Getting RV sites on the road

We reserve only for the destination. Stops enroute are catch as catch can. We usually get online about 4 pm and find a campsite within an hour or 90 minute drive.
Being it is a quick overnite,(most often we don't even decouple the trailer), we are not overly concerned with the amenities.
We have ended up in some interesting parks and met some real colorful characters using this method.
Works for us at least here in the eastern portion of the country.

If you have to be a certain place at a certain time, reservations are really necessary. You have to be able to manage your pace of travel so you can make it to what you've reserved, so don't stretch your limits.

Altough not a full timer, I do not usually travel this way, my style tends to be more free form, what interests me along the way and how much energy I have to keep going. But I also travel on tight schedules, and from time to time employ professional travel managers to put those trips together for me. Sometimes it it almost doubles the cost of my free form, free time travel, but for any situation you have to be evaluating cost of time vs. value of money.

We generally make a reservation just after lunch as we have a good idea how the drive is going by then. We're also early afternoon stoppers (usually).
Long weekends are a good time to reserve well in advance. We were laughed at by one campground when we needed a space for Labor Day.
Even with reservations, we've been placed at the end of the row or out on the grass.

In the last 10 years of traveling we have..... NEVER..... made any reservations, we start early and stop around 2;30 or 3;00. around 300 miles or less is enough, never had any problem getting a spot........

phxchica wrote:
I would like to get as close to the Tetons as I can.

If you're driving from Arizona what will be your route north?

Since you're on limited time it seems, the best way is I-15 north into Idaho to Idaho Falls. Then take 26 east at Idaho Falls to Alpine, WY and north on 26/89 toward Jackson, WY. This is a very easy scenic route. (Don't be tempted to take Hwy 31/22 off 26 into Victor and into Jackson. It's very steep.

Just before Jackson on the left is a huge Smith's grocery if you need it and further on the right is Albertson's. Then drive through Jackson into Grand Teton Nat'l Park. There are 2 non-reservation campgrounds in the park and each has 300 sites. They rarely fill even on major holidays. You'll get a spot. They are Gros Ventre, our favorite and then further north in the park is Colter Bay campground. There's also a reservation RV park right next to the campground called Colter Bay RV.

It would be great if you could spend a couple days in Grand Teton. It's awesome and completely different from Yellowstone.

Then you can continue north through Grand Teton into Yellowstone and wherever you're staying.

Check out the park's web site for lots of good information on things to do, road information, camping, etc. Each national park and monument has a site like this. Explore them.

Grand Teton Nat'l Park

Yellowstone Nat'l Park

Devil's Tower Nat'l Monument

Thanks all. I have made reservations for all but the second night and the night between Yellowstone and Black Hills. I think I will be fine even if we spend a night at Wal-Mart in Utah. From what I can tell they are pretty RV friendly. I would like to get as close to the Tetons as I can. Since we want to visit Prarie Dog park in Montana and Little Bighorn before Devil's Tower I will take my chances. It will be midweek so hopefully that is in our favor. Can't wait to hit the road.

I make reservations for major stops like Yellowstone, Glacier etc and I usually same-day-called ahead (tried to call about 2-3pm) for my travel days in between. We spent a few nights in Walmarts and truck stops, but that was our choice in order to make mileage, (except for once) and not have to stop early just to end up in a particular town. I was travelling by myself with two tweens and every few days of hard driving mileage runs I would spring for a KOA and early stop/late leave to let them swim and goof around. We never got off early in the mornings without lots of drama, but they would tolerate driving late into the day, so this pattern worked for us. I used several apps All Stays, Good Sam, KOA etc.

2gypsies wrote:
We, as full-timers, have stayed inside of Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, Bryce, Zion and yes, even Grand Canyon at Trailer Village and many more parks without reservations. Some national parks even have campgrounds that don't accept reservations.

So have we, years ago. Trailer Village, Yellowstone and Yosemite need to be booked the morning they come available, or you won't get a spot. There will always be cancellations and if you're travelling by yourself, you might get lucky. I don't plan trips on getting lucky after driving there.

I rarely make reservations and generally stop about 3PM as many others have said. I have had to take the second choice, but rarely. The exception is when I am going to a specific place for an event of some kind.

Last year on a mid summer Saturday night we could not find a site and ended up at a Walmart. That was a first, but it worked out fine.

It all depends:
Where do you prefer to stay, resorts, state parks, any place with Electricity?
When, middle of the week, weekend, holiday?
Geography, Florida beach, Yellowstone, any place in Nebraska?

As Don pointed out, RVing is growing rapidly. I have no data to back this up, but my guess would be they are building more RVs than they are building camp sites, especially when state parks are struggling for budget. What was true a couple of years ago may not hold true today.

My thinking is that if you know where you are going to be on a particular date, why not make a reservation. If you are just traveling through, and any place with electricity is OK, you can take a chance. Like others said, stopping early gives you more options.