A California campground owners’ organization says there are more campsites available than you think. Sure enough, when you check out public campground reservation sites, you’ll see that plenty of campgrounds are full. But what you do not see is that some of those “filled” sites are bogus, reserved by cheaters who all too often have no intent of using them.
More campsites “available” only because of system “gaming”
A media release from the California Outdoor Hospitality Association (CalOHA) points the finger at people who “game the system.” “People are making reservations that they don’t really plan to use,” says Dyana Kelley. “They’re just trying to give themselves multiple camping options, but this behavior creates an illusion on many campground reservation websites that suggests campgrounds are full when many public and private campgrounds have available campsites.” Kelley is CalOHA’s president and CEO.
RVTravel.com readers have complained that on arriving at a campground with a “full” sign posted they’ve found a lot of unoccupied campsites. Sadly, those sites remain that way because they’re technically reserved. Public campground management agencies are slowly changing the rules, in some cases making “no-shows” give up more than just their reservation fees. Still, no-show open spaces are a frustrating reality across the country.
“Many families plan camping trips months in advance at multiple campgrounds on multiple dates,” Kelley said. “They’ll have different family members book these campsites so they can secure a variety of options. Then, at a later time, they’ll figure out where and when they want to camp, but they often won’t cancel their original reservations. The problem is that when thousands of families do this, it creates a perception that campgrounds everywhere are full, when that’s really not the case.”
One suggestion—Forget “public” campgrounds
As a representative of private campground owners, Kelley has an answer. California camping wannabees should look into privately owned campgrounds. “Camp-California.com, for its part, provides links to mostly independently owned and operated campgrounds across the state that are in highly sought-after camping destinations, including locations just outside state and national parks and Forest Service lands.” [Editor note: At Camp-California.com, you can type in the search box at the top and also find campgrounds in Nevada, Oregon and Washington.]
“There are a lot of independently owned and operated campgrounds in California that have vacancies right now,” Kelley said. “People assume campgrounds everywhere are full like they were during the pandemic. That’s not the case.”
On the other hand…
Not everyone wants to go the private campground route. For them, Kelley makes another suggestion. California State Parks camping: Hit their reservation website ReserveCalifornia.com. For Forest Service or National Parks, check the official website Recreation.gov. You may find something has opened up.
She also suggests picking up the phone and checking with those reservation agencies’ customer service folk to see if there are openings from last-minute cancellations or “no-show” spots that have been opened up at the last minute.
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“As a representative of private campground owners, Kelley has an answer. California camping wannabees should look into privately owned campgrounds.”
And how do private CGs know any better than public ones that the reservations on their systems are any less bogus?
The answer has to be fix it! -Don’t ask people to just go somewhere else.
Absolutely agreed! Campers did not create this mess. Why should we be looking for solutions or way around it?
What incentive do the campgrounds have to fix it? For public campgrounds, they might actually prefer fewer customers showing up. I camp host in a national forest and given the increase in “problems” that today’s campers bring, every camper that doesn’t show up is a relief to us. And honestly it’s the only way most of us can keep up with our job duties, since you KNOW they’re not going to hire any more labor.
If you haven’t shown up for 2 nights reservation you lose the spot and no refund of any monies–period, no exceptions.
Ms. Kelley seems to have it backwards. I find that it is the private RV parks that seem to be full. I never have a problem finding campsites in public campgrounds like USFS, BLM, COE, National Rec. Area, county fairgrounds, county and city parks, etc. Our absolute favorites are New Mexico state parks with $14/night W/E sites. We also stay in FC-FS campsites, with some even having free or <$12/night electric and water hookups. Much better than a Love's RV park or Walmart parking lot for an overnight stop!
Thank you, Russ and Tina! 🙂 Well, it has been determined that a problem exists and it has been defined. Now, let’s see what set of solutions are undertaken, whether any are successful, and how quickly can that be determined? At that point, it seems “the solution,” or “the set of solutions” can be implemented. Looking forward to what comes next! Thanks again, have a great day, safe travels, amd safe stays! 🙂
This American behavior is driving a lot of long time RV’ers to quit camping. This seems to be a disease that has affected many who do not care about anything..or anybody..but themselves. I think this disease started long ago at the top of our leadership in America and has slowly consumed society. We have met the enemy…and it is us.
Lack of Accountability!!! It’s seen and demonstrated from very top!
Campgrounds should have at least half first come first serve. Also how about a 48 hour no show, then site becomes available.
24 hours, not 48. And make sure someone is available to take calls, to allow for call-ins. Shouldn’t strictly be “no show”, it should be “no call, no show”, because after all, stuff does happen. BUT if nobody calls OR shows within 24 hours, then the site should become first come, first served.
As a representative of private campground owners, Kelley‘s answer (and job) is to steer people to private campgrounds. This isn’t an article, it’s an infomercial hawking private campgrounds….
Campgrounds should operate somewhat like hotels and airlines. Pay ahead and if you don’t show you lose your site. Many time I try to book a site for 1 nite and have to call to see if one is available. When I get there, half the park is empty. I almost always try for state parks first. You cannot tell me that people cannot call ahead and either cancel or tell them they will be late. If you can drive across the country in an rv, then you have cell service.
Except many don’t bother to answer the phone.
I’ve found at one Wa. State Park there is only someone in the office for only a couple of hours and only on certain days.
No Help there.
I tried the dreaded Wa. Parks reservation site at 10 P.M. last Friday. We are Offline ……..Big Help but usual…..
Frankly, I believe there should be a 24 hour no show rule. After that, the site becomes a first come, first served site. Also, if there is a pattern of doing this, maybe they should be banned from making reservations for a year. It is only common courtesy to cancel if you are not going to make it. Of course, common courtesy is something lacking in people nowadays!
That does nothing for people who had to forget about camping that weekend. Once someone hogs Friday night as a no-show, the damage is done.
3x Strikes a Season Rule: No show 3 times in 1 year and all reservations cancelled in system; AND you are ONLY able to make 1 reservation at a time until you can demonstrate 5 times in a row that u show up for reservations! That will fix the problem! It’s called accountability!!!! Unless u have a doctors note…
A lot of these perps are the weekend warrior party groups, not individuals or couples. This rule won’t affect them–they just have another member of their party step in to purchase a site. Hell, they already use this method to game the system so their group can stay longer than the 14-day max at my national forest campgrounds.
and if the campground would properly enforce that they could not stay longer….
Campgrounds are also “gaming the system” by not providing a reasonable cancelation policy. Campgrounds love no-shows. They keep all the money and provide no services. It’s 100% profit.
Only counterpoint to this is, they could keep the money and open the no-show site for the possibility of doubling their income for the site!
I agree with the comments. I recently camped at Mission Bay RV Resort, San Diego from mid-May to July 3rd. At one point I was forced to switch campsites, one site over, to allow a so-called reservation to take place … No one showed up for the following weeks after the move. This is a city-run site, so that should tell you something. When traveling, I typically always go “private”, but in San Diego there are none.
We’re in California and prefer State run campgrounds. The ReserveCalifornia system is horrible. It forces everyone to hit the button at the exact same time as others. Literally, it comes down to seconds.
same in FL for the high demand & / or high value parks
Highly amusing that private campgrounds are supposed to be the answer. At a mom-n-pop recently, got crammed into a tight spot with overlapping neighbors, while we all watched choice view sites go unused all weekend.
Well get rid of reservations! This problem never existed til 6 -12 months out reservations was introduced. Everywhere not just Cali. That was all done to benefit campgrounds not campers. Why campers need to find solution? Keep your suggestions and fix the problem! Make it 1 month out with half campsites and other half no reservations. Penalize no cancel folks. Make rule that all camphosts are to open up no show sites by next day noon! I seen it a lots when camphost will not do it even though it states in their reservations agreement.
Great idea, but it doesn’t benefit the campgrounds. See other comments here about campgrounds enjoying keeping the reservation fee without having actual guests come and stay, which causes the campground to do work.
I disagree with the advice to pick up the phone and call the reservation company to ask about last-minute openings. The reservation company rep will only see the same data that we see on the website. Would be better to call the actual campground, if you can find a number that doesn’t forward to the same reservation company.
It seems like those “cheating” are still paying for multiple sites so they are wasting thier money. I have not had an issue traveling across the country finding sites.
I just tried the Camp-California website. I put in Oakhurst expecting to see High Sierra RV Park where I’ve stayed many times on the way to Yosemite. It didn’t come up. I think the website needs more work.
I just put in Yosemite and it did come up
Economics always wins. If people are paying for sites they don’t use, then the price is too low, at least for those people. At the same time, who really wants full campgrounds? This is more of an argument amongst selfish people.
Problem is campground owners would rather be paid by a no show than be paid and have a camper. Empty sites don’t need to be cleaned. Bathrooms too.
CA Reservations system website has constant problems – from nothing displayed on screen, to only part of the page, then you have to refresh, then start over. Very inconsistent, hard to know if the camp site you’re looking at is truly available. VERY difficult to use.
The only way to curb this selfish behavior is to hit them in the pocket book. Make reservations, don’t show up, lose all the money you’ve paid plus a big fine ($500). Second offense lose all the money you’ve paid plus a bigger fine ($1500). Third offense, banned from the reservation system for 5 years and lose all paid money plus $2500 fine. Last chance of this selfish behavior, banned for life!
In our “new” society of entitlement and selfishness, the only way people will learn is hit them HARD financially. Same should be happening with tourons in parks. Create a NO PARKS list (like a no fly list) for people who endanger wildlife of deface a park. Banned for life!!
I don’t think a fine will work. It should be an up front deposit that you retrieve/credit once you get there.
This is not only a California problem. We recently needed a site in Land Between the Lakes park in TN/KY. All the campground showed full and all sites reserved. We stayed at a nearby campground that was not what we really wanted, but drove through the LBL campgrounds so we could pick the perfect site for our next trip. There were so many empty spaces, dozens. It was sad and made us mad.
that happened to us in Ohio
This problem is widespread where campgrounds don’t have a cancelation policy for no shows. Whether it is not enough staff to manage or a computer system that is not up to date, they should be able to get this fixed. It is very frustrating to go to a campground and see a dozen or more sites that no one ever shows up for their weeklong reservation. I would suggest that people that do not show or cancel have any reservations in the system cancelled. They will then cancel or show up for their res. The cost of the reservations are usually low enough they don’t care if they lose the money. But if they lose their upcoming reservations, they might just decide to pick up the phone.
Simple. 100% deposit with a 100% forfeit if you cancel less than 72 hours before reservation date. Don’t like it, don’t camp.
Sufficient “no show” penalties will fix the problem. Takes guts to implement them, however.
I just say this article wasn’t very informative or offer any direction in solving the problem.