Are the campgrounds full in your area?

Actually where I am is a year round camping hotspot, Florida, so yes it can be hard to get a spot. That said I had no problems reserving four days at a COE park followed by four days at a cg in Wachula FL. We traveled 6700 miles thru almost 20 states (Not the NE or the left coast) an got turned down for a last minute spot ONCE and that was outside Yellowstone. I suspect this flooded cg problem exists mainly in the NE/Atlantic states and the Left coast.

It was hard to get a good camping spot in California in the 1960s and 1970s particularly at the beach and redwood state parks. The “old days” at least here weren’t that different.

For us, the few last minute reservations we made (within a week) have been harder than usual for East coast travel but only for popular areas.
A few times we got our 3rd or 4th choice. Once we rerouted.
Covid Wilderness travel from June-August from FL to ND, WY, ID & Montana I made advance reservations. Headed east visiting family August til now with 3/4 advance reservations in CO to TN, NC & SC. The few gaps were filled but took far more effort than past years.
We've seen more full campgrounds than either of us can ever recall.

We are state park/COE people and wanted to change things up this year and have our Christmas on the coast (Florida). Not a single spot to be had that time of the year. We were in western Pennsylvania in June and it was virtually the same way. Planned a trip to the UP area and had to schedule it according to when we could get a site.
It's a mess!!!

Not in the 4 corners area. Plenty of room.

National Forest just closed all around us. Fires everywhere. Doesn't matter which way the wind is blowing....the smoke and ash coming from every direction. There is no end in sight for some of these fires.

garmp wrote:
We are state park/COE people and wanted to change things up this year and have our Christmas on the coast (Florida). Not a single spot to be had that time of the year. We were in western Pennsylvania in June and it was virtually the same way. Planned a trip to the UP area and had to schedule it according to when we could get a site.
It's a mess!!!

Huh we passed thru MO this August and stayed at two or three spots in MO on the way back. All reservations made at the very last minute, meaning within an hour or two of arrival. No problems at all. The main problem we have a cg is getting someone to answer the phone in the first place. OK checked RVTW and it was two spots, Bucksaw COE reservation made the night before and Laura Ingalls Resort (LOL resort) made an hour before.

Now we rarely stay in fancy and pricey RV resorts, no matter what they call themselves, I pick 3 or 4 star rated cheap spots whenever possible. Rated by Campgroundreviews. We rarely stay at a place because of what they do or do not have in the way of golf courses and such. Altho we did stay at a spot outside YNP that was inside a golf course and had great rates for campers for clubs and carts and such. That was the second choice after we got turned down by another cg that called itself a resort.

If you preferences run to fancier spots then maybe that's it. But we went thru and camped in FL-AL-GA-TN-AR-OK-NM-CO-WY-ID-MT-ND-SD-NE-KS-MO-AR-TN-AL and FL again. 18 states no problems, 37 camping spots including private, COE, State Parks, National Forest and Boondocking

The ones that are open are full.
The others aren't open due to all the fire we currently have here in Calif.

Don't come to CA for awhile. If there's not a fire, there's smoke on the entire west coast. There's so much closed, so many fires and so much smoke it's easier to avoid the state for awhile.

East Tennessee area, AKA Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg/Sevierville/Townsend not a problem here. Was just in Pigeon Forge this afternoon and it was quite busy. Not like it used to be pre covid 19 but traffic was heavy but moving and people out and about seeing the sights and shopping. Camping sites are still available from the resort high end to the regular campground.