We’ve written about crowded campgrounds for a couple of years now. The situation has seemed to worsen with each passing month. But, wait! Is something happening?
At the RVtravel.com staff meeting earlier this week the subject of campground crowding came up, and two of our staff members noted that they suddenly had no problem finding a campground on the fly, just like “the good ol’ days.”
Granted, there are places in the USA and Canada where there has never been a problem finding a last-minute campsite. But they are usually in out-of-the-way places. It has been a huge challenge to find such a spot in popular tourist areas, like in and near national parks.
But now, with the gas prices soaring, RVers are cutting back their travels. In our poll last week, one-quarter of the more than 2,700 readers who responded had canceled at least some reservations. Twelve percent said they had canceled all or most of them.
What about you? After answering the poll question, would you please leave a comment? We are planning an article about this next week and would very much appreciate your feedback.
I don’t know about finding “more” campsites – I only need one – but, we did change our plans due to fuel prices and other variables. We decided to camp more locally thus creating an opening in Pennsylvania and easily found an available site in Rhode Island.
As full-time RVers, we adapt. Right now, instead of a regular RV park, we’re in the local Fairgrounds where last night we were treated to a nice local Horse Show and today to the local Mud Bogs.
We were just out for 10 days. Our first stay was a Mon thru Thurs stay. Granted those are week days, but we were the only occupied camper there! There were annual RVs there, but no one in them…a few came to mow their grass. This was near a well known tourist attraction and right off a busy four-lane. 50 amp FHU $40 flat.
We spent the rest of our time at the Amana Colonies. I made that reservation just a week before leaving for the weekend of July 4th and even got the site I wanted. Now, the Amana RV Park is 450 sites and I’ve never seen it full, but for a holiday weekend my perception was that campers and traffic in the colonies was down.
Yes finding available campground reservation is now much easier!
I have found last minute reservations much easier in the last 3-4 weeks particularly for reservations this fall. Had lunch yesterday with the manager of a large chain restaurant telling me that in the last 3-4 weeks he has had a “Flood” of applications and new hires that actually work and show up!
Our VRBO lake house still has available weekends to book this fall in September and October. First time that’s happened in the last 5 years!
The “Build Back Better” plan for the economy is hitting it’s stride! The average family is now experiencing $500-$700/month in extra living/working expenses versus 1 year ago the time for fun and sitting on the couch has passed! That’s $6K-8K/year new expenses!
Economic changes are coming HARD AND FAST for the average American. As usual thinking the government has any plan for guidance, planning and execution for a soft landing economic landing is unrealistic DREAM!
I said yes only because we looked this week and found several. Our timing was prompted by a message from our salesman in Florida that the 2022 New Aire we ordered in March had arrived. Suddenly we were scrambling to find a place in Florida near the dealership to stay the night before we got our new RV and again the following night. Then we had to find campsites between south Florida and a rally in Wyoming (for which we made reservations months ago and thought until yesterday (7/8/22) that we would have to cancel). Two days later, mission accomplished, reservations for next week at three campgrounds.
Yay, Neal! Glad to hear you got your new rig and that you’re on the road again! Happy and safe travels! 😀 –Diane
We are in Florida, lots and lots of empty sites in summer.
Traveling in Canada in the Gaspe Peninsula and now in New Brunswick and have seen many campgrounds with lots of open campsites.
I see many people in Texas saying they are not going to use their camping reservation because of the combination of high heat and low water. Unfortunately, many of them don’t bother to actually cancel those reservations at state or COE parks because they don’t get all their money back and they don’t care if someone else might want to camp.
That’s the issue we have in Wisconsin .The camp sites reserved but no one shows up.Trying to book and entire week in state grounds is hard since all weekends are booked
I really haven’t noticed but I plan months out. It will take me some time to notice, but we’re not moving as often. I am seeing that. Several people we know are staying two or three weeks where they previously would only stay a week or 10 days.
Two trips so far this year. Only problem was in the Nashville area but they were having a big weekend concert. So we parked in our grandsons driveway for two nights. Next trip from Florida to Maine we had no problems getting full service pull thru for our MH. I am guessing the worst problems are near major national parks and big cities. Most of our stays were in semi rural areas and there were plenty of empty sites. Made all reservations one day in advance and not close to big cities or major tourist attractions.
We just finished an 8,500 mile trip and I adjusted our itinerary in a few places and even added nights at massively popular campgrounds like KOA West Glacier.
Wow just made a 1 week reservations at an RV Park 8 miles from West Glacier entrance..tried to in May and was not able to. V.Happy..!!
No, it’s more of a problem now than it was just a few months ago. Most of the time we stay a week or more and finding a site both available for the length of time AND in our preferred direction of travel has been a chore lately. Keep in mind we are a bit picky about the campgrounds we chose as far as desirability and price. Due to prices (of everything) and availability we’ve decided to drop anchor for a while here in Colorado and plan to stay thru August. Monthly rates are decent and the weather is very comfortable compared to back home. We’ll start our planning again near the end of the month and see if things change.
I’m guessing this relates more to heat than gas prices. We just left a campground two hours from our house yesterday without staying one night — because the heat way just miserable. No thought of gas prices one way or another.
I had reservations for Myrtle Beach in early May that I cancelled along with the rest of my east coast travel plans due to the advertised diesel fuel shortages. Based in Phoenix I try to get out of here for the summer months. After sitting it out for the last two months my itch is getting the better of me. I’m leaving for Moab white water rafting next week with a roughly 1500 mile road trip. I didn’t find any difficulty booking stops.
We don’t go to the popular parks. There are plenty of smaller, out of the way campgrounds. Provincial parks in Canada and mom and pop places. Never have problems getting in.
retired 3 years, since gas prices went up quit looking. waiting for prices to
go down or stabilize before i will consider camping again.
I spent a year making reservations for a 4 month journey that started in June. It was exhausting but worth the effort. I’ll be starting the reservation quest very soon for next year’s trip. It’s what I do for peace of mind and amazing camp sites.
Me too. Not for 4 months but we did a month last year. 16 campgrounds in 31 days. We had some amazing campsites. This year is closer to home and shorter trips because of gas prices but sites were still chosen with care and early in the game. Planning a trip is half the fun for me.
On a four month trip to Wyoming and surrounding area and have had to change our plans because of medical issues. Not difficult to find campgrounds even near Yellowstone NP east entrance.
Yes, I believe it has gotten a little bit easier, we were able to book a spot for the 4th holiday at a very popular campground near Richmond VA on Tuesday before that weekend and there were 3 other spots that stayed open the 4 days we were there. Normally you have to reserve at least 2 weeks ahead to get a spot. Hope it continues.
Got one at Fishing Bridge short notice Yellowstone, multiple openings… WHEN I wanted it.
My coworker cancelled his yellowstone trip because he was in the area of the flooding and would had taken 2 hrs to get to the other entrance.
With the cost of campgrounds going up and the cost of gas, and hard to get reservations at some of the campgrounds we like to stay at my wife and I have not done any camping for two years. It is getting to the spot it is just as easy to pack your suitcases, put them in the car and head out and just go to a hotel.
We were able to reschedule a coveted State park reservation so I think it is happening. We will only go out 3 hours or so. No long cross state trips until we have lower gas prices. Hoping for Big changes in the WH. America is suffering the consequences of elections.
This issue is world wide, not just the US. Not a WH issue. This would have happened under the past president as well.
I generally try to avoid political stuff on a RV comment .Our refineries are at 100% capacity .This country hasn’t built a refinery in how many years ,that’s the true bottle neck in the system. People equate gas and prices to Presidents for some reason ,shrug .
Spot on Dan.
There is always somebody who has to make it about politics. Keep your political comments to yourself, please.
As a traveling evangelist, when I’m not church driveway surfing, I need to follow a prescribed path around the country. Reserving 60 days out at Thousand Trails, Encore, KOA, Travel Resorts of America and Passport America has been much easier than I thought it would be!
I live in Maine and we are finding campgrounds that started charging “market rates” as they call it, or gouging as I call it, are now having more and more openings and it is getting easier to find a spot at these campgrounds.
At market rates?
I live in Georgia and I’ve found more locals than travelers. Too expensive traveling far.
While I haven’t been paying attention, I’m going to after reading this article. There is at least one more trip I would like to get in, if I can find a place to park.
Reservations are still tight at the places we’ve been going. Saw very few sites that were reserved yet empty this past weekend. We’re camping closer to home then normal but we’re still going as often.
I checked “yes” on finding more camping spots available. It is really more than that. We had our annual trip to Oregon, six weeks this year, all planned and reservations made. But, after lots of “should we or should we nots” the nots won!
The major reason? We just are so upset at what is happening to the cost of living for the average American while our supposed leadership in this country, both political and corporate continue to make matters worse.
We decided to forgo the at least $1200.00 increase in fuel costs from last year’s trip but still travel and have some fun.
This is the second part of my survey reply. We decided to take a 4 week or so trip to New Mexico. I was able to make all the reservations within a few days in mid-June. This includes Las Cruces, Ruidoso, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, Show Low, AZ and back home to southern AZ.
Please do not think this is a “poor me” tale. We have planned for our retirement, are doing well financially. It is the principle of it!
We are Boondockers Welcome hosts when we are not on the road. We live on our family farm in the middle of the country and usually have lots of guests going to or coming from the West. Has really slowed down since mid-June. Have to believe it is a result of high fuel prices and weather/fire related issues in the west.
We have 2 RV spots in Bend Oregon that have been full all summer. We started using Hipcamp platform as well as Airbnb. Many people haven’t heard of Hipcamp but it’s getting pretty popular among campers. Even with the rising cost in fuel, people still want to get out and enjoy the great outdoors!