As foster parents we camp alot. I have noticed it is harder to find camp spots. Even after Labor day. I just figured camping is getting more popular. And why not? Then I had a discussion with a man at the dump station. He was pulling out after two full weeks. He explained he is living full time in his trailer. Expensive I thought. Then I did the math and it is considerably cheaper than an apartment here in Portland. What a great idea. Only down side is it may be part of why it is tougher to find a spot. So I guess I need to reserve in advance eh?

Oasisbob wrote: So I guess I need to reserve in advance eh?Depends on your ability to camp with no hookups. I find that opens up way more possibilities for beauty and quiet. I don't like making no stinkin' reservations.

Isn't there a lot of National Forest in Washington? It does take some leg work to find spots, folks will not share the good ones online, they're not on the free campsite websites either. They're not easy to spot from Google Earth. Driving fire trails and two tracks will turn them up.Most are for truck campers but I've gotten my smaller trailer into several.Once you find a few spots you enjoy, it takes so much stress out of camping.Camping with full hook-ups is called a motel room :)

Oasisbob wrote:As foster parents we camp alot. I have noticed it is harder to find camp spots. Even after Labor day. I just figured camping is getting more popular. And why not? Then I had a discussion with a man at the dump station. He was pulling out after two full weeks. He explained he is living full time in his trailer. Expensive I thought. Then I did the math and it is considerably cheaper than an apartment here in Portland. What a great idea. Only down side is it may be part of why it is tougher to find a spot. So I guess I need to reserve in advance eh?if you prefer camping in state, county, municipal or national parks then reservations may be your only option. but we travel in the spring and fall when the kids are back in school and primarily use privately owned camggrounds and parks. unless we have to be somewhere on a specific date or it's a holiday weekend we generally don't need reservations.

Oasisbob wrote:As foster parents we camp alot. I have noticed it is harder to find camp spots. Even after Labor day. I just figured camping is getting more popular. And why not? Then I had a discussion with a man at the dump station. He was pulling out after two full weeks. He explained he is living full time in his trailer. Expensive I thought. Then I did the math and it is considerably cheaper than an apartment here in Portland. What a great idea. Only down side is it may be part of why it is tougher to find a spot. So I guess I need to reserve in advance eh?and you have to move every two or three weeks or so, the max stay limit at any state and most county and federal parks.If your a foster parent I believe you can camp for free at all the state parks and free access to day use areas. and better access to reservations as well.

We've noticed the same thing; it's harder than ever to get spots in state and federal CG's. I think with the record numbers of RV sales and rarely evver seeing a new park open (and they keep closing our state parks because of the trees), things will continue to get worse.It used to be enough to RSVP all our seasons camping 9 mos in advance but now, we have to "trick the system" on holiday weekends to get a spot at all.

CAMP GROUND OBSERVATION | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

bukhrn
Nomad
Oct 15, 2016
I take it, this must be a Western thing, as I have no problem finding a site around here, except on Holiday weekends, and it is easier to find a spot during the week than on weekends, for the popular destinations, at certain times, you absolutely need reservations.
Oasisbob
Explorer
Oct 15, 2016
Interesting responses to my post. Yes, as foster parents we get free state camping. While I do like out of the way camping with the mini van it is not practical to get too far off pavement. Interesting post from the camp hosts. May not be as big a concern as I thought. Maybe folks are just campin more. Happy Trails to all
donn0128
Explorer II
Oct 15, 2016
Bob, as camp hosts I really have not seen too many 14 dayers, at least full timing 14 days stays. What I see after labor day is us older folks coming out. The last park we were hosting at in Sept we saw the families leave after Labor day and the old geezers move in. Average stay was probably 3 days. Lots of out of staters. Near the end of the month because we were on Central Oregon things died down considerably.
ScottG
Nomad
Oct 15, 2016
We've noticed the same thing; it's harder than ever to get spots in state and federal CG's.
I think with the record numbers of RV sales and rarely evver seeing a new park open (and they keep closing our state parks because of the trees), things will continue to get worse.
It used to be enough to RSVP all our seasons camping 9 mos in advance but now, we have to "trick the system" on holiday weekends to get a spot at all.
ktmrfs
Explorer III
Oct 15, 2016
Oasisbob wrote:
As foster parents we camp alot. I have noticed it is harder to find camp spots. Even after Labor day. I just figured camping is getting more popular. And why not? Then I had a discussion with a man at the dump station. He was pulling out after two full weeks. He explained he is living full time in his trailer. Expensive I thought. Then I did the math and it is considerably cheaper than an apartment here in Portland. What a great idea. Only down side is it may be part of why it is tougher to find a spot. So I guess I need to reserve in advance eh?

and you have to move every two or three weeks or so, the max stay limit at any state and most county and federal parks.

If your a foster parent I believe you can camp for free at all the state parks and free access to day use areas. and better access to reservations as well.
rk911
Explorer
Oct 15, 2016
Oasisbob wrote:
As foster parents we camp alot. I have noticed it is harder to find camp spots. Even after Labor day. I just figured camping is getting more popular. And why not? Then I had a discussion with a man at the dump station. He was pulling out after two full weeks. He explained he is living full time in his trailer. Expensive I thought. Then I did the math and it is considerably cheaper than an apartment here in Portland. What a great idea. Only down side is it may be part of why it is tougher to find a spot. So I guess I need to reserve in advance eh?

if you prefer camping in state, county, municipal or national parks then reservations may be your only option. but we travel in the spring and fall when the kids are back in school and primarily use privately owned camggrounds and parks. unless we have to be somewhere on a specific date or it's a holiday weekend we generally don't need reservations.
GordonThree
Explorer
Oct 15, 2016
Isn't there a lot of National Forest in Washington? It does take some leg work to find spots, folks will not share the good ones online, they're not on the free campsite websites either. They're not easy to spot from Google Earth. Driving fire trails and two tracks will turn them up.

Most are for truck campers but I've gotten my smaller trailer into several.

Once you find a few spots you enjoy, it takes so much stress out of camping.

Camping with full hook-ups is called a motel room :)
2oldman
Explorer II
Oct 15, 2016
Oasisbob wrote:
So I guess I need to reserve in advance eh?
Depends on your ability to camp with no hookups. I find that opens up way more possibilities for beauty and quiet. I don't like making no stinkin' reservations.

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CAMP GROUND OBSERVATION

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