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Old 06-27-2019, 12:33 PM   #1
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Guide to Public Campgrounds: What do you use?

We typically prefer camping at public campgrounds (BLM, NFS, COE, State, County, City). What do you use as a guide to find such places to stay?

Would like to find an app or program that can be used offline, or at least allows planning online and then access offline. It would be ok if it is limited to one or two states at a time, as long as it has nationwide coverage available.
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Old 06-27-2019, 12:38 PM   #2
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We've found that just using Google maps/earth works well for us. We zoom closer in areas we might plan to stop overnight or even longer. That's how we found the great town campground in Morgan City LA this past winter and had a spot right on the lake (our avatar pic).
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Old 06-27-2019, 03:06 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marant View Post
We typically prefer camping at public campgrounds (BLM, NFS, COE, State, County, City). What do you use as a guide to find such places to stay?

Would like to find an app or program that can be used offline, or at least allows planning online and then access offline. It would be ok if it is limited to one or two states at a time, as long as it has nationwide coverage available.
Have you tried Campendium? It's a website, so requires internet, but it's pretty handy. Sign up for the weekly email and you'll get 5 favorite campsites every week.

I like Campendium a lot. It's particularly helpful for me because I work and need internet access all the time... Campendium tells me whether camping areas have Verizon coverage.
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Old 06-27-2019, 03:23 PM   #4
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I like this site for the US: https://freecampsites.net/

And for British Columbia: https://www.campingrvbc.com/camping/

FYI, the free campsites site includes some fee campsites and also includes places like rest areas and Wal Mart parking lots. In some cases I know there is a really good site that is not on their map. But it does have good information as well.

Not sure if either are available offline, and based on the places I like to camp, I can definitely see why that would be desirable! We usually plan our trips well in advance and mark spots on a paper map (gasp!!), but definitely, there are times when plans go awry and you need to go to Plan B or C, and that's when it's tough if you can't get online!
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Old 06-27-2019, 03:45 PM   #5
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I use the AllStays app & filter for the type of campground I want, and The Ultimate Public Campground List app (which I like better than AllStays when looking for non commercial sites).
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Old 06-27-2019, 04:15 PM   #6
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We use the above apps and UC, Ultimate Campgrounds. It is a google app and i believe an apple app also. Cost is $3.99, and for that cost you can install it on all your devices. Both our phones and both tablets have copies. It lists more than 40,000 campgrounds in all US states and Canadian provinces. That is how we manage to stay on the road for 6 or more weeks and never pay over $30 US/night.

Another site we like is " I overlander". It is great for free to cheap campsites in the US and Canada, frankly there are far too many Wal-Mart's listed for the US. But where I overlander shines is the Mexico coverage. It lists waterparks, small cafes, beaches, huge government parks, etc that all allow RVs to camp for a night or two. I overlander is free.
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Old 06-27-2019, 09:24 PM   #7
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I used to use Allstays app, freecampsites.net and forestcamping.com . Now I mostly use freecampsites.net and Ultimate Campgrounds app.
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Old 06-27-2019, 11:58 PM   #8
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I use the AllStays app & filter for the type of campground I want, and The Ultimate Public Campground List app (which I like better than AllStays when looking for non commercial sites).


+1, we do same same.
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Old 06-28-2019, 01:49 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by emers382 View Post
We've found that just using Google maps/earth works well for us. We zoom closer in areas we might plan to stop overnight or even longer. That's how we found the great town campground in Morgan City LA this past winter and had a spot right on the lake (our avatar pic).


Do you recall the name? I want to go to southern Louisiana next spring for crawfish season.
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Old 06-28-2019, 05:13 AM   #10
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Do you recall the name? I want to go to southern Louisiana next spring for crawfish season.
I’m going to bet it was Lake End Campground...not many other options in that area

https://www.allstays.com/Campgrounds-details/20348.htm
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Old 06-28-2019, 05:48 AM   #11
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If you have a GPS you can load the Ultimate Campground POI list onto it, that'd give you offline access, to some extent. I have NOT put these on mine.
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Old 06-28-2019, 11:43 AM   #12
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Do you recall the name? I want to go to southern Louisiana next spring for crawfish season.
Lake End Park on Lake Palourde in Morgan City, funny I just saw your post and about a half hour ago I came across the map and rules sheet for the park. We stayed nearly a week, in the "off season" which is from Nov. to March they have a special for $140 a week. We were in the separate section which was OK but with all the rain it was quite muddy and the road there leaves much to be desired. We wre in site 108 or 109. It's quite a distance from there to the shower/washroom building in the main campground area although an easy walk to the small washroom and one poor shower in the tent area. The main campground was full on the weekend we were there so could only get the week at the secondary one. We would return again.
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Old 06-28-2019, 04:17 PM   #13
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I’m going to bet it was Lake End Campground...not many other options in that area



https://www.allstays.com/Campgrounds-details/20348.htm


Thanks, agree. I found the same in a search. The last time I was in Morgan City was as a young teen. My uncle ran a shrimp boat. It was quite an experience for a young man.
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Old 07-10-2019, 03:07 PM   #14
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We use RV PARKY app on our android phone. Have also used free campsite app and found Dick Davis campground in St Martin parish right on the Achafalaya for $10 a night full hook up. I also bought a Rand McNally map because cell service does not always work.
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Old 07-10-2019, 03:11 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marant View Post
We typically prefer camping at public campgrounds (BLM, NFS, COE, State, County, City). What do you use as a guide to find such places to stay?

Would like to find an app or program that can be used offline, or at least allows planning online and then access offline. It would be ok if it is limited to one or two states at a time, as long as it has nationwide coverage available.
My absolute favorite. https://freecampsites.net/index.php?...b_app_manifest

Web based app; give them a little donation and lose the fee ads. Nice people and support useful presentation.
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Old 07-13-2019, 05:25 PM   #16
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campgrounds

Thanks for the great info!
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