University of Montana Assistant Professor Will Rice is a self-avowed “campground nerd.” Spring signals the start of high season for campers and Rice—who favors tenting rather than RVing—looks forward to getting out into the great outdoors.
But camping is more than Rice’s avocation—it’s also his vocation. As a researcher in outdoor recreation and wildland management, he studies the science and art of camping, including how campers actually pick their campsites and the seismic changes taking place in U.S. national parks during and since COVID-19.
That research, conducted with colleagues around the country and at the W. A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation, has found a park system strained by the exploding popularity of outdoor recreation and struggling to find ways to balance park protection with equitable access to all.
Campers accessing sites that require reservations came from areas with significantly higher portions of white residency and higher-incomes than those accessing sites not requiring reservations.
As Rice puts his work: “We are studying people trying to have fun to make sure they, and everyone else, can keep having fun or start having fun, without destroying the things that allow them to have fun. That sounds simple, but it turns out this is an incredibly complex puzzle.”
In March 2022, Rice, along with UM Associate Professor Jennifer Thomsen and graduate students Jaclyn Rushing and Peter Whitney, released a study that digs deeper into the issue of online camping reservations systems and their impact on the demographics of national park campers.
“There is a massive push right now to go to online reservation systems,” said Rice. “It’s just more efficient for the park agency.”
Efficient, perhaps, but not without unintended consequences, his team’s research found.
Using federal camping data and mobile device location technology—with funding secured from UM’s Center for Population Health Research—Rice was able to more closely correlate the ethnicity and income of campers with their ability to access campground sites. The research looked at five national park campgrounds across the country that offered campsites both through the park system’s reservation platform, Recreation.gov, and on a first-come, first-served basis.
White campers favored
The analysis found that on average campers accessing sites that require reservations came from areas with significantly higher portions of white residency and higher incomes than those accessing sites not requiring reservations.
The reasons for these outcomes are many, Rice said, and are based on everything from technology to workforce dynamics.
Low income campers challenged by need to plan ahead
“To use these systems you need high-speed internet, which can be a problem for some campers – particularly in remote places like we have in Montana,” he explained. “You also need flexibility to plan your trip for six months from now. People with lower-income jobs often don’t have the ability to set vacations that far in advance.”
Success in securing the site also requires a level of institutional knowledge on how the system works, which can lead to fewer novice campers landing coveted sites, he said.
Within the past few years, these disparities were further exacerbated by the rise of startups that can, at a cost, alert customers the moment a campsite becomes available.
Rice said these findings add much-needed research to a growing conversation around inequitable accessibility to National Park Service campgrounds—a phenomena as old as the park system itself.
“There has always been an aspect of exclusivity to the national parks,” Rice said, noting campgrounds were conceptualized by the leisure class to emulate the suburbs. “And to a large degree they remain exclusionary.”
Still, he adds, as overall numbers of campers grow, so too has the representation of campers of various ethnic groups. Participation in outdoor activities, while not representative of the overall population percentages, has grown among Blacks and Hispanics in the past few years in particular.
Rice calls the demographic change a “camping bright spot.”
So how does the National Park Service preserve what makes parks “natural” while keeping them accessible to all?
Competing with private sector is difficult
“We can’t use tools employed in the private sector. We simply can’t raise prices as they do in the hospitality industry,” Rice said. “It’s a super-wicked problem.”
One possibility, now used in some Yosemite campgrounds, is a lottery system for long-term reservations and on a daily basis.
“We’re hoping for funding at UM to look deeper into lottery system to see if it works,” Rice said.
As a tent guy, Rice said he prefers dispersed camping but realizes that “sometimes you want a toilet” and is hoping solutions for everyone who shares his love of camping can be found in the near future.
He grins when asked if, what with his inside track on the industry, he has a secret list of easily accessible camp spots. He does and shares one.
“I like Death Valley National Park,” he said of one of the hottest places on Earth. “But not a ton of people want to go there.”
##RVT1184b
The main issue with the reservation system is that some campers book sites and then never use them. We see this a lot in the Smoky Mountain campgrounds. It’s sad that these people severely limit the chances for others, who enjoy the great outdoors, on campsite availability.
There should be a “national” data base for those no-show campers. Booking information entered, then when a “no-show” attempts to make another booking, they get denied!! AND told why!!!
Give me a flipping break. There are some that try to place a “race” template on EVERYTHING! I don’t think a computer, smartphone, or reservation system knows what race a person is that is trying to make reservations. “The reasons for these outcomes are many, Rice said.”Yeah, no scatlia, it’s called Independent variables! What was the dependent variable and the effect on it if each dependent!? Seems bogus!
Minorities do live in predominantly white neighborhoods. How did their study account for that? What value did this study have? Does it matter if John or Juan or Jackie Chan is camping, lol!
I was thinking the same thing! 🙄
massage those numbers to get the result needed for publishing an article. Bad statistical tests can get you the results wanted…..
IMHO, a solution in search of a problem…
Have never been asked what color skin I have when making reservations. What a bunch of bunk.
I’m speechless. I can’t even comprehend such BS.
It’s an insult to all races: “Low income campers challenged by the need to plan ahead.” Are all non-whites stupid?
Da’ man keep me down. @@
My mini winni is white. Does that count?
Apparently.👍😉🤣 Have a great day, Michael. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
😂 When I read the title…I actually thought “vehicle”…which sounded stupid enough and then I read the article! 🙄
Ridiculous, camping is no different than booking a hotel, why does race have to be brought up even when there is no problem!
Just another example of a high paid college professor wasting time and money on an unsubstantiated theory. It has nothing to do with skin color, but more lifestyle.
What he says is that most low income people are non-whites and live in poor neighborhoods and lack intelligence.
We have a black and white family across the street. He is a master plumber and works for a large company. His wife works for the local school district.
According to this ‘professor’, they could only get reservations half of the times that whites do.
I get tired of hearing excuses that minorities have difficulties with ever they want or do. It’s just an excuse. Since I was in the service (1974) minorities get preference in most everything. The reservation sites don’t know your color or ethnicity. If you don’t have a credit card theres Visa & Mastercards gift cards. I came from a poor family and going in the Air Force my ambition in life is what helped me and many minorities in life. We are all Americans treat us the same.
AMEN!!! 🇺🇸…and THANK YOU!! 🫡
What complete nonsense. A completely biased experiment at best, useless amalgamation of data in reality. You can produce whatever results you want in school and in the lab.
Liars figure and figures lie.
“he studies the science and art of camping”. What? Is there a doctorate degree for that?
Probably does it on Federal grant money! 🙃
Yep, follow the money trail.. !
Race Industrial Complex.
From Sharpton to J. Jackson and BLM to DEI, follow the money.
Something for DOGE to cut, after January 20th!
I can’t wait to see what happens! Elon and Vivek!!…WOW!…what a team to have on our side!! 🇺🇸
If they are so “low income” as to not have internet access, (didn’t the government give them “free” phones?) how can they afford campers? We all know owning a camper, or even tent camping, is not an inexpensive endeavor. When ethnicity, race, or any other DEI factors are used, it just makes the whole situation worse for everyone. This just allows someone to choose winners and losers. A computerized reservations system doesn’t know your race or income. Why didn’t that college put those funds to real use for something people are really interested in, such as performing a study on “How frogs fall in love.”
Duh! People with higher incomes have better connectivity and have more access to recreation and RVing. But, to add white to this is, is the height of DEI/Marxist nonsense. I’m so sick of a making everything about race and how white people are “bad”. I thought I could escape this infection of Marxism here on an RVing website but sadly I’m incorrect.
The article states this “study” was released in 2022! It’s just another “propaganda” piece of its time. Our country is on a new path, and that time has come and gone! I am left wondering why on earth would RVtravel publish something so irrelevant and of no use to anyone. I’ve only begun to read the newsletter this morning and so far it’s as if articles are being chosen to simply bristle readers.
We are living in exciting times. A time when merit and hard work will be recognized again and these DEI based studies will surely be sent into the fire. Some will cling to the DEI narrative like it’s Waterloo because DEI is an industry and it is the sacred cow of the left. It is the Race Industrial Complex which they cannot let die. Without the divisive race narrative it all ends for them. It is their Waterloo and they will cling to it until the last breath.
We are!! …😃🇺🇸🤗
This is the most excited I have ever been for our country and for the change BACK towards freedom that is coming. It is a palpable excitement everywhere I go. I pray for the safety of 47 everyday and NOT from foreign actors, because the deep state and our administrative betters are fearful of what’s ahead. The FBI and CIA, along with their masters at the DOJ are quaking at what will finally come out. Phones are being bleached and computers are being wiped as we type today. I’m not trying to be political today and wont be engaging on this post. Some will think me a kook but just as has been the case thru 8 years of HOAXes, we the people will be proven correct, again.
Cheers Kara 🇺🇲🇺🇲
Cheers CP! The “politicians” are OUT…the Patriots are IN!
I agree that the excitement is palpable! We The People stand for TRUTH…always! 🇺🇸😃
Right on Cancel – right on! Onward and Upward from this point on – well 20 Jan 25.
Spoken like true white PRIVILEGE!
Spoken like a true VICTIM!
This sort of article with that sort of headline,is the reason our nation is divided. It’s irresponsible journalism…which is my former profession.
I agree with one of the commentators-the main problem is people not canceling their reservations.
“Irresponsible journalism” you hit the nail on the head! …and I would add…incendiary!
I believe this author has stayed in Death Valley to many times in the heat of the summer. Moron!
I don’t think this is about race. But, it is very true that the public campgrounds are pushing aside all lower income campers, with rising fees, credit cards required, having to book a weekend months in advance etc. Anybody working low-level retail cannot count on having a certain weekend free. Many people don’t have credit cards. Students in particular who used to be able to have a fun weekend for chicken-feed money are now finding themselves priced out and crowded out of parks.
We take a lot of our recreational resources and use them for prosperous folks with boats and trailers, motorhomes, ATVs, and other toys, and we need fairer access policies.
Agreed.
I somewhat agree with you JB. A 2 class system by design, which I hate to tell you, you seem to support by buying into the lies of a “bottom up and middle out” economy. No such thing as a trickle up economy, except for an elite ruling class. Thousands of years prove it so.
Really my friend, and I mean that FRIEND, sincerely, look at the history of all once great and then failed societies. The one thing they all had in common was the money in those ecomonies flowed up to the ruling elites, not down. Peasants sending money up to the societal elites.
The very first word of the article’s title is “White” …that’s racist 🙄
”prosperous folks” is something afforded ALL hard-working Americans and this “fairest’ opportunity is protected by our Bill of Rights! 🇺🇸
Very disappointed that RV Travel would even print such a Racist article. Not one RV park I have ever made a reservation with has asked me what my race is or if I can afford to stay there. A totally garbage article.
I didn’t need to read the article to know what a line of BS the topic is all about. How in the man upstairs name when someone is booking a state park on Reserve America does the site know what race, creed, color, religion, or gender you’re feeling like today? This is the type of c… that is tearing apart the country.
Lonewolf, you didn’t read the article, as you said. Your comment is not credible because of that.
I’ve read this so called article and it is total rubbish and nonsense…even if you use a tent to camp you can have fun and not worry about if you’re low income or not….gad… you print nonsense…
Actually, Chuck, he said he didn’t need to read it, only implying (per you) that he didn’t read it, but he did not say he did not read it. 🤪🤪😀😁
😂🤣😂…you may have poked the bear Bill…love it!
It’s always fun to occasionally poke a little light-hearted fun at our great editor emeritus. And no sarcasm meant or implied to this comment.
Chuck…your newsletter has become…as you like to say…“not credible”…and not even pleasant! I have no idea what has happened…but it has recently taken a turn in a very dark direction and you simply choose to continue berating your readers/subscribers. I’m paid up until June of next year and I do find value in reading the comments, but I’m thinking you will be seeing a great drop off of readers who are simply not enjoying reading YOUR newsletter anymore. I know I will not be giving you any more $.
As I read all the comments yesterday and today, one thing that is clear is that 99% of the commenters agree at the base level, this is a ridiculous study, founded in racism using victimization principle. Not only do I find the comments refreshing, it informs me that almost every reader here has moved on from the CRT and DEI movements of the last 4 years.
I am actually quite impressed or even proud of Chuck for publishing this study (risky) which appears to have brought us all together and not divided us. Not a single rascist comment made either day, but lots of thoughtful ones. I didn’t sense discomfort in any of the comments or from any commenters, refreshingly so, given the topic.
I tend to agree with you on this Cancel, in regards to Chuck’s publishing of this article..
It’s a tricky one Bill. Kind of a cup 1/2 full versus 1/2 empty. I can see both sides of this coin. Courage on one side and activism on the other but my own nature is too reward courageous choices, especially in journalism or publishing because more speech is always better.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and the family.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours too, Cancel
You’re right CP! I find myself enjoying the comments more than the articles anyway 😂 …and I’m loving that the majority now has a voice! It’s quite satisfying engaging with the “others”…It truly is a wonderful time…the journey is still long…but the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter! 🇺🇸🌟
I have a masters degree in BS. I researched and discovered that low income people don’t have as much fun. This is clearly because of racial, socioeconomic, injustice.
😂 ,,,love it!!
This ranks right up there with the recent NIH “study” that spent $3.4 Million for Hamster Cage Matches! Hopefully DOGE will stop such idiotic wastes of our tax dollars. It’s just another transparent attempt to inject racism for headlines. When is the last time you were asked your race when making a reservation? The problem is low income – an equal opportunity discriminator. Not race.
Thank you!!!
Department Of Government Efficiency!!! It’s time has come!!! 🇺🇸
I have a doctorate in BS. In my studies of camping here in the USA this article is totally turned around. It should read just the opposite. White people are being turned away and the people of color are getting priority and getting the best camping spots!
It’s really insulting and borderline racist to imply that black people can’t figure out the reservation system or don’t have access to high-speed internet. So do white people. So do purple people. The various reservation systems and the ability to go to the library for high-speed internet doesn’t depend on your skin color.
You can make the argument that low-income people of any color might have trouble getting to the library or perhaps not knowing that the resource exists. That would be a valid point. But let’s not imply that all low-income people are black.
As for not being able to schedule a vacation 6 months out, that’s a consequence of MANY jobs in a range of pay scales.
You know, one way to fix this.
Is to offer first come first serve sites at all national parks! No onlne required, no planning, just head out camping. This reservation system is good for 50 percent, the other 50 percent would like Fcfs sites. The parks need to do what the public wants and needs! Not Just what is easier for them, serve the public!
I’ve been camping for over 40 years. I have never been asked my race in order to make a reservation.
Just when I thought I’d heard it all…OMG. If the intent of this hogwash is to “bring us together” sitting around the campfire singing Kumbaya, it’s not just failing miserably, it’s promoting the divid. We’ve had quite enough.
Yes we have! 🇺🇸
Thanks for the misinformation Chuck.
Reading this newsletter requires internet access in one form or another. My guess is the demographic of readers here may not represent or reflect the overall make up of the country for skin color Chuck. Does that mean your very own publication somehow needs a study commissioned to find corelation? I think not. Reading a camping publication is no different than booking a campsite, when viewed through the lens of race.
UNAPOLOGETIC
Exactly.
Great response CP! I am shocked at the turn RVtravel has taken in recent times! It’s almost as if it has been hijacked!
It’s really disappointing to see an article like this in RVTravel. To me, it’s approaching racist. I doubt that most of the RVers reading this couldn’t care less about a fellow RVer’s race. What’s next? DEI articles?
Blacks have 5G smartphones just like everyone else. That’s high speed enough.
Just follow the money.
Can you expand on that for me JB. I’m serious, what is the money nexus to follow? Maybe I’m missing something. Lack of having Internet? Is that your point?
most grants for studies come from the federal government. A lot of them are worded in a way as to guarantee the outcome that the government wants
Yes, thank you. I completely agree.
By all means sow more racial unrest. Was LEO 25 years. Saw the poorest of poor and guess what they always had? Cell phones. And usually the newest and best model. Tired of “Professors” studies that are skewed like this one. And shame on Rvtravel for stooping to this.
Professors…. yup, the lecturing class. Still hasn’t changed, people that can… DO, people that can’t, lecture.
The article in my opinion is baloney pushed by someone wanting to make a mark for himself in the academic community with that said the comments are far better reading then the article. JMHO
I have read the article, the comments, and reread the article. I did not fail my English or Logic courses, but confused I am. All my life I thought I was white middle class; however, I seem to fall into the category that black and brown people do. For me, that sort of negates this study. ?????? It does, however, remind me of a couple of professors that I had.
Just more hogwash trying to make others feel bad about their everyday actions being somehow “racist.” The real racists are those that claim only whites can use the internet, go camping, have campers or, my favorite, get an ID to vote.
Another study to reach to a predetermined conclusion.
I think most of the commenters missed the point. It is easier to make a reservation on the internet if you don’t have to go to the library and don’t have to be doing actual work when the reservations become available. And minorities are more likely to not have that freedom. It isn’t really about race, but as above, minorities or more likely to be affected by the relative lack of economic standing and free time. Of course no one asks your race when you make a reservation. As a middle-class white kid growing up in the segregated south, I was never aware of race – I didn’t have to be, but back then the discrimination was extensive and pervasive.
Are Asians having the same difficulties making reservations online as well? If so, then yes, your point is in fact one that would make studies like these important with need to be done. If not, then other factors must be in play and thus, the outcome of this study is simply an effort to assert victimization on behalf of a specific race, not Asian, where no rascism exists. My almost deadbroke nephew makes reservations online all the time, without issue and frankly, he’s not that bright of a kid. (Wife’s side of the family)
“Wife’s side of the family” 😂 …thanks for much needed laugh CP!
LOL.
…and most of the commenters voted for the wrong president…right Bill?
Of course; an assistant professor studying why campers are “struggling to find ways to balance park protection with equitable access” will find something having to do with race and divisive identity claptrap. When you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
I find this article disingenuous. Most ALL families now have access to a cell phone. They can use that device to book at any site. If you have no access to a phone nor a computer, I’m sorry but you really should not be camping.. it is not safe for you. My two cents
If no internet just call the park or campground. Yes believe it or not people actually answer and will assist you with your reservation.. and even with online reservations there is no guarantee to a park spot.
Stop the madness
RVtravel seems to thrive on it lately.
Of course…like many businesses. No employee theft. No employee mistakes.
The population of the United States is 75% white/causasian. There’s a 7.5 out of 10 chance any way you look at it that a someone making a reservation will be white. The odds increase to 8.5 out of 10 for the state of Montana where the author of this article is from. The only thing this article does is create discontent. Mr Rice doesn’t deserve any recognition for authoring this article, and RV travel should be ashamed for allowing it to be published. Creating problems where none exist is the last thing we need.
I concur!
Actually, white/caucasian make up about 60% of the population according to the census bureau. And that number has been dropping steadily.
Right on
Wow, way to bring race wars into a whole new area of discussion. You win an award.
It’s parasitic…
Arthur Jensen was right from the get-go, stayed right throughout his academic career, and is still right after his death. This kind of clap-trap research is just another desperate attempt to prove Jensen and reality wrong. This is nothing more than the camping version of DEI in disguise…
Strange, in years of making reservations both by telephone and online, I’ve never been asked about the shade of my skin. I have been asked how I was going to pay. Seems dollar bill green is the only color those I talked with were interested in.
This “study” seems to more about the “researchers” personal bias and speculation than any fact based data.
WOW. Yet another article on here to make us question why we follow the RV Travel
The Professor actually got a grant for this? Another man bun wearing wo-ke-fant incapable of holding a private sector job. Gee, can I sit at home collecting welfare, smoking dope and have someone give me a free campsite? How ’bout a free luxury motorcoach? Camping, like success in life, is open to anyone with the ambition and determination to improve their circumstances.
But don’t worry, we should definitely still pump money into these universities.
FINALLY!!! Some tenured educator with a personal agrenda has explained why I’m having a hard time making reservations at popular parks during peak season! I’m so glad to finally learn why I can’t seem to get reservations when I want, where I want. It’s because my camper is shades of brown. I’m going to look into getting it repainted bright white and then have success in getting reservations. Does anyone know where I can get 310/80/22.5 tires with wide white walls? Thanks!
😂
Unbelievably racist article with faulty research and conclusions to try and prove a point. Another piece of garbage coming out of our colleges making minorities victims in all aspects of society.
Totally ridiculous article. Editor should be fired for allowing this biased nonsense.
What a load of cr*p the premise of this article is, how in the world does a on line computer know what ethnic group I fall in. Even poor people have smart phones these days, and I often have to use a phone to firm up reservations. I get that not retired limits choices, but that’s not racist as the title and article implies.
Absolutely correct!
Spell check won’t help with this line: “Within the past few years, these disparities were further exasperated by the rise of startups that can, at a cost, alert customers the moment a campsite becomes available.” The word to use is exacerbated. Oh, yea, the rest of the article is garbage, too.
Thanks, Fold Art. Dang! I hate it when I miss a typo when I’m proofing a post. However, I just now looked up the source. Here’s the direct quote from the University of Montana publication: “Within the past few years, these disparities were further exasperated by the rise of startups that can, at a cost, alert customers the moment a campsite becomes available.” It’s been corrected in our post. Have a good night. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Fold Art, please cite your credentials that would help me and other other readers to judge whether you are qualified to say that the article is garbage.
I do not believe the man did much research for his paper. Most hourly and for that matter office workers have to plan their vacation time based on when the company lets them have off. Also I believe there are a lot of White folks living in low income neighborhoods. lastly all new campers have to learn the ins and outs for making reservations. Just my thoughts
Government research grants, more often than not, often produce government desired results.
I hope someone sends all these comments to the author of this nonsense. While I think he, or they, were trying to be economic realists, they missed the mark and ventured deeply into race implications and biases – true to government and university desired outcomes.
Absolute nonsense. Maybe, just maybe, it has nothing to do with racism and more to do with the fact that white people camp more.
So why do you think white people camp more?
Ah, cuzz it’s in our jeans? lol
Not long ago the editor expressed discontent over the lack of appreciation expressed by readers whom were critiquing certain aspects of the staff writing or third party articles appearing here.
Well, DUH! If this shallow attempt to sew division and needlessly whip up racial animosity in our recreational travel community isn’t PROOF of well grounded NEED for criticism …NOTHING is.
Do BETTER! (If you can’t, then realistically accept the loss of advertising and accelerated decline in readership)
Dave, This article was based on an academic study by the University of Montana that was relevant to our audience. That’s it. Nothing more. No click-bait. If you want to read more into this, fine. But, as the publisher, I must just say that your reasoning about why we published it is just plain wrong.
This article is NOT relevant to camp reservations….like saying in a poor area you have not as nice cars or in mountain areas u have more 4 wheelers….Theses people are not researchers in a real sense…..grant money spenders is all they are….come on Chuck call it like it is….u put this in not to inform us but to see how many readers respond….
I might buy into the higher income argument but nothing else. Rich people have more opportunities in academia too.
Thank you, RV Travel! Our RV rarely fits national park campground sites and they often lack sufficient utilities for our rig. So, for us this is largely a non-starter. I prefer COE campgrounds, as they seem far less congested than national park campgrounds. Have a great week and safe travels!
Really this only further divides our country. It seems crappie to point out that low income don’t plan to camp. We could never plan back in the day.