I know that campsites in popular places are always at a premium and a bit crowded, but I think we hit the ultimate this week.We are at Glacier National Park’s St. Mary’s entrance and reserved a spot three day in advance for our 26 foot TT. We were put in the old section that was designed in the 1960’s so we knew it would be a bit tight but I never imagined we would be wedged in so close between two motor coaches that we had to stagger the door and slide out locations.I guess the moral is, just because the camp ground has large roomy lots, does not mean you will get one. Just venting a bit I guess but it is best to expect the unexpected.

this is why the park im managing has enginered fifty foot wide staggered sites

I saw one RV park last year in Tucson called the "Prince of Tucson" if I remember right, that was tighter than that. They have a section with decent spacing, but down from us it was a whole lot tighter. And you ask how tight was it? We'd watch people drive down there, then about 30 minutes later they'd come back and leave the RV park. I walked down to take a look. It was so tight that most people (who stayed) could only put slides out on one side. I would have left too if that's where they had tried to assign me.Bill

I'm work camping at Zion National Park this summer and this weekend has been the busiest of the season, more so than Memorial Day and 4th of July even. I'm wondering if it's families hoping to get a little more vacation in before school starts again.

rbpru wrote:I guess the moral is, just because the camp ground has large roomy lots, does not mean you will get one.Just venting a bit I guess but it is best to expect the unexpected.I have found Google Earth to be invaluable (in some cases) in getting an idea as to the sizes of campsites. Of course that is provided there is no/little tree cover - a downside in itself. Still, between Google Earth and campground maps I usually get a good idea, and avoid parks that can't support my needs.I remember a trip back to Houston from Canada when I had to stop at a KOA in Louisville, and at that time I had a smaller 17' RV without slides. Well unknown to me there was a Good Sam Rally in town that week and the KOA (parking lot type, all concrete and asphalt) was jam packed so tight that most RVs could not open awnings! But we made out OK for the overnight in-transit stop and since the access was very convenient, it fit the bill perfectly. But that is not a park I would go to for any other type of stay.

I cannot understand why some of the old parks with small lots allow large RVs in. I learned a lot of Dutch "dirty words" a few years ago when a Class A pulling a small car that kept the road blocked as it tried to get into a site for over a half hour. It was not the driver's fault but the fault of the park that allowed them in. The irritated Dutch drivers wanted to get into their sites and could not. I think it was at Capitol Reef. If we had wanted to go somewhere we would have thought it was the driver's fault also.

Crowded campsites. | Good Sam Community

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Aug 13, 2014
rbpru wrote:
The Rangers tell us that after Labor Day schools start and the commotion come to an end.
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yep, I always used to take my trips just before school let out in the spring and after they started up again in the fall. much less commotion.
bumpy
rbpru
Explorer II
Aug 13, 2014
The Rangers tell us that after Labor Day schools start and the commotion come to an end.

As for booking in advance, we are sightseers and poke our way to our objective. We generally do not schedule more than a few days in advance.

However, given the crowded situation at some of the parks, we may have to change that a bit.
Passin_Thru
Explorer
Aug 13, 2014
Oh GOSH! I remember camping in a covered wagon back in the 1880s. We didn't have slides.
atreis
Explorer
Aug 12, 2014
Bumpyroad wrote:
atreis wrote:

The biggest reason that I avoid private campgrounds is that most don't allow me to choose my site.

I have always been able to do so, within reason and if available.
bumpy

Okay then, I should have said, "choose my site at the time my reservation is made." I make all of my reservations online (making phone calls while at work is awkward, and discouraged), and have only encountered a couple private campgrounds that allow site-specific reservations online, while nearly all public campgrounds allow this.

I'm one of those people that makes reservations the day they become available so that I get the site I want. I'm usually done with our reservations for the summer by the end of Feb. (Sometimes March - some places start 5 months ahead instead of 6.)
Army11Bravo
Explorer II
Aug 12, 2014
Glacier National Park is in our backyard, and we plan to stay at the St. Mary's Campground the second week of September. They don't take reservations then, I assume because school is back in and the crowds are gone. Thanks for the warning.
rbpru
Explorer II
Aug 12, 2014
Just to clear up a few items. Glacier National Park has reserve and first come RV campsites with no hookups. I thought they were nice enough for a smaller rig like ours.

The problem is the Park’s campsite reservations open six months prior the Park opening and are filled within 2 or 3 days. The first come first served sights fill up by 9:00 or 10:00 each morning, which means you have to line up in the morning and try to catch a site that is being vacated.

And yes, you are lucky to find an RV spot nearby which is why we called several days before to see how close we could get. In retrospect I would have stayed on the West Glacier side which is where I am now; better phone service, and more CG choices even a few television stations.

The park is ideal for tent campers which explains the large number of hikers and bikers, assuming you do not mind sharing the area with grizzly’s.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Aug 11, 2014
atreis wrote:

The biggest reason that I avoid private campgrounds is that most don't allow me to choose my site.

I have always been able to do so, within reason and if available.
bumpy
atreis
Explorer
Aug 11, 2014
Most state and national park campgrounds allow you to select your specific site, and most also provide the site dimensions (and sometimes photos). Google Earth can help too for site selection.

The biggest reason that I avoid private campgrounds is that most don't allow me to choose my site.
Tystevens
Explorer
Aug 11, 2014
BeckyIO wrote:
I'm work camping at Zion National Park this summer and this weekend has been the busiest of the season, more so than Memorial Day and 4th of July even. I'm wondering if it's families hoping to get a little more vacation in before school starts again.

I've always read that the first couple weeks of August are the busiest travel/camping weeks of the summer.
PUCampin
Explorer
Aug 11, 2014
Guess I am not typical :). I have a 22ft no slide trailer and a family of 5 with a releative often along for 6. I am all about the space and couldn't care less about campground "amenities" CG can have ZERO amenities if the sites have space. I want space to set my chairs out and for the kids to play with their trucks in the dirt, frizbee, and room for my ASD son to wander a bit, without having to worry about disturbing the neighbors. My kids like to run, are loud and my ASD son has 2 settings, loud and louder. He also can have a screaming extreamly loud meltdown for any reason, which I don't like to subject others to. I will and have chosen sites in a non hook-up section over hook-ups because of space. Hook-up sites often are like parking lots, and it is not worth it to me to stress everytime we go outside if we are impacting someone elses experience.

Google maps has been my friend in helping me choose the best campgrounds and sites to fit my needs.