More campers than parks

[Lightning55]

This year we have only been out in the 5th wheel 2-3 times because we can't find any places to go that haven't been sold out on the weekends. Northern CA State parks, especially on or near the coast seem to be booked solid, even this late in the year. Going east into the foothills or Sierras isn't much better.
I'd be money ahead if I rented an RV a few times a year than making a huge investment in an RV that we can't use.
Sorry for the rant but it's frustrating to watch the tires go flat on the trailer from sitting in the storage lot month after month. Is this a problem all over or just in Northern CA?

[ScottG]

It's the same way here. We make reservations 9 months in advance for state parks. It's been that way for years now. I know that sounds like a pain but it's rather nice to have our camping season totally planned out.

[IB853347201]

We have never had an issue camping on weekends, even in the busiest states and tourist destinations.
Reservations in advance work every time.
We've already booked most of next July and August.
If you're intent on winging it, you'll likely continue to be disappointed....

[SuperBus]

The same issue is prevalent here in Michigan. The summer season is obviously the worst, and the fall is surprisingly busy too. This isn't an issue everywhere of course with some parts much harder to get into than others. Getting a site in Ludington State Park for example is similar to getting tickets to a popular concert. Once the 6 month window opens, just start clicking and take what you get, if you get something. It took a friend of ours two years to get in.

As also posted in this thread, I too think it may be a mid term issue. RV'ing is very popular currently, more so than it has been in many years. If there is indeed an economic "slow-down" around the corner, many people will reconsider this lifestyle and its requisite expenditures.

[wowens79]

I feel his pain. In the southeast there is little if any boondocking places. We prefer state parks but they are hard to get into. During the summers sites on a lake are nonexistant unless you book well in advance. Gone are the days of spur of the moment trips, unless you luck into cancelations.

I was talking to a guy at the storage lot that was dropping off his camper, and they have had theirs for a year, and are getting turned off because they can't find sites.

Florida State parks on the beach are booked up as soon as the sites become available, you just have to check constantly for cancelations.

[allen8106]

Books your sites sooner like everyone else.

[DutchmenSport]

In times past, it use to be after Labor Day, State Parks and even private campgrounds became ghost towns. Public schools use to start their new year the day after labor day and end around the middle of May. Kids were out of school the day before Christmas and returned January 2. Fall break consisted of 1 day off for an item called "Teacher's Institute." Same in the Spring. No week long spring breaks and such.

We are fortunate to get campsites every week-end somewhere in Indiana, even last week-end, but we are utterly amazed that State Parks in Indiana are filled almost to capacity! Folks are camping longer, and later in the year now. What gives?

I think it's partly due to more RV's yes. But also the changing and shifting school year for our kids. This year schools started back up the first week in August through Indiana. My gosh!

With that said, those with campers, and those with young families are learning to adapt. If they purchase an RV, the get out now, regardless of the school year, until weather is prohibitive any longer to make it feasible (snow states).

But, to respond to the OP's thought, yes, it's happening everywhere.

Give it time though. Folks are finding out that paying the price for RV storage, a loan on a camper that is sitting in storage, and the inability to go anywhere because everyone else has their RV out of storage and beat you to the campground, that eventually more and more people will be giving up their campers, and the the tide will turn again. Campgrounds will become empty again and reservations and even walk-in will be welcome.

Meanwhile, I feel your pain. Sometimes we have to really search to find an open campsite in Indiana. But, somehow we always do. It might not be the number 1 prime campsite, but we can usually get in.

Case in point... Site 40 at Summit Lake State Park in Indiana has to be the best campsite in the entire park. We've tried to get a reservation on that spot for 3 years. We got lucky several months ago and was able to make a reservation for site 40 almost 6 months ahead. It was booked every week-end the entire Summer (3 years in a row). There were other available sites, but it took us 3 years to get site 40. We were there 2 weekends ago.

Winter camping is just around the corner. State parks in Indiana turn the water off around November 1. Campgrounds really clear out then. Looking forward to doing some "dry" camping in November now!

[happynow]

My DH and I once camped to get away from it all. Retired now, we enjoy life's comforts while we enjoy nature. To each his own.

Agree with the original post regarding availability. It can be tough to get reservations without planning 6-9 or 12 months in advance. We are often on the east coast in FL, MD, SC & also TN in metropolitan areas because that is where our 4 kids and 6 grandkids live.

Working folks camp weekends,book in advance for that privilege.
That was us at one time.

[ford_truck_guy]

2oldman wrote:
Not a problem if you get good at boondocking...and your tires shouldn't go flat. Loose, I mean lose a little air.. maybe.

You folks on the LEFT coast are spoiled with all the opportunities to boondock..

Boondocking on the east coast is few and far between..

[ReneeG]

gbopp wrote:

Lightning55 wrote:
Boondocking... you mean no AC? no flat screen TV with 235 stations? No electric blanket? OMG

Remember when people went camping to get away from it all? :B

"All" to us is the office.

[2oldman]

Lightning55 wrote:
Boondocking... you mean no AC? no TV with 235 stations? No electric blanket? OMG

No, I don't mean that. When you get good at boondocking you can have all that.

[ReneeG]

IdaD wrote:
You're in a very populated area. Go north into Oregon or east into Nevada and you'll find all kinds of wide open spaces to camp in and explore.

Forget about Idaho, though. Nothing to see there but potato fields.

Agree on Oregon and Washington, even Nevada. Just sage brush as far as the eye can see in Idaho.

[gbopp]

Lightning55 wrote:
Boondocking... you mean no AC? no flat screen TV with 235 stations? No electric blanket? OMG

Remember when people went camping to get away from it all? :B

[ReneeG]

Lightning55 wrote:
Boondocking... you mean no AC? no flat screen TV with 235 stations? No electric blanket? OMG

If you have solar, you can still do this boondocking. We do!

[IdaD]

You're in a very populated area. Go north into Oregon or east into Nevada and you'll find all kinds of wide open spaces to camp in and explore.

Forget about Idaho, though. Nothing to see there but potato fields.

[MFL]

I think the parks are more crowded all over, some areas, and the more popular parks are busy most all season, even during the week. A friend, RV park owner, in a popular area, used to give me a huge discount at his park, if I agreed to park near the main road as a decoy. Now you can't even get in the same park, without an early season reservation, due to booked full, end of May-thru Labor Day.

Jerry