Choosing a Campgroud

How do you go about choosing a campground that will be appropriate for your needs?  To a large extent you can just pick a campground because you like it or because someone recommended it,  it is convenient, or you have heard or read good things about it.  Truly bad campgrounds are few and far between, so you can seldom go wrong.  The most common complaints are noise (usually from traffic on nearby facilities or roads, sometimes from uncontrolled tenants  or noisy neighbors) but sometimes you may encounter a poorly maintained facility and/or unpleasant management.  The only real shield against that is checking out the parks beforehand as best you can.  Look for online reviews or call local public park rangers or even law enforcement or check with local businesses or contact the Better Business Bureau.  Members of the Good Sam Club can check the Good Sam or Trailer Life directories for ratings.  Better yet, do a drive by and check it out yourself if you can.  Generally you cant count on any campground rated as a "Good Sam Park" to have been well screened to ensure a quality experience.  If you're on the road you may need to find an available spot as night time approaches so you might end up just taking your chances wherever you find a "VACANCY" sign, but is always good to plan ahead if you can.  If you're new to RVing, OHVing, and/or camping, here are some things to help you figure out your best options.  First of all, your camping life style will determine whether you need an RV park or a tent camping space.   If you're in an RV, your need or desire for comforts and conveniences will dictate between boondocking or a full hook up campground.  Some forest service campgrounds allow RVs, but don't have any hook ups so you'll have to be prepared to dry camp if you go there.  Forest Service campgrounds also frequently have size limitations.   Dry camping in a tent versus staying in a campground is less of a difference than dry camping in an RV compared to full hook ups, but you still need to consider whether you have the will and the equipment and supplies for remote camping.   If you're staying in a campground you will probably have access to water and toilets. If you're camping in primitive "dispersed camping" areas, you won't.   If you're into OHV riding, you will need to choose a location that gives you access to OHV trails.   Often this means dry camping on open BLM lands where there are no existing facilities.  Even though a majority RV buyers much prefer units that are self-contained something like 3/4 or more usually stay in developed campgrounds with hookups where they seldom use the self contained features.

How large is your group?   If it's just your immediate family you'll probably only need one space but if you're group camping, you may need to reserve several spots and/or a group facility.  If you're boondocking with a group you'll need to locate and stake a claim on a spot big enough for everyone you are expecting to join you.  Designated campgrounds may require advance reservations for groups and you can usually request adjacent sites so you'll be near each other.  When group camping in primitive areas it is best to get their early and stake out an area for your group before all the good spots are taken.  This is especially important on holiday weekends where there will be a lot of competition for sites.  We always tried to get out on Tuesday before Thanksgiving weekend be make sure we could stake out our favorite staging area for our Desert Rat group's annual "Turkey In The Dirt".

The kinds of activities you plan to enjoy will further refine your choices.  If you're into water sports, you'll want to be close to a lake, beach, or marina. OHV riding usually means headed out to open BLM or forest service lands, but there are a few developed campgrounds with access to OHV trails. I spent a summer as an ATV mechanic at one such resort in Utah.   If you are focusing on visiting specific historical sites, pick a campground that provides convenient travel to your various destinations.  For example, Pinewoods Resort in Duck Creek Village, Utah, where I worked, has direct access to 500 miles of ATV trails and is centrally located between Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. For most of our dirt bike outings in southern California we dry-camped in open BLM camping areas in the Mojave Desert.  As I recall there was one private RV park outside of California City that also catered to dirt bikers but most everyone dry camped in open camping areas.   It may take some research to locate the perfect place for your needs.  The good news is you'll probably have fun and enjoy yourself anywhere you camp.   But over time you'll find some places you like better than others and will want to return often.

Campgrounds versus RV parks.  Many, but not all, campgrounds include both tent camping spaces and RV spaces.  Some may allow one or the other but not both. It isn't unusual to find forest service campgrounds that have RV restrictions.  Some may not even accept them at all while others will have size restrictions. Private campgrounds may be limited by the size of their available spaces.   Note that size restrictions are NOT arbitrary ways to harass RVers.  They are usually based on legitimate physical restraints like the size of the spaces themselves or limitations on access roads.   Long RVs in short spaces leave part of your rig extending out and blocking the road or parking on and damaging landscaping. Roads may be narrow or have sharp turns that don't accommodate rigs beyond a certain size.  There may be weight, height, and width limits on bridges on access roads getting there.  To avoid uncomfortable situations where you don't have anyplace to turn around and have to back out of untenable routes, pay attention to size restrictions, which are usually posted well in advance.  Some RV parks don't have tent camping spaces and will not allow tents to be set up in RV spaces.   Be sure you understand the available resources and any restrictions BEFORE you book a reservation or commit your plans to a particular location.  When you roll in at midnight it is NOT the time to learn your rig isn't accepted or you can't set up your tent at your planned destination.

Boondocking or dry camping gives you a lot of choices.  Many forest and BLM lands are open for dispersed camping, which means you can camp just about anywhere in the open areas.  Others may allow camping only in designated areas.  Still, if you are willing and able to camp without hookups, your options will be greatly expanded.  There are seldom size restrictions on open camping areas although there may be size considerations on the roads getting there.  If you ride OHVs it is likely dry camping in open areas will be the best if not the only way to have direct access to trails.  When camping in open areas, try to take advantage of places others have already camped.   This will usually make your setup easier as well as minimizing the impact on the environment.   By using a previously used campsite someone else will have already found the most level spot and will probably have already built a rock fire pit.  Don't know of any existing camp sites?   Stop in and chat with the local BLM ranger.  If you can't do that, look for tire tracks that lead off the road, then look for areas that have been previous used as indicated by disturbed vegetation and a primitive rock fire ring.

If you need or want hook ups be sure to check web sites or call ahead to confirm you can get what you need. Some RVs are wired for 50 amp electrical service.  Older campgrounds may have only 30 amp electrical connections.   Using an adapter you can still connect your 50 amp rig to a 30 amp pedestal, but you will only have 30 amps of power available so you won't be able to run multiple high-powered appliances (like air conditioners) at the same time.  And, of course, you'll need to have an appropriate adapter so pick one up before you need it.   If you really need to run both air conditioners at once on a large RV, make sure you have full 50 amp power or plan on running your generator when you need both air conditioners.   Sewer and water connections are pretty standard at most locations that have hook ups and usually don't require special adapters.  However, it is a good idea to carry a multi-size sewer adapter, just in case.   If you are camping in freezing weather, bring along some heat tape to wrap your water hose AND the pipe all the way to the ground to prevent it from freezing.  Tent campers usually don't need or can't use hook ups, but at least having water faucets and toilets available in a developed campground is a valuable consideration.  During late season (fall) outings you may find restrooms have been closed and water shut off, so find out ahead of time so you can bring enough water to last as long as you plan to stay.

Primitive campgrounds are usually designed for tent camping but can sometimes accept small RVs. They won't usually have any kind of hookups but may have water available at shared community faucets to refill your fresh water tank.   Be considerate of other campers and don't monopolize the faucet.   Some primitive campgrounds will have flush toilets but many older sites will have only pit toilets inf they even have that.  In "the old days" pit toilets were often very foul smelling and dirty. These days most are regularly pumped out and pressure washed and quite acceptable and far superior to digging your own latrine, but they'll still probably not be as pleasant as flush toilets or your own RV, especially on long weekends when they may get a lot of use between cleanings.   Poor conditions in public toilets and showers is one of the reasons people like to have their own RVs.

Commercial RV parks and campgrounds often provide loads of activities and amenities, along with full hook ups.   Ofttimes the additional conveniences are well worth the extra cost. These days you can check out most facilities on the Internet and read reviews from previous guests so you have a pretty good idea what to expect.  If you still have questions, give them a call.   Any reputable establishment will be happy to answer your questions.

Good Sam Parks.  The Good Sam Club reviews thousands of campgrounds each year.   Those that qualify as Good Sam Parks have to meet specific criteria of cleanliness, appeal, and functionality and offer a 10% discount to Good Sam Club members.   Even if you're not a Good Sam member, the Good Sam Park rating ensures a quality and consistency of facilities and services for everyone.

Membership campgrounds offer free or discounted camping to folks who pay an annual membership fee.  Membership camping is a good option for many people but you need to be sure you can and will make use of their facilities before you lay out a chunk of money for membership. Membership camping organizations have strict rules that govern availability, cleanliness, and functionality, delivering a high level of consistency among their member campgrounds.  Some require advance reservations and may have "black out" dates so be sure you are properly prepared so you don't get turned away in the middle of a trip or be asked to pay unexpected extra fees.

Fire restrictions may be a serious concern, depending on location and season.   During the fire season you can expect restrictions against open fires just about anywhere you go.  So, if a campfire or bonfire is part of your plans, make sure you choose a campground where it will be allowed.  Most forest service and many BLM areas will have posted Fire Danger signs.  NEVER ignore a Fire Danger sign.  They aren't just there to scare you or keep you from having fun! High Fire Danger designates a condition where fires are easily started and quickly spread.  Even the heat from the catalytic converter on your vehicle exhaust system can ignite dry grass so stick to the roads when the fire danger is high.

Private versus public campgrounds.  Your choice will probably be determined by other factors such as location, availability of spaces, and compatibility with planned activities.  Sometimes you will find both private and public (government operated) campgrounds in the same area.   Usually, but not always, private campgrounds will have more complete facilities and more amenities and will be more expensive.  Public campgrounds, operated by various government agencies (city, county, state and federal), will usually have more limited resources since they are not profit-oriented and their budgets are often at least partially based on tax revenues.   They usually don't have amenities to compete with private campgrounds.  Make sure you compare the features as well as price when comparing campgrounds.   Prices at campgrounds near major attractions, like national parks or theme parks, may be higher prided because of their location without providing any additional amenities.  The convenience may be worth the additional cost but sometimes you will save money or gain features by driving just a little further.

Camp out!