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” and book a campsite a week in advance. Those days are long past. Don’t fret, though. A little preparation—and creativity—can make all the difference.

Do your homework

Campgrounds vary greatly. Some are essentially forested parking lots. Others offer more privacy in scenic places. Yet others are in the backcountry, and free of car-campers. The thing is: you need to know what kind of camping you wish to do—and determine which park/campground suits your preferences.

My advice: Start planning early. I typically set a reminder to plan my summer camping trip, sometime in October (the year prior). Each park’s website contains information on what they offer. That said, you can supplement your search by visiting sites like Campendium or even checking our “very beta” parks listings.

Keep notes while you do your research. Earmark the parks you most want to visit, and perhaps sort them in order of which you’re most interested in. I say this because jurisdictions often open for booking on a set date. When they do, you’ll need to know which ones to go for first.

Take a little extra time with the campground’s map. Look at the location of outhouses, group picnic areas, and highways. Choosing a campsite that’s further away from these can help you avoid some smells, loud parties, and road noise. (Pro-tip: When you visit the park, walk around and make note of the good spots—so you can book those next year.)

Some folks like to camp close to their friends. Others want to be as remote as possible. There’s no right way to camp, but there probably is a right way for you to camp.
Photo: Western Arctic National Parklands

Start your browsers!

Most areas have a date and time at which they open for reservations. Some will open for reservations early in the New Year. Others will allow you to make reservations a set number of months in advance of your arrival. These will vary from one jurisdiction to the next. So, visit your park’s website now and put some reminders in your calendar.

Parks sell out in minutes—sometimes even less. (Seriously.) So, if you’re set on camping at a particular park, don’t dally.

Every year, folks jump up out of their chairs screaming about how bots must be to blame for parks selling out. Spoiler alert: They aren’t. It’s just that people are serious about camping, and tens-of-thousands of people visit parks sites on opening morning. (Sometimes servers collapse due to this unbridled demand.)

Opening morning for camping reservations is a mad dash. So, set a few alarms to ring that morning. Then, sign in to your park’s booking system. It’s best if you do this a little in advance. You don’t want to squander any valuable time fumbling to find your username and password.

My last advice on this point might not be popular. I recognize it only adds pressure to booking systems. That said, it might help you with your search, and others are certainly doing it. Ask your spouse, kids, or friends to lend a hand. You might want to do this from different locations, and with each person using their own sign in credentials.

One approach is for each of you to attempt to book the same popular campsite. One of your friends might click a split-second before you do, and secure that coveted spot. Alternatively, you might ask each of your friends to book a stay at a different park, throughout the season. This “divide and conquer” strategy might work better than all of you hammering the same busy campground.

OK—so, this is more hardcore than I’m comfortable with, but I bet there were no crowds to contend with. For more fair-weather campers, plenty of more temperate conditions can be found in the spring and fall.
Photo: Kitty Terwolbeck

Take a less-traveled path

Parks are commonly busier on weekends and holidays. Weekdays, though? Not so bad. The thick of summer also tends to be more popular. However, campsites can be easier to come by in the shoulder seasons. So, consider a trip in the spring, autumn, or (if you’re bold) winter months.

Another option is to turn your camping trip into a partial road trip. Parks close to cities are commonly booked solid. If you’re willing to drive a few hours, you typically find more campsites available for booking. Open up your search to include locations that require an extra hour or two of driving and you’ll increase your options.

Group camping takes a bit more effort and coordination. For this reason, these sites can open up additional opportunities. In B.C., for example, you can book a group campsite up to 12 months in advance.

Part of the challenge in booking a campsite relates to the flood of traffic parks websites face. This can make sites slow to load, which can limit your ability to book a campsite.

Some parks claim to see less traffic on their mobile sites—making them load faster. So, you could test this, but my bet is that it’s no longer the case. Some parks also take reservations by phone, which can provide an alternate path to booking. Check the park’s website in advance to see what booking options they offer.

Private options like Qualicum Bay’s Free Spirit Spheres allows you to experience the forest while suspended in a sphere—suspended 15 feet above the ground. Neat, huh?
Photo: Nicolás Boullosa

Play the long game

Some people reserve more campsites than they intend to use. This is a drag, but somewhat understandable as one’s plans aren’t always clear so many months in advance. As the arrival date approaches, a lot of these reservations are canceled.

This is the self-serving part of the article. Yup. I’m going to pitch my product, but I think it’s worth your while. Our app, Campnab, allows you to monitor campsites for canceled reservations. When the system spots one that matches your scan criteria, it notifies you via text message.

Interested in learning more about this? Here’s a video with me explaining how Campnab works.

The earlier you start scanning a park for canceled reservations, the better. That said, typically there are more openings closer to the booking date. This is because folks’ plans tend to firm up as their trip nears.

BTW: Canceled reservations are also in high demand, so, it’s worth planning for that. Here are some tips on how to set up a camp alert that gets you a campsite reservation.

Consider alternatives

We see thousands upon thousands of new cancellations open up every year. (As of late 2020, we’d sent over 350,000 alerts to Campnab members.) I do appreciate that our service isn’t for everyone, though. So, don’t stop there.

There are countless private campgrounds, each with its own unique flavor. Run a Google search for the location you’re interested in and see if there are some private camping options. Sometimes these are right outside of the park you’re interested in, meaning you can camp there and then drive into the park to hike, mountain bike, or take in the sights.

Open to a somewhat more unique camping experience? Sites like Tentrr and Campertunity allow landowners to open their private property up to campers like you.

Of course, you could also camp on public lands, forestry campgrounds, those operated by utilities… oh, the list goes on. I’ve compiled a list of some other camping alternatives, here.

If the park you’re after is completely booked, consider finding a private campground outside of it. Then shuttle in daily for the activity in the park.
Photo: Travis and Taska

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Camping is more popular than ever. If you prepare, though, you have lots of options. When in doubt, just try camping wherever you can… because everyone needs to start somewhere. Your first outings might not be ideal, but this is part of the experience.

I often remind myself of that Yvon Chouinard quote: “The word ‘adventure’ has just gotten overused. For me, adventure is when everything goes wrong. That’s when the adventure starts.”

Have fun out there!  😎

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Pictured at the top of this post is Bahia Honda State Park, a notable destination for Floridians and visitors from near and far. I can’t imagine why it’s so popular. 😉 This image comes courtesy of photographer Karl Norling.

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