsites for the months ahead? Please share your stories in the comments below.
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##RVT1200
Yes, I’m trying to book thru ExploreMoreIL.com just ONE night (passing thru) at Lincoln Trail State Park (Marshall IL) for Thursday, March 27th, out of 205 sites total, NOTHING. Now I realize it’s only 11 days away, but I also can’t believe it is already booked FULL on a Thursday at the end of March! I’m currently at an ACE campground in Southern IL and it is maybe at 15%, and this is a weekend! VERY frustrating!
This is when first-ins should have priority over no-shows.
Booking monthly and have not had a single issue.
I think I know the park you are referring to. I certainly know the reservation system as I’ve been in that queue as well!!! But, I’m not sure you can say that campground crowding is just as bad as a few years ago based on ONE highly popular regional campground in July where you are trying to book two weeks in one site. Was the 4th in that time period?
Did you try only weekdays for a preferred site and only have the slanty site on weekends? Of course, that park system then charges a separate registration fee each time your site changes, which sucks. I’ve brought that up to them.
Ten days ago, my traveling partner and I conference called six RV parks (four of which were beach front on the Oregon coast) for May/June. Six calls, six reservations. This past week we called six RV parks (Mt, WY, Co) including Yellowstone area for Sept. Again, six calls, six reservations. Since we live in Eastern Washington where there are numerous lakes and state/county parks, we will travel Mon. thru Thurs. during the summer. Over the past 10 years this has been fairly typical. I know it can be tough in the Southeast;Northeast, and my B.I.L. in Minnesota has to book a lake cabin 3 years in advance. Safe Travels.
We have a house near Lake Superior in Michigan. We have friends we’ve made down here in Texas who want to visit during the summer. Between our cautions and a couple who accepted a parking space at our family’s summer cottage because the RV parks in the region are full, the word is out – you need to make reservations NOW if you want to be in the region during July or August.
Campground crowding doesn’t seem as significant of an issue as getting reservations.
When a person is simply viewing a site, it is listed as unavailable to others so it can’t be sold out from under the first person looking at it. When everyone rushes the front door (bots included), even the outhouse will show occupied.
Our experience has been a bit similar but different.
We don’t blindly reserve in advance but rather show up and examine the empty sites to ensure well fit, they’re level and not on an anthill. We’ll make a “Top 3” list and when we go into recreation.gov, it tells us the empty park is sold out and all of the empty sites we inspected occupied. Something’s wrong…
It’s the BOTS. They need to be eliminated. I still don’t understand how they can make reservations on some of the sites considering that driver info and/or license plates are needed.
We went through about the same process to reserve a spot at a ACOE park in PA. we were successful getting one of the spots we had hoped to get. This was exactly 6 months proir to our arrival date. Yesterday we received an email stating that our reservation had been canceled. Apparently the entire campground is closed for all or most of the summer. Now we have 5 nights to cover somewhere else. No luck so far. Yes, campground crowding is real !!
One problem Michigan seems to be having – at least the past couple of years – has been the shutdown of state parks – partially or entirely, and for all or part of the season – for renovations. Fewer available campsites means more crowding of the ones still available,
Well Nanci, it may not be campground crowding per se…you did mention the size of your rig. Could that be more of the problem?
We don’t have any issues getting a campsite during the summer, but that is mainly because we don’t need or want hookups. It seems to us that the majority of people want hookups, good cell service and internet. Since that is not a priority for us and we look for first come, first serve, we are able to snag good sites if we arrive mid week. Works for us in eastern WA, ID, and western Montana, which is where our summer travels seem to be.
Why is that site BOOKED!
Simple.
I might go camping in that spot on that particular day or weekend.
Cost’s little to nothing for me to book the spot and I am a rich American who can afford to book a spot and lose the deposit if I choose not to go camping.
Ain’t America GREAT!
See!!
Now that was not hard all to answer!
Thank you for relaying your experience, Nanci. Yes, we had a similar experience at our favorite campground outside Washington, DC and near where we lived for 26 years. In our case it was self-inflicted. I knew that we waited too long to decide when we wanted to visit. By the time we decided, nothing was available without changing sites once or twice. So, no trip to DC this spring; a consequence of too strong a focus on Alaska planning to the exclusion of all else. Have a great week and safe travels!
Today’s booking experience for an upcoming July trip into NY (for Niagra Falls) and then end-to-end PA.
Our requirements are to generally be within 40 miles max of the things we want to see in an area.
Booked a NY State park on Lake Erie. 50 amp electric only. 4 nights. Many 30 amp sites available, 2 50 amp sites. I took a 55′ pad 50 amp.
Booked a week at a private park East of Pittsburgh. Full hookup. Many sites available.
Booked a PA state park for 10 days in a shaded paved 77′ 50 amp site right in the middle of an historic area including Gettysburg, Carlile, York, Lancaster, Hershey, etc. 69 electric sites were open. All the FHU were booked.
Thanks for posting your observations. What does FHU stand for?
I got to get more up to speed with all these camping acronyms…
Hi, Heather. FHU stands for full hook-ups, i.e., water, electric and sewer at the campsite. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtrael.com
BTW, Heather, here is a link to a post from Dave Solberg from a few months ago, The ABCs of RV terminology: Every word and term you should know as an RVer. That should help.🤞 Take care. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Just booked at another PA state park for early August 45 miles NW of Philadelphia. Dozens of FHU sites available. Booked a nice 65′ long FHU 50 amp site, paved and shaded. With the non-resident weekly rate and an offsetting discount for Sr. Citizen it was $43/day…the highest rate we have booked so far for this trip.
I now have all our “sight seeing” sites booked for this trip and will focus on our travel days sites next, but so far, booking just 4 months in advance, no problems at all. 👍
Same drill, better results. Last booking I made, I got a site that was 5th choice. Being on the road and liking Federal and State campgrounds all with different rules and dates, makes for hectic life. I have the calendar posted a year out of when the reservation windows open, I jump on it. Crazy. Usually can get a site, but seldom first couple choices. Pretty much the same as last year.
Campground overcrowding.
The only way to get around it is to reserve early.
I sit down and find places to visit one year in advance. Once it is time to make the reservation, I make it. Whether it’s 9 months or one year in advance, it doesn’t matter.
The only ones complaining about no sites available are those who arrive and are turned away due to campgrounds being full.
Continually fully booked RV park owners don’t care about you…they are fully booked. You’ve forgotten how business works.