Dealing with campground reservations

[wtmtnhiker]

My wife and I traveled around the country mostly in 2010, 12 and 16 and never really worried about making too many reservations and as a result we never planned more than a couple of days out. These days I have learned the hard way that you need a reservation for every night and so have to stick to a regimented schedule being committed to staying someplace on a certain day. I have booked a trip from NH out to Yellowstone and back. Wanted to also do Grand Tetons but couldn't find a spot anywhere. As I made reservations out and back I found many campgrounds full even on weekdays and when I did get a site usually at my 2nd or 3rd choice I found that there were only a few left available. I surveyed the campgrounds and they all said that they have been absolutely slammed whether or not it was a "destination" spot.
This brings me to my question for those of you have been out on long trips in the last month or so. Logistically how did you work it ( or think you would work it)if you got to an interesting place and decided you wanted to spend an extra day or two or suffered a breakdown or other mishap? Seems to me that the ripple effect to the reservations made would really be an issue since you might not find availability and in my case it could mean calling 10 or more places to change things up. Makes me think maybe I should just stick closer to home and hope things calm down for next year. Thoughts?

[QCMan]

We have always gone with the same method as Mark Twain above. Usually park it for a few days in one spot to explore. We have done this since 1995. Was a lot harder planning back then but it always works out. The wife or I pick what we want to see and plan that way. For local trips, if it is less than a long day drive we will just call before we leave or when the campground opens. If plan A does not work we keep trying the area campgrounds until we get a spot. Need some spontaneity in our lives too!
That said, I would not try making reservations less than 45 days ahead of time. We just finished making plans for just under two months ot West in the fall. Almost done with an Acadia National Park and lots of surrounding areas for early spring to summer.. in between we explore NC and SC state run parks mostly spur of the moment. I do not like my camper getting bored of being home.
Our long term planning has worked flawlessly..if something goes bad, if still mobil. We will leave early, het it repaired and be on the way to the next spot. We do request that the reserved day that we are leaving behind be given to the next on the waiting list for free as it is paid for. Haven't had to do that a lot but of the times we did 75% of the sites we left behind were given n to folks waiting. That takes the frustration and disappointment out of the situation.

[HappyKayakers]

I recently traveled from the RGV to southern UT. I made a res for my first stop and rolled the dice after that. Stayed at a free RV park in Littlefield TX, a casino RV park in NM and a trading post RV park in AZ. Each had plenty of spaces available when I arrived in early afternoon. If I had done longer driving days the story might have been different.

[mockturtle]

I hear you. Gone are the days when one could just pull into a campground in the early afternoon and find a spot for the night. 😞
My solution, other than for places I need to spend a week or more, is to boondock.

[MarkTwain]

Reservations-
Plan the route for your whole trip. Pick places, sights and towns you would like to make reservations. Use Good sam web applicaton to give you RV parks names near the areas to want to stay. Be sure and check their cancellaton policies if you need to change locations.