We normally travel during the shoulder seasons and much prefer the Fall, in the last few years we have noticed that it is harder and harder to find spots within say a four hour drive of Los Angeles. It doesn't matter whether it is weekends or mid week, as mentioned, you have to work the system to find a time and place. The days of deciding on Thursday at dinner to take off work early on Friday and going to Gaviota or El Capitan or even Death Valley(pretty far for a two day trip), it seems that it is now "lets try for reservations at X CG for next March" when the notion hits us in September.
I'm sure there are new campgrounds opening somewhere, but here in CA and from what I read here on the forums and in other sources, the restrictions caused by environmental concerns and the cost of open space and construction, makes the thought of opening a moderate or even very rustic campground very daunting.
You may not have noticed it but even "Q" has changed a lot and more and more improvements are being asked for. Will it be lucrative is now the mantra of the government as well as private investors.
