Do You Have Secrets?

[John&Vicki]

I’ve always been pretty generous (naive?) about sharing information about favorite camp grounds and favorite camp sites. However, the recent onslaught of RVers on the road, combined with a personal experience, is changing my mind. Things are really tight here in Oregon as I’m sure they are elsewhere. Unless you boondock, and fortunately there are a lot of options in my favorite state, the old impromptu is close to impossible.

We’re all aware of the hoards on the road. The RV dealer in Bend where I store my trailer sold over 100 new units last month alone. Every statistic you see about camping and RVing is off the charts.

My personal experience actually hurts a little bit. My wife and I have pretty much covered the West and our very favorite camp ground, and very favorite site, are 20 minutes from our house. It’s a USFS dry camping park along a river. When we started going there seven years ago it was lightly used and our favorite sites, right on the river, were walk up, pretty perfect for living 20 minutes away.

Well, you guessed it. Big mouth John told a number of people about it, as I’m sure others did, and traffic grew and grew. Then the best sites went on a reservation system and now they’re all booked solid for the season. The other day I read in a popular blog that it was their all time favorite camping area.

Next week my wife are off to a fantastic uncrowded camp ground here in Central Oregon. I really would like to tell you about it...

Cheers,
John

[PB_NB]

Hi John,

As soon as the borders open up we will be there

We are seeing the same thing here. We have some really nice Provincial spots and they are fully booked until the end of time it seems!

The RV sales appear to be up about 400% of what they were last year so it will be even more busy!

We took our travel budget for the next few years and put it into an Airstream and I am sure that many others are doing the same with some sort of RV.

[AKNate]

Government at all levels seems to be oblivious to the need for more camping areas. They aren’t building any new campgrounds and I’ve seen many that have been permanently closed. Even in the off-season, campgrounds will be “full” and turning people away while two of three loops are closed and unused, just because it’s the off season.

[John&Vicki]

If this economy gets really bad I’m worried that people might start squatting in campgrounds and refuse to move.

[369goose]

Originally Posted by John&Vicki

I’ve always been pretty generous (naive?) about sharing information about favorite camp grounds and favorite camp sites. However, the recent onslaught of RVers on the road, combined with a personal experience, is changing my mind. Things are really tight here in Oregon as I’m sure they are elsewhere. Unless you boondock, and fortunately there are a lot of options in my favorite state, the old impromptu is close to impossible.

We’re all aware of the hoards on the road. The RV dealer in Bend where I store my trailer sold over 100 new units last month alone. Every statistic you see about camping and RVing is off the charts.

My personal experience actually hurts a little bit. My wife and I have pretty much covered the West and our very favorite camp ground, and very favorite site, are 20 minutes from our house. It’s a USFS dry camping park along a river. When we started going there seven years ago it was lightly used and our favorite sites, right on the river, were walk up, pretty perfect for living 20 minutes away.

Well, you guessed it. Big mouth John told a number of people about it, as I’m sure others did, and traffic grew and grew. Then the best sites went on a reservation system and now they’re all booked solid for the season. The other day I read in a popular blog that it was their all time favorite camping area.

Next week my wife are off to a fantastic uncrowded camp ground here in Central Oregon. I really would like to tell you about it...

Cheers,
John

On the positive side I’m hoping many of the newbies will find that they are not all cut out for camping or glamming and this heavy usage will lessen. That could also have a positive effect in that maybe there will be lots of reasonably priced, barely used, RV’s for sale one day soon.

In FL it has always been difficult to reserve any campsite compared to several years ago. I’ve never been a fan of blocked sites being held for any specific purpose but that thinking is evolving into hoping states might consider keeping, at least, a few sites specifically for residents. We do pay the lions share of taxes yet currently can’t get camp reservations for love or $$$. A local park here suggests going on line early on specific days when they repost cancellations yet on those days the system shuts down, I assume, due to the high volume of campers hoping to score a cancellation site. It’s become such that one has to wonder if sites are being booked just to hold a spot then cancelled when more desirable option comes up.

[PB_NB]

We spent 3 days at one of our favourite spots on the water. We did notice quite a few spots were empty but the park website said they were all reserved and paid for!

I have to agree that this method of holding spots is very trying for others who actually want to use the campsite.

I guess people have money to burn if they just don't show up.

[Piggy Bank]

Two weeks ago our state updated its website policy and now reservations are open 12 months in advance instead of 6 months.

Also now all sites are reserve-only. No same day. I think part of this is so campground hosts are not responsible for accepting cash.

Glad I was on the email list and saw the email telling me that.

[n2916s]

Got three nights at Curry Hammock SP in the Florida Keys last month with just plain old blind luck.

At check in, new barriers to protect the staff in the office — just plastic screens. Masks indoors mandatory.

Bought a new Florida State Parks license plate for my truck (old one ratty) and it was either “exact change” cash or cc (which you swiped outside the door).

No walk-ups for the time being — they are not even allowed to sell last minute cancellations.

I was fine with all of it. I would much rather be over-cautious, called a “sheeple”, laughed at, rather than find out later I “shared” something.

[Wayne&Sam]

It might be really scary on the road with all those new, inexperienced RV drivers!

[rmkrum]

Now that’s a sobering thought...

[PB_NB]

Start your engines! Get ready! Go!

Or not...

[banderabob]

Yes it is getting worse. I would only add that the ability to make reservations anywhere from 3 months to a year in advance for some State parks (and other non private parks) really ties up sites. We were in Pueblo CO two years ago at a State Park, the park was at best 10% occupied, but the majority of sites had “reserved” markers. Texas is absurd (my home State). Forget it until September.

[Silvr_Bullet]

Originally Posted by 369goose

On the positive side I’m hoping many of the newbies will find that they are not all cut out for camping or glamming and this heavy usage will lessen. That could also have a positive effect in that maybe there will be lots of reasonably priced, barely used, RV’s for sale one day soon.



In FL it has always been difficult to reserve any campsite compared to several years ago. I’ve never been a fan of blocked sites being held for any specific purpose but that thinking is evolving into hoping states might consider keeping, at least, a few sites specifically for residents. We do pay the lions share of taxes yet currently can’t get camp reservations for love or $$$. A local park here suggests going on line early on specific days when they repost cancellations yet on those days the system shuts down, I assume, due to the high volume of campers hoping to score a cancellation site. It’s become such that one has to wonder if sites are being booked just to hold a spot then cancelled when more desirable option comes up.

I don’t know about most states NY,Massachusetts charge out of state residents a premium over residents of those states. A local state park in NY nearby is not accepting walk ins no matter a NY resident or your state of origin.

[duncans]

Well, I am grateful to read that you store you AS away from your home. This will put an end to my cranking my neck around every time we are passing through Sisters wondering "is that John and Vicki's trailer? Is that where John and Vicki Live...?"

Susan

[PB_NB]

Originally Posted by 369goose

On the positive side I’m hoping many of the newbies will find that they are not all cut out for camping or glamming and this heavy usage will lessen. That could also have a positive effect in that maybe there will be lots of reasonably priced, barely used, RV’s for sale one day soon.

In FL it has always been difficult to reserve any campsite compared to several years ago. I’ve never been a fan of blocked sites being held for any specific purpose but that thinking is evolving into hoping states might consider keeping, at least, a few sites specifically for residents. We do pay the lions share of taxes yet currently can’t get camp reservations for love or $$$. A local park here suggests going on line early on specific days when they repost cancellations yet on those days the system shuts down, I assume, due to the high volume of campers hoping to score a cancellation site. It’s become such that one has to wonder if sites are being booked just to hold a spot then cancelled when more desirable option comes up.

Our BCParks reservation system will not allow non residents of the province to book campsites. This goes for the national parks as well. If they are in a specific province, you have to be a resident of that province to reserve.

That format would certainly help with curbing the flooding of RV'ers into your home state.

[BeemerPilot2]

We’ve always stayed away from private campgrounds but now they’re the ones open and taking reservations here in central Texas. It costs more but at least we’re out of the house and in our loving Airstream. Heading to Kerrville next weekend for five days on the River. Stay safe and thanks for this blog.

[chrisetmike]

Originally Posted by PB_NB

Our BCParks reservation system will not allow non residents of the province to book campsites. This goes for the national parks as well. If they are in a specific province, you have to be a resident of that province to reserve.

That format would certainly help with curbing the flooding of RV'ers into your home state.

This might be true for provincial parks in BC but it does not apply to National parks. I was able to make out of province reservations. I can't get in at our National parks in our province unless I book in January.

[Silvr_Bullet]

‘National’ Parks only for ‘local’ residents. That doesn’t sound right.

[PB_NB]

Originally Posted by chrisetmike

This might be true for provincial parks in BC but it does not apply to National parks. I was able to make out of province reservations. I can't get in at our National parks in our province unless I book in January.

We tried to make a reservation in Banff and Jasper National Parks and in both cases we couldn't. We could reserve in any of the National Parks that we have in B.C.

I guess each province has different COVID restrictions. Perhaps this is what we ran into was the "travelling out of province restrictions". We tried doing this about a month ago and things are getting better here with phase 3 now in affect.

This has made me recheck and it appears that some changes have been made with phase 3.

It looks like they updated the travel restrictions in the last few days and Maritime Provinces are in a "travel bubble" they called it, where you can move around between 4 provinces to some degree. BC and AB have all but removed the travel restrictions.

We are currently booking a trip which will take us through a bunch of provincial parks and some front yards of my wife's family. About 7 different parks with different lengths of time.

Looks like things are easing up in the West so maybe there is a chance to get some time in Banff

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Wayne&Sam

It might be really scary on the road with all those new, inexperienced RV drivers!

Yes, but consider the free entertainment watching them back their new fifth wheel in.