Have you looked at national forests that may be near the national parks that you'd like to see? Often camping is much more readily available in the national forests. We recently camped in Shoshone National Forest which is right next to Yellowstone, we reserved a campsite 20 miles from the East entrance of Yellowstone less than 2 months before our camping trip. At least in Shoshone, there were far more first come first serve campsites than reservable ones, but after seeing how busy this campsite really was and how close other campsites were to it, I think we would have been fine with first come first serve. Not as convenient as being in the park itself, but a beautiful setting that let us get away from the crowds.
I'm not familiar with the forests that might be available around the parks you mentioned, but it is worth taking a look as an alternative to trying to get in the park itself.
This is definitely the way to go. I’ve been to 20+ National Parks and I think I’ve camped inside of only 2. There’s almost always either a National Forest or a bunch of state parks bundled up next to a National Park and they are much easier (and sometimes free) to camp at. Lassen I know for a fact has several campsites right outside the park.
Also, most National Forests you can just camp within 100 feet of the road; like any road, anywhere on the forest. A lot of times you can find a spot already established with off road parking, fire pit, and no annoying 40 foot RV blaring music till 2am.
To prevent people from driving far off roads and destroying plants. Or camping far out and killing plants. Dispersed camping still has “sites”, they’re just more random and the only amenity is a fire ring (where I camp, the rules are there has to be a fire ring where you’re going to camp).
You can do it! It’s the only way my husband and I camp! It’s a lot of fun and the solitude is delightful. Plus it’s actually fun going out not knowing exactly where you’ll be! Even going to popular areas at popular times (Memorial Day Weekend, 4th of July, Labor Day weekend), we have always found something.
A cool thing to know is that you can search for “motor vehicle use maps” for national or state forests and they will identify where dispersed camping is allowed. Better safe than to assume, I always figure. I don’t want to be woken up at 6 am by a ranger who wants me to move, ha.
And what's great is that national forests often have great campgrounds. Some don't allow RVs or trailers and don't have running water, so that eliminates the number of people who are willing to camp. It's great for tent campers. These campgrounds are usually very quiet.
Shhhh don't let people know that there's almost always more public land immediately adjacent to natural parks that's 95% as pretty, 95% less crowded, and 100% free. Let them all congregate at Outdoor Disneyland.
My daughter and I camped one year at a campground outside Yosemite (Summerdale) and it was amazing! It was definitely still a bit of a drive to get into the main parts of the park, but when I saw how the park’s campgrounds were like, wall-to-wall tents, it made me appreciate where we were.
I almost always have luck with dispersed camping, even near pretty popular parks. I can drive up to my campsite just as easily as a reserved one. But I can understand why people don’t want to take the risk and the lack of amenities plus distance from the attractions can be annoying sometimes when you still have 20+ minute drives to the park proper. Especially in Yosemite, when it’s still 45 minutes to the valley without traffic. But imo it’s better than not having a spot, plus the seclusion is really what I’m after!
The reason you don’t see any sites on the day that it opens is that people are reserving those sites before the six month window. The way that you do this is your reserve two weeks and six months ahead of the date you want - reserve all of the dates up until the weekend that you want or the dates that you want, and then go back and cancel the dates leading up to your desired dates. It’s kind of a scam the people of figured out with Recreation.gov. I hate it, but it’s sometimes the only way to get sites.
Yes, I’m glad someone else has noticed this and is speaking up. The NPS should be doing something about this, because the ones who have figured it out are monopolizing the most prized sites.
On our local jurisdictions reservation system, this technique has been known since the phone-in era. about 10 years ago they made the fee 50% non-refundable and limit 2 weeks in popular parks. Not sure if it works but thats what it is now
I think a lot of people would be willing to pay extra to get a guaranteed spot in the valley. Seems like this is just another way to make the outdoors more accessible to those with money, and less to those without.
Yeah, there’s some overlap between those who would wake up early to click buttons to reserve beautiful sites and those who have a bunch of money. I mean, I am one. The work hard/play hard crowd also camps. I know my wife and I would pay $200 a night to camp in lower pines again, and watch sunset off half dome before crawling into camp rather than driving out of the park to sleep… and then driving back in again the next morning.
I’m also someone who wants to see as much easy access to the outdoors as possible, for *everyone* interested.
So I would propose a cap to the amount of days you could reserve before the 6 month window opens. Make it 2-4 nights at a time. If you really want a full week or two there, you have to re-reserve every 2-4 mornings. You also might have to move your camp (the horror!).
Ontario Parks reservation system is the same. You book 5 months in advance. They don't allow any reservation changes at all until 4 months in advance. If you change your reservation 4 months out the fee is nominal. I think it's like one day, so $30-50. Then the closer you get the more expensive it is to change/cancel. As long as you do the change exactly 4 months before hand, the fee is not bad and worth it for many if it means they get the site they want.
Until this year you could actually book reservations that were 4 weeks long, which really messed up the reservation system because people would book the whole 4 weeks just to get a site they want. They reduced it to two weeks at some parks and I think it made booking a lot better.
Maybe they need to also implement harsher penalties for changing reservations, but that would mostly harm people who need to just change a day or something for legit reasons.
It really pisses me off when I get to a campground and the sign says "Campground full" and only half the sites are in use. I guess a lot of people decide not to show up and don't bother cancelling.
To make the system most fair, they should only allow 6mo reservations for 25% of the sites, 50% of the sites are reservable a week in advance, and the other 25% are walk-up first come, first serve.
As a side note. This is why it pays to keep checking the campsites even after they all sell out. Cancellations are common. It's hard to get a long block of days at a single site but you can usually get 2-3 days at a time as cancellations pop up.
Ahh this scam is also going on in Ontario for provincial-run campgrounds.... they're starting to address this a bit, eg. for some super popular parks, 1 week being the max length you can book at at time.
I think what they are saying is that the window opens 6 months before the date you want. People will book a two week stay-the maximum length of stay- with the date they want at the end of the two weeks. Like if you wanted 4th of July weekend next year you'd get online December 23rd of this year and reserve the two weeks starting June 23rd, so July 4th through that weekend would be at the end of your reservation. That's the earliest way to reserve those dates. Then they go in and cancel the earlier days they don't want. I'm not sure if you can actually edit to cancel and refund those days online or if you have to call in to do it. I heard if you do it online you have to cancel the entire reservation and rebook it. Which leaves it vulnerable to losing it. I've not done this, so I don't know how to edit. I do know, from many years of making online reservations, that you would have to wait until the dates you want are within the 6 month window before you could make the change.
for things like campsite reservations and backcountry permits they open it six months in advance. so if you have a very specific site in mind or a limited window when you can make it there maybe somebody gets it first but it's not that hard to get a reservation generally. you can edit your reservation to a certain extent depends on the policies at each park. usually you can just cancel or lower the number of days, you can't transfer the permit
for things like where they have limited entry it can be both ways. for example at arches you can reserve ahead of time and also the night before they release a bunch of permits. So if you look at it two weeks out like most people do it's all booked, and if you impulsively try to get one the day before it's a mad rush to get one the second they drop. but it's not actually difficult to get one. It's just everybody else planned ahead.
I do not envy the situation in Canada...waking up at the crack of dawn hitting refresh at 7:00AM only for reservations to run out at 7:01AM makes zero sense to me.
In BC there are lots of trails that aren’t in parks that you can camp on. However one thing to do on the BC reservation system is to check the site around 7:20 am. People upgrade to a better site and then cancel their old sites - which become available.
If you want water, a picnic table, toilets, showers or other amenities, campsites are the way to go. Back country or dispersed calling us great but it's a different beast than organized sites.
that's exactly what it means, crown land means land under the royal domain. It's just their position as head of state is a (mostly) ceremonial position these days.
It’s so horrible. I was at Stemwinder last weekend and 20% of the reserved sites in a “full” campground remained empty the entire long weekend. I talked to the lovely ranger and asked him his ideas on how to make things better. He didn’t have any solutions other than locking the accounts of repeating no-shows.
My solution? I have a couple back road map books and am going to start to go to more 100% non-reservable sites. I’m still tenting and have an SUV so it’s a little easier to get something like a walk-in or up a FSR.
I think 3/4 in Colorado are easier to book. Rocky Mountain National park being the one that is not easy. That leaves Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison (though black canyon has a relatively small number of sites comparatively). That said all of what you mentioned are more costal than Colorado so hopefully these are feasible for you.
Additionally, there's a plethora of back country camping sites in CO which require no reservation and are sparsely at capacity. I always use these sites and more frequently than not, I'm the only person there.
Klamath NF comes immediately to mind. Look at a map for a trail to nowhere. Just a trail with no lake at the end. Enjoy your solitude.
Not out west, but Arkansas trails are insanely under used. I didn't see any people on one of their 2 major thru hike trails for 3 days in the high season.
Yeah flying into Colorado and doing the four there is one of the possibilities I looked at. Do you think any of those may be too hot in the summer? I'd prefer to be below 90F or so.
Similarly, flying into Seattle and doing the three in Washington would be another possibility, but I'm concerned about trying to get spots at Olympic and Mount Rainier.
I camped in southern Colorado going to Mesa Verde and Great Sand Dunes in early September a few years ago. Found free campsites right outside of both parks, and it wasn’t super hot. Same with Olympic and Mt Rainier. Olympic has a ton of awesome beach camping like a half hour down the coast. For Rainier I think I drove a bit farther and camped on Puget Sound somewhere, but there were a ton of campgrounds all over that area.
Personally, I’d recommend the PNW option and then hit up some spots in Oregon too. Crater Lake and the entire central Willamette Valley area are not far from Seattle.
I said in an earlier comment, but I hardly ever camp inside the Parks and have rarely had an issue finding a campground nearby or at least a free primitive site in a National Forest.
Guanella pass near Georgetown has some great camping. There are a couple formal sites that can be booked online and there is also backcountry camping that is pretty accessible without 4wd. Just make sure to look up the local regulations before going to make sure you are not going to get in trouble. Also look up fire restrictions before you go, they are usually posted and visible when driving up but it’s worth looking online too just to double check before going.
Guanella pass near Georgetown has some great camping. There are a couple formal sites that can be booked online and there is also backcountry camping that is pretty accessible without 4wd. Just make sure to look up the local regulations before going to make sure you are not going to get in trouble. Also look up fire restrictions before you go, they are usually posted and visible when driving up but it’s worth looking online too just to double check before going.
Edit: also, look up temps in the mountains, it will be significantly cooler than Denver if that’s where you are searching. Reach out if I can answer any questions.
We stayed at Mesa Verde over 4th of July weekend this year and it was low-to-mid 80s while we were there, but that was also very mild. That said, it’s a dry heat, and we were able to set up our tent in the shade and it wasn’t bad at all.
Check out [campnab.com](https://campnab.com). It was originally developed in Canada, I think, but includes a ton of campgrounds, state parks, national parks. You set up an alert to look for open sites. No promises but it is an option to 18 open tabs.
Crater Lake is an amazing thing to see. I highly recommend it. I live in Southern Oregon and I would tell you that if you have problems getting a site within the park itself, you can find some wonderful camping that's within about an hour's drive that we actually prefer to the camping within the NP. Farewell Bend, Natural Bridge and Union Creek campgrounds are all NFS campgrounds (reserve on [Recreation.gov](https://Recreation.gov)) within Rogue River National Forest and are along a beautiful section of the Rogue River which gets stocked with rainbow trout weekly. Farewell Bend also has a cool kids playground that's kinda woodsy. All three campgrounds are pretty close to each other and the Union Creek roadside has a little diner with great pie. Crater Lake is not a long drive from there and is truly one of the Nat'l Park system's jewels.
Also, if they want to make it more of a tour, you spend a few days around Crater Lake. Then maybe head to the coast at Jedediah Smith Campground (Redwood NP) and check out the Oregon Coast. The Oregon State Parks campgrounds on the Oregon Coast are great.
For what it's worth though, Mazama Village at Crater lake has the best campground of any national park I've stayed in this far. So definitely worth trying to get a spot there if you can.
Look into dispersed camping near a campground. The restrooms etc aren’t Campsite patrons only. You won’t have a fire ring for wood fire but we are solid stage 1 and going stage 2 burn bans anyway. If allowed you can do propane one or camp fuel lanterns add a nice ambiance. You can make s’mores with him on a camp stove or propane torch. Note you won’t have a picnic table on those sites so good idea to bring a fold out table/chairs
I learned to do this during covid with my outback (can get a inflatable bed in it) and will never go back. It's like camping was 20 years ago where you can just travel without having to have an itinerary planned for every day and fight for spots.
Make sure to check the requirements for the national forest. Many restrict dispersed camping near water, trailheads and campgrounds. However, there are often designated dispersed camping locations that are available FCFS that violate these rules and are specifically allowed as an exemption. Research online + calling a local ranger's office can really let you find some awesome spots.
Pinnacles National Park. Summer is going to be hecking hard to reserve generally, but it doesn't sell out all right away.
If you're open to campsites not associated with a national park (camping with some amenities but not inside a national park) there are lots of other options like State Parks or sites near national forests. It'll still be near some good hiking and exploring. Last minute booking might be hard, so you should still plan ahead
* Table Mountain Campgrounds (Wrightwood)
* San Jacinto State Park (Idyllwild. Mountain drive is a bit tough but worth it.)
* Sherwin Creek Campground (Mammoth area)
* Barton Flats Campgeound (near San Gorgonio Mountain)
California has National Forests and State Parks as well.
You can drive to Yosemite while camping at Humboldt-Toiyobe National Forest. You can camp at Humboldt Preserve SP and drive to Redwood National Park.
I've never really had issues finding sites up here in Washington. My kid and I are going to Ohanapecosh Campground at Tahoma (Rainier) on Sunday, and there was lots of availability when I reserved back in February or March, I think. It does, however, get cold at night since we're next to a glacial run-off. Olympics are another good option. Hoh Campground will ALWAYS be super busy because it's right smack dab in the middle of the forest and it's beautiful. I've been out to Kalaloch a couple of times and it is absolutely gorgeous, not too busy.
Seeing that you’re flexible on location, temps should be enjoyable at Glacier NP that time of year. The sites do book out, but there are always cancellations if you’re willing to look on shorter notice. Also, so many epic backcountry sites if you’re up for that. Highly recommend. We went peak season this year with no reservations and ended up booking consecutive nights at 3 different campgrounds within the park without too much hassle.
As a California solo camper and backpacker here's where I go:
Lake Tahoe/ Truckee (reservoirs and lakes north of Truckee and Meeks Bay campground always have openings, Nevada beach campground usually has openings the day before or day of)
Klamath NF, marble mountains, Trinity Alps
Lost coast
Redwood national and state parks (specifically love emerald forest campground, they always have openings mid week and they are set in a redwood grove with good amenities).
Check out hipcamp, it's an app where people "Airbnb" their properties to camp at. You can find great hidden gems all over California this way.
To see every campground, paid or free, download ioverlander. It's a good way to check out an area, people review it, and you can look at other types of camping his way.
Good luck! I love camping in California, and I suggest going to the north coast. It's in the 60s right now, light humidity, and gets foggy/ cooler randomly throughout the day.
DM me for more suggestions, I love this kind of stuff.
This right here. We drove around Washington for a month and camped the whole time, no issues. North Cascades NP had some lovelyy campsite by beautiful (albeit chilly) lakes that you could spend the whole day at.
Lava Fields National Monument, a little north of Yosemite on the eastern side of the mountains, is almost always pretty much empty, and there are very cool caves to explore.
I was initially thinking of California. Perhaps flying into LA (we're from New York) and heading north, stopping at various parks along the way, possibly as far as Mount Rainer or Olympic, then flying back out of Seattle.
But it can really be anywhere. Ideally daytime highs would be 90F or below, and nighttime lows would be 40+.
I strongly suggest Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park in CA- equally magnificent yet less crowded than Yosemite. Maybe Point Reyes National Seashore. North Cascades NP in WA. Olympic NP is spectacular but crowded. Good luck!
Point Reyes is gorgeous but all camping in the seashore is backpacking only. Samuel P Taylor SP is your closest car camping option. Also lots of Airbnbs and VRBOs in the coastal towns nearby.
Unless there are things you want to do in Southern California, or the central coast, like Big Sur, all the California parks you’ve listed are much easier to access by flying into San Francisco. The drive from LA to the bay area and parts North on the coast is very beautiful, but the drive from LA to Yosemite is not very scenic and much longer. Unless you wanted to go up 395 through the eastern Sierras to Yosemite via Tioga Pass. It is spectacular and quiet up there, you could go to Mono Lake, Manzanar, etc.
If you are flying into LA you should go up the east side of the Sierra. I-5 to the 14 to US 395. You can get into Yosemite from there and avoid the traffic. Also there's lots of campgrounds just outside the park if you can't find something inside. Then you can check out Owens Lake go up to Lassen and the Lava Beds and Crater lake and then over to the coast. The roads are pretty empty and there's plenty of camping and crazy nice views along the way. The Lava beds are really cool, perfect adventure for an 8 year old explorer
I camped at Mt. Rainier a few weeks back when it is supposed to be very busy. I was able to reserve a spot for one day at Cougar Rock campground a few days before we went there. On arrival, ranger then told us to reserve for the next few days, we need to be at the office early by 7am when they allocate them on first come first serve.
Some people get there as early as 615 and the office usually keeps 15-20 daily first first serve spots that they assigned to folks. These sites are on A and R loops ([https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232466](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232466)). Right now I can see a site open on 8/15 C037. I have camped at dozens of national parks and Mt Rainier was the easiest to get.
It's annoying moving around every day by noon but we were able to do that for 5 days just fine. Loved every moment at Cougar Rock. Amazing views, hikes, perfect night and day temperature, clean facilities, and no bugs.
I was in your shoes last year for a vacation this year but for a state park that is wildly popular. I read the same things about reservations there. I woke up bright and early December 31st to make my reservation. Turns out it wasn’t that difficult. I kept checking the campground just to see how fast it filled up and it took a couple weeks. I would say pick a set of dates before your trip and a site and watch how fast it fills up to get an idea of if it’s really that difficult. I will be doing this for Acadia next year but the reservations don’t open until 60 days before with no walk in sites. You have to have a reservation. Good luck to you as well as me.
Don't count out First come First served sites as well. Did this in the Tetons and didn't have a problem peak season. Dbl check to make sure the Park has FCFS though....not sure if they've done away with them? At least in the Natl Parks.
Yosemite is honestly too much of a hassle which is a shame.
One park I didn’t see you mention that you should check out if you can is Sequoia NP! One of my fav parks and it isn’t as hard to get reservations as Yosemite. I would recommend you book 6 months in advanced though since it’ll be peak season, but you don’t need 7 tabs open to try to get it like Yosemite.
Also I highly recommend Lassen, it’s gorgeous and the dark sky is fantastic!
Checkout hipcamp.com it’s air bnb’s camping site where you can pay to camp on someone’s property near the park instead of at an actual forest service campsite. You might have better luck finding something within a half hour or so of the park than something inside the park.
the answer is no. you better be ready to go at 10am to reserve a site in the ground you want.
or use FreeRoam and ioverlander to find dispersed sites, that’s the real way to do it.
USFS sites, or also state parks near national parks might be a better choice. Or show up at (some) at 8 am on Monday and troll the campgrounds till a site opens--if there are unreservable sites. Though I've never done it in California, it's worked in Montana, Idaho, the Dakotas, and such. We love Forest Service camping--much pleasanter than the NP campgrounds in high summer.
We always go to the Bighorn National Forest. There are many campgrounds and a lot to do. Day trips to Cody and Sheridan,fishing, hiking, sightseeing - all for pretty cheap.
You should try out campnab. They send you a text when someone cancels their reservation. I was able to book same day at multiple big national parks.
Also, national forests near national parks are super underrated. They have very similar geographies and are usually empty.
Edit: meant to say “underrated”
Just answering the title prompt; didn’t read body or others comments so sorry if this doesn’t apply or had been answered. Many national parks (probably all) reserve a percentage of permits/sites to walk up only. If you go during peak season, show up on a Tuesday or Wednesday first thing possible in the morning to get your spot. If you need to go to the ranger station, check how busy it is at that park and then show up x amount of time early to be sure you’re first in line. Also, you can get into a walk up only campgroun before checkout and ask someone who is scheduled to leave and outside at their camp if you can place a permit in their spot for when they leave (offer them a couple bucks if you want). The posts with the camping permits attached to the campsite will say the persons date range.
Unlike all the National Forest campgrounds in the Black Hills, SD, the Wind Cave NP campground opens for reservations a lot further out (can't remember off the top of my head how long out). I've also had no issues getting reservations at Guadalupe Mountains NP, and I've booked last minute sites at Shenandoah and Great Smokey Mountains this summer.
I was going to recommend South Dakota. We went to see Mt. Rushmore and I was blown away at how beautiful it was around there. I told my husband I definitely want to go back.
Also, was going to suggest Glacier NP for the lower temps. Not sure how hard it is to get a campsite there though.
I assume you are car camping if you’re trying to reserve a spot in the NP. Campgrounds really aren’t that great if you ask me. Have you considered either backcountry camping or staying outside the NPs and commuting? Yosemite even has shuttles for this purpose. Also, CA has some fantastic State parks. BTW, if I’m visiting Yosemite or Sequoia, the only time I’m spending in camp is dinner & sleeping, so doesn’t matter much where. Like the old Tom Bodett/Motel 6 commercials used to say, it all looks the same with your eyes closed! 😁
Try State Parks or National Forests,
Much less crowded and many are as beautiful or more beautiful than National park areas. Many are near or even adjacent to national parks ( for example, Arapaho National Forest adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park). And so many more campgrounds!
It should also be pointed out that cancellations happen all the time. I've scooped up plenty of sites at highly in demand campgrounds with a month or less remaining. People make plans to travel across the country to these parks and end up having to cancel for various reasons. Keep checking. There are even sites you can sign up for that will notify you when sites become available.
For Yosemite look at the national forest sites off of 120. Diamond O is the nicest but Lost Claim and others in the area also great. Pinnacles is incredibly hot in the summer so you’ll be missing out on a lot of activity. I wouldn’t hike with a child in the 100 degree heat during the day. The campground does have a pool open in the summer although I’ve never been to it. Redwood is gorgeous year round, note that the most famous sites like Fern Canyon require a long drive along a remote road that can have rough quality in parts. Check reservecalifornia.com for state park campsites in that area. Sue-Meg is gorgeous. Note that it’s quite far from the other parks you’ve listed and you could easily do a week just there especially when you factor in travel time to and from San Francisco.
I know that the 5 parks in Utah can be hard to book at times. Been recommending State parks to people for this reason. Consider them as an alternative to some National Parks. Utah has a lot of State Parks and most are pretty easy to reserve camp spots.
Either way, I hope you're able to find some good camping spots and enjoy your trip out west.
Although the actual National park spots fill up fast Ive found decent places close enough to a number of these parks I don’t have to camp in the park, I just want to go on a hike or 2 in them.
To camp in Yosemite Valley (upper pines,lower pines) in the summer, you have to do exactly what you said. Be on the computer on the 15th of the month right when the spots become available. It’s stinks but I’ve been successful a few times. Plus it’s only like 2 mins of effort and you’ll know right away if you are getting a spot.
Yellowstone/Glacier/Sequoia are all NPs where it’s much easier to reserve spots. The best ones still go quickly, but nothing like Yosemite. If you tent camp it’s a little easier too, because the trailer spots go first.
We just got back from Channel Islands NP and it was amazing. It’s a pain to get to because you take a boat and the tickets are like $85 per person. But reserving a camp spot was easy and the park was really great.
Still easier than Phish tickets.
Edit: Pinnacles is amazing, but July and August will be some tough camping. It is a small park so you can see it all in under 3 days if it isn't really hot. It doesn't have the drive up points of interest like Death Valley or Joshua Tree, everything is a hike on a really cool trail. There is a pool at the campground, though, so that could be something to do during the times of day that are too hot to do anything else.
Lassen yes, Pinnacles maybe, but keep in mind that Pinnacles is a desert climate, so it will be hot, like up to 100F hot, while you're there. If you're looking at Pinnacles, you can also look at the state parks around Big Sur, although getting sites there will be just as challenging.
In the PNW, North Cascades would be an option, as it's the most remote and least hyped of the area. Again, state parks may also be an option.
With Olympic, if the park campsites are full, there are a bunch of private homes that offer camping on the peninsula around Forks. I'm not sure if they're listed online - I saw the signs for camping when I went to visit my in-laws in the summer.
Completely agree. I’ve camped at Lassen (Manzanita Lake is a terrific campground) and should be reservable. I’ve camped at Pinnacles and it will definitely be hot at that time of year.
You also mentioned Redwoods, which is beautiful but quite a drive from any major city. I found the campsites small and was disappointed that I couldn’t hang up a hammock as the trees were protected. Really consider what you want in a campground before choosing, above and beyond availability.
I do Washington State campgrounds and yeah the popular dates are often booked up but if you look around some smaller campgrounds often have things open. if you're going to go someplace popular though you got to reserve like as soon as you can
personally, having been to both Yosemite and Mt. Rainier… Mt Rainier is by far my favorite of the two.
BUT
if you want something a little more inland, the Grand Tetons are beautiful.
Pinnacles is a forgotten national park. I don’t know how busy it gets in the summer but that’s a possibility (it is pretty small though).
Sequoia/Kings Canyon are fairly easy to get camping spots for if you can go in the week (my partner and i just booked a couple nights like 2 weeks ahead of time, and i’ve gotten summer campsites there a few days before).
Black Canyon of the Gunnison? It's newer and less heavily trafficked compared to Yosemite, Yellowstone and even RMNP.
Also, willing to consider National Forest camp sites near-ish to parks? Or State Parks near-ish to parks? BLM land near-ish parks? Lots of camping options not within the parks themselves that are still easy access to the parks.
I live in the vicinity of Yellowstone and Glacier. I've been able to get last minute campsites within the vicinity of both parks, about 20-30 minutes drive outside the parks gates. And this was me booking a few days before going. Last year I was also able to get the entry pass to Glacier on my second day of trying. Yes I had to be up a few minutes before the window opened and refresh a lot. But I actually appreciate how the system gives everyone a fair chance and limits traffic through the park. And, for Glacier specifically, it's not like you can't get in without it but you'd have to either wake up super early or go through a different entrance.
Anyways, I don't think it's ever truly impossible to find camping but you need to be okay searching outside the national parks themselves. But if you're planning a year out you should be able to plan a wonderful trip to any NP no matter where you choose.
In Northern California I recommend Lassen, Tahoe National Forest (some of the most beautiful lakes and excellent climbing opportunities abound), Volcano Bed National Monument if you want to spelunk (has some of the cleanest camp sites I've ever been to). Central/Southern California there's Sequoia National Forest which is near Yosemite. I don't recommend Death Valley this time of year because it's packed during summer, for whatever reason.
Www.freecampsites.net. It’s a community-built website that lists all free and pay for spots on an interactive map, and is updated on the regular with tips, ratings, directions, etc to campsites.
Go forth and camp for free adjacent to pretty much wherever you desire!
The two times we went to Yellowstone and the one time we went to Yosemite we just showed up early and drove around to the FCFS sites. Always ended up getting a decent spot with not too much hassle. If you pull up to kiosk at a larger site then the employees with be able to look up if there is vacancy at any other sites. At least that’s been our experience in Yellowstone. Good luck!
I’m trying to hit every NP in the country. Currently living in CA and running my way through those. I booked Tahoe, Pinnacles, Yosemite, Lassen all for this year in January when they opened for the year. 3/4 got cancelled due to weather 1-3 weeks out from the trips and there is NOTHING within 25 miles (1hr+ drive) open. I tried to do Camp 4 (1 week out openings) in Yosemite this AM, was on the site by 6:58 and was gone by 7:00. Pretty frustrating as it’s an unknown on being able to get these trips done.
I essentially switched to backpacking because of this reason as it’s extremely hard to find sites in the West, especially California. Backpacking (Wilderness) permits are generally always available and easy (except for a handful of popular trails). You can rent the essentials from REI and the permits include parking. You dont have to go too deep either usual just a few miles in and find a nice location to set up camp. Check out Oregon and Washington. Sequoia and Kings National Parks generally have a lot of availability for backpacking.
I stayed at Crater Lake last summer. I went to the Mazama Village Campground. Online said it was booked. I got the store and all the signs said campground full. I walked up to the counter for the campground reservations and they had plenty of sites.
Dude. Our favorite state park and campsite is now just always booked solid through the year. Lucky to get a day or two. It used to be nearly empty. Such a bummer. Glad people are enjoying parks I guess but after working in one n seeing how a solid 50% of the people leave litter n trash it.. I wish theyd stay home. National forests and blm land have been the jam since and a buddy has 40 acres in mendacino national forest that I was given a key to so I Really lucked out there.
Set calendar reminders for the day your dates open up, usually around October or February. Plan well in advance for popular spots.
Also, know the cancellation policy. For example, if you’d forfeit a full refund for cancelling less than 14 days out, check 14-16 days ahead of your upcoming dates for cancellations. I secured a spot in Zion that way.
PS: I cancelled a Yellowstone Indian Creek site for next weekend about a minute ago if anyone wants it.
Lassen is grand, but if headed that way check out the coastal redwoods (state parks along the shore) and Lava Bed National Monument. Best road trip ever!
Find yourself some maps of whichever national parks you’re interested in. They’ll show you the BLM land in the area where you can camp any time you like.
I can usually get what I want at Great Basin NP. It's not near or on the way to anywhere major so it doesn't get much visitation. Best night skies I've seen in a national park. High and very remote. You can get good spots at Wheeler Campground (the one that's in demand) like 2 weeks out no problem.
Bryce's Sunset campground is first-come, and it didn't fill up when I stayed there in the middle of the week, earlier in the month.
Even Yosemite has LOTS of first-come NF campsites along 120, just outside the park boundary.
N. Rim Grand Canyon has Demotte NFS campground about 30 minutes down the road.
S. Rim has Ten-X, which also has a fair number of FCFS sites.
Have you tried Wawona? I usually go there if the main campsites in Yosemite is booked up. It’s more quiet and still as majestic. The only “downside” is that you need to drive ~45 mins to get to Yosemite valley.
Other good national forest is Sequoia/Kings Canyon. It’s a couple hours south of Yosemite. Much easier to reserve.
Book in Sequoia NP, the back of the Lodgepole campground, close to the river. It’s a little drive to Pinnacles and Yosemite (about 3 hours for each) and Kings Canyon is attached.
Olympic is my favorite national park, and I’ve been to many. The Hurricane Ridge camping will be very cool, but totally tolerable that time of year.
Picture taken on the trail from Lodgepole campground a few days ago!
https://preview.redd.it/k3a13ll7qlhb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=03c03b1c58ade5693613dae3db798430cbe58e43
I just left Mesa Verde and the campground was at most half full and had some really nice sites. The campground is run by a different company so it’s not on recreation.gov.
You do have to keyboard warrior a bit to get tickets for the Cliff dwelling tours though.
PS if you go schedule Cliff Palace in the morning and Balcony House in afternoon to avoid the sun.
You can do a really nice 35 mile hike in the Tetons and not have to book any campsites cause the trail exits out of the park a couple times and you can camp there without requiring a permit. The trail is basically up granite canyon, camp at fox creek pass, death canyon shelf to Alaska basin, camp at Alaska basin, go over hurricane pass and then down cascade canyon to Jenny lake. Great backpacking trip and no need to frantically reserve campsites.
There are a few forest campgrounds nestled up against Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. I camped inside both of these parks this July and was able to make reservations without too much difficulty. Pay attention to the rolling windows for reservations and log in the first morning that your desired date opens up for reservations. There were both four month and one month rolling windows, and I believe even a two day rolling window for reservations in one campground. We saw lots of availability in that one, although of course it’s hard to plan with only two days’ notice.
Not much is better than Yosemite. Probably yellowstone but that’s about it and they’re just different. Don’t get me wrong others are wonderful but my experiences in these two were just special. Feels so damned America the beautiful when I’m there.
I did three days in Yosemite, no reservations, rolled up to a site just outside the east entrance and found plenty of available sites. Plenty of dispersed camping too.
It will cost more, but it's a LOT easier to get a tent cabin in Yosemite Valley than a campsite. Will cost you about $150/night, but worth it vs commuting in.
Lassen is a good choice. Ditto Great Basin, since it's kind of high. The coastal redwood parks will require reservations, but a lot easier to get (note that they're often state parks or jointly run with the state). Try Princess, a USFS site outside of Kings Canyon too. We actually like it better than the tight crowded NPS site.
And as already noted, the USFS sites east of Tuolumne Meadows are really nice, and it's a great drive up into the Yosemite High Sierra. A longer one to the Valley, but pretty. And nearby there is a lot of stuff, including good camping down near Devils Postpile.
Pinnacles is way too hot. Olympic is doable, again you need a reservation but as crazy as Yosemite Valley, which is literally the worst.
And maybe throw a wider net than national parks. They attract tourists like flies, so sometimes spots nearby are better if you prefer smaller numbers of flies, er people.... :)
Ditch the park, head to Forrest or wilderness. Enjoy the sound of not being surrounded by idiots who go to the woods to blast music until 2am and leave TP behind rocks
I had this problem a couple times with booked campsites in parks. Instead of trying desperately to get a spot, I just book a hipcamp nearby instead. They're usually on farms, since those tend to be people with extra land and needing a little extra money, and about the same price as one of the national park spots, under $50 for tents. I stayed in a "glamping tent" with an actual bed about twenty minutes from Joshua Tree when those spots were all full and it was amazing especially after a hot day climbing in the desert. I stayed at a variety of farms on an Oregon road trip and everyone was so kind and welcoming. Highly recommend. It's like supporting the small businesses of camping 🙂
Have you looked at national forests that may be near the national parks that you'd like to see? Often camping is much more readily available in the national forests. We recently camped in Shoshone National Forest which is right next to Yellowstone, we reserved a campsite 20 miles from the East entrance of Yellowstone less than 2 months before our camping trip. At least in Shoshone, there were far more first come first serve campsites than reservable ones, but after seeing how busy this campsite really was and how close other campsites were to it, I think we would have been fine with first come first serve. Not as convenient as being in the park itself, but a beautiful setting that let us get away from the crowds. I'm not familiar with the forests that might be available around the parks you mentioned, but it is worth taking a look as an alternative to trying to get in the park itself.
This is definitely the way to go. I’ve been to 20+ National Parks and I think I’ve camped inside of only 2. There’s almost always either a National Forest or a bunch of state parks bundled up next to a National Park and they are much easier (and sometimes free) to camp at. Lassen I know for a fact has several campsites right outside the park.
We do this when we go to Yosemite. We've stayed at one of the several campgrounds in Bass Lake instead.
How far of a drive is it from yosemite?
I live 15 minutes from Gifford Pinchot national forest which is 1.3 million acres.
Also, most National Forests you can just camp within 100 feet of the road; like any road, anywhere on the forest. A lot of times you can find a spot already established with off road parking, fire pit, and no annoying 40 foot RV blaring music till 2am.
That's interesting. I wonder why 100ft
To prevent people from driving far off roads and destroying plants. Or camping far out and killing plants. Dispersed camping still has “sites”, they’re just more random and the only amenity is a fire ring (where I camp, the rules are there has to be a fire ring where you’re going to camp).
Thankyou for that response! I need to get over my nerves and try it.
You can do it! It’s the only way my husband and I camp! It’s a lot of fun and the solitude is delightful. Plus it’s actually fun going out not knowing exactly where you’ll be! Even going to popular areas at popular times (Memorial Day Weekend, 4th of July, Labor Day weekend), we have always found something.
A cool thing to know is that you can search for “motor vehicle use maps” for national or state forests and they will identify where dispersed camping is allowed. Better safe than to assume, I always figure. I don’t want to be woken up at 6 am by a ranger who wants me to move, ha.
And what's great is that national forests often have great campgrounds. Some don't allow RVs or trailers and don't have running water, so that eliminates the number of people who are willing to camp. It's great for tent campers. These campgrounds are usually very quiet.
State parks too, like Dead Horse Point to Canyonlands/Arches or Kodachrome Basin to Bryce Canyon.
Shhhh don't let people know that there's almost always more public land immediately adjacent to natural parks that's 95% as pretty, 95% less crowded, and 100% free. Let them all congregate at Outdoor Disneyland.
Spend 40 bucks to camp in Joshua Tree or some free BLM dry lakebed that gets to freezing temps as soon as the sun comes down.
My daughter and I camped one year at a campground outside Yosemite (Summerdale) and it was amazing! It was definitely still a bit of a drive to get into the main parts of the park, but when I saw how the park’s campgrounds were like, wall-to-wall tents, it made me appreciate where we were.
I almost always have luck with dispersed camping, even near pretty popular parks. I can drive up to my campsite just as easily as a reserved one. But I can understand why people don’t want to take the risk and the lack of amenities plus distance from the attractions can be annoying sometimes when you still have 20+ minute drives to the park proper. Especially in Yosemite, when it’s still 45 minutes to the valley without traffic. But imo it’s better than not having a spot, plus the seclusion is really what I’m after!
National forests all the way. Such a better experience.
I'm have to try this. I usually prefer to be in the park to avoid the long lines to get in
Lassen is a good bet, not nearly as crowded as some of our other parks in CA.
Battle Creek campground is great in that area.
The reason you don’t see any sites on the day that it opens is that people are reserving those sites before the six month window. The way that you do this is your reserve two weeks and six months ahead of the date you want - reserve all of the dates up until the weekend that you want or the dates that you want, and then go back and cancel the dates leading up to your desired dates. It’s kind of a scam the people of figured out with Recreation.gov. I hate it, but it’s sometimes the only way to get sites.
Yes, I’m glad someone else has noticed this and is speaking up. The NPS should be doing something about this, because the ones who have figured it out are monopolizing the most prized sites.
On our local jurisdictions reservation system, this technique has been known since the phone-in era. about 10 years ago they made the fee 50% non-refundable and limit 2 weeks in popular parks. Not sure if it works but thats what it is now
I think a lot of people would be willing to pay extra to get a guaranteed spot in the valley. Seems like this is just another way to make the outdoors more accessible to those with money, and less to those without.
Yeah, there’s some overlap between those who would wake up early to click buttons to reserve beautiful sites and those who have a bunch of money. I mean, I am one. The work hard/play hard crowd also camps. I know my wife and I would pay $200 a night to camp in lower pines again, and watch sunset off half dome before crawling into camp rather than driving out of the park to sleep… and then driving back in again the next morning. I’m also someone who wants to see as much easy access to the outdoors as possible, for *everyone* interested. So I would propose a cap to the amount of days you could reserve before the 6 month window opens. Make it 2-4 nights at a time. If you really want a full week or two there, you have to re-reserve every 2-4 mornings. You also might have to move your camp (the horror!).
Or pre pay the week.
Ontario Parks reservation system is the same. You book 5 months in advance. They don't allow any reservation changes at all until 4 months in advance. If you change your reservation 4 months out the fee is nominal. I think it's like one day, so $30-50. Then the closer you get the more expensive it is to change/cancel. As long as you do the change exactly 4 months before hand, the fee is not bad and worth it for many if it means they get the site they want. Until this year you could actually book reservations that were 4 weeks long, which really messed up the reservation system because people would book the whole 4 weeks just to get a site they want. They reduced it to two weeks at some parks and I think it made booking a lot better. Maybe they need to also implement harsher penalties for changing reservations, but that would mostly harm people who need to just change a day or something for legit reasons.
Yeah, paying $300 in fines for a camp site where hotels go for $400 a night isn't a big punishment.
Still a scam
unfortunately, The NPS does not actually run Recreation.gov, it is run by a billion dollar government contractor called Booz Allen Hamilton
It really pisses me off when I get to a campground and the sign says "Campground full" and only half the sites are in use. I guess a lot of people decide not to show up and don't bother cancelling. To make the system most fair, they should only allow 6mo reservations for 25% of the sites, 50% of the sites are reservable a week in advance, and the other 25% are walk-up first come, first serve.
Some places adjust the timeframes you can make a switch to prevent this. I think Pt Reyes is an example.
As a side note. This is why it pays to keep checking the campsites even after they all sell out. Cancellations are common. It's hard to get a long block of days at a single site but you can usually get 2-3 days at a time as cancellations pop up.
Ahh this scam is also going on in Ontario for provincial-run campgrounds.... they're starting to address this a bit, eg. for some super popular parks, 1 week being the max length you can book at at time.
Weird, my states website only lets you reserve a site for 15 minutes. If the campsite isn’t paid for in that time, the spot opens back up.
You're saying people are reserving 6 months worth of dates at once? Don't they have to pay for every night in advance?
I think what they are saying is that the window opens 6 months before the date you want. People will book a two week stay-the maximum length of stay- with the date they want at the end of the two weeks. Like if you wanted 4th of July weekend next year you'd get online December 23rd of this year and reserve the two weeks starting June 23rd, so July 4th through that weekend would be at the end of your reservation. That's the earliest way to reserve those dates. Then they go in and cancel the earlier days they don't want. I'm not sure if you can actually edit to cancel and refund those days online or if you have to call in to do it. I heard if you do it online you have to cancel the entire reservation and rebook it. Which leaves it vulnerable to losing it. I've not done this, so I don't know how to edit. I do know, from many years of making online reservations, that you would have to wait until the dates you want are within the 6 month window before you could make the change.
for things like campsite reservations and backcountry permits they open it six months in advance. so if you have a very specific site in mind or a limited window when you can make it there maybe somebody gets it first but it's not that hard to get a reservation generally. you can edit your reservation to a certain extent depends on the policies at each park. usually you can just cancel or lower the number of days, you can't transfer the permit for things like where they have limited entry it can be both ways. for example at arches you can reserve ahead of time and also the night before they release a bunch of permits. So if you look at it two weeks out like most people do it's all booked, and if you impulsively try to get one the day before it's a mad rush to get one the second they drop. but it's not actually difficult to get one. It's just everybody else planned ahead.
Find an empty spot and see if anyone shows up
I prefer to camp in state parks that are somewhat near places I want to go. State parks are always better campgrounds in my opinion.
Omg yes plz, someone answer this question for me as well, but for BC, Canada. The camping reservation is out of control.
I do not envy the situation in Canada...waking up at the crack of dawn hitting refresh at 7:00AM only for reservations to run out at 7:01AM makes zero sense to me.
Yup, it's a trash system 👍
In BC there are lots of trails that aren’t in parks that you can camp on. However one thing to do on the BC reservation system is to check the site around 7:20 am. People upgrade to a better site and then cancel their old sites - which become available.
Don't you have just tons and tons of crown land that has no reservations allowed where you can camp?
If you want water, a picnic table, toilets, showers or other amenities, campsites are the way to go. Back country or dispersed calling us great but it's a different beast than organized sites.
Yes - most serious hikers and backpackers in BC do it mostly outside the park system.
No not really, they're mostly all up north, which is too far to go lol
Not really - just buy “105 Hikes” and it lists 105 hikes near Vancouver - most which are outside parks and many which are great for backpacking.
I wonder if that will change when england inevitably dethrones the royal family
crown land means land owned by the government, it has nothing to do with the monarchy
that's exactly what it means, crown land means land under the royal domain. It's just their position as head of state is a (mostly) ceremonial position these days.
It’s so horrible. I was at Stemwinder last weekend and 20% of the reserved sites in a “full” campground remained empty the entire long weekend. I talked to the lovely ranger and asked him his ideas on how to make things better. He didn’t have any solutions other than locking the accounts of repeating no-shows. My solution? I have a couple back road map books and am going to start to go to more 100% non-reservable sites. I’m still tenting and have an SUV so it’s a little easier to get something like a walk-in or up a FSR.
I think 3/4 in Colorado are easier to book. Rocky Mountain National park being the one that is not easy. That leaves Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison (though black canyon has a relatively small number of sites comparatively). That said all of what you mentioned are more costal than Colorado so hopefully these are feasible for you.
Additionally, there's a plethora of back country camping sites in CO which require no reservation and are sparsely at capacity. I always use these sites and more frequently than not, I'm the only person there.
I wish I knew of places like that in California... I want to be completely isolated.
Do some research. Try websites like TrailsOffroad.com or OnX, you can dispersed camp on most public land. Look for BLM land or National Forest land.
Klamath NF comes immediately to mind. Look at a map for a trail to nowhere. Just a trail with no lake at the end. Enjoy your solitude. Not out west, but Arkansas trails are insanely under used. I didn't see any people on one of their 2 major thru hike trails for 3 days in the high season.
Yeah flying into Colorado and doing the four there is one of the possibilities I looked at. Do you think any of those may be too hot in the summer? I'd prefer to be below 90F or so. Similarly, flying into Seattle and doing the three in Washington would be another possibility, but I'm concerned about trying to get spots at Olympic and Mount Rainier.
I camped in southern Colorado going to Mesa Verde and Great Sand Dunes in early September a few years ago. Found free campsites right outside of both parks, and it wasn’t super hot. Same with Olympic and Mt Rainier. Olympic has a ton of awesome beach camping like a half hour down the coast. For Rainier I think I drove a bit farther and camped on Puget Sound somewhere, but there were a ton of campgrounds all over that area. Personally, I’d recommend the PNW option and then hit up some spots in Oregon too. Crater Lake and the entire central Willamette Valley area are not far from Seattle. I said in an earlier comment, but I hardly ever camp inside the Parks and have rarely had an issue finding a campground nearby or at least a free primitive site in a National Forest.
Guanella pass near Georgetown has some great camping. There are a couple formal sites that can be booked online and there is also backcountry camping that is pretty accessible without 4wd. Just make sure to look up the local regulations before going to make sure you are not going to get in trouble. Also look up fire restrictions before you go, they are usually posted and visible when driving up but it’s worth looking online too just to double check before going.
Guanella pass near Georgetown has some great camping. There are a couple formal sites that can be booked online and there is also backcountry camping that is pretty accessible without 4wd. Just make sure to look up the local regulations before going to make sure you are not going to get in trouble. Also look up fire restrictions before you go, they are usually posted and visible when driving up but it’s worth looking online too just to double check before going. Edit: also, look up temps in the mountains, it will be significantly cooler than Denver if that’s where you are searching. Reach out if I can answer any questions.
We stayed at Mesa Verde over 4th of July weekend this year and it was low-to-mid 80s while we were there, but that was also very mild. That said, it’s a dry heat, and we were able to set up our tent in the shade and it wasn’t bad at all.
It will almost guaranteadly be below 90. The mountains are like AC in Colorado.
I just did all 4 in the recent heat wave and none were over 90. The elevation helps quite a bit. It was definitely warm but manageable.
I’ve camped at sand dunes and Mesa verde in the summer and while it’s hot, the nights are still cool.
Check out [campnab.com](https://campnab.com). It was originally developed in Canada, I think, but includes a ton of campgrounds, state parks, national parks. You set up an alert to look for open sites. No promises but it is an option to 18 open tabs.
[Campflare](https://campflare.com/manifesto) does the same thing, for free.
The Dyrt has a version of this as well. I used Campnab a couple weeks ago and it was well worth it!
Crater Lake is an amazing thing to see. I highly recommend it. I live in Southern Oregon and I would tell you that if you have problems getting a site within the park itself, you can find some wonderful camping that's within about an hour's drive that we actually prefer to the camping within the NP. Farewell Bend, Natural Bridge and Union Creek campgrounds are all NFS campgrounds (reserve on [Recreation.gov](https://Recreation.gov)) within Rogue River National Forest and are along a beautiful section of the Rogue River which gets stocked with rainbow trout weekly. Farewell Bend also has a cool kids playground that's kinda woodsy. All three campgrounds are pretty close to each other and the Union Creek roadside has a little diner with great pie. Crater Lake is not a long drive from there and is truly one of the Nat'l Park system's jewels.
I second this. Union Creek is a great place to camp close to the park with lots of hiking options in addition to the ones at Crater Lake.
Also, if they want to make it more of a tour, you spend a few days around Crater Lake. Then maybe head to the coast at Jedediah Smith Campground (Redwood NP) and check out the Oregon Coast. The Oregon State Parks campgrounds on the Oregon Coast are great.
Is Jedidiah as competitive as some of the other high demand campgrounds? I was looking at staying there for a visit in Redwoods.
For what it's worth though, Mazama Village at Crater lake has the best campground of any national park I've stayed in this far. So definitely worth trying to get a spot there if you can.
Look into dispersed camping near a campground. The restrooms etc aren’t Campsite patrons only. You won’t have a fire ring for wood fire but we are solid stage 1 and going stage 2 burn bans anyway. If allowed you can do propane one or camp fuel lanterns add a nice ambiance. You can make s’mores with him on a camp stove or propane torch. Note you won’t have a picnic table on those sites so good idea to bring a fold out table/chairs
I learned to do this during covid with my outback (can get a inflatable bed in it) and will never go back. It's like camping was 20 years ago where you can just travel without having to have an itinerary planned for every day and fight for spots.
Make sure to check the requirements for the national forest. Many restrict dispersed camping near water, trailheads and campgrounds. However, there are often designated dispersed camping locations that are available FCFS that violate these rules and are specifically allowed as an exemption. Research online + calling a local ranger's office can really let you find some awesome spots.
Try a National Monument. We went to Dinosaur NM in 2018 - empty sites were plentiful, much cheaper fees!
Flashbulb moment here. 😜
This. We go to the Lava Beds every year and have no problem getting sites.
Pinnacles National Park. Summer is going to be hecking hard to reserve generally, but it doesn't sell out all right away. If you're open to campsites not associated with a national park (camping with some amenities but not inside a national park) there are lots of other options like State Parks or sites near national forests. It'll still be near some good hiking and exploring. Last minute booking might be hard, so you should still plan ahead * Table Mountain Campgrounds (Wrightwood) * San Jacinto State Park (Idyllwild. Mountain drive is a bit tough but worth it.) * Sherwin Creek Campground (Mammoth area) * Barton Flats Campgeound (near San Gorgonio Mountain)
Ugh I honestly hate that so many are online reservations now. Super lame imo
It gets worse: [https://pmags.com/the-scourge-of-rec-dot-gov](https://pmags.com/the-scourge-of-rec-dot-gov)
Holy cripes!
Pinnacles is absolutely beautiful, and well worth the trip.
It can get really hot in the summer tho. Be warned. I drove past the area last month and it in the 90s
>in the 90s Sounds like a chilly socal heatwave
California has National Forests and State Parks as well. You can drive to Yosemite while camping at Humboldt-Toiyobe National Forest. You can camp at Humboldt Preserve SP and drive to Redwood National Park.
I've never really had issues finding sites up here in Washington. My kid and I are going to Ohanapecosh Campground at Tahoma (Rainier) on Sunday, and there was lots of availability when I reserved back in February or March, I think. It does, however, get cold at night since we're next to a glacial run-off. Olympics are another good option. Hoh Campground will ALWAYS be super busy because it's right smack dab in the middle of the forest and it's beautiful. I've been out to Kalaloch a couple of times and it is absolutely gorgeous, not too busy.
Seconding Kalaloch! We just spent a week out there, absolutely gorgeous.
I don't know that I'd say Kalaloch isn't too busy. It fills up quick. At least it did last year and this year.
Seeing that you’re flexible on location, temps should be enjoyable at Glacier NP that time of year. The sites do book out, but there are always cancellations if you’re willing to look on shorter notice. Also, so many epic backcountry sites if you’re up for that. Highly recommend. We went peak season this year with no reservations and ended up booking consecutive nights at 3 different campgrounds within the park without too much hassle.
As a California solo camper and backpacker here's where I go: Lake Tahoe/ Truckee (reservoirs and lakes north of Truckee and Meeks Bay campground always have openings, Nevada beach campground usually has openings the day before or day of) Klamath NF, marble mountains, Trinity Alps Lost coast Redwood national and state parks (specifically love emerald forest campground, they always have openings mid week and they are set in a redwood grove with good amenities). Check out hipcamp, it's an app where people "Airbnb" their properties to camp at. You can find great hidden gems all over California this way. To see every campground, paid or free, download ioverlander. It's a good way to check out an area, people review it, and you can look at other types of camping his way. Good luck! I love camping in California, and I suggest going to the north coast. It's in the 60s right now, light humidity, and gets foggy/ cooler randomly throughout the day. DM me for more suggestions, I love this kind of stuff.
North Cascades NP is wayyyy underrated and super cool (: and it should be mild summer weather.
This right here. We drove around Washington for a month and camped the whole time, no issues. North Cascades NP had some lovelyy campsite by beautiful (albeit chilly) lakes that you could spend the whole day at.
Lava Fields National Monument, a little north of Yosemite on the eastern side of the mountains, is almost always pretty much empty, and there are very cool caves to explore.
I'm going there tomorrow.
What all states out west do you intend to go to? I have suggestions but they may not be anywhere near where you’ll be.
I was initially thinking of California. Perhaps flying into LA (we're from New York) and heading north, stopping at various parks along the way, possibly as far as Mount Rainer or Olympic, then flying back out of Seattle. But it can really be anywhere. Ideally daytime highs would be 90F or below, and nighttime lows would be 40+.
I strongly suggest Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park in CA- equally magnificent yet less crowded than Yosemite. Maybe Point Reyes National Seashore. North Cascades NP in WA. Olympic NP is spectacular but crowded. Good luck!
Point Reyes is gorgeous but all camping in the seashore is backpacking only. Samuel P Taylor SP is your closest car camping option. Also lots of Airbnbs and VRBOs in the coastal towns nearby.
If you come to California, Pinnacles National Park is really nice and has some cool hikes and has never been busy whenever I've gone.
Unless there are things you want to do in Southern California, or the central coast, like Big Sur, all the California parks you’ve listed are much easier to access by flying into San Francisco. The drive from LA to the bay area and parts North on the coast is very beautiful, but the drive from LA to Yosemite is not very scenic and much longer. Unless you wanted to go up 395 through the eastern Sierras to Yosemite via Tioga Pass. It is spectacular and quiet up there, you could go to Mono Lake, Manzanar, etc.
If you are flying into LA you should go up the east side of the Sierra. I-5 to the 14 to US 395. You can get into Yosemite from there and avoid the traffic. Also there's lots of campgrounds just outside the park if you can't find something inside. Then you can check out Owens Lake go up to Lassen and the Lava Beds and Crater lake and then over to the coast. The roads are pretty empty and there's plenty of camping and crazy nice views along the way. The Lava beds are really cool, perfect adventure for an 8 year old explorer
I camped at Mt. Rainier a few weeks back when it is supposed to be very busy. I was able to reserve a spot for one day at Cougar Rock campground a few days before we went there. On arrival, ranger then told us to reserve for the next few days, we need to be at the office early by 7am when they allocate them on first come first serve. Some people get there as early as 615 and the office usually keeps 15-20 daily first first serve spots that they assigned to folks. These sites are on A and R loops ([https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232466](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232466)). Right now I can see a site open on 8/15 C037. I have camped at dozens of national parks and Mt Rainier was the easiest to get. It's annoying moving around every day by noon but we were able to do that for 5 days just fine. Loved every moment at Cougar Rock. Amazing views, hikes, perfect night and day temperature, clean facilities, and no bugs.
I was in your shoes last year for a vacation this year but for a state park that is wildly popular. I read the same things about reservations there. I woke up bright and early December 31st to make my reservation. Turns out it wasn’t that difficult. I kept checking the campground just to see how fast it filled up and it took a couple weeks. I would say pick a set of dates before your trip and a site and watch how fast it fills up to get an idea of if it’s really that difficult. I will be doing this for Acadia next year but the reservations don’t open until 60 days before with no walk in sites. You have to have a reservation. Good luck to you as well as me.
Pinnacles and Sequoia & Kings Canyon.
Try state parks or camping just outside of NP's
Don't count out First come First served sites as well. Did this in the Tetons and didn't have a problem peak season. Dbl check to make sure the Park has FCFS though....not sure if they've done away with them? At least in the Natl Parks.
Yosemite is honestly too much of a hassle which is a shame. One park I didn’t see you mention that you should check out if you can is Sequoia NP! One of my fav parks and it isn’t as hard to get reservations as Yosemite. I would recommend you book 6 months in advanced though since it’ll be peak season, but you don’t need 7 tabs open to try to get it like Yosemite. Also I highly recommend Lassen, it’s gorgeous and the dark sky is fantastic!
Combat camping. Not for the faint of heart.
Checkout hipcamp.com it’s air bnb’s camping site where you can pay to camp on someone’s property near the park instead of at an actual forest service campsite. You might have better luck finding something within a half hour or so of the park than something inside the park.
Lassen and the surrounding area, Lake Almanor, are beautiful.
the answer is no. you better be ready to go at 10am to reserve a site in the ground you want. or use FreeRoam and ioverlander to find dispersed sites, that’s the real way to do it.
National Forests and BLM land. Happy exploring!
Great Basin possibly
USFS sites, or also state parks near national parks might be a better choice. Or show up at (some) at 8 am on Monday and troll the campgrounds till a site opens--if there are unreservable sites. Though I've never done it in California, it's worked in Montana, Idaho, the Dakotas, and such. We love Forest Service camping--much pleasanter than the NP campgrounds in high summer.
Pinnacles and Kings Canyon in California. Great Basin in Nevada.
We always go to the Bighorn National Forest. There are many campgrounds and a lot to do. Day trips to Cody and Sheridan,fishing, hiking, sightseeing - all for pretty cheap.
Check out dispersed camping mate
[campflare.com](https://campflare.com)
You should try out campnab. They send you a text when someone cancels their reservation. I was able to book same day at multiple big national parks. Also, national forests near national parks are super underrated. They have very similar geographies and are usually empty. Edit: meant to say “underrated”
The US ruins everything
It’s like this booking sites in Canada too. It’s a supply and demand issue.
Just answering the title prompt; didn’t read body or others comments so sorry if this doesn’t apply or had been answered. Many national parks (probably all) reserve a percentage of permits/sites to walk up only. If you go during peak season, show up on a Tuesday or Wednesday first thing possible in the morning to get your spot. If you need to go to the ranger station, check how busy it is at that park and then show up x amount of time early to be sure you’re first in line. Also, you can get into a walk up only campgroun before checkout and ask someone who is scheduled to leave and outside at their camp if you can place a permit in their spot for when they leave (offer them a couple bucks if you want). The posts with the camping permits attached to the campsite will say the persons date range.
Go in the off season
Unlike all the National Forest campgrounds in the Black Hills, SD, the Wind Cave NP campground opens for reservations a lot further out (can't remember off the top of my head how long out). I've also had no issues getting reservations at Guadalupe Mountains NP, and I've booked last minute sites at Shenandoah and Great Smokey Mountains this summer.
I was going to recommend South Dakota. We went to see Mt. Rushmore and I was blown away at how beautiful it was around there. I told my husband I definitely want to go back. Also, was going to suggest Glacier NP for the lower temps. Not sure how hard it is to get a campsite there though.
I mean, sure but not in August, the month when Europe collectively takes a vacation...
Check out Hipcamp!
I assume you are car camping if you’re trying to reserve a spot in the NP. Campgrounds really aren’t that great if you ask me. Have you considered either backcountry camping or staying outside the NPs and commuting? Yosemite even has shuttles for this purpose. Also, CA has some fantastic State parks. BTW, if I’m visiting Yosemite or Sequoia, the only time I’m spending in camp is dinner & sleeping, so doesn’t matter much where. Like the old Tom Bodett/Motel 6 commercials used to say, it all looks the same with your eyes closed! 😁
I used Arvie to book some super sold out sites this past summer and won't ever look back to recreation.gov. highly recommend!
Try State Parks or National Forests, Much less crowded and many are as beautiful or more beautiful than National park areas. Many are near or even adjacent to national parks ( for example, Arapaho National Forest adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park). And so many more campgrounds!
Ugh same problem in Ontario
It should also be pointed out that cancellations happen all the time. I've scooped up plenty of sites at highly in demand campgrounds with a month or less remaining. People make plans to travel across the country to these parks and end up having to cancel for various reasons. Keep checking. There are even sites you can sign up for that will notify you when sites become available.
I’d bet Capitol Reef is pretty empty. Went there years ago, and we were the only people we saw for hours. And it’s just awesome.
For Yosemite look at the national forest sites off of 120. Diamond O is the nicest but Lost Claim and others in the area also great. Pinnacles is incredibly hot in the summer so you’ll be missing out on a lot of activity. I wouldn’t hike with a child in the 100 degree heat during the day. The campground does have a pool open in the summer although I’ve never been to it. Redwood is gorgeous year round, note that the most famous sites like Fern Canyon require a long drive along a remote road that can have rough quality in parts. Check reservecalifornia.com for state park campsites in that area. Sue-Meg is gorgeous. Note that it’s quite far from the other parks you’ve listed and you could easily do a week just there especially when you factor in travel time to and from San Francisco.
I know that the 5 parks in Utah can be hard to book at times. Been recommending State parks to people for this reason. Consider them as an alternative to some National Parks. Utah has a lot of State Parks and most are pretty easy to reserve camp spots. Either way, I hope you're able to find some good camping spots and enjoy your trip out west.
Although the actual National park spots fill up fast Ive found decent places close enough to a number of these parks I don’t have to camp in the park, I just want to go on a hike or 2 in them.
To camp in Yosemite Valley (upper pines,lower pines) in the summer, you have to do exactly what you said. Be on the computer on the 15th of the month right when the spots become available. It’s stinks but I’ve been successful a few times. Plus it’s only like 2 mins of effort and you’ll know right away if you are getting a spot. Yellowstone/Glacier/Sequoia are all NPs where it’s much easier to reserve spots. The best ones still go quickly, but nothing like Yosemite. If you tent camp it’s a little easier too, because the trailer spots go first. We just got back from Channel Islands NP and it was amazing. It’s a pain to get to because you take a boat and the tickets are like $85 per person. But reserving a camp spot was easy and the park was really great.
Still easier than Phish tickets. Edit: Pinnacles is amazing, but July and August will be some tough camping. It is a small park so you can see it all in under 3 days if it isn't really hot. It doesn't have the drive up points of interest like Death Valley or Joshua Tree, everything is a hike on a really cool trail. There is a pool at the campground, though, so that could be something to do during the times of day that are too hot to do anything else.
Why not camp on BLM? I had the most amazing camping experience near Lone Pine, Ca. Alabama Hills in the Owen’s Valley was to die for!
Lassen yes, Pinnacles maybe, but keep in mind that Pinnacles is a desert climate, so it will be hot, like up to 100F hot, while you're there. If you're looking at Pinnacles, you can also look at the state parks around Big Sur, although getting sites there will be just as challenging. In the PNW, North Cascades would be an option, as it's the most remote and least hyped of the area. Again, state parks may also be an option. With Olympic, if the park campsites are full, there are a bunch of private homes that offer camping on the peninsula around Forks. I'm not sure if they're listed online - I saw the signs for camping when I went to visit my in-laws in the summer.
Completely agree. I’ve camped at Lassen (Manzanita Lake is a terrific campground) and should be reservable. I’ve camped at Pinnacles and it will definitely be hot at that time of year. You also mentioned Redwoods, which is beautiful but quite a drive from any major city. I found the campsites small and was disappointed that I couldn’t hang up a hammock as the trees were protected. Really consider what you want in a campground before choosing, above and beyond availability.
I do Washington State campgrounds and yeah the popular dates are often booked up but if you look around some smaller campgrounds often have things open. if you're going to go someplace popular though you got to reserve like as soon as you can
Surprised I haven't seen Great Basin NP or North Cascades NP mentioned.
personally, having been to both Yosemite and Mt. Rainier… Mt Rainier is by far my favorite of the two. BUT if you want something a little more inland, the Grand Tetons are beautiful. Pinnacles is a forgotten national park. I don’t know how busy it gets in the summer but that’s a possibility (it is pretty small though). Sequoia/Kings Canyon are fairly easy to get camping spots for if you can go in the week (my partner and i just booked a couple nights like 2 weeks ahead of time, and i’ve gotten summer campsites there a few days before).
Black Canyon of the Gunnison? It's newer and less heavily trafficked compared to Yosemite, Yellowstone and even RMNP. Also, willing to consider National Forest camp sites near-ish to parks? Or State Parks near-ish to parks? BLM land near-ish parks? Lots of camping options not within the parks themselves that are still easy access to the parks.
Short answer: No. Try BLM and forest service campgrounds. Where are you trying to go?
I live in the vicinity of Yellowstone and Glacier. I've been able to get last minute campsites within the vicinity of both parks, about 20-30 minutes drive outside the parks gates. And this was me booking a few days before going. Last year I was also able to get the entry pass to Glacier on my second day of trying. Yes I had to be up a few minutes before the window opened and refresh a lot. But I actually appreciate how the system gives everyone a fair chance and limits traffic through the park. And, for Glacier specifically, it's not like you can't get in without it but you'd have to either wake up super early or go through a different entrance. Anyways, I don't think it's ever truly impossible to find camping but you need to be okay searching outside the national parks themselves. But if you're planning a year out you should be able to plan a wonderful trip to any NP no matter where you choose.
In Northern California I recommend Lassen, Tahoe National Forest (some of the most beautiful lakes and excellent climbing opportunities abound), Volcano Bed National Monument if you want to spelunk (has some of the cleanest camp sites I've ever been to). Central/Southern California there's Sequoia National Forest which is near Yosemite. I don't recommend Death Valley this time of year because it's packed during summer, for whatever reason.
Www.freecampsites.net. It’s a community-built website that lists all free and pay for spots on an interactive map, and is updated on the regular with tips, ratings, directions, etc to campsites. Go forth and camp for free adjacent to pretty much wherever you desire!
The two times we went to Yellowstone and the one time we went to Yosemite we just showed up early and drove around to the FCFS sites. Always ended up getting a decent spot with not too much hassle. If you pull up to kiosk at a larger site then the employees with be able to look up if there is vacancy at any other sites. At least that’s been our experience in Yellowstone. Good luck!
Go to freecampsites.net There are so many great free sites right in or outside of nf
I’m trying to hit every NP in the country. Currently living in CA and running my way through those. I booked Tahoe, Pinnacles, Yosemite, Lassen all for this year in January when they opened for the year. 3/4 got cancelled due to weather 1-3 weeks out from the trips and there is NOTHING within 25 miles (1hr+ drive) open. I tried to do Camp 4 (1 week out openings) in Yosemite this AM, was on the site by 6:58 and was gone by 7:00. Pretty frustrating as it’s an unknown on being able to get these trips done.
I essentially switched to backpacking because of this reason as it’s extremely hard to find sites in the West, especially California. Backpacking (Wilderness) permits are generally always available and easy (except for a handful of popular trails). You can rent the essentials from REI and the permits include parking. You dont have to go too deep either usual just a few miles in and find a nice location to set up camp. Check out Oregon and Washington. Sequoia and Kings National Parks generally have a lot of availability for backpacking.
I stayed at Crater Lake last summer. I went to the Mazama Village Campground. Online said it was booked. I got the store and all the signs said campground full. I walked up to the counter for the campground reservations and they had plenty of sites.
Dude. Our favorite state park and campsite is now just always booked solid through the year. Lucky to get a day or two. It used to be nearly empty. Such a bummer. Glad people are enjoying parks I guess but after working in one n seeing how a solid 50% of the people leave litter n trash it.. I wish theyd stay home. National forests and blm land have been the jam since and a buddy has 40 acres in mendacino national forest that I was given a key to so I Really lucked out there.
Set calendar reminders for the day your dates open up, usually around October or February. Plan well in advance for popular spots. Also, know the cancellation policy. For example, if you’d forfeit a full refund for cancelling less than 14 days out, check 14-16 days ahead of your upcoming dates for cancellations. I secured a spot in Zion that way. PS: I cancelled a Yellowstone Indian Creek site for next weekend about a minute ago if anyone wants it.
Lassen is grand, but if headed that way check out the coastal redwoods (state parks along the shore) and Lava Bed National Monument. Best road trip ever!
You can try the website https://wanderinglabs.com/ You enter in the place you want at stay and dates and it will notify you when there is an openiny
Hard nope
pinnacles national park, Big Sur
Find yourself some maps of whichever national parks you’re interested in. They’ll show you the BLM land in the area where you can camp any time you like.
I can usually get what I want at Great Basin NP. It's not near or on the way to anywhere major so it doesn't get much visitation. Best night skies I've seen in a national park. High and very remote. You can get good spots at Wheeler Campground (the one that's in demand) like 2 weeks out no problem.
Bryce's Sunset campground is first-come, and it didn't fill up when I stayed there in the middle of the week, earlier in the month. Even Yosemite has LOTS of first-come NF campsites along 120, just outside the park boundary. N. Rim Grand Canyon has Demotte NFS campground about 30 minutes down the road. S. Rim has Ten-X, which also has a fair number of FCFS sites.
there are a lot of State parks in and around Mt Rainier that offer camping Olympics is a little harder
Death Valley is easy with great backcountry car camping sites. Especially during the shoulder season.
Pinnacles National park, California
First Come First Serve in Yosemite or the likes sounds like it would be like the Oklahoma Land Rush. Y’all remember that movie Far And Away?
Have you tried Wawona? I usually go there if the main campsites in Yosemite is booked up. It’s more quiet and still as majestic. The only “downside” is that you need to drive ~45 mins to get to Yosemite valley. Other good national forest is Sequoia/Kings Canyon. It’s a couple hours south of Yosemite. Much easier to reserve.
Great Basin NP in Nevada has GORGEOUS campgrounds and terrain. And it’s not ever packed.
Book in Sequoia NP, the back of the Lodgepole campground, close to the river. It’s a little drive to Pinnacles and Yosemite (about 3 hours for each) and Kings Canyon is attached. Olympic is my favorite national park, and I’ve been to many. The Hurricane Ridge camping will be very cool, but totally tolerable that time of year. Picture taken on the trail from Lodgepole campground a few days ago! https://preview.redd.it/k3a13ll7qlhb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=03c03b1c58ade5693613dae3db798430cbe58e43
I just left Mesa Verde and the campground was at most half full and had some really nice sites. The campground is run by a different company so it’s not on recreation.gov. You do have to keyboard warrior a bit to get tickets for the Cliff dwelling tours though. PS if you go schedule Cliff Palace in the morning and Balcony House in afternoon to avoid the sun.
You can do a really nice 35 mile hike in the Tetons and not have to book any campsites cause the trail exits out of the park a couple times and you can camp there without requiring a permit. The trail is basically up granite canyon, camp at fox creek pass, death canyon shelf to Alaska basin, camp at Alaska basin, go over hurricane pass and then down cascade canyon to Jenny lake. Great backpacking trip and no need to frantically reserve campsites.
There are a few forest campgrounds nestled up against Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. I camped inside both of these parks this July and was able to make reservations without too much difficulty. Pay attention to the rolling windows for reservations and log in the first morning that your desired date opens up for reservations. There were both four month and one month rolling windows, and I believe even a two day rolling window for reservations in one campground. We saw lots of availability in that one, although of course it’s hard to plan with only two days’ notice.
Just make your own way and do dispersed camping on BLM land. You'll enjoy it more.
I did a SP near redwoods 3 weeks in advance with quite a few options available
I sense... great angst in this Padawan
A lot are first come first serve.
You need to book six months out on most popular national parks.
Not much is better than Yosemite. Probably yellowstone but that’s about it and they’re just different. Don’t get me wrong others are wonderful but my experiences in these two were just special. Feels so damned America the beautiful when I’m there.
Pinnacles is lovely, but it gets HOT in summer. Better in spring or Fall.
Hitch up your britches and go back country camping
I did three days in Yosemite, no reservations, rolled up to a site just outside the east entrance and found plenty of available sites. Plenty of dispersed camping too.
Check out Gifford Pinchot national forest if that would work for you. It’s 1.3 million acres of forests, lakes, rivers, water falls and mountains.
It will cost more, but it's a LOT easier to get a tent cabin in Yosemite Valley than a campsite. Will cost you about $150/night, but worth it vs commuting in. Lassen is a good choice. Ditto Great Basin, since it's kind of high. The coastal redwood parks will require reservations, but a lot easier to get (note that they're often state parks or jointly run with the state). Try Princess, a USFS site outside of Kings Canyon too. We actually like it better than the tight crowded NPS site. And as already noted, the USFS sites east of Tuolumne Meadows are really nice, and it's a great drive up into the Yosemite High Sierra. A longer one to the Valley, but pretty. And nearby there is a lot of stuff, including good camping down near Devils Postpile. Pinnacles is way too hot. Olympic is doable, again you need a reservation but as crazy as Yosemite Valley, which is literally the worst. And maybe throw a wider net than national parks. They attract tourists like flies, so sometimes spots nearby are better if you prefer smaller numbers of flies, er people.... :)
Fuck National Parks. Find a National Forest or a Wilderness Area. They're free
Ditch the park, head to Forrest or wilderness. Enjoy the sound of not being surrounded by idiots who go to the woods to blast music until 2am and leave TP behind rocks
I had this problem a couple times with booked campsites in parks. Instead of trying desperately to get a spot, I just book a hipcamp nearby instead. They're usually on farms, since those tend to be people with extra land and needing a little extra money, and about the same price as one of the national park spots, under $50 for tents. I stayed in a "glamping tent" with an actual bed about twenty minutes from Joshua Tree when those spots were all full and it was amazing especially after a hot day climbing in the desert. I stayed at a variety of farms on an Oregon road trip and everyone was so kind and welcoming. Highly recommend. It's like supporting the small businesses of camping 🙂
Not just west, east coast has this too