Campground prices this year...

[TJFogelberg]

We have a Thousand Trails membership (Elite connections with Trails Collection). It has saved us many $ and allows for stays up to 21 days. Enroute from MN to AZ/NV last Fall (2021), we stayed at KOAs on the way because of the convenience...they ran about $60 night. But once in Cottonwood AZ, Las Vegas, AJ, and Tucson, we were on our membership with just the annual fees ($1,050) and $20 surcharge at Voyager at Tucson.

Locally here in the Midwest we have a trip planned to Iowa ($18 night at State Park with E) and Red Rock in Pella Iowa (Howell COEG $11 night with E and America Beautiful pass).

State parks in MN run about $40 night and $35 night in WI.

Smaller towns (city CG) like Lanesboro MN and Wilton, WI (both on state bike trails) run $35 night with 30AMP+W.

But yes, costs are going up and I expect to see an increase in my Thousand Trails invoice when I receive it in November.

Next Fall (Sept-Dec 2023) we will travel out East on our TT membership for 3 months with only a few stops where we pay nightly fees. Fall is a great time to camp because the campgrounds are seldom full. All bets are off during PEAK snowbird season, however.

[Bigceasar]

Originally Posted by Jay D.

just stayed in Jackson WY. KOA by far nothing fancy one of the poorer camp grounds we stayed at. 200.00 a night, insane!
Jay D.

Check the hotel prices or the price of real estate in Jackson and maybe you will reconsider. If you want to dig deeper, see if you can find an electrician or plumber there at any price. It may cost big bucks to stay there, but it costs big bucks to own and operate a business there as well.

[Persistent]

Lots of good advice posted above.

Law of supply and demand applies to private campgrounds and resorts. It has nothing to do with what they "should charge". It is what ever the customers will pay. Only competition keeps it in check.

Scarcity applies to government managed campsites. Wisconsin state parks are still cheap, but open sites are non-existent until October. You can often get one night during the week, but not on weekends.

[burgmark]

Originally Posted by Jay D.

just stayed in Jackson WY. KOA by far nothing fancy one of the poorer camp grounds we stayed at. 200.00 a night, insane!
Jay D.

I don't see a KOA in Jackson listed on the KOA site.

[burgmark]

Here is my receipt for 6 days in Colter Bay at the Tetons in Sept. Notice the electricity charge for 6 days. That's way more than I pay for my house for a month in the heat of summer.

Colter Bay RV Park
504, N( RV ELECTRIC )

Sales Tax$39.60
Water Hookup$12.00
Camping Use Fee$246.00
Sales Tax$27.06
Electricity Hookup$348.00
Subtotal$606.00
Taxes$66.66
Total$672.66

[ArtJoyce]

We normally do state, county, federal campgrounds. They all have gone up 10 to 30% in the last 3 years.

Traveling we do the me campgrounds and passport america for one night stays or a few time we pay the bucks a private CG's. A handful of times in 30 years we stayed in parking lots or rest areas.

[lorim]

As a kid in the 70's/80's, KOA's were awesome.. lots to do and tons of other kids to play with and my mom always said how clean they were, although as a kid clean didn't matter much to me.

We tented at a lot of KOA's when the kids were young in the 2000's and they were just OK, they were clean and the kids were entertained but they were a bit more expensive even for tents.

Now as an adult with grown children and my own MH I'm not impressed. I don't use their facilities, prices are always higher, many pack you in like sardines, and the crowded atmosphere is not relaxing at all.

I prefer boondocking with the generator. Last trip was about 154 miles and I ran the genny for 4 days straight (no shutting down, it was really hot, the AC's were working hard) My top off at the same diesel station was $156 which was at $5.85 per gallon on my last trip. I'd rather find the "off the beaten path" campsite and spend my money on fuel and enjoy my coffee in solitude with beautiful scenery.

[wnytaxman]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

Might as well stay in hotels and drive a car. I guess I will be comparison shopping this summer.

We just came back from an auto trip to SC. Hotels are running anywhere from $150 to $300 a night and those aren’t Hyatt’s. Be prepared for other issues as well with a hotel stay. We stayed at a Hampton in the mountains of Virginia that has to be one of the dirtiest hotels I have ever been in. There was even a used bandaid left on the bathroom counter.

The costs will make all of us consider whether or not this lifestyle is worth it. We’re taking a break right now waiting for the costs of the RV’s themselves to go down. Life is full of choices and these are just some that we have to make, even though they are painful.

[jacwjames]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

Might as well stay in hotels and drive a car. I guess I will be comparison shopping this summer.

I thought about doing this, I'll run the $$$ to see what the difference in cost is. But with diesel getting close to $6/gallon it is starting to look tempting.

Besides, some of the places I looked at going there aren't many campgrounds and the roads are too crowded.

[johninsd]

I recently got home from a 7 week 6500 mile trip, burning about 500 gallons of diesel in my 2016 Itasca Navion (Sprinter chassis). I found that cg rates had gone up substantially, averaging about $60 per night in KOAs for example, a little less in some of the independents and a lot less in the Passport America cgs, some of which are fine for an overnight. So my old rule of thumb of $100 per day for travel is now revised to $150 per day. This applies to all modes of self operated road travel - RV, motorcycle, car since a reduction in one cost usually means an increase in another. For instance when traveling by motorcycle or car I stay in mid grade motels (Hampton Inn or equivalent) and eat in somewhat upscale restaurants so the fuel savings accrued by not driving the RV go to those expenses. When traveling by RV I usually cook for myself so save the restaurant expenses (and the hassles of finding decent ones). To each his own but this is my experience - I'm glad to be able to afford it.

[Jay D.]

Originally Posted by burgmark

I don't see a KOA in Jackson listed on the KOA site.

i'm sorry it was the Virginian RV park https://www.virginianrvpark.com/rv-sites
Jay D.

[radar]

At Watertown national park on the Canadian side. About 40 bucks for full service. Water sewer and 50 amp service. Canadian currency.

We are in week 7 of a cross Canada and back trip. Private parks have been anywhere from 50 to 70 bucks a night. Municipal and lions parks maybe 25 to 35. Provincial and National parks anywhere from 24 to 40 ish per night depending on services.

[Jay D.]

I think our best campground was just out of Hill City SD. Rafter j Bar Ranch https://www.rafterj.com/ around 70.00 a night. much, much nicer than the one in Jackson WY at 1/3rd the price. Clyde Holiday state park is a very nice spot to stop at near John Day OR. https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index....ofile&parkId=8
Jay D.

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by lorim

....
I prefer boondocking with the generator. ....

When I am boondocking the people density is much lower so the number of barking dogs and owners that curse at their dogs and loud music is less.

I haved noticed a 300% increase this year.

$0 x 3 = $0

When going to a new area I will find a city, state, or federal pay campground that I can make reservations at for a couple of days. Then I explore the area on the toad and mark booddocking spots on the GPS.

For example, I stayed near the Snake River at a Idaho State park 2 days before Day weekend. About $40/night. The next 5 days was at a free spot with a picknic table with a shelter for shade. I was 20 feet from the river.

Because of family matters I had to return from cool up north to the very hot SW. Because of diesel prices, I drove the toad on 101 down the Oregon coast. I noticed after my first motel stop a few RVs boondocking on 101 overlooking the ocean.

Which is better, an expensive cheap motel on 101 in town of an RV with an ocean view?

Two nights in a hotels plus gas was more than diesel fuel going north.

So I think you can make as cheap or expensive as you want. You have to avoid the places everyone want to go. Camping for free on the GOM beach in Texas may not be the Florida Keys but it is still good.