Community Forums

maxwell18 · 06-26-2018, 07:45 PM

Just wondering if anyone was experiencing any problems finding RV parks while in traveling mode. Also are we out growing the hobby by producing more and more RV,s and the available support has not increase?

Isaac-1 · 06-26-2018, 11:53 PM

In my limited experience (about 100 nights on the road since buying my current coach in 2016), the only time you may have issues are the major holiday weekends, or when near major tourist spots (Yellowstone, etc.). At least this is the situation I have found in the south and western states, mostly (LA, TX, OK, CO, WY, NE, KS, AR). I did a 4,200 mile 30 day loop trip from Louisiana to Wyoming to do Yellowstone and the big solar eclipse last summer, of those I had advanced reservations for 9 or 10 nights (5 in and around Yellowstone, 3 nights where we camped for the eclipse, and 2 other nights that I had to be at on fixed dates, including the stop on night 1 at a small state park in east Texas with only 8 or 9 rv sites (1 of which was empty).

A couple of the nights along the way I did call to make same night reservations while on the road, though I don't think any were ever required, a couple of places were relatively full, and some first come first serve campgrounds filled up quickly around sunset, so it often paid to take ones time and get off the road well before sunset.

Having said all that some of the public, state, municipal, fairgrounds parks I stayed at on the trip last summer were nearly empty. A couple in Kansas come to mind, such as the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson KS on a non-event weekend, 125 full hookup rv sites, and maybe 5 or 6 were occupied. Another small town public RV park behind the towns recreation building had 12 (or maybe 14) water and 30 amp electric hookup sights with dump station by the exit (what do you expect for $10 per night), had 1 other RV there on a windy Wednesday night.

Bill767 · 06-27-2018, 05:28 AM

Yes, we full time and we are finding it harder and harder to find campsites. Now I will admit being 45' does have an impact, but we are finding more and more campgrounds have become permanent housing developments. Except for a few that only have transients, most have a majority of permanent trailers, 5ths, and even some motorhomes that haven't moved in quite awhile. Seems a bunch of people have found it is relatively cheap living so more and more campgrounds accept the consistent income and allow it. We have had to make reservations up to a year in advance especially at any destination, i.e., Yellowstone, Tetons, etc.

Ivylog · 06-27-2018, 06:08 AM

I take “traveling” to mean on the road. We are no reservations types and unless it’s hot while traveling do not stay at CGs...I still drive at night and will not go into a CG after dark. When hot we use Passport America CGs instead of running the generator, calling ahead in the afternoon when we have a better idea where we will end up. Being fully self-contained really helps and I’m not opposed to running the generator but a PA CG is not that much more expensive than running the generator for 12 hours if it is close to our route.

When looking for some place to stay near major commercial attractions, city parks and fairgrounds are always our ace in the hole for finding someplace to stay. For NPs we find the USFS CGs that do not take reservations the best if you do not show up Thurs-Friday. Recently we went into South Lake Tahoe on Labor Day without any reservations and found a site at our first choice...NO, not on Friday, on Monday when the working folks have to go home.