Weekend Campground Reservations Near Impossible

Randy

Randy

Ranger
Donating Member
I live in Southern California and am finding it near impossible these days to get any sort of campsite reservations that include a weekend and I don’t like the uncertainty of first come first serve sites.

As I prepare for retirement this year, I imagine one of the biggest blessings will be weekday camping. Can’t wait!

Randy
 
We've found over the last several years that even weekday campsite reservations are getting tougher to snag. It's all these Boomers I think...
 
Weekday camping has been a little easier to get the past few years based on my experience. Everything is, of course, worse now for other reasons.

Don't know about other locations, but this year, Yosemite is only booking Upper Pines campground in the valley, and then only 50% of those sites. It's an absolute mess trying to get one. I used to be able to book 5 nites in May (Sun/Fri) the past few years. This year I barely got a site for 2 nites.

If they get back to releasing all sites again everywhere, weekdays should be easier to book through rec.gov. Of course, for the more popular sites you really have to be prepared and ready to go when the clock strikes 7:00 PST. That is the key.
 
Good luck! I have been trying since we bought our camper in 2018 to snag a reservation for campgrounds in California. The only reservations I have managed were Upper Pines campground in January and a reservation for Leo Carrillo State Park in Malibu, which had to be canceled because the park burned down a few months before our trip!
 
Seems to be plenty of weekday slots open for all the Joshua Tree campgrounds. County parks are shut down.
 
When traveling over the last few years I have found it more difficult to find camp sites especially because I prefer to drive and find a campsite on the fly. I don't like making reservations. I find a place I want to stop, hike, have lunch or whatever which puts me behind and have to drive like crazy to arrive at my reservation site, after dark. I live in North west Washington state. I have a place to park and hook up to electric. Nothing more. Bring your own shade. I would think you would park and explore and come back to fix dinner and relax a bit and go to bed so you can explore the next day. Stay a few days and move on.
 
I have always disliked having to reserve a site.
When I was a kid every site around was first come, first served. We had to be ready to go when my Dad would come home early on Friday afternoon, so we could head out to secure a site. Station wagon was packed, bikes strapped to the front, and the tent trailer hooked up and ready to roll.
You never knew what you were going to get. It was exciting, and I don't remember ever being disappointed.
I find now, most of the sites are reserved as soon as reservations open for the season. Then if people change their plans, they just cancel. Sometimes you can get one closer to the date you're looking for due to cancellation.
So, we've had to adapt and change our tactics. We plan, and reserve. Not my favorite, but I'd rather reserve and camp, than not.
The pandemic has definitely affected camping here. I couldn't believe how packed all the parks were last summer.
Wish us luck! Reservations open in April, and planning has begun!!
 
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