Is it possible to call campgrounds as we go?

[Fastfwd75]

I was expecting to drive semi-randomly and start calling campgrounds for availability sometime in the afternoon.
Now I just saw a post about Oregon being entirely booked for august.
I asm sure the best spots are taken by regulars that know where and when to call but will I be able to find minimal 30amp service from anywhere within 1-2 hours of driving?
The plan is to leave Montreal in late June and drive a long stretch the first night/morning with maybe a 4-6 hour stop in a wallmart.
Then we are going to be driving 2-4 hours per day moving towards Moab, Yellowstone and California in no particular order or preference. Definitely aiming for the west and south.

[Fredzo]

Five years ago, we left the Little Bighorn area (forgot which CG), entered Yellowstone on the Bear Highway (Arrgh!) in our 35' MoHo towing a Jeep, and could not find a site of any type. I'd have taken a Wal*Mart-type site, or anything, but the park was filled with rent-a-campers.

Had to drive into Afton, Wyoming, to get a place to sleep!

We used to live in Montpelier, ID, and would go there ten times a year with no problems, but it appears that Korea and Germany have first pick now.

[Greyghost]

We carry the Good Sam Travel Guide plus member cg listings. If we are destination traveling we make the reservations 3-7 days ahead of time. If we are traveling from point A to point B, we make them anywhere from 1-2 hours out. We've been skunked once or twice but usually we can find a place to spend the night or a couple of nights.

[John_S_]

I have seen many places fill up and weekends make it hard. We travel only with reservations for a our destination but have no issue spending the night in a rest area if we can not get into a campground. In fact if the campground is not close to the highway and have a good rating, I will usually opt for the rest area. Now that said it has tightened up a lot per the last few years. I too have seen more seasonals and that takes away from the overnight spaces at many campgrounds. If you are looking near a beach or big water or a destination you might find it hard to get.

[Ron3rd]

CA Traveler wrote:

Ron3rd wrote:
All good advice above but calling ahead to California Beach Campgrounds won't work unless you're calling ahead about 6 months in advance.

Even that is not a given. We were able to reserve at Silver Strands SB in August several days ahead.

Actually reserved 2 adjacent sites.

Yes, you can get lucky 🙂

[docj]

2gypsies wrote:


We full-timed for 16+ years and if we had to make reservations for all those days we wouldn't have lasted one month! We have stayed at all the major national parks, the Oregon coast - in summer (& other times) and many, many popular places. We honestly, have never been turned away - even though we have a 40' motorhome. If you're able to pull in on a Sunday through Wednesday early in the day, you'll get a spot. Those parks don't reserve every single site. We've volunteered at those parks so we're aware of this.

With all due respect we have seen the situation "tighten up" over the three years we've been full-timing. As you noted part of it is your own flexibility as to dates and also with respect to whether or not you want hookups. But if you do want hookups and you want prime sites in mid-summer you're hard pressed to get what you want without reservations. Last summer we were in Jasper NP and the family next to us wanted to extend their stay for a single day and were willing to move sites to do it and they were told no.

As I see it the problem at many parks isn't just living full-time in their RVs as has been discussed in other some threads, but also a lot of RVs parked for the season as "summer homes". I have a suspicion that in better economic times some of these RVs would be driving across country on vacations. These days I think a lot get used, instead, as weekend homes, a place in the woods to escape to. It's not just money that limits vacations; many families seem to have very constrained schedules that make multi-week vacations impractical.

The park we are currently staying at in suburban Maryland between DC and Baltimore is an example of what I am talking about. About a third of the sites appear to be occupied as seasonals. Close to half appear to be filled on a regular basis by local "weekenders" (in on Friday out on Sunday). The remainder are what are available for the traveler. No question you can stay here Sun-Wed without a reservation. But arriving on a Friday or Saturday would be very much hit and miss.

Every full-timer defines his own style. We are very much "destination" full-timers. We plan to go to specific places for the summer. This summer we will be in Nova Scotia and PEI for all of July and will primarily be staying in Canadian national parks. Because July includes both Canada Day and the 4th of July we have made reservations for the entire month. It might not be someone else's style but we like being able to stay where we want when we want.

[tatest]

It is possible to call, to check availability or reserve a space, at RV parks. There was not always space available on such short notice at every place we called, but we have always found space somewhere. We do not go the busy places at the busy time of year.

For campgrounds, rather than RV parks, this information is not always available. Many operate without reservations systems, and without staff keeping track of campsite assignments full time. The rangers or hosts might come around once a day, late in the evening usually, to record sites in use and collect fees.

[CA_Traveler]

Ron3rd wrote:
All good advice above but calling ahead to California Beach Campgrounds won't work unless you're calling ahead about 6 months in advance.

Even that is not a given. We were able to reserve at Silver Strands SB in August several days ahead.

Actually reserved 2 adjacent sites.

[Ron3rd]

All good advice above but calling ahead to California Beach Campgrounds won't work unless you're calling ahead about 6 months in advance.

[2gypsies1]

When folks make comments like "you'll never get a spot on the Oregon coast", "Yellowstone is filled up by now", "You're too late in getting a spot", they are not telling you the truth so don't go by what you read or hear. They don't know. They're not there. Perhaps if you really need to be there on a certain day and are not flexible, that's different. But to plan out your whole trip is unnecessary.

We full-timed for 16+ years and if we had to make reservations for all those days we wouldn't have lasted one month! We have stayed at all the major national parks, the Oregon coast - in summer (& other times) and many, many popular places. We honestly, have never been turned away - even though we have a 40' motorhome. If you're able to pull in on a Sunday through Wednesday early in the day, you'll get a spot. Those parks don't reserve every single site. We've volunteered at those parks so we're aware of this.

It can be done. Have a good trip!

[CA_Traveler]

OP Keep in mind that Eugene, OR is less than 2 hours from Florence and that is a very large area. You should be able to find something much closer to Florence for example. Ditto other popular areas.

[NYCgrrl]

Fizz wrote:
Most if not all campgrounds have spots for overnights.
Get there early or call ahead and reserve, you will always have a spot.
You start having problems in mid Summer when you're looking for long stays specially weekends.

I don't sweat non holiday Monday-Wednesday reservations during the summer and in fact plan to book a site to view the Perseids at the end of July. Anticipate no problems getting a reservation btwn Aug. 10-13.

Haven't seen run-off/specific overnight locales at popular NE state and Fed parks since the mid '80's. I suspect computers and the reserveamerica system has a lot to do with that.

[CA_Traveler]

Fastfwd75 wrote:
I was expecting to drive semi-randomly and start calling campgrounds for availability sometime in the afternoon.
Now I just saw a post about Oregon being entirely booked for august.

The popular state parks near water etc can be hard to get into. Some have first come first serve and we've been very successful with this in the summer.

If you wait until the afternoon to call have several backup plans. When we reserve we call in the morning.

I asm sure the best spots are taken by regulars that know where and when to call but will I be able to find minimal 30amp service from anywhere within 1-2 hours of driving?

Yes almost without exception.

[Community Alumni]

We do it whenever we travel. I use the Allstays Campgrounds & RV Parks app which shows me campgrounds along our route. I call either the night before or in the morning as we are traveling and reserve a campsite. I have always been able to find a spot and sometimes staying for a couple days.

[garyhaupt]

Fastfwd75...chances are good that on occasion you will be parking in unplanned spots. The trick? be loose. People that get all wired up about wheretostaywheretostaywheretostay tend to have a very exhausting day. Try and kick back...start thinking about where 'tonight' will be around noon-ish and be open to explore. If you are doing the rural drive there are always reservoirs, city parks, city campgrounds, fair grounds that have camping spots...once you have been one the road for a week or so, you will get into the rhythm of it all.

The Oregon places are the ones on the coast. They are incredibly popular, but even there, a relaxed approach will always find a spot. Trust me..no one has even gone without a nights sleep when RV'ing, unless they wanted to.


Gary Haupt