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Mar 07, 2020

5 Week trip in planning stages

We are planning a trip from Reno to visit friends in Bastrop, TX, then on to New Orleans. Back to wichita then down to Route 66 and home.

As of now, we have not made reservations anywhere as we're not sure when we will leave and exactly when we will arrive anywhere.

We do have stops planned and a few parks lined out in our plans. I plan on calling either the night we arrive calling the next day's planned spots. i.e. The night before we leave Reno, calling the first nights spot and so on.

My question is. Will I be boondocking a lot?
  • I have camped with a TT for over 40 years and have never made reservations anywhere except on the west coast line. That is the only place I have been left out in the cold with no campground to stay at.

    I made reservations going back through Nv, Ks Ut, CO, Mo ect and it was a nighmare. If something happens you're really stuck then.

    My opinion you will be fine.

    If you really need to do this then make the reservation in the morning of.

    Good luck and safe travels.
  • [
    quote=Lwiddis]What’s wrong with lots of boondocking?
    Private land, that's what.
  • We don't like to make reservations, at least weeks/days in advance as we never know exactly where we'll be when. With that said we do subscribe to the WDOS (WeeDOS) system, and that being Week Days Off Season. These days are generally fine to get a spot for a night or two, but no long term. Weekends are another animal altogether. We generally try to make a reservation for both Friday & Saturday, and if necessary the same park. (We move a lot). Sunday is generally fine and back to WDOS. We found that this is generally true with the exceptions of popular national parks, Yosemite, Yellow Stone, Smokey Mts, etc.
    We generally avoid private parks unless necessary.
  • Why not call some places you "think" you want to stay at and tell them when you "might" be there and ask how full they are and what general timeframe reservations need to be made to ensure a spot.
    Your question is too open ended for us.
    Boondocking is an option but not near as much empty public land to do it in the fatrther east you go. Wallydocking is always an option.
    Your research needs to be centered somewhere other than here asking theoretical questions and you'll get better info.
  • YOu will be fine until you get past West Texas. Then you will be in country with no public land and Texans are very territorial. Be careful where you park your rig.
  • BB_TX wrote:
    Calling a day before, or at least the morning of, the day of arrival is always a good idea. Probably no problem on your route except maybe NO since you have not named any serious tourist destinations.


    Well, one definite is the Unser Museum in Albuquerque. Maybe the Kansas State Racing Museum. Might go up to Belleville when in Kansas.

    Those are really the only places other than as much of Route 66 we can do.

    Oh and many places from "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives". Red paper B-B-Qs when possible, too.

    Thinking about putting in a few "Weather Hold" days, since it will be "The Season".
  • Calling a day before, or at least the morning of, the day of arrival is always a good idea. Probably no problem on your route except maybe NO since you have not named any serious tourist destinations.
  • Leaving now? You’ll be fine calling ahead the day before. In a rig like your’s, bondicking is a piece of cake.
  • (A) depends on when you go. During the height of summer vacation season, maybe. When the kids are out of school, families go camping on weekends.
    (2) without reservations, do be aware that most campgrounds (and definitely all the ones you might actually want to stay at) see most of their traffic on weekends, so I'd recommend not attempting to move Friday or Saturday nights. Wherever you land Thursday is best kept until Sunday.
    (c) Memorial Day weekend, Independence Day week, and Labor Day weekend, plan on both paying through the nose and having a hard time finding anything other than boon docking.