Reserving camp sites

glenncc

57
OwnPC: Yes
NewUsed: Used
PurchDate: 1/4/2011
Model: 2350 Ford
ModelYear: 2010
Slide: No
IntColor: Desert Sage
ExtColor: Desert Sage / Fullbody paint
Location: Full-timing

I'm new at all this and with the weather turning warmer here in the Midwest I'm beginning to think about going camping. I've registered with both ReserveAmerica.com and Recreation.gov, but my idea of traveling in an RV doesn't include being on a tight schedule. Am I naive to think I can find an available campsite by just driving into a campground and registering for the night, week, or month? I can understand how those expectations would be unrealistic on a holiday weekend or maybe even on any weekend in some popular tourist areas.

How do you all handle finding a place to stay for the night without planning your trips well in advance and making reservations? Maybe that's why Walmart parking lots are so popular.

As always, thanks for your help.
Glenn

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Glenn Canavan 2010 Model 2350 with no slide out.

bobander

377
OwnPC: Yes
NewUsed: New
PurchDate: April 2010
Model: 2551
ModelYear: 2010
Slide: Yes
IntColor: Classic Umber
ExtColor: Classic Umber
Location: N. California

Re: Reserving camp sites

« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2011, 10:06:24 pm »

Glenn,

Now that we are retired, we are able to avoid travel during peak summer months, and therefore don't make reservations. We purchased our 2010 2551 last April and spent 4 weeks in Arizona where we took delivery, no reservations no problem. Then we took of in the fall for 6 weeks in 8 western states and only made reservations enroute to Missoula because we needed to have the generator repaired there. Now we are completing a 7 week trip to Arizona (escaping the winter weather at home in the Sierra Nevada), again no reservations and no problem. These trips are about 50/50 rv parks and state or fed campgrounds.

We love not having to plan and make reservations, allows us to go where and when we want, stay longer if we like it and move on if we don't.

This works very well for us in the western states, don't know about the rest of the country. And if we were forced to go during peak season to popular places then we would probably need to make reservations.

Bob

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2010 PC 2551

Ron Dittmer

5647
Ron and Irene
OwnPC: Yes
NewUsed: New
PurchDate: June 2007
Model: 2350 Ford
ModelYear: 2007
Slide: No
IntColor: Cherry Green&Gray
ExtColor: Full Body Gray
Location: N/E Illinois

Re: Reserving camp sites

« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2011, 05:46:21 am »

In the 33 years we've camped, we have reserved only once when we traveled with others to assure we can camp together at Rocky Mountain National Park. We do reserve for weekends at local state parks for family reunions too.

Our normal vacationing style without reservations usually has us staying in primitive camp grounds, but always accepted for the care-free style we enjoy. And to be honest, we enjoy the primitive camp grounds better. They offer nicer sites with space in between, are more heavily forested, and often offer camp-side streams, rivers, or grand views. Oh, and they are much cheaper too. Here is an example at a cheap BLM site on the Colorado River in a desert region in SE Utah.

With the PC, primitive camping works much better for us than our old motorhome did as it was not self contained.

« Last Edit: March 06, 2011, 05:57:22 am by ron.dittmer »

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Ron (& Irene) Dittmer

billy

760
Best Friends
OwnPC: Yes
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PurchDate: Feb, 6 2011. Same day Packers won super bowl
Model: 3100
Slide: Yes
Location: Coarsegold, Ca. About 20-25 miles S/W Yosemite

Re: Reserving camp sites

« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2011, 12:23:36 pm »

We belong to RPI, this year I am not renewing. You can make reservation during peek season, but we seem to travel without a planed destination. We’ll start out to Quartzsite and go from there. This year, Oregon/Washington or up to the Dakotas?

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Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

glenncc

57
OwnPC: Yes
NewUsed: Used
PurchDate: 1/4/2011
Model: 2350 Ford
ModelYear: 2010
Slide: No
IntColor: Desert Sage
ExtColor: Desert Sage / Fullbody paint
Location: Full-timing

Re: Reserving camp sites

« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2011, 12:26:15 pm »

I see some campgrounds have "walk-in" only sites that cannot be reserved, but are the sites that can be reserved available for walk-ins too (if not reserved. or course)?

Glenn

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Glenn Canavan 2010 Model 2350 with no slide out.

lghjr

306
OwnPC: No
NewUsed: Used
PurchDate: Used to own a 2700
Model: 2700
ModelYear: 2007
Slide: Yes

Re: Reserving camp sites

« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2011, 12:48:40 pm »

Quote from: glenncc on March 06, 2011, 12:26:15 pm

I see some campgrounds have "walk-in" only sites that cannot be reserved, but are the sites that can be reserved available for walk-ins too (if not reserved. or course)?

Glenn

I would bet they are. The last couple of years the CG owners haven't been turning away much hard money. With the price of gas heading North of $3.50 again, and diesel at close to four (and more likely 4+gas and close to 5 for diesel by June), I would bet a chunk that you and I will have our choice in CG's this year, without calling ahead. We, like Ron only call ahead to the high traffic areas, (Estes being one) and special event areas like Albuquerque Balloon Festival. Albuquerque can fill up CG's out to 100 miles or so.

Here's a thought for what it's worth, only fill your car half full instead of loaning the full tank price to the station. Don't know about others but I find that I want to stop more often than I used to anyway.

L. G.

« Last Edit: March 06, 2011, 03:05:38 pm by lghjr »

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glenncc

57
OwnPC: Yes
NewUsed: Used
PurchDate: 1/4/2011
Model: 2350 Ford
ModelYear: 2010
Slide: No
IntColor: Desert Sage
ExtColor: Desert Sage / Fullbody paint
Location: Full-timing

Re: Reserving camp sites

« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2011, 05:41:25 pm »

Thanks for all the good ideas, guys! I hadn't thought about the high gasoline prices causing some people to forgo camping this year. I like that idea!

It could affect my travel too, but I enjoy the experience no matter how far away from home I go so I'm sure I'll have lots of fun this first year even if I'm at the lake just five miles from home.

Glenn

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Glenn Canavan 2010 Model 2350 with no slide out.

lghjr

306
OwnPC: No
NewUsed: Used
PurchDate: Used to own a 2700
Model: 2700
ModelYear: 2007
Slide: Yes

Re: Reserving camp sites

« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2011, 07:11:04 pm »

Quote from: glenncc on March 06, 2011, 05:41:25 pm

Thanks for all the good ideas, guys! I hadn't thought about the high gasoline prices causing some people to forgo camping this year. I like that idea! It could affect my travel too, but I enjoy the experience no matter how far away from home I go so I'm sure I'll have lots of fun this first year even if I'm at the lake just five miles from home.

Glenn

The only reason I brought that up is a trip to Alaska is on hold because it doesn't look like what I flight planned the gas price is going to hold. Going up $500 is one thing going from $4K to ~6K is another. Fifty percent increase on one item is more I want to do. Back to fishing C-rado I guess. Ha ha..
At that increase that would be all expense paid trips to C-rado - several of them. FYI gas is already well over $4.00 per in Canada.

L. G.

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lmichael

260
OwnPC: Yes
NewUsed: New
PurchDate: May 15, 2012
Model: 2552
ModelYear: 2012
Slide: Yes
IntColor: Sterling
ExtColor: Sterling
Location: Arizona

Re: Reserving camp sites

« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2011, 09:41:33 pm »

I try not to make reservations because they put a time limit in my mind that I have to be someplace at a certain time. We have never had a problem finding a campground without reservations, and the sites that can be reserved vs the drive-up sites can be taken if it hasn't been reserved (usually reservation cut-off time is 1 to 2 days prior). We use Army Corp of Engineer campgrounds whenever possible because they'
re all on water (since they build dams), they're very well maintained, have water/electric and usually sewer hook-ups for $9-$12 if you have the national parks and federal recreational lands pass ($18-$24 if you don't). BLM land and national forests have a lot of free campsites, too. We also check on campsites along our route over the computer--rvparkreviews.com provides comments by past users and has links to the campground website. A quick call to the number on their website lets us know if there's vacancy for the night.

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pyrthkr

Re: Reserving camp sites

« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2011, 05:41:09 pm »

Much like lmichael, we scan the available data of the area in front of us in order to come up w/plan day-to-day. In the 3 extended trips we've made so far in our 2551, we've only come close to getting shut out once, in Fredericksburg, TX last mo where the park we 1st stopped @ only had what is referred to as "overflow" sites (we went "walk-in" to another park down the rd). Between the advice I've garnered from this forum & 5 mos of expreience w/PC, I have no doubt that we will be comfortable wherever we end up however, co-pilot isn't quite ready to take the "Hanlon" plunge to remote camp sites just yet (& I keep showing her that picture of your beautiful car!) Bottom line - don't sweat it; your PC has the capability of keeping you comfortable in any safe spot you choose.

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