Camping at COE Campgrounds need reservation?

[wtmtnhiker]

I had read somewhere that you must make reservations for COE camping and that you can no longer drive in and get an available site. It had something to do with the gate attendants. Anyone know if this is true?

[Bob_Landry]

It just makes sense to make a reservation for a COE park since they do not charge a fee to reserve, only if you cancel. All of the good parks in Texas book up early for the year and I'm going to sit down this weekend and start making reservations for next year, hoping I'm not too late.

[Tom_Diane]

Im going to go out on a limb here, but it seems like last year I researched some C.O.E. in Iowa, Illinois and WI. as well as some in Missouri and it seemed like they had walk ins and reserved sites.

[fla-gypsy]

Recreation.gov is your friend for COE reservations.

[mdcamping]

The one we stay in CT works on reservations, can't speak for the other ones. though I believe they take walk ins too

Mike

[katfish]

Call the campground u r interested in,,, best to get the info straight from them...

Good luck,,,have fun

[wbwood]

Dog Folks wrote:

wbwood wrote:
Never heard it. But drive up and say you want to make a reservation for that day. Was this something brand new? Because we just camped in a COE campground several months ago. Although we did make reservations, I believe i saw gate attendant assigning a campsite to someone who drove in while I was up there complaining about the trash in our fire pit.

"Walk in" sites are very common in COE, State, and even private campgrounds. All except the smallest state parks in Florida have a least a few. It is not new. Been around for a very long time.

Last year at a very popular COE a couple walked up, got the last campsite in the entire park and then complained that it was in the sun. They were asked:"Do you make reservations?" They said: "No. We never make reservations." Then why did they have the gall to complain? Arrive at the last minute, you get what is available.

I agree and why we always make reservations. I'm not going to drive something for hours at a time and many miles at 8mpg in "hopes" of getting a site. And hopefully a site we can fit on. We normally camp in popular places and at popular times. We are like most others out there that go for certain reasons and a deadline we have to reach.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

It depends upon the CG and how popular the CG is.

Some such as those around Lake Texoma have 100% of the sites reservable - so on Memorial Day or the 4th of July - your CG choice might be 'full' due to reservations.

Many, such as around Lake Ouachita, have at least 50% as walk-in sites. Some of the best ones.

Also, the Corps is heading toward the contracting out of campground operations to commercial companies - which will lead to a decline in the number of walk-in sites.

I've made reservations for this coming Memorial Day - and could not get the site I wanted because it was already booked. I made mine at 6AM on the first day that window came open.

But I don't make reservations most of the time for COE. I do look at the CG on recreation.gov before heading to the lake. If it looks on recreation.gov that the CG is heavily booked - I will call and ask the gate attendant for a 'reservation for today'.

Another tactic I use - I normally arrive between Sunday afternoon and Thursday noon. (or Monday if it is a holiday weekend).

I try to never arrive on Friday or Saturday unless I have made a reservation.

Now when I do make a reservation and I have not been to the CG, I try to arrive one or two hours after the gate attendant goes on duty - and ask if I can make a drive by to see if there is a better site than the one I have reserved. Looking for things like slide out room, satellite TV antenna access through the trees, etc.

Most of the time the attendant says sure and will tell me which sites are open through my intended stay. Sometimes not.

It is a bit of work for them to change my reservation to a different site, and some don't like to do that, and sometimes they are so busy I don't impose.

Another time is when we make a long trip. We are heading from Lake Texoma to Glastonbury, CT in early June. I have a one night reservation at Toad Suck Ferry (AR), four nights at Seven Points on J. Percy Priest (TN), one night at Little Carr (KY), two nights at Bulltown Camp (WV), two nights at Ives Run (PA) and two weeks at West Thompson (CT).

That way I have the two weeks booked to for the wife and I to visit her brother, and we get there on time for some planned celebrations.

Making reservations that way tends to make it easier for me to drive, and not 'over drive' and COE is almost always cheaper than Passport America.

Have not made, nor don't plan to make any reservations for the return trip.

[Dog_Folks]

wbwood wrote:
Never heard it. But drive up and say you want to make a reservation for that day. Was this something brand new? Because we just camped in a COE campground several months ago. Although we did make reservations, I believe i saw gate attendant assigning a campsite to someone who drove in while I was up there complaining about the trash in our fire pit.

"Walk in" sites are very common in COE, State, and even private campgrounds. All except the smallest state parks in Florida have a least a few. It is not new. Been around for a very long time.

Last year at a very popular COE a couple walked up, got the last campsite in the entire park and then complained that it was in the sun. They were asked:"Do you make reservations?" They said: "No. We never make reservations." Then why did they have the gall to complain? Arrive at the last minute, you get what is available.

[Oakman]

All the COE campgrounds we visit have quite a few first come, first served sites. Depending on the popularity of the park some of those sites can be hard to get.

[wbwood]

Never heard it. But drive up and say you want to make a reservation for that day. Was this something brand new? Because we just camped in a COE campground several months ago. Although we did make reservations, I believe i saw gate attendant assigning a campsite to someone who drove in while I was up there complaining about the trash in our fire pit.

[Dog_Folks]

wtmtnhiker wrote:
I had read somewhere that you must make reservations for COE camping and that you can no longer drive in and get an available site. It had something to do with the gate attendants. Anyone know if this is true?

Most COE campgrounds keep a few "walk-in sites available. Each COE district sets it's own policy regarding the campgrounds so results may vary.