Popular RV membership campgrounds organization Thousand Trails has recently implemented some major changes with fees as high as $4,000 a year.
Before diving into the new plans, it’s important to understand why Thousand Trails was so popular in the first place. The main draw was the potential to camp for $0 a night with full hookups. This includes water, sewer, trash, and electric. Duane had an upgraded membership that, even with annual dues, allowed him to camp for around $3 a night.
That’s a massive saving compared to typical RV park costs. Of course, boondocking (camping without hookups) is an even cheaper alternative, but it sacrifices the convenience of full hookups. For RVers who prefer the comforts of an RV park, Thousand Trails was often the most affordable option.
In the video below this article, Duane from the RV Inspection and Care YouTube channel discusses whether or not these Thousand Trails changes are actually improvements.
Major updates to Thousand Trails memberships
What exactly has changed with these new Thousand Trails memberships? There are three key differences that RVers need to know about.
#1 No more lifetime memberships
The biggest change is the elimination of lifetime memberships. Previously, you could purchase a lifetime membership and use it as long as you paid your annual dues. Now, Thousand Trails memberships are only available in two-year or four-year terms.
At the end of your term, you have a few options:
• Renew: Continue the membership for another two or four years.
• Upgrade: Move to a higher-tier membership with more benefits.
• Downgrade: Switch to a lower-tier membership with fewer benefits.
• Cancel: Stop the membership altogether.
#2 Memberships cannot be resold
Another significant change is that new memberships cannot be resold. In the past, members could resell their memberships on the used market and recoup some of their initial investment. This is no longer an option with the new plans.
#3 Upgraded plans are all-inclusive
The upgraded Thousand Trails plans now include all the features and benefits in one price. Dues, access to the Trails Collection, and other previously separate fees are now built into the cost of the upgraded memberships. This simplifies the pricing structure and makes it easier to budget for your camping trips.
Breaking down the new Thousand Trails membership plans
Thousand Trails now offers a range of membership plans to suit different RVing styles and budgets. Let’s take a closer look at each option:
Regional camping pass
The Regional Camping Pass is the most basic membership option, making it ideal for weekend RVers and those who primarily camp in a specific region.
• What it is: This pass grants access to one zone of Thousand Trails parks. Thousand Trails divides the United States into five zones. You can choose the zone that best suits your travel plans.
• Cost: The undiscounted cost is $755 per year, per zone.
• Adding zones: You can add additional zones for $125 per year, per zone.
• Stay limits: You can stay at any park within your chosen zone for a maximum of 14 days.
• “Out of System” rule: If you stay five or more nights at a Thousand Trails park, you must be out of the system for seven days before making another reservation. However, if you stay four nights or less, you can move from park to park without any waiting period.
• Reservation window: You can make reservations up to 60 days in advance.
• Trails Collection add-on: For an additional $450 per year, you can add access to the Trails Collection, a network of more than 110 Encore resort parks located across the United States, with many in coastal locations.
• Trails Collection stays: Stays are limited to 14 days, with a seven-night waiting period between Encore stays. Most Encore parks offer $0-a-night stays, though some may charge extra. The reservation window is 60 days.
Upgraded memberships
The upgraded memberships offer more flexibility and benefits for part-time and full-time RVers. These plans eliminate the zone restrictions and offer longer stay limits.
The Journey Membership
The Journey Membership is the first upgrade tier, providing access to all Thousand Trails parks nationwide.
• Access: All 80+ Thousand Trails parks across the country.
• Stay limit: Increased to 21 days.
• “Out of System” rule: There’s no time out of the system required between park stays.
• Yearly dues: None – the cost is all-inclusive.
• Trails Collection: Included in the membership.
• Reservation window: 120 days.
• Extras: One cabin stay annually, and the option to add an extra week to any Thousand Trails stay twice a year for $29 per week, along with additional family benefits and savings.
• Cost:
-
- Two-year plan: $2,000 per year (undiscounted).
- Four-year plan: $1,800 per year (undiscounted).
Explore Membership
The Explore Membership builds on the Journey plan, offering the same benefits with an extended reservation window.
• Benefits: Same as Journey.
• Reservation window: Extended to 150 days.
• Extras: An Additional week stay at a getaway cabin.
• Cost:
-
- Two-year plan: $3,000 per year (undiscounted).
- Four-year plan: $2,700 per year (undiscounted).
Adventure Membership (Flagship Plan)
The Adventure Membership is the highest tier, providing the most flexibility and benefits, including access to Trails Collection Plus.
• Benefits: All the benefits of Explore and Journey.
• Reservation window: Extended to 180 days.
• Additional stays: Add stays at a Thousand Trails park four times annually for $29 each time, or buy stays at a Thousand Trails park during high season twice annually for $99.
• Trails Collection Plus: Automatically upgraded.
• Cost:
-
- Two-year plan: $4,000 per year (undiscounted).
- Four-year plan: $3,600 per year (undiscounted).
Trails Collection Plus explained
The Trails Collection Plus is an enhanced version of the Trails Collection, available exclusively with the Adventure Membership.
• Stay Limit at Encore Resorts: Extended to 21 days.
• “Out of System” rule: There’s no time out of the system required between Encore park stays.
• Reservation window: Extended to 90 days.
Are the new Thousand Trails memberships worth it? A cost analysis
To determine if the new Thousand Trails memberships are a good value, it’s helpful to compare them to the average cost of RV camping. Let’s use $50 a night as the average cost of RV camping across the country. Keep in mind that this is just an average; prices can vary depending on the location and amenities.
• Regional Camping Pass: At $755 a year, you’d need to camp more than 15 nights to make it worthwhile.
• Journey Membership: At $2,000 a year, you’d need to camp more than 40 nights to come out ahead.
• Explore Membership: At $3,000 a year, you’d need to camp more than 60 nights to make it a better deal.
• Adventure Membership: At $4,000 a year, you’d need to camp more than 80 nights to be worth the cost.
Who should buy which membership? Recommendations based on RVing style
The best Thousand Trails membership for you depends on your RVing habits and travel style.
• Regional Camping Pass: This pass is ideal for weekend and part-time RVers who primarily camp in one region. According to industry statistics, the average weekend or part-time RVer spends about 30 nights a year camping. If this describes you, the Regional Camping Pass could be a good fit.
• Journey Membership: The Journey Membership seems to be the “sweet spot” for saving money. It’s a good option for part-time RVers who spend three or more months traveling each year. If you camp more than 40 nights a year, this membership could save you money.
• Explore and Adventure Memberships: These memberships are best for RVers who travel more than three months a year or are full-timers. The Adventure Membership is especially appealing to full-timers due to the benefits of Trails Collection Plus, including the ability to move between Encore parks without a time out of the system. If you spend six months or more traveling, the Adventure Membership is definitely worth considering.
Getting the best deal: How to find discounts on Thousand Trails memberships
It’s important to remember that the prices quoted so far are undiscounted. Thousand Trails often runs sales throughout the year, offering significant discounts on their memberships.
The changes to Thousand Trails memberships bring both advantages and disadvantages. While the loss of lifetime memberships and resale value is disappointing, the all-inclusive pricing and new Trails Collection Plus option offer added convenience and value.
To decide if a Thousand Trails membership is right for you, consider your RVing style, budget, and travel habits. Analyze how many nights a year you typically camp, and compare that to the cost of each membership level.
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RVT1207b
Thank you for highlighting Duane’s video, Cheri! Last time I looked (2 or 3 years ago), Thousand Trails seemed to have few campgrounds in the southeast. In any case, it has never seemed a good fit for us. Have a great day and safe travels!
Not for me either, Neal.
Can RV Travel do a survey to see how many of its readers have a Thousand Trail membership?
Watching YouTube videos, I get the impression that TT campgrounds are hit or miss on how well they are maintained. For those who use the program, do you find that these campgrounds are generally well maintained or not?
Thoughtful suggestion, though I might add “are you happy with your TT membership?” Based on our 5 years full timing, hit and miss is an accurate description.
We got a trial offer and stayed at Thousand Trails in Bridgeport, Texas. The road to the site was brutal with potholes galore. The site itself was “meh” and the whole place had a trailer park vibe. I guess if you’re a full-timer RV Park dweller that likes to rotate from park to park, the “value” might be there but it’s not for us.
When you pair the cost of a TT membership with the number of nights camping remember; You’re likely not going to spend all those nights in TT parks (unless you allow TT to dictate your travel plans). Often, parks will not be available in your booking window. If you need 50 amp, you won’t always get it. You’ll often be relegated to second tier campsites (top tier go to non-members paying retail). If it’s still possible to get a lifetime membership on the secondary market, i.e. Campground Membership Outlet, explore that option.
The TT terms are harder than Japanese arithmetic. I would definitely need a flow chart and there seems to be no guarantee you’ll get a site when/where you want it. I’ll pass.
Lack of locations, lack of availability at locations, blackout dates, crammed sites, and their membership recruitment office is the biggest building with the biggest sign (at least where I stayed it seemed that way). I used them with my trial membership that came with my RV purchase at a dealer. Decided they want to just take membership money and not really give you anything for it. Kinda the same with Camping World and Passport, and, well, any timeshare scenario. Avoid.
You did not say in this story if you have an existing Life time package does this effect that in any way , such as if I have a Adventure package will I no longer be able to sell it or are my dues and Trail collection Dues going up in price . We purchased our Adventure Package when they first came out years ago and love it .
I stayed at the one in Portland OR and it was horrible! I didn’t know at the time it was a TT park and couldn’t believe it when I found out. Full timers with junk everywhere and grass to my waist around their rigs. A smelly, stagnant pond and rude staff. I was booked for a week and as soon as a space opened up in my favorite park there I moved.
Yup. They are awful!
We have had two free memberships with TT due to motorhome purchases. The TT’s we stayed in were in the PNW and they were terrible. Parks were not clean, sites full of dog poop and garbage, staff who could care less about what went on in the park. Why people would pay good money for this always vexed me. And the limitations and what you could do when was so confusing, it’d take a rocket scientist to figure out. Not for us….
We bought our Thousand Trails membership around 1990 and later on upgraded it. That was before they had zones. It is a non-expiring membership and about a dozen years ago or a bit more they had a program that allowed us to freeze our yearly dues. Some years we can camp enough to more than break even while during other years not. From our San Francisco Bay area location, we have six TT parks withing 150 miles. Closest is 45 miles. Many more in the western states which is good for us. Some parks that declined have been upgraded. Glad that we have it.