How To Find Open Campsites
Are you tired of spending endless hours researching the perfect campground, only to find out it's fully booked when you go to reserve a campsite? You're not alone. Almost all campers fall into the trap of searching for great campgrounds first and open campsites second, leading to frustration and wasted time. Especially if you try to find an open campsite on a summer weekend. If you've been approaching your camping trips this way, it's time for a change.
1. Check Campground Availability First
We’ve all been there. You decide to go camping and start googling the best campgrounds nearby. You spend hours combing through campground reviews, checking amenities, and picturing yourself under the stars. Finally, you find one you like and you're ready to book, only to discover that all the dates you want are unavailable. Then you start over and find another campground. Same results. Sound familiar? Yeah, most people give up.
The trick is to reverse this process. Instead of starting with the campground, begin with a list of available campgrounds with tools like CampChimp. By knowing what campgrounds have open campsites on your desired dates, you can then narrow down your choices to the best available options. It saves you time and ensures you stay out of the frustrating availability hunt loop.
2. Book Far In Advance
Most campgrounds often get booked up months in advance, especially during summer weekends. This scarcity of open campsites means that you have to be early and strategic.
One option is to find the campground you want to camp at, then find when reservations open. You can then compete with everyone else at a certain time. It can give you a better chance if you have multiple people in your group trying together.
3. Wait for Cancellations
Those campers that reserve far in advance are the most likely to have something come up and have to cancel their plans. It can be a little more frustrating, but randomly checking a campground actually can work. This is going to take a lot of patience, but we’ve seen it pay off plenty.
PRO TIP: Campers like to cancel right before the fees for cancelling go up so check that schedule for your campground and then watch a few days from then.
4. Join Facebook Camping Groups
Because many campgrounds have cancellation fees, but no fees to transfer a reservation, many people try to give their camping reservations to someone else on Facebook camping groups. In fact, there are some groups that are dedicated to just that. You might not be get your exact dates or preferred locations, but many campers are giving away great campsites.
5. Call The Ranger
Not many campers know this but you can call the local ranger stations and ask for help finding campsites. They often have tricks to use when reserving campsites or information on when sites will open up. They are usually very friendly and helpful and can give a lot of insider information.
Next time you're planning a camping trip, remember: start with availability, not by first finding the best campgrounds. This simple shift in approach can make all the difference between a stress-free outdoor getaway and a frustrating hunt for something that seemingly doesn’t exist. With CampChimp at your fingertips, finding open campsites near you has never been easier. Embrace efficiency, plan ahead, and enjoy more time under the stars.
