Campsites: it's only going to get worse

[Greggo]

Out here in LaLa Land, we live with this 10 months out of the year. Just plan ahead, I'm online 7 months in advance at 8:01 am.

The only hope for relief is with the private sector building "for profit" campgrounds at $75+ per night. They fill up just like the state and county parks too!

[gbaglo]

Might have to just stay home and watch the Travel channel.

[Greggo]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Might have to just stay home and watch the Travel channel.

Nah, never be the same unless you fire up about 100 firepits around your house, cue the barking dogs and loud music, and then hit the car alarm a few times! We really do know how to have fun!

[float5]

Being in the middle of the country at the moment, I did not know that there was a problem with campground spots. The coasts have a much higher population so I suppose that makes it difficult. Mostly what we see is the same as for hotels, with weekends filling up everything. The off season has nobody, but have to go far south to even find more than a very few campgrounds open.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Greggo

Nah, never be the same unless you fire up about 100 firepits around your house, cue the barking dogs and loud music, and then hit the car alarm a few times! We really do know how to have fun!

You're killing me.

[msweet]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Race you back. Our first grandchild is due Oct. 2. Wonder if you can camp in the Royal Columbian Hospital parking lot?

Unfortunately, I don't think they allow that! However, while you are driving the streets around the hospital looking for parking you may find another Escape sighting that you can report.

[civi]

Originally Posted by LarryandLiz

The biggest lesson I've learned since retiring in March of this year is that things change. I retired with plans for epic retirement trips one before the busy season and one right now. BUT cancer came calling two sisters - one of mine and one of Liz's. One survived and we buried one in June. All my travel plans for the early trip were changed. Right now, we are sitting lakeside at N'kMip hoping to head East tomorrow for the Kettle River area. But we are staying tuned to cell phone calls to see if our daughter goes into labour with her first child. THEN WE BOOT IT BACK HOME.

So reading Glenn's post tells me just what I need to be aware of. THINGS CHANGE and I need to adapt. Next year, we hope to have some epic road trips BUT you bet if campgrounds are booked up we will hit Recreational Sites (which I kind of like anyway) and adapt ourselves to changing realities.

Larry

One thing you can be positively sure of, " Change Happens" Carl

[Ruthe]

Our daughter''s been camping all over Texas the last couple of weeks and reports that the campgrounds are amazing AND many are almost empty -- at least during the week.

[Greggo]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

You're killing me.

Glenn, I didn't even get into the mariachi's! Ha! Travel with earplugs when you're camping at a SoCal beach!

[cpaharley2008]

Another reason to get options like a/c and extra insulation, go camping in the "off season" wherever it may be, so when everyone leaves you can enjoy the solitude.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Another reason to get options like a/c and extra insulation, go camping in the "off season" wherever it may be, so when everyone leaves you can enjoy the solitude.

Hi: cpaharley2008... Don't go on my account... it's already over drawn!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[2yax2go]

There are a few that do this. In Nantahala Nat. Forest in NC, for example, a few of the parks are run for the forestry service by concessionaire's. The two we've stayed at have maintained the rustic look and feel expected from a forest service campground and generally provide a camp host although there are no onsite services. These seem to work fine for all involved and we enjoyed our stay. There are likely others as well, but these are the only ones we have camped in.

But, if you want to see a downside try Fishing Bridge Campground in Yellowstone. Yes, it's right in the middle of the park and the only campground with full hook-ups, but you are so close to your neighbor you can shake hands from inside each of your trailers, there is zero room to sit outside and no campfires cuz there's just no space. True that you are typically gone all day since the point is to see the park, but there is none of that "big happy camping family" hang-outside and talk with your neighbors feeling at all.

When we were there 2 years ago the roads in the campground as well as the sites were in horrible condition...potholes that seemed big enough to lose a small rig in, the bathroom in our loop didn't work more than it did and you had to make an appointment for a shower at the shower house located at the admin office. (there are more than 300 campsites).

The biggest thing for us was the fact that your "Old Geezer" pass gets you NADA in this campground....you pay $50 per night regardless (I'm honestly surprised it wasn't more given that they are the only "full-hook-up" game in town.) The way they hot-rack folks in and out during the season they are making decent money and should do much better up-keep even taking the volitile weather and volume of in and out traffic into consideration.

We still enjoyed Yellowstone tremendously, just think we might choose to stay elsewhere next visit. (there are some nice NFS parks not that far outside both the east and west entrances)


I think with better oversight private entities could be a reasonable answer since there is such a shortage of funds available for the park services - state and national - to expand existing campgrounds or build new ones. As funds become even shorter I think we are going to see price increases that just may push some folks out of the camping market.

As with anything this is personal observation and your mileage may vary. And, we are still going camping.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by 2yax2go

Yes, it's right in the middle of the park and the only campground with full hook-ups, but you are so close to your neighbor you can shake hands from inside each of your trailers, there is zero room to sit outside and no campfires cuz there's just no space.

Good grief--Fishing Bridge Campground at Yellowstone...

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by KarenH

Good grief--Fishing Bridge Campground at Yellowstone...

Hi: KarenH... That looks like the new West Yellowstone KOA with trees!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Tford]

Just got back to TX after 28 days on the road thru CO and over to WI and back down thru NE and OK. While we made quite a few resvs, the last week and a half was research on the fly for campgrounds. Stayed in a mixture of smaller private parks and state/corps parks. One thing I noticed about the nicer small private parks we stayed in was the abundance of seasonal live ins staying longer than a month or so. Can't blame the owners for locking up the dollars long term, but really did miss staying in some that were really nice little places but had no sites even in the middle of the week. I like a bit of spontaneity, but I can see how that will have to go by the wayside during peak seasons, but schools back in and I'm retired, so the south (no frozen roads!) sees me all over.

[nathanj04011]

Originally Posted by KarenH

Good grief--Fishing Bridge Campground at Yellowstone...

We stayed at Fishing Bridge in July and liked it a lot...because we had full hookups. If that was a campground I was going to go sit at, then no, not great, but we found we were only there in the morning and then in the evening. The rest of the time we were out enjoying the nature of Yellowstone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thoer]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Another reason to get options like a/c and extra insulation, go camping in the "off season" wherever it may be, so when everyone leaves you can enjoy the solitude.

Problem is with all us retired boomers, everybody now has that same idea.... The Rangers in Yellowstone call Fishing Bridge, the Parking Lot with Hookups.

[thoer]

This was our view in Fishing Bridge. When we were there I am pretty sure it was a hard sided camper only area due to bear problems, not that it would be too much fun in a tent there anyway.

[gbaglo]

Contrast that with a forest service campsite on the Ashnola River. Cost me $6 as a senior. I think there are 14 sites in all.

[captmath]

3 mile campground. 3 miles from east entrance. Beautiful. No service.