While National Park campgrounds are some of the most beautiful, the most majestic, in our country, they are also some of the hardest to make a reservation. Some people are trying to make reservations up to two years in advance now! Is it worth it? Depends on who you ask…
Within the past two years have you stayed in your RV in a National Park campground? If you’re willing to share which one and what the reservation process was like for you, please leave a comment. Thank you, and happy camping!
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No national parks, but a whole lot of Corps of Engineer parks. They are simply awesome!
Around us the COE and State parks are hard to beat. Clean, well maintained, and patrolled by friendly rangers.
Dan, I agree. Don’t know where you are but those campgrounds are hard to beat anywhere. Maybe we will see you across a campground someday.
No. This summer we camped close to the entrance of two national parks. Both were great experiences.
No, not this year – outside a couple just like she mentioned below. Plus, our rig is too big for most. That’s ok – we enjoyed the parks just as much anyway!
Chance of finding a campsite for our 40 ft 5th wheel in a National Park? Combine that with how many National Park campgrounds are in the eastern US? Here in Tennessee, I find many state campgrounds that accommodate our long RV and provide a senior discount. Just last week we camped for a week right on the water and slid the kayaks in for early morning & late evening paddling. Anyone know of a National Park that’s modernizing to meet 21st century demand or are they all sticking to their 20th century standards? I have seen COE campgrounds out west (several day drives away) that offer what we experience here within a short drive. All modern and updated to handle 21st century camping requirements.
If you really want to enjoy a National Park, work, volunteer of apply for helping hands. You will finally have a chance to REALLY see the park and all it’s beauty! There are many jobs available and just about anyone can do something at the park. You will also enjoy full hookups and meeting many people of all nations! We have been here in Yellowstone now for just about 7 months.
Two Weeks at Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore
We stayed almost a week at Grand Canyon Trailer Village. Not the most scenic but full hookups and shuttle are nice perks. We (my parents also brought their class A. We are in a 5th wheel) were able to snag some openings only 3 months in advance!
Prior to Covid every chance i got.
No poll for me….We visited every park we could prior to pandemic.
Just returned from Yellowstone on an impromptu driving trip last week
with my bumper pull 22’ trailer. I did boondock at Lewis Lake where there are first come first serve spots. Only smaller units fit the small campsites. It was very cold two nights in a row but my catalytic heater worked well to keep a cool but comfortable temp. Good base to see the park from.
My 5th-wheel is parked up in California and I’m down in a sleepy fishing village in Baja California Mexico – being Canadian I’m not allowed to enter USA. I sure wish that I could have been in some National Parks and State Parks. Twice I had trips booked using Harvest Hosts that I had to cancel – thank goodness these people were so understanding and compassionate!
We stayed at Gros Ventre campground in Grand Teton. We were in a 38′ fifth wheel and there was plenty of room in our site. It was paved and had water an electric. They had a dump station on the way out. Great place.
We stayed at Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado for 3 days. I just made sure I was on line at midnight 6 months from the day we wanted to stay. Didn’t get my choice of sites but the one we got was still plenty great! We stay at the NPs whenever we can. They are always on our list while traveling.
At 45′, we’re too big for most of the national parks.
Cades Cove… photographing birds,bears,and beautiful scenery. Love it.
We stayed at Manzanita Campground in Lassen Volcano National Park. Our 37-foot rig just barely made it. No problem making a reservation. Lovely campground.
Not this year, but we have stayed at Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone when we first got our 35′ Class A. We do have several National Parks on our ‘go to’ list, but with crowding the last two years, we have waited.
We travel with a dog so we avoid most National Park Campgrounds. We find the restrictions are just not worth it. We have found it to be much more relaxing to find a state or local campground near-by.
4 nights in Great Smoky Mtn NP in early June. Was booked 2 months in advance. Got lucky and found cancellations 2 days ahead of time for 3 nights at 2 different campgrounds at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in mid June. Wasn’t a lot of time but nice to see the area passing thru.
Because we’re 45 ft. our options are limited. There are few parks that can accommodate us.
We have visited four National Parks and numerous National Monuments this year. Finally found one we can actually book and that takes a 40ft RV. Looking forward to going to Theodore Roosevelt National Park tomorrow.
I’m finding it more and more distasteful to deal with National Parks and their reservation systems. I’ve messaged them about various negative aspects and their response was tough, it works for us. Just like every other aspect of the Federal Government.
No Parks, but a number of COE campgrounds, National Forests, and National Seashore. With our Casita, we can almost always find a space.
No, everything at National Parks are overpriced.
Over the years, I’ve enjoyed camping at several different National Parks (in the southern part of Theodore NP, I awoke one morning to find a herd of buffalo “moseying” through my camp site!). Since COVID hit, I’ve “holed up” in an RV park in northeast TN (where I plan to continue to “isolate in place”) until I deem it safe to resume RV travels. I look forward to visiting many more National Parks in the future.
Hi, John. That’s even more exciting than when I went tent-camping on the Hoh River in the middle of the Olympic Rain Forest on the Olympic Peninsula, WA, in the early ’70s. Just drove down an old bumpy dirt road until the Hoh River got in the way. Had never been anywhere near there before. Set up the tent after dark Friday night and went to bed. Got out of the tent Saturday morning and was standing in the middle of a herd of cows. Well, they weren’t as “exciting” as buffalo, but it was interesting. Only Rain Forest for miles around, and no human habitation anywhere near. (Talk about “free range”! 😆 ) –Diane
I stayed at Acadia NP, Blackwoods campground. I have a van, class b, with solar and a generator. I was able to get a site for 7 nights in the no generator B loop. The campground was at 50% capacity due to plumbing issues and covid. I was aware of reservation game, have the site cued up and hit the button right at opening. There were only 5 RV sites available for my chosen day. Acadia was on 60 day prior for reservations. It’s a beautiful park but very much over loved and has a people problem. I can’t image the area with the addition of cruise ships ( none this past summer when I was there). I doubt I’ll go back.