Campground occupancies are down this summer compared to last year, partly because too many people continue to game campground reservation websites, according to the California Outdoor Hospitality Association
The Internet has made booking campground reservations faster and easier than it’s ever been before. It’s also enabled people to make reservations at State Park, Forest Service and National Park campgrounds that they don’t really plan to use, said Dyana Kelley, president and CEO of the California Outdoor Hospitality Association (CalOHA), which hosts Camp-California.com, the booking platform for mostly independently owned and operated campgrounds.
As a result, Kelley said, there’s a lot more campsite inventory available this summer than campground reservation websites suggest because many people continue to game online reservation systems.
THERE’S MORE CAMPSITES AVAILABLE THAN YOU THINK IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CAMPGROUNDS
“People are making reservations that they don’t really plan to use,” Kelley said. “They’re just trying to give themselves multiple camping options. But this behavior creates an illusion on many campground reservation websites that suggests that campgrounds are full, when many public and private campgrounds actually have available campsites.”
Kelley said campers are discovering the truth about summer campground occupancies when they show up at campgrounds and see scores of available campsites at campgrounds they thought were sold out, based on the information they gleaned from campground booking websites.
Gaming the Reservation System
“Many families plan camping trips months in advance at multiple campgrounds on multiple dates,” Kelley said. “They’ll have different family members book these campsites so they can secure a variety of options. Then, at a later time, they’ll figure out where and when they really want to camp. But they often won’t cancel their original reservations. The problem is that when thousands of families do this, it creates a perception that campgrounds everywhere are full, when that’s really not the case.”
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Kelley said people who want to camp in California this summer should not give up. She recommends looking into independently owned campgrounds. Camp-California.com, for its part, provides links to mostly independently owned and operated campgrounds across the state that are in highly sought after camping destinations, including locations just outside state and national parks and Forest Service lands.
Independently owned and operated RV parks and campgrounds, including parks with RV and tent sites as well as rustic and furnished cabins and glamping accommodations, such as furnished safari tents, yurts, tipis and covered wagons, often have available campsites and rental accommodations.
“There are a lot of independently owned and operated campgrounds in California that have vacancy right now,” Kelley said. “People assume campgrounds everywhere are full, like they were during the pandemic. That’s not the case.”
If you prefer to visit a California State Park or U.S. Forest Service campground, continue to revisit their websites, such as ReserveCalifornia.com and Recreation.gov. But also call their customer service phone numbers to inquire about campsites that have suddenly become available due to last-minute cancellations or simply as a result of people not showing up for reservations, they made online.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation last year that automatically forfeits the campground reservations for people who fail to show up for the first night of their reservation.
If a state park camper is a no-show three or more times in a calendar year, California State Parks can ban them from making new reservations for a year.
About Camp-California.com
Camp-California.com is hosted by the California Outdoor Hospitality Association, which is based in Auburn, Calif. For more information about campgrounds outside California’s state and national parks and other popular destinations or to receive a printed copy of the Camper’s Guide to California, please visit www.Camp-California.com.
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