Please check your scans for update requirements
Last week, I wrote about how changes to booking systems can affect your Campnab alerts. Booking platforms are often in flux and sometimes change in...
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The Campnab Blog
How booking system changes can affect your alerts
Campnab monitors a bunch of different campground booking systems. These systems are built by various providers. Some groups use different versions ...
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A big list of camping affiliate programs
If you’re a content creator, blogger, or outdoor influencer looking to earn money through your camping content, this list might come in handy. We’v...
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What Does the Orange Block on BC Parks’ Booking System Mean?
If you’ve ever received an alert for an open campsite on the BC Parks booking site, only to find nothing available, you’re not alone. Sometimes, ca...
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Tips on getting backcountry permit alerts at Yoho National Park
Last year, Campnab member Sohaib was frustrated with our app. It was his childhood dream to visit Lake O’Hara, but every opening he was alerted to ...
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How to clear your browser cache
We actively push out updates to Campnab. These new versions include bug fixes, efficiency optimizations, and sometimes new features. These new rele...
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How to get alerts for river permit cancellations
It’s autumn, and temperatures are dipping. So, you probably aren’t looking for a river permit now. However, some will start looking for river permi...
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Book more campsites with the 15-minute trick
Finding an available campsite can be challenging, especially as more campers compete for popular spots. You might click on a campsite alert only to...
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Thanks for another great season!
The summer is drawing to a close, and what a nice one it’s been! We hope you and your families were able to get outside this summer and spend some ...
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Get alerts for campsite cancelations in Vermont!
Just a quick note to let you know that you can now use Campnab to scan state parks in Vermont. Yup! If the state park you wish to camp at is sold o...
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Reasons why the campsite is booked by the time you click through
Have you ever received an alert, clicked to book the spot, and it was already gone? You aren’t alone. If you use a campsite scanner like Campnab, y...
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Handy tips for backcountry permit scanning
You probably already know that you can use Campnab to scan parks in the United States and Canada for backcountry permit cancelations. If you’re unf...
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Get alerts for campsite availabilities on PEI
Summer is a busy season at Campnab. Since many members have scans running, we’re continually learning about new bugs, quirks, and anomalies that ne...
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Campnab is back in Saskatchewan!
In 2020, we added scanning for campsite cancellations at Saskatchewan’s provincial parks. We monitored those parks for a few years, and then the pr...
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Congratulations to the winners of our April giveaway!
Last month, we had a little giveaway. All you had to do was post a review of a park you’d visited. Everyone who wrote a review got entered into a d...
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How to get campsite cancelation alerts for Reserve California
Campers worldwide dream of beautiful California, hoping to stay in its iconic parks. National parks like Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and Lake Tahoe are ...
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There’s a problem with Enchantments permit scans
The Enchantment Permit Area is in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness of Washington State’s Cascade Mountains. The ar...
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Share a review and you could win a Campnab membership!
Love camping? Share your favorite park experiences with us, and you could win a FREE year of Campnab, which will help you find canceled campsite re...
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Scan more national park lodges for cancelations
Campers who visit Yellowstone National Park asked us to add scanning for new availabilities at Yellowstone National Park Lodges. So, we did—earlier...
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Introducing variable scan frequencies
Since 2017, Campnab scans have run at a set of frequencies. Our pay-per-use scans ran every 60 (Good), 15 (Better), and 5 (Awesome) minutes. For mo...
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Why you might receive campsite alerts in advance of the launch time
Occasionally, members get in touch asking why they received an alert before 8 AM on launch day. I get why these would be a bit perplexing. How can ...
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Some help for planning camping trips
Most Campnab members know exactly where they want to camp, but those parks are sold out. So, they use Campnab to scan those campgrounds—and get ale...
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New! Name your Campnab scans
A few years back, Andrew got in touch. (He’s a Campnab member who lives here in Vancouver.) After a handful of emails, he invited us to lunch. As a...
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You can (finally) sign into Campnab with your email address
When we first built Campnab, we tried to keep our scope narrow. We figured this was the best way to get the product in campers’ hands. This approac...
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Whoomp! That’s 5 million alerts!
I just checked our About page and see that we’ve surpassed 5,000,000 alerts on Campnab! We’re delighted to have crossed this milestone—and grateful...
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How to Make Park Access (and Camping Reservations) More Fair
It’s hard to camp at public parks. I know this because I’ve worked on Campnab for seven years. Every day, I speak to campers who are disappointed, ...
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You can now monitor Yellowstone National Park Lodges for canceled reservations
Eric Shelkie doesn’t seem to get this whole holiday deal. He spent part of his Christmas break on his computer, coding. The upside? You can now use...
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The Best Camping in California
Camping in California is out of this world. You can camp under the world’s tallest trees, return to the deserts of the Wild West, dive into crystal...
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Four holiday gift ideas for the camper in your life
I don’t know about you, but I have a heck of a time choosing gifts for those I like. In fact, I set aside a day in November for this activity—just ...
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Your Guide to Campsite Cancellation Alerts for Washington Parks
Whether it’s for the coastal forests, snow-capped mountains, or countless miles of pristine beach, campers have no shortage of reasons to visit the...
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New! Hibernate your Campnab membership
We’ve always made it easy to cancel your Campnab plan. Just visit your Dashboard or Plan page and click the Cancel button. We won’t bug you with su...
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Campsite Booking Guide: Decoding Campsite Booking Fees
No one likes paying camping fees. Nevertheless, such camping fees do help cover campground operating costs, staffing, support, and online booking s...
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Campsite Booking Guide: Understanding Camping Reservation Policies
Every day, I help fellow campers find campsites at sold-out parks. (Curiously, this is how I make a living.) Along the way, a lot of folks call me ...
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You can now scan Nevada state parks for campsite cancellations
Campnab members Roger and Jessie asked if we could add scanning for cancellations at Nevada State Parks. (We already monitor national parks in Neva...
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Campsite Booking Tips and Secrets
Over the past 7 years, I’ve helped new and experienced campers alike find campsites and permits—when doing so may have felt hopeless. This has invo...
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Review a park and you could win free Campnab!
Last month, we did another little promo for park reviews. The deal was simple: 1. Write a review of a park you visited. 2. Get entered in a random ...
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Gear Up for Camping: My (Possibly Too) Detailed Car Camping Packing List
New to camping and unsure of what to pack? This article might help. I’m a somewhat obsessive planner and I’ve spent a fair bit of time identifying ...
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How to Monitor Alberta Parks for Cancelled Campsite Reservations and Permits
Whether it’s Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park, or one of the additional 3 national and 469 provincial...
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We streamlined our plan cancellation workflow
From the beginning, we set Campnab up to afford options and flexibility to all of our members. You can buy a one-off scan, sign up for a year, or g...
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How to Get Alerts for Canceled Campsites at Florida Parks
Some of us who live in more northern areas are starting to pack up our camping gear for the season. I think this is a bit of a mistake, as fall cam...
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This is where support happens
As a two-person operation, Eric S. and I are rarely ever away from our desks for long. This is sort of a bummer, as the whole point of Campnab was ...
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How to book a campsite on Reserve California
Struggling to book a campsite on Reserve California? You aren’t alone. I know this because I speak with campers every day. Although I am in no way ...
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Congratulations Bob!
Last month we sent out an email to you, our members, about our new park reviews. We asked if you might lend a hand in sharing your park experiences...
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How to find places to camp in California
New to camping and overwhelmed by all of the options? Do you just want to find somewhere to camp in California for the weekend? I get it. There are...
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Flexible dates are now more… umm… flexible?
When we started Campnab in 2017, each scan could monitor one date for cancellations. Almost immediately, members reached out noting that they had a...
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We’ve sent our 3.5 millionth campsite alert!
As you all know, we love helping campers find cancellations at “sold out” parks. That said, we never ever thought Campnab would go as far as it has...
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How to save money on your campsite scans
Sometimes folks ask about our pricing, and I get why. We offer a wide range of options and prices—and some might seem to be on the steep side. At f...
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Campnab tips and tricks from VAN TREKKING lifestyle
Given all of the challenges in booking a campsite, Owen, Lynn, and Maggie (from VAN TREKKING lifestyle) started using Campnab to help find availabl...
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A funny thing happened at the office
Life is curious. I started out as a painter before moving into design. I never would have thought I’d one day put all of my effort into campsite al...
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Woot Woot! Campnab merch is now available!
👆 That’s my brother-in-law John and my nephew Ben. They’re wearing a couple of the first Campnab shirts we made. Kind of crappy-looking 💩 t-shirts,...
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Check out these apps for camping in Canada
I grew up camping in forestry campsites in BC’s interior, a bit before folks had computers in their homes. At the time, a smartphone app would have...
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Navigate the wilderness with these backcountry camping apps
Are you a frontcountry camper who’d like to venture a little further afield? The backcountry is where it’s at: epic locations, less noise, and it’s...
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Ignite Your Camping Adventures with a FREE Campnab Membership!
Are you gearing up for camping season? Reminiscing about some of the 🤩 best parks you’ve stayed at… and some of the 🤮 worst? Want some insider tips...
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Find More Canceled Campsite Availabilities with the Help of Unlock Alerts
Did you know that we send two types of alerts at Campnab? We call these “regular alerts” and ”unlock alerts”. Regular alerts are for campsites that...
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Campsite Availability Notifications: Pro Tips to Make the Most of Your Campsite Tracker
Many campers know about campsite notifications and use Campnab to help them find newly canceled campsites and permits at sold-out parks. This is aw...
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The Absolute Newbie’s Guide to Boondocking
A lot of folks reminisce about the spontaneity of loading up their car, driving anywhere, and just camping—free of the hassles of reservations, cro...
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How to get campsite availability notifications on Reserve America
Most of us (my teenage sons notwithstanding) enjoy leaving work behind and going out camping. A little fresh air, a crackling campfire, and perhaps...
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Your guide to the best car camping apps of 2023
Looking to head out camping this season, but not sure where to begin? Our first suggestion is to ask friends in your area. Odds are that they’ll ha...
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You can scan Long Point Region Conservation Authority parks for cancelled reservations
Just a quick note today as we’ve added scanning for a few more parks and campgrounds. Ontario campers, this one will likely be of interest to you. ...
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Uncover Mother Nature’s magic with these apps!
Have your kids ever told you they’re bored while out camping? (Teenagers, am I right?) We spend so little time in nature that most of us are oblivi...
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Use Campnab to monitor Manitoba’s provincial parks for newly cancelled campsite reservations!
Are you dreaming of pitching your tent in the wilderness, gathering around a roaring campfire, and gazing at the starry Manitoba sky? You aren’t al...
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We have our winners!
Over March, we ran a fun little contest called The Camping Games. Over that time, a handful of folks participated and shared some great reviews, ph...
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Why we added campground reviews
Some have asked us why we’re bothering with campground reviews. Aren’t we the campsite availability alert people? Well… they’re right. Sending info...
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Must-visit Ontario parks for your summer camping adventure
Looking to camp in Ontario this summer? You’ll find lots to explore! Within just a few hours of bustling Toronto, you’ll find pristine Canadian wil...
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How to write a great campground review
Maybe I shouldn’t write this post. It’s not like I’m an expert on campground reviews. That said, I sure have read a lot of them over the past 5 yea...
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Your ultimate guide to booking a campsite on Recreation.gov
At Campnab, we help people go camping. We mostly do this by notifying campers when there’s a cancellation at an otherwise sold-out park. That said,...
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Yes—Campnab can scan the new Parks Canada booking site for cancellations!
If you’re a camper in Canada, you’re likely aware of Parks Canada’s new booking system. If this is news to you, don’t sweat it! We put together thi...
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This is our rinky-dink leaderboard
If you’re participating in The Camping Games, you might be curious as to how you currently rank. Fair enough. If I were playing, I’d probably wonde...
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How to prepare for Parks Canada’s new booking site
Parks Canada recently switched to a new version of Camis’ booking system. This is a big update that will significantly improve the campsite booking...
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We added scanning for Washington County Parks
Just a quick note, today. If you camp in Minnesota, you can now use Campnab to monitor a few more parks for campsites cancellations. This is a reas...
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Eric interviews Eric, but not the other Eric
Yup—you read that correctly. Three Erics in one title, but only two in the podcast (Eric S. doesn’t do public speaking in any form). Here’s the sco...
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Play The Camping Games for fun, prizes, and… glory?
In January, we had a little giveaway. We asked folks to post park reviews with the chance to win a 3-month Campnab membership. This turned out to b...
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You can use Campnab to scan Maricopa County Parks for cancellations
It sounds like a lot of you like camping in Arizona’s Maricopa County! We’ve received a number of requests to add scanning for parks in that area. ...
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Don’t forget to claim your affiliate payouts
We recently created a new Earnings panel for you. In it you’ll find a ledger of your Campnab affiliate activity. This includes the date of each pur...
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Congratulations Misty!
Last month we opened up the Campnab Community. It’s still rough around the edges, but we’re stoked about this addition. It’s a way for Campnab memb...
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Camping reservations need karma
I’m about the last person in the world to use the word “karma” without a smirk on my face. When it comes to fixing campsite no-shows, though, karma...
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How storm closures affect campsite availability scanning
Recent storms wreaked havoc on the California coast. This damage resulted in park closures. These range from proactive closures to partial and full...
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What to Look For in a Campsite Cancellation Checker
You pay for a camping setup. Maybe it’s a simple tent or a shiny new RV. Then, you research and collect all of the required gear. Finally, you load...
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You can now scan Arizona state parks for cancellations
Eric S. and I are always at work on Campnab. Unfortunately, much of what we do is invisible. Tracking down anomalous issues, resolving bugs, and im...
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You can create a public profile on Campnab
Scanning for campsite cancellations and sending availability notifications remains our focus at Campnab. That said, we also recognize that planning...
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Campnab scans Missouri State Parks for cancelled campsite reservations
Campers frequently reach out, asking us to add scanning for the parks they visit. Many have noted that they’d like to be able to scan Missouri Stat...
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Review a park and you could win a free Campnab membership!
I bet you love certain parks and campgrounds. There also might be some you never want to visit again. Your experiences and opinions are super-helpf...
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Free Campsite Tracker Alternatives to Campnab
We charge for Campnab. These fees help cover operating costs and allow us (even this guy) to work on Campnab every day. When you pay for Campnab, y...
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Featured Park: Carpinteria State Beach
We get a lot of questions about parks. We’re also avid campers who’re looking for new parks to visit. As such, we like to do our own research on pr...
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Auto-Booking Campsites Is a Bad Idea
Working on a product like Campnab is curious at times. First off, I started my career as a painter (the artist type). At no point did I think that ...
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You can add photos to your campsite reviews!
I don’t use Instagram much. As I survey my feed though, I realize that my favorite photos are from the parks I visited with my wife and kids. The s...
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Happy Holidays!
So, we’re into the last few days of 2022, and what a year it’s been! The world is finally opening up again, and we’ve been able to explore more wid...
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Introducing Campnab Community!
Folks often ask us campground questions. There are a lot of parks, though, and we’re only two people. Although we can notify you about campsite can...
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We’ve sent over 3 million campsite availability alerts!
Every year, we’re pleasantly surprised by the number of campers who try out Campnab for the first time. We’re also thrilled by all those who send u...
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What’s in the box?
Last week, a box arrived in the mail. On it was one word, spray painted in big letters: “THANKS”. There wasn’t a note inside, but we did find a bot...
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Slow response times on support? Yup!
The summer months tend to be pretty hectic around here. Sure, we share some photos from our camping and backcountry trips—and these look pretty rel...
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How to Book a Campsite at Yosemite National Park
Of all the parks we monitor at Campnab, Yosemite is the most competitive to get into, bar none. Let me put it to you this way: If you want to get i...
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Thanks for sharing your Campnab experiences with us!
Around this time of year, we get a lot of notes from happy campers. They tell us about how Campnab helped them over the camping season. We LOOOOVE ...
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Marc from Grand Adventure on Campnab
I’m a little late in posting this, but that’s just how things go around here, sometimes. Today, we’re sharing a video from Mark Guido of Grand Adve...
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Looking to cancel?
It’s late summer, which means that many of you have your campsite reservations in the bag, and are wrapping up your travels. We get that. For what ...
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Campnab now monitors Alabama State Parks for campsite availabilities
In recent months we’ve focused on system stability, accuracy, and refinement. This is boring stuff that isn’t particularly noteworthy. However, it ...
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Out of office reply
Campnab started because Eric S. and his wife Kim wanted to go camping. At the time, no campsites were available, so Kim hit Refresh until something...
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Get answers through our video FAQs
Every day I help members and prospective ones with their questions about Campnab. A lot of these are pretty common, so, I figured I should create v...
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Campnab Vlog #2: Thoughts on BC Parks’ New Campsite Booking System and Website
This week BC Parks’ new website and booking system went live. As one might expect with such a launch, some are unhappy with this new approach. In t...
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How BC Parks’ booking system change affects your scans
As you might already know, BC Parks is transitioning to a new booking system. This new system will go live on March 21st, at 7:00 am. Your existing...
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We started a vlog
Eric S. and I work on Campnab a lot. (In fact, both of our wives would prefer if we worked on Campnab a whole heckuvalot less.) Whether we’re fixin...
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Campnab can notify you of South Carolina campsite availabilities
Good day, camping friends! A number of you have asked us if we could scan South Carolina parks for cancelations. Well, we heard you. It just took u...
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We now scan more Yosemite wilderness permits!
Heather asked us to add scanning for more wilderness permits at Yosemite National Park. So we did! 👍👍👍 Here’s how you can scan Yosemite for cancele...
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The Story of Campy the Typeface
This post isn’t about camping. For most Campnab members, this article will be pretty dull. So, unless you want to read 3,306 words about the time I...
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Are you experiencing alert déjà vu?
Have you received multiple alerts that were all identical? You aren’t alone. We’ve sent a number of these recently, and it sucks. We’re sorry about...
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We Can Scan Provincial Parks in BC for Campsites Set to Unlock
UPDATE: In 2022 BC Parks switched from USeDirect (acquired by Tyler Technologies) to Camis as their booking platform. As a result of this change, B...
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How to Get Campsite Availability Notifications on Recreation.gov
When someone cancels their campsite reservation on Recreation.gov, do you want to be alerted? I’ll tell you how to do that, but first I’d like to p...
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We’re experiencing a text message delivery issue
Update Saturday 9:00 a.m, P.T.: Our provider has fully resolved this issue and we’re all systems go. Happy camping folks! 👍 Update Friday 2:20 p.m...
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What Are the Advantages of Using Campnab for Campsite Alerts?
Last night someone asked me why they should use Campnab to scan parks for canceled reservations. For most folks, the benefits of using a campsite a...
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You can license Campy the font
Earlier this year, I set out to create a type family just for Campnab. I wanted it to feel hand-printed, while remaining highly functional in a va...
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Get Notified About Campsites Set to Unlock in Florida and California
Last year, Reserve California and Florida State Parks started holding some canceled campsite reservations for rebooking. These newly canceled camps...
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You Can Now Receive Campsite Availability Alerts by Email
We built Campnab around text messages—mostly because they’re fast. However, some members made a good case for offering alerts by email. Some wanted...
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We’re taking a break
It’s been a busy year, and we both need some time to rest. So for the next week or so, Eric and I will be taking some time off with our respective ...
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Want to do our job for us?
Campnab started as a side-of-desk project. As such, we were gobsmacked when the first few members signed up. I believe our response was something l...
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How to Scan for Canceled Backcountry Permits
More folks are loading their packs and heading into the backcountry than ever before. This demand is evidenced by how much harder it is to secure a...
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Are Your Parks Listed on Campnab?
This post isn’t for you unless you work within a state, provincial, or county park. However, if you do work in that capacity, this post is TOTALLY ...
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You Can Now Scan More Grand Teton National Park Campgrounds for Availabilities
Of all the parks we receive requests about, Grand Teton is high on the list. Unfortunately, we could only scan some of their campgrounds for new av...
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Pulling the Plug on Doomed Adventures (And Some Post-Trip Tips)
If you enjoy the outdoors, you know that some trips just aren’t meant to be. The weather turns to crap. Your gear fails spectacularly, and you wake...
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Ways to Keep Your Family Safe When Camping Off-Season
I’ve written at length about staying warm and protecting yourself from the elements in the past ten articles. If you haven’t read those posts, you ...
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How to Sleep Like a Baby, When Camping in the Cold
Have you noticed the theme running through our Fall Camping Guide? You got it: managing variable (typically brisk) weather. Pretty much every post ...
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A Bundle of Tips for Staying Warm at Camp
Cold therapy is a burgeoning topic. People like Wim Hoff preach the virtues of bone-chilling ice baths and running up mountains in one’s skivvies. ...
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Fun Activities for Fall Camping Trips
For some, camping is the end goal. Fair enough. For me, camping is mainly about establishing a kind of base camp. That’s right. I see camping as an...
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Adapt Your Cooking Setup for Off-Season Camping
Outdoor meals can be magical. Dining at camp offers a time to break bread, free of the distractions of televisions and phones. The food affords the...
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Pitch Camp Like a Pro in the Fall Season
When my wife, kids, and I drove across the country, I got obsessed with how quickly we could set up camp. Part of this is because we drove waaaaay ...
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Pack This Essential Gear for Your Fall Camping Adventures
Some folks like to pack everything they can and just wing it. I’m not like that. Whether I’m traveling overseas or going camping, I obsess over pac...
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What to Wear When Camping in the Cold and Wet
You probably already know this, but it bears repeating: Clothing makes all the difference in the outdoors. Wet, cold gloves can leave your fingers ...
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Get Your Shit Together for Fall Camping, SO YOU DON’T DIE!
Any bozo can toss some gear in the trunk and go camping when it’s warm outside. Doing that in the fall is dumb. Going unprepared could be life-thre...
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This Is What Sucks About Camping in the Fall
Spoiler alert: The part that’s likely to mess up fall camping for you is the weather. Sure, you can do some fine camping in autumn. On the right da...
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Adventure Begins When the Crowds Go Home
This post is the first installment in our series on fall camping. Check the complete list of topics covered in our table of contents. Let’s get to ...
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Campnab’s (It Ain’t Over) Fall Camping Guide
Summer’s gone. So is any hint of your tan. As it fades, the melancholy of the season sinks in. Mundane tasks make one day unrecognizable from the n...
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Now, you can duplicate scans!
Some of you Campnab members take campsite hunting to a whole other level. You suss out the entire campground, earmarking only those campsites that ...
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We’re working on a glossary of camping terms
Earlier this year, a member asked me a question about a particular kind of campsite. I was stumped by this request and ended up doing some research...
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Go camping with the Coles!
A while back, we discovered Camping with the Coles’s YouTube channel. We particularly liked how down-to-earth Cheryl and Ben were. We also admired ...
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This is how you cancel
Hey—it’s been a great season and we’re thrilled by how many of you relied on Campnab to find newly canceled campsite reservations. That said, it’s ...
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Don’t pack your gear away just yet!
A lot of folks are packing away their RVs and camping gear for the season—AND THEY ARE FOOLS! Sure, the temperatures are dropping and most of us ar...
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We added more filtering options for Ontario and Washington State
Filtering remains a challenging aspect of campsite scanning for two reasons. The first is that Campnab scans many different booking systems, and ea...
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Safe travels, Tia and Andy!
Campnab friends Tia and Andy have been taking weekend trips and sharing their experiences along the way. (You can visit Tia & Andy Vacation Days fo...
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How disasters and policies impact notifications
Photo: Luke Flynt Some have asked how Campnab works when the park they’re scanning experiences a disaster or local closure/issue. The simple answer...
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Which Campnab plan is right for me?
Pay-per-use? Membership? Monthly? Annual? Tier? Yup—there are a lot of options when you sign up for Campnab. That’s a good thing, though, as there’...
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It’s hot, but be chill…
Eric and I respond to every incoming call/message we receive. That said, there are only two of us—and some requests come in at odd hours. (Our wive...
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An issue with Canadian carriers
Over the weekend, some Canadian carriers blocked messages from our service. This glitch prevented the delivery of some access codes and alerts. The...
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Campnab scans for Zion shuttle tickets
Photo: Tom Gainor If you’re planning to visit Zion National Park, you probably know about the shuttle ticket system they have in place. This servic...
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Want a Campnab hat?
Pictured above is my camping buddy, Pippi. 👆 She’s a sweet dog and pretty calm most of the time. When she sees a lake, though, all bets are off. Th...
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Please check your Florida State Parks scans
Photo: Lacie Slezak As we mentioned earlier this week, Florida State Parks changed to a new booking system. Its new system went live this morning. ...
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We’ve sent over a half-million campsite availability alerts!
This morning, I noted to Eric Shelkie that it had been a while since we’d checked how many alerts Campnab had sent. I asked something along the lin...
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Crystyn and Doug’s Campnab experience
Over the past four years, we’ve been fortunate to have many members share their Campnab experiences with us. Recently, Crystyn and Doug of Travels ...
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We’ll still monitor Florida State Parks after they change reservation systems
Photo: Mick Haupt There’s a change underway at Florida State Parks. They are switching booking systems from Reserve America to US eDirect. As such,...
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Debunking the 7 AM theory
This year, we’ve noticed a surge of new campsite availabilities at around 7:00 AM in B.C. (and 8:00 AM in California). Some are convinced that camp...
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Scanning issue with 3 campgrounds at Grand Teton National Park
Photo: David Sink I wanted to let everyone know about a small issue we had with scans at certain Grand Teton National Park campgrounds. Grand Teton...
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This is why the campsite you want is already reserved
Many wonder why campsites are sold-out by 7:00:01 AM. Multi-day bookings into “unbookable” dates mean that days are pre-booked before that date bec...
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Let’s talk about camping bots
Almost every day, I’m asked how to get around camping bots. I’ve gone looking for them, and I’ve found some scripts on Github that mimic what Campn...
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Campnab for scotch?
Photo: Adam Wilson Andrew Konoff had an idea: an availability scanner for 🥃hard-to-find spirits, based on his experience with Campnab. (He found a ...
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Purify yourself in the (f___ing freezing) waters of Berg Lake
Photo: brilang This week’s featured park is Mount Robson Provincial Park. If you live in Western Canada, you’ve probably already been there. If you...
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A video walk-through of the Campnab dashboard
We’ve noticed that some members have questions about how to manage their scans. So, Eric K. put together this video that walks you around our dashb...
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Something new: Featured Parks!
Photo: Colin Knowles One of the fun parts about Campnab is in getting to explore some of the amazing parks we all have access to. We also enjoy sha...
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Improvements to the dashboard
Hey everyone! I’ve been picking away at some improvements to your dashboards. These are informed by you feedback you’ve sent us. So, thanks for all...
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Why new features take us time
Do you ever wonder why we don’t add new features and jurisdictions more quickly? I can answer this question with one word: Reliability. Creating a ...
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“Hey Dad, we now scan B.C.’s backcountry!”
Pictured: My dad and me, exploring the backcountry in the late-’80s (on a really wet morning). I don’t often use the word “stoked”—but, I’m stoked ...
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What Doesn’t Campnab Do?
Once you’ve used Campnab to scan parks for new availabilities, what our product does is straight forward. That said, we recognize that not everyone...
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How Ruth kept her family tradition alive
Photo: Guy Hanford Ontario’s booking policy is a bit strange. They allow campers to book campsites 5 months in advance. At that time, campers can s...
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If you camp in Alberta, thank Clayton
A few weeks ago, Clayton from Edmonton reached out to us. He asked if we’d consider adding Alberta to the areas Campnab scans. We noted that our pl...
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Are your alerts being blocked?
This past week, Konstantin signed up for Campnab. He received his access code… but then nothing. So, he got in touch to ask if there was a problem....
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Campnab now scans for backcountry permits
Those who love being in the backcountry know how competitive permit booking is. A few reached out to us, asking if Campnab could alert them of perm...
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Enter to win a 6-month Campnab membership
Every once in a while we run a little giveaway to help spread the word about Campnab. We did this on Instagram early in the year, and we’re now run...
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Why Don’t I Receive Campsite Alerts?
A new camping season is almost upon us. As such, I expect that we have some new members who aren’t fully accustomed to how Campnab works. (I also s...
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Hello Alberta!
Pictured: Dinosaur Provincial Park Alberta (Photo: Roxann C) You’d think we would have added parks monitoring for our Alberta neighbours a little e...
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How to Make a Last-Minute Campsite Reservation
Updated May 17, 2023 — Looking to make a last-minute reservation for camping? You are not in luck. (Sorry.) Sleeping on the ground is surprisingly ...
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Pro-tip: Set a unique ring tone just for campsite alerts
I spoke with one of our members (Ramona from Skychick Adventures) this afternoon, and she offered up a handy tip. She figured others here would fin...
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Can You Transfer a Campsite Reservation?
Everyone’s visited a campground that claims to be sold-out but has unused sites. One might ask: Why isn’t there a secondary market for the sale of ...
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How Do I Get More Campsite Alerts?
We commonly see members creating scans that aren’t optimal. So, in this Campnab FAQ video, I’ll explain how you can get more campsite alerts with y...
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Want to Book a Summer Campsite? Do This!
You probably won’t get the campsite you’re after. I say this because most don’t. There’s a good reason for this. Many think they can just “wing it”...
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The Curious Case of Crystal Cove’s State Park Beach Cottages
Photo: tinyfroglet Are you scanning for availabilities for cottages at Crystal Cove. If so, you might have received some false notifications, today...
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How to set up a scan (video)
I recently spoke with a member who asked if we had a walk-through video for Campnab. This seemed like a darned good idea, so, we put one together. ...
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How to Receive Availability Notifications for a Sold-Out Campground
Setting up campsite availability notifications for sold out campgrounds is easy. In this article, we’ll assist you in creating your first campsite ...
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Benefits of a Campnab membership
Looking to use Campnab to track campsite availabilities? You can do so by running individual scans or by becoming a member. I’d like you to conside...
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Which Campnab plan is right for you?
We offer some different ways to use Campnab’s services to get notified of new openings at sold-out parks and campgrounds. There are a lot of option...
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How to create campsite availability alerts
A lot of first-timers are unsure about Campnab. They want to know how it works, if it works, and how to get notifications about campsite availabili...
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We’re working on some videos
Looking for tips for landing that coveted campsite reservation? Open to general camping tips? Want to get a better sense for who we are? We’ve got ...
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A Portable Sauna Makes Camping Sublime
Firing up my portable sauna for the first trip of 2020. — My dad built a homemade sauna-trailer and brought it on family camping trips. Now I have...
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A list of Campnab alternatives
Photo: Neal Herbert We get that some folks don’t want to use Campnab. Fair enough. There are other ways to find a place to camp, even when popular ...
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Are Bots Ruining Camping at Popular Parks?
Frustrated by bots scooping up all the campsites and selling them at a profit? You aren’t alone. That said, the situation isn’t quite that simple—a...
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Looking to cancel your plan?
Photo: Joshua Earle For many of us, camping season is coming to a close. 😢 It’s a bummer… but we all have ski season to look forward to. 🥳 If you’r...
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How to Get a Campsite When All the Parks Are Booked
Camping is gaining in popularity, which means even more people are enjoying the great outdoors. If you’re having a hard time booking a campsite, th...
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10 Tips for Setting up a Camp Alert that Gets You a Campsite Reservation
Ever tried to reserve a campsite at 7:00 AM, only to find the park fully booked by 7:01? Savvy campers are learning that they can monitor sold-out ...
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Tips for Camping at Yosemite Without a Reservation
Yes! You can find a first-come, first-served spot at Yosemite National Park. Don’t expect it to be easy, though. (And… umm… don’t get too choosey.)...
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“I clicked right away… but it was already gone!”
Every couple of days we get a message. In it a Campnab member notes receiving a Yosemite cancellation alert—only to find the spot unavailable once ...
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Our new parks pages are shitty
We started a directory of parks on Campnab a while back, and are finally getting around to improving it. (I’ll admit that it’s still rough around t...
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We now scan Minnesota State Parks
Makenzie asked us to add scanning of Minnesota State Parks to Campnab, so we did! Looking to nab a campsite in one of these beautiful parks? Just s...
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Responses times will fluctuate
We created Campnab because we too love to camp. The irony here is that the best time to camp is when Campnab is busiest. As such, it’s really hard ...
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A mid-summer Campnab update
Hey Nabbers! I just wanted to give you a quickly update on what we’re doing here, behind the scenes at Campnab. As lockdown guidelines have loosene...
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Scan Yosemite for park tickets (new!)
To adhere to CDC, state, and local guidance (related to COVID-19), Yosemite National Park now has a day use reservation system. This means that you...
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T-Mobile outage
Update (June 16, 9:37 AM): This mobile seems to be resolved. 😌 We’ve received a couple reports from people having trouble joining or logging in to ...
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What could reopen at Yosemite
Thanks to one of our new members for telling us about this article by Mike Moffitt on SFGATE. It addresses what could happen at Yosemite, if Califo...
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It’s new sticker day!
Are you a Campnab member who loves nabbing campsite reservations? Do you find yourself telling friends that they too should sign up? If so, we have...
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Hello Saskatchewan!
We know campsites in Saskatchewan are easier to come by than in some other areas (I’m looking at you Yosemite National Park). That said, we see tha...
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Campsites are starting to open up…
We’re receiving a number of messages asking about the status of varying parks. Unfortunately, we can’t offer much information on this front. Althou...
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How to cancel your membership
Not sure that you’ll go camping this summer? Want to turn off your Campnab membership? No problem. 😎 It’s a strange time, and there are a lot of un...
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Thanks to our sponsors: YOU!
We recognize that a number of our members are keeping their memberships active so they can leap when parks reopen. (This is a smart strategy, and w...
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Edit your pay-per-use scan (freely)
Update (June 18, 9:44 AM): Most parks are now operating somewhat normally. As such, pay-per-use scans have returned to being editable until you rec...
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Reasons to keep your subscription active
We’re at home, just like you are, waiting out this pandemic—and it’s a drag. Also, we’re seeing a lot of parks close or put reservations on hold. T...
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Something completely different
We made something new! It’s a handy little tool that allows you to create a third-party backup of your Google Photos library. With one click, you c...
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We’ll pay you to refer your friends
Just a little reminder that we have an affiliate program. It’s a way for us to thank you for spreading the word about Campnab. (We’re just two peop...
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Just added: Berg Lake Trail
The Robson Valley is one of my favourite places in British Columbia. I love the expansive spaces, bright blue skies, and epic backcountry. For year...
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Announcing flexible dates!
Many of you have told us that your camping dates are flexible—so long as that helps you get the spot you want. Well… we listened, and introduced fl...
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Where next?
Not seeing the park you want when you search Campnab? That’s for good reason. Many jurisdictions run unique booking systems, meaning we need to bui...
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More time to edit your pay-per-use scans
Pay-per-use scans allow infrequent campers to run a single scan (without upgrading to a membership). These are intended for one-time use, so, their...
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Yes—it works!
We often receive emails asking if Campnab actually works. Well… it does! Of course, the demand for your desired park and search parameters can dram...
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We supply direct links when possible
So… you received an alert, and want to book that campsite ASAP. We feel you—and we’ve made it a tiny bit easier to do so. Now, each alert includes ...
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42 Campnab stickers remain
Someone figured it’d be a good idea for us to print some stickers. So, we ran a quick batch just to see how they look. The result? Not bad, we thin...
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Reservations for Canada’s national parks start now
I know… I know… There’s snow outside, and it feels too early to think about camping. Nevertheless, if you want that primo spot, the time is now! As...
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Hello Nova Scotia campers!
Just a brief note this morning: Yesterday, we added scanning for provincial parks in Nova Scotia. So, now you can use Campnab to scan for cancelled...
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It’s time to start planning
Just a quick reminder that many parks will start taking reservations for 2020, in just a couple of weeks. So, start thinking about your camping pla...
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Need support? Chat with us!
Eric K. and I often speak with Campnab members on the phone—and via email. That said, we wanted to make it easier for you to reach us. So, if you e...
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It’s tough to nab a spot at Yosemite
It’s October, which means most campers have packed their tents and sleeping bags away. There are exceptions though. For example, in California, cam...
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We improved your Campnab dashboard
Campnab began as an experiment. We had little idea it’d grow to service so many campers. As such, our initial dashboard was “primitive”—because we ...
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Save with an annual plan
Some Campnab members use their subscription year round. As such, we just added annual plans. With these, you lock your subscription in for a year, ...
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Filtering ADA sites out of Campnab scans
Members often ask us if they can filter ADA sites out of their scans for campground reservation cancellations. This makes sense. For those who are ...
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We’re on a roll… Welcome Wisconsin!
Shelkie put some time into Campnab integrations, over the past week. He brought Washington State Parks back online. He also added scanning for Texa...
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Hey Michiganders: It’s time to go camping!
Sweet photo, isn’t it? Dennis Buchner shot that one and shared it on Unsplash. It helps us announce another Campnab integration: Michigan State Par...
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Maryland campers: we’ve got your back
What’s your favorite state park in Maryland? Elk Neck? Susquehanna? Gunpowder Falls? Whichever one it is, your chances of booking a campsite there—...
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Scanning of Washington State Park campgrounds is back online
For part of this year, we were unable to scan Washington State Parks for cancellations. This was due to a change in their reservation system that c...
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We’re now able to scan 91 state parks in Texas
Planning to camp in Texas 🌵, but unable to find the campsite 🏕 you want? That sucks—and we know it. So, Shelkie set Campnab up to scan Texas State ...
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What your Campnab subscription pays for
Odds are that you entered your credit card number hesitantly, when you signed up for Campnab. You wondered if you’d receive any alerts—and perhaps ...
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There are no more Campnab promo codes
When we first started Campnab, we offered promo codes to early users. Typically, we offered up between 1 and 3 single-use scans. (Curiously, few ev...
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Unhappy? Tell us!
Every once in a while, I wake up to an angry voice mail. It’s a caller who’s pissed about Campnab. They didn’t receive any alerts. Or, they didn’t ...
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Thank you for the kind words!
I’m suspicious of the claims companies make. My bet is that you are, too. As such, we figure member feedback stands for a lot more than anything we...
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Tips for nabbing cancelled reservations at Yosemite
“I received an alert for Yosemite, but it was gone by the time I opened the site.” We hear this all the time. Yosemite is wildly popular. As such, ...
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This is how we do support
Last weekend, Eric and I got our families out to Nairn Falls for a weekend camping trip. It was a great time: mountain biking, hiking, swimming, an...
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Campnab unavailable for Washington State Parks
Please note: As of June 19, 2019, this issue has been resolved. Last season, we were able to scan Washington State Parks for cancelled reservations...
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The Campnab affiliate program
Campnab is tiny—just @shelkie and @karj. So, our resources are limited. Plus, the sun’s out which leaves us a tad less motivated. (Camping and moun...
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Good morning, campers!
Occasionally, we have Campnab-related news, offers, and issues that might be relevant to you. So, we added this newsfeed to our website. From here ...
Read postUNABLE TO RESERVE A CAMPSITE?
Get notified when a sold-out campground has availability
Tell us when, where, and how long you want to camp for. We’ll notify you (via SMS) when a suitable spot opens up at that campground—so you can nab that sold-out campsite reservation!
