You might remember the Coca-Cola plan that went flat. One of the soda company’s great minds suggested that the price of a can of Coke from a vending machine should be tied to outside temperatures. Hot day? Raise the price! Competitor Pepsi made a big deal of “consumer exploitation,” especially when Coke drinkers revolted. Will consumers “buy” into paying more for a state park campsite when demand is up? Idaho thinks so. Campground demand-pricing is now the new rule in the Famous Potato state. Will RVers feel fried by the trick?
Campground demand-pricing works this way
“The new modernized camping reservation system for the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) goes live January 6, 2025,” says a news release from Idaho’s Department of Parks and Recreation “The new IDAHO TIME system will better deliver the Idaho experience that is unique to Idaho State Parks and Recreation. It will connect park users to camping opportunities as demand continues to grow and competition increases for coveted dates and locations.”
Idaho’s park system has for years relied on Reserve America. But the state has now transferred its allegiance to a different reservation company, Brant. Along with the new serving company, a new philosophy on campground pricing comes into play. Call it “demand pricing.”
The Idaho news release puts it this way. “The new system will resemble modern reservation systems for hotels or airlines. Prices may drop during low demand periods and go up when demand is highest. The price adjustments help keep camping rates low during lower-demand time with the higher rates offsetting the fees.” If you feel put-off by demand pricing for a campsite, well, the state wants to soothe your feelings with the additional perks the new reservation system will bring. What are those perks? It’s smartphone-friendly! It brings with it “additional content about facilities, features, options and availability along with campsite photos.”
We logged in to see the campground demand-pricing differences
Just how much more (or less) you’ll pay under the new demand-pricing system is yet to be fully seen. Unlike Coca-Cola versus Pepsi, however, if you want to camp in an Idaho State Park campground, you won’t find a lot of competition to choose from. Pop your top if you like, but it looks like it’s a “pay and stay” or forget it situation. That’s campground demand-pricing.
We checked out prices for Three Island Crossing State Park for May. A weekend stay early in the month looked to be $34 a night. Memorial Day weekend prices jumped to $40. Jumps up or down in price were in $2 increments.
For those who want to stay in an Idaho campground, here’s how the new system will initially work. Pay close attention.
Opening week reservations could be tricky
IDPR is making every effort to not overload the new reservation system when it goes live today. During the first week each day will be for specific reservation windows. The staggered start spreads out the most popular vacation weekends across multiple days so people booking for Labor Day are not competing at the exact same moment as those booking for Memorial Day.
Monday, January 6: The reservation system planned to go live at 8 a.m. Mountain Time on January 6. Only reservations that start between January 6 and May 31 will be available on the first day. A customer can make a reservation that starts in May and goes into June.
Tuesday, January 7: Customers can make a reservation for any stay that starts between January 7 and June 30. A customer can make a reservation that starts in June and goes into July.
Wednesday, January 8: Customers can make a reservation for any stay that starts between January 8 and July 31. A customer can make a reservation that starts in July and goes into August.
Thursday, January 9: Customers can book a reservation that starts between January 9 and August 30. A customer can make a reservation that starts in August and goes into September.
Friday, January 10: Customers can book a reservation that starts as late as September 30. A customer can make a reservation that starts in September and goes into October.
Saturday, January 11: The phased-in reservation windows for the first week of the new system will be completed. Customers can book a reservation starting as late as 9 months in advance of their desired reservation start date.
“Waiting room”
For the first week, high-demand sites will fill fast. Customers may be entered into a “waiting room” when they first visit the new online reservation system if the current website traffic is high. The waiting room is designed to show how many people are already “in line” and the approximate wait time. It is important to NOT leave the waiting room page/window because the user may have to start all over at the back of the line. A new/separate window or browser can be used while in the waiting room.
When we logged in at around noon, Idaho time, on Monday, we were sent to a waiting room. But we didn’t wait long—in less than a minute we were in a position to start looking, and posting, reservations.
More reservations details
Be sure to have multiple options for camping locations and dates. High-demand sites will fill fast. During the first week, while in the waiting room, customers will not be able to see what campsites are still available. Once in the reservation system, users can select what dates, park and facilities they want to book. From there, the available reservations and current prices will be displayed for selection.
Please note that a reservation is only secured once it is purchased. There are no holds while users look at options. Only three reservations can be made per session, and the session ends after purchase. If more reservations are desired, the user must return to the back of the line in the waiting room.
Here’s where to go for reservations. Reservations by phone can be made at 888-922-6743. However, booking online is a faster way to secure high-demand locations and dates.
As a closing note, it will be interesting to see how many other states join Idaho in the campground demand-pricing reservation system. And just how RVers will react to it.
For more Idaho State Parks info, click here.
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The pricing you describe – $34 jumping to $40 for a holiday weekend – is annoying, but $40 still puts Idaho mid-range in terms of state parks. Hoping their “top range” pricing doesn’t get out of line – but if it does, things like this make my Harvest Host/Boondockers Welcome membership worth every penny.
Eileen they also charge an entry fee, along with the camping, out of state ripoffs.
From the above discussion, rates go far above 40 depending on the park and the day.
This is madness…..for a non-resident, a full hookup sited at Farragut SP which is $38 for residents is double ($76) for out of staters. Imagine what it cost for Canadian visitors? Plus $5 a day for a second vehicle. Yes, it’s a beautiful park, but you can stay at other parks in the area, pay the daily use fee, and be way ahead.
Don’t like this at all. Just think the person next to me could pay less or more for the same type of site. Waiting room? I think this state is one i won’t visit, especially being from out of state, goes along with crazy pricing in Mass state parks for out of staters,
And Oregon-Montana-etc. Really sad…..Aaaack!
Yes. Rhode Island also has breathtaking surcharges for visitors. As if everyone traveling and using dry, primitive sites is loaded with dough.
Lost in this discussion is that we’re talking about state parks, funded by taxpayer dollars as a public good. Idaho is now heading down a slippery slope, with some taxpayers given preferential treatment based on whether they have deeper wallets than others.
You got it.
Priest Lake is the same, I’ve been going there since 1963. The last time was two years ago and went USFS rather than have my wallet lifted.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! Good to know. We are planning to cross the border into Canada this summer, and near Coeur d’Alene. We were just thinking of blowing through and spending the night in a Canadian municipal or provincial park. Guess our deliberating just got ended for us. 🙂 Happy new year and safe travels! 🙂
Disgraceful
Idaho? Who’daho?
Farragut State Park, full hookup is 80.00 per night plus the 14.00 vehicle entrance fee for out of state campers. Needless to say, we now camp at Sam Owen, a nice Forest Service campground on the north end of the lake near Hope Idaho.
I’m with you, I also loved Riley Creek, now it’s reservations only. So much for the senior disabled discount if I was able to plan if I was going to be alive tomorrow.
At least I got to enjoy the campground, it is a swell campground with great hosts-volunteers when I was there.
Just as bad as Michigan… none for me thanks.
At least Jessie James showed his victims common courtesy by sticking a gun in their faces when he was robbing them!
Michigan does something similar, weekdays are cheaper and weekends and holidays are more expensive an lord help out of state visitors, they don’t get favorable rates. For a state advertising its self as a vacation paradise, it is not presenting that image when the visitors go to check in.
Michigan has become a money grab. All of their fees are ridiculous.
On my last (and final) visit they demanded that I buy a toad permit just to go into town! Never again Michigan.
Their biggest racket is forcing you to buy and install on your windshield an ‘annual pass’, even if they know darn well you are only going to be there in August. Your other choice is an egregiously high daily fee.
And what do they do with the constantly increasing funds they are bringing in? Beats me, still same old crowded campgrounds with tiny spaces.
I forgot what I was wanting to do after I got halfway thru the rules. I want first come – first served and then I will barter with the park ranger as to how full his park is at that moment.
Anything to do with the Peoples Republic of Idaho is sketchy at best anymore. We lived in that state twice..owning property some 40 years ago. It wasn’t so bad then..but now days..not the same since so many transplants have taken over..especially in the Treasure Valley. Now they just run over into Oregon and hog up camp sites like they own the place. Many times we that live in Oregon cannot even use the campgrounds, or RV parks, that exist in Oregon. And now the big push is on to make Eastern Oregon part of Idaho…if that happens I am outa here.
Thumbs down all you want…facts are facts.
, Living next door to Idaho in Washington I loved visiting Idaho State parks. Then they added costs to us “aliens”. Now more price gouging? Too bad ISParks, you are not getting ANY more of my dollars.
We can include Oregon to that also. Greedy #*xxxers…..
I love USFS and BLM’s for a while, they are starting to follow California.
Poor new kiddos planning on enjoying our outdoors, not going to be the same at all without your parents paying you to get out of the basements and your video games.
OH, for the old days…
Yes, we were trying to reserve at Ponderosa State Park in Idaho. It totaled about $100 a night. We decided there are many beautiful places to camp….bye bye Idaho.
This is as bad as Michigan state parks.
I will boycott any entity that subscribes to such foolishness. @@
I have mixed feelings as we frequent a COE park in TN that has a lot of reservations but a lot of no shows, especially if rain is predicted on the weekend. Thus empty sites that no one can use. Maybe this would rectify that situation.
Well I replied to my own post after reading some below. I see one person is saying his reservation came to over $100/night. So no, Im not in favor of that. It is a $40 on a holiday vs $32 earlier in the month like the article stated, that might be acceptable. The $ amount matters.
So the logic is to charge a premium for when the campgrounds are wall to wall crowded and at their worst?
If folks cancel and you’re denied that awning to awning spacing, overflowing trash cans and endless lines at the showers you paid a premium to experience, is that premium refunded?
Hotels are private businesses, state parks are not. The “logic” used to obscure the rate hike is appalling, if not absurdly juvenile. Just increase the &$#@ fee and move on. Lotteries and gymnastics like this all but drives people to game the system. I give you Exhibit A – Recreation.gov
We frequent northern Idaho several times a summer. I will keep using BLM and USFS campgrounds and won’t even consider a state park after reading this, especially now that they charge out of state campers an additional fee.
Sorry. But am I the only one that wonders why Californians continue to build and live in fire areas. Natural disasters are everywhere but CA fires are particular to CA mostly. I didn’t choose ks cause of twisters. Buffalo cause of snow. I don’t live on the coast. People on the coast are in the same boat.give me a break
I’ll probably be avoiding Idaho State Parks. I’m already charged double for not being a resident. Now this nonsense.
And..These are our lands, Yet they have started acting as if they are a private enterprise.
Greed! They let Thousand Trails take over Lake Kachess and reap all the money without improving any of the infrastructure since I’ve been going there in 1965.
They even closed the dump station to keep from paying for potty service.
Does a camper poop in the woods? Well I’m betting quite a few will..
Sad! Good-bye Idaho-Montana-Oregon state parks.
Also being a veteran, living in Wa. why don’t I get a discount in those states.
Aaaarg-Matey……………Keel haul all of those crooks….
David, we’ve been with Thousand Trails for over 35 years and it has gone downhill as it’s now run more like a profit-style KOA (staff even wear KOA shirts as some parks). We are bailing out end of the year as boondocking in the national forest, BLM, COE, etc. has become a much more enjoyable experience.