R-pod Owners Forum : Reserve or not reserve http://www.rpod-owners.com/ This is an XML content feed of; R-pod Owners Forum : General non-pod discussion : Reserve or not reserve Copyright (c) 2006-2009 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:24:32 +0000 Mon, 01 Aug 2016 10:43:25 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.64 360 www.rpod-owners.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=7636 R-pod Owners Forum http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png http://www.rpod-owners.com/ Reserve or not reserve : +1 always a good idea for the... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=79824#79824 Author: techntrek
Subject: 7636
Posted: 01 Aug 2016 at 10:43am

+1 always a good idea for the busy parks.]]> Mon, 01 Aug 2016 10:43:25 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=79824#79824 Reserve or not reserve : Welcome back! It is nice to... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=79780#79780 Author: Guests
Subject: 7636
Posted: 31 Jul 2016 at 4:03am


Welcome back! It is nice to have the peace of mind knowing that I have place waiting for me when I get where I am going.

Reservations.....a good thing.]]> Sun, 31 Jul 2016 04:03:09 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=79780#79780 Reserve or not reserve : Back from our 3-week trek and... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=79765#79765 Author: kindell
Subject: 7636
Posted: 30 Jul 2016 at 3:17pm

Back from our 3-week trek and we are glad we made reservations in advance. 3 times we pulled into parks after hours and all 3 times we were listed as reserved on the kiosks with assigned sites. We were glad because the parks were full and having not had a site we may have had to "move on".
]]> Sat, 30 Jul 2016 15:17:33 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=79765#79765 Reserve or not reserve : For National Parks during the... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78744#78744 Author: ronahue
Subject: 7636
Posted: 10 Jul 2016 at 1:17pm

For National Parks during the season I make our reservations 6 months in advance that's usually as far in advance as you can make them. Having said that in NP's that don't take reservations I have had good luck showing up early and waiting with everyone else. I'm amazed at how hard most of the rangers will work to find you a space. On the road for overnight quick stops we usually wait until after lunch decide how much further we want to drive then use the AllStays App on our i-phones to call ahead and make a same day reservation. 

]]> Sun, 10 Jul 2016 13:17:53 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78744#78744 Reserve or not reserve : oops sorry...TTTTarkas. http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78719#78719 Author: kindell
Subject: 7636
Posted: 09 Jul 2016 at 8:31pm

oops sorry...TTTTarkas.]]> Sat, 09 Jul 2016 20:31:27 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78719#78719 Reserve or not reserve : Makes sense Tars Parkas. http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78718#78718 Author: kindell
Subject: 7636
Posted: 09 Jul 2016 at 8:29pm

Makes sense Tars Parkas.]]> Sat, 09 Jul 2016 20:29:55 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78718#78718 Reserve or not reserve : We lucked out last spring & summer... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78473#78473 Author: birderdiane526
Subject: 7636
Posted: 05 Jul 2016 at 10:04pm

We lucked out last spring & summer with no reservations. We caught onto boondocking very quickly after our April 2015 start, and love it. We have stayed at a number of different parks without reservations, but we are booking a couple of places in Florida over the holidays. Don't want to take any chances then! ]]> Tue, 05 Jul 2016 22:04:20 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78473#78473 Reserve or not reserve : Originally posted by kindellWe... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78464#78464 Author: Tars Tarkas
Subject: 7636
Posted: 05 Jul 2016 at 8:48pm

Originally posted by kindell

We are headed out on a 7-western-state trek (and hitting the Pod Rally in S.D.) and we have made reservations at every layover. We talked to friends who have traveled and they all say non-reservation stops are risky, Especially if you have been traveling a long distance, you don't want to add to your daily travels trying to find a place to stay. However, once you are in a park you can always add days, if you wish, to your itinerary in that particular park.

Happier trails to y'all.


That is no longer true in many campgrounds, most notably in my experience, at National Parks that use Reserve.gov.  If you have a reservation for Thursday through Sunday morning, someone else may have your site reserved from Sunday through Wednesday.  You will get booted from your site on Sunday in that case.  They may find you another site, if they have one, but you could be out on the street.

TT
]]> Tue, 05 Jul 2016 20:48:09 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78464#78464 Reserve or not reserve : We are headed out on a 7-western-state... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78426#78426 Author: kindell
Subject: 7636
Posted: 05 Jul 2016 at 5:08am

We are headed out on a 7-western-state trek (and hitting the Pod Rally in S.D.) and we have made reservations at every layover. We talked to friends who have traveled and they all say non-reservation stops are risky, Especially if you have been traveling a long distance, you don't want to add to your daily travels trying to find a place to stay. However, once you are in a park you can always add days, if you wish, to your itinerary in that particular park.

Happier trails to y'all.]]> Tue, 05 Jul 2016 05:08:35 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=78426#78426 Reserve or not reserve : LynnTT suggested http://www.allstays.com/apps/camprv.htm,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=76204#76204 Author: DaveC3
Subject: 7636
Posted: 31 May 2016 at 11:04am

Lynn

TT suggested http://www.allstays.com/apps/camprv.htm, We have returned from our five week trip, did not use the app.  We were going to buy a smart phone but decided not to on this trip. Our GPS has a search feature that gives Point of Interests, we sorted by RV parks.  We had no problem finding somewhere to stay at the last minute.  We made reservations in advance to stops we wanted to make sure there was a space for us (Grand Canyon etc.).

Hope this helps

Dave
]]> Tue, 31 May 2016 11:04:32 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=76204#76204 Reserve or not reserve : Dave, which app are you getting... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=76197#76197 Author: lbolwell
Subject: 7636
Posted: 31 May 2016 at 10:15am

Dave, which app are you getting please?   I am looking for the right Iphone app for Campgrounds.
Thanks
Lynne

]]> Tue, 31 May 2016 10:15:28 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=76197#76197 Reserve or not reserve : In my experience, I have to agree... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71996#71996 Author: Camper Bob
Subject: 7636
Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 6:25pm

In my experience, I have to agree with Techntrek.  Safe Travels.]]> Sat, 26 Mar 2016 18:25:32 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71996#71996 Reserve or not reserve : I won't go on a trip w/o... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71995#71995 Author: techntrek
Subject: 7636
Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 6:17pm

I won't go on a trip w/o reservations, especially for the big destinations.]]> Sat, 26 Mar 2016 18:17:08 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71995#71995 Reserve or not reserve : Thanks TTWe will definitely get... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71980#71980 Author: DaveC3
Subject: 7636
Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 4:37pm

Thanks TT

We will definitely get that app.

Take care

Dave
]]> Sat, 26 Mar 2016 16:37:01 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71980#71980 Reserve or not reserve : It depends upon how picky you... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71979#71979 Author: Guests
Subject: 7636
Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 4:36pm

It depends upon how picky you are. Sunday-Thursday seem to be the slowest days. Weekends are "iffy". Holidays - forget it. I agree with Tars on the National Parks. You may not find anything available in the park, when you want it, but maybe something not too far away.

Personally, I prefer to reserve whenever possible. I know about how much I want to drive in a day and can pick out something appropriate. Also, I don't end up in a situation like Tars mentions.

Over the decades, it seems to me that camping has grown ever more popular. More competition for the available sites.]]> Sat, 26 Mar 2016 16:36:06 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71979#71979 Reserve or not reserve : For me it really depends. National... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71955#71955 Author: Tars Tarkas
Subject: 7636
Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 11:23am

For me it really depends.  National Parks, at least the ones I've camped at, have largely turned over reservations management to Reserve.gov, which, also in my experience, seems to mean that more and more campgrounds and campsites require a reservation and/or walk-in sites are more scarce.

We get around all that by camping off-season as much as possible, which we prefer anyway.  But if we, or you, want to stay at a popular National Park, or other campground, at anything close to peak times, you'd do well to at least check out the reservations situation as far in advance as you can.

On the other hand, if you're just touring around and don't care where you end up at night, and you're open to commercial campgrounds, truck stops or Walmarts, but would prefer any old campground, you can probably get by calling ahead a couple hours before you want to stop.  We use the paid phone app Allstays Camp & RV.  It gives you just about all the alternatives on your route and their phone numbers.

I do a lot of what I call "destination" camping, where I want to end up at a certain spot for a week.  I make reservations for the destination whenever I can, but because I don't care where or even what time I stop along the way, I don't make reservations on the road.  The one time I did, I got to the campground late (20 miles off route), in a pouring rain, and the gate was locked.  They didn't tell me they were one of those campgrounds that you have to check in by 7 and they give you the combination to the gate lock....  I had to back out a narrow road for about a quarter of a mile, lost my paid deposit, and ended up at a Walmart for the first time about 2 hours later.  Wished I'd gone straight to Walmart.

TT
]]> Sat, 26 Mar 2016 11:23:46 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71955#71955 Reserve or not reserve : Thanks Leo, I was hoping that... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71954#71954 Author: DaveC3
Subject: 7636
Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 11:09am

Thanks Leo, I was hoping that would be the case.

Dave
]]> Sat, 26 Mar 2016 11:09:04 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71954#71954 Reserve or not reserve : On the road traveling we will... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71950#71950 Author: Leo B
Subject: 7636
Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 9:20am

On the road traveling we will usually locate a potential and then call ahead to see if they have room. we have never been rejected yet. They will usually find room.]]> Sat, 26 Mar 2016 09:20:17 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71950#71950 Reserve or not reserve : We are planning a western U.S.... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71948#71948 Author: DaveC3
Subject: 7636
Posted: 26 Mar 2016 at 9:03am

We are planning a western U.S. trip in Late April from central Texas ultimately to Seattle and back.  We plan on taking in as many national parks as we can.  We have only had our 180 for less than a month and have one 1,500 mile trip under our belt.  On that tip we made reservations in advance witch left us with little flexibility. 

My question to you veteran campers is, can you just arrive and expect you will get a camp site in most places or do you need to reserve in advance? 

Thanks

Dave
]]> Sat, 26 Mar 2016 09:03:30 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7636&PID=71948#71948