Are campgrounds more crowded or is it just me?

We cancelled our Texas trip and had to reschedule a new trip (RMNP). Around the park was easy found a Resort type park 20 miles from the south entrance. Trying to find a stopover on the way was near impossible. I found one place that had one spot left and it was a pull through. Same with leaving. The KOA in Hot Springs SD had one spot left. The first stopover was 2 days before we left. The SD stopover was a very last minute one. I found a place with one spot left in Sioux Falls for the weekend. I’m here now.
Even though all mine were less than 3 days to get one it still looks like there are very many full places. I seen a lot of RV’s on the road. Way more than I have ever seen. I do think this will be short lived by a couple years. Then it will be back to the way it was before.

We just left West Yellowstone, MT. yesterday after 16 days. The RV parks/CGs seemed to be maybe a little busier than usual. We are usually there the same time every summer. Some of the pressure on the parks/cgs is probably coming from so many of the campgrounds closed in YNP. Another strange thing, there are no tour busses.

Just returned from our yearly trip at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA. Campground is usually packed with Vacationing families. This year about 40% full. Amusement Park had re-opened on July 1

Mike

Our observations on NFS CG's here in Colorado:

In early June, things were unbelievably busy. At a lake near our cabin in southern CO, I've never seen it so busy as it was on Saturdays in early June. And I've been going there for nearly 60 years. It wasn't just campers, people were day tripping just to fish. Wall to wall people all along the shore. Reminded me of the "combat" fishing we'd seen up in Alaska on the Kenai.

In mid June, we took a week trip to the Upper Arkansas River Valley between Leadville and Salida. Arrived on a Sunday. Huge numbers of vehicles on the road travelling both directions. Campground hosts said it had been a madhouse all spring. The company they work for is a concessionaire for a number of NFS CG's in the area.

But when we left a week later, again on a Sunday, the traffic on the roads was maybe 25% of what it had been the previous Sunday. All but two of the campsites in the CG we had stayed in left that Sunday. Things were definitely quieter as we went through the towns.

Then last week it was back to the cabin. On Saturday, July 4th, we walked through one of the CG's. Of the 15 sites, 3 were still available. On a Saturday afternoon on the 4th of July weekend!

Again on Tuesday our travels took us back through Leadville, Salida, Buena Vista. Even fewer people than a week earlier.

So what we have seen was a real rush in early June. Things are now slowing down quite a bit. We have talked to others who have traveled elsewhere in CO and it seems to be a statewide trend.

I would also say that Colorado license plates represent a greater proportion of those out in the mountains than in years past. Yes, we still see out-of-state plates, but not as many as usual.

I camped several times in the NFS CG's in NH, one week after memorial day w/e once June 15th and once the week before July 4th usually these CG's would have no vacancy on the w/e's but there were always sites available.

We just returned from a local trip over a extended july 4th weekend. Campground was booked solid. Everyone was quiet, respectful and kept to themself's...lots of social distancing :C

Mike

Its always been like that in most state parks in SC, particularly in the ones near any body of water! "Peak time" is even more PEAK than ever! We now live in Va, and almost nothing anywhere, public or private CG, is available on weekends. Fortunately, we are retired and can enjoy better chances for a site during the week. As land values rise along with property taxes (particularly in the Midwest and Northeast) maintaining a campground is getting too costly for many owners. Fewer parks, fewer sites. Combine that with the current interest in privacy while traveling, the RV industry is in boom! More rigs, less site availability. Yes, it is almost everywhere.

richclover wrote:
All the state park campgrounds in WY are booked full this weekend.

And, from my experience a couple of weeks ago, one will be hard pressed to find a suitable spot in the National Forest, Uinta Mountains, UT.

We have plans to stay up on the Upper Green near Green River Lakes in Asugust. I see you're in SW WY so I'm guessing you know where I'm talking about? Anyway, we were there last Labor Day weekend and week following with very few people there. Hopefully it's not too crowded this year. My Father in Law lives in Pinedale and is going to go up during the week to park their campers to "reserve" a spot for when we arrive on a Thursday.

We have a favorite spot we go to several times in the summer. Went 2 weeks ago for 4 nights Mon-Fri. It was full. There's a string of 7 CG's along a river and most all were full or very close to full. Last year you could just show up on a Sun-Mon afternoon and get a decent spot. Now every site in ever CG is reserve only. Last year it was a mixed bag.
Saw plates from WA, ID, CA and TX. I'd say it's definitely more crowded. Drove up to another CG about 5 miles away and it was full as well. And this is during the week.
Not a good sign.

We are in Maine now and the CG we have stayed at for the last 10 years that is normally booked solid, is maybe 10% occupied.