Category: Public campgrounds

Are computers stealing your favorite campsite?

Russ De Maris
  By Russ and Tiña De Maris Ever tried making an online reservation for a popular campground – say Yosemite Valley – and just couldn’t get a spot? Maybe you set your alarm clock for the morning those precious spots “open” for reservation, and parked your coffee cup right next to your computer mouse. As the clock ticked away to... Read More

National park campground alternatives: Joshua Tree

Russ De Maris
By Russ and Tiña De Maris We never thought we’d see the day when it would be nearly impossible to find a spot for our RV in one of this California park jewels’ campgrounds. But the phrase we’ve been hearing so much lately, “Our national parks are being loved to death,” might apply to this Southern California not-so-quiet-anymore place. We... Read More

Visitor regrets mouthing off to rude park ranger

RV Staff
  Dear RV Shrink: During our recent travels to several national parks we have noticed a difference in Park Ranger attitude. Many of them seem burned out and annoyed that we were asking questions about park features, policy, directions and programs. I know they get asked the same questions a million times, but I would think it comes with the... Read More

Is it boondocking, dry-camping or blacktop boondocking?

RV Staff
  Here’s a question from a reader of RVtravel.com about boondocking.  Hi, Bob, I’m confused. I’ve heard the terms boondocking, dry-camping, blacktop boondocking, and others. Do they all mean the same thing or is there a difference?  —Alan F. Hi, Alan, You’re not the only one confused. There don’t seem to be any widely accepted definitions separating those terms. Most of... Read More

Dramatic geology at Red Rock Canyon State Park

RV Staff
  By Bob Difley The 50-site campground at Red Rock Canyon State Park is tucked into the base of colorful desert cliffs where once the Kawaiisu Indians hunted rabbits and small game. I was reminded of this when I had taken no more than a dozen steps outside my motorhome and confronted a coyote stalking a cottontail. Suddenly the coyote... Read More

Seeing through campground reservation “smoke and mirrors”

RV Staff
  Dear RV Shrink: We are in Yellowstone National Park and are finding our RV is too big to camp in some of the campgrounds. We tried to make a reservation today at Madison Campground and they tell us we will only fit into a 40-foot-plus site, but there are none available. They combined our total rig length (motorhome and... Read More

Tips for slipping your rig into a narrow campsite

RV Staff
  By Bob Difley You will find many of the most scenic, nature-focused, and “nesty” campgrounds in national and state forests and parks. They often are the least developed, with small pads (but with lots of space), crowded by trees, rocks, bushes, or other natural objects. But that’s why many of us choose these campgrounds — we would rather be crowded... Read More