Arches National Park
Sometimes you just can’t go wrong by staying at a National Park such as Arches just north of Moab in Utah.
Words by Jason Betzing
Last year, my wife and I were travelling just outside of Tucson, AZ. We pulled into what was supposed to be a highly-rated campground for the night. When we arrived, the office had a sign in bold letters warning us the water had high Nitrate concentrations and wasn’t drinkable. Since it was still early in the day, we quickly cancelled our reservation and found another (and better) campground about 20 minutes away.
Another time, during our first year on the road full-timing, we settled in a campground in Littlefield, TX. All was going well until we plugged into the campground’s electricity. To our surprise, the convection microwave, fireplace, and entertainment system fried all at once due to bad power, which is when I realized why it’s so important to have surge protectors.
There are a number of other reasons why campgrounds can be disappointing. After more than four years of full-timing, we have learned to recognize the less-than-desirable spots to stay for the night. There are many great, effective ways of finding a good RV park on the road and just as many solutions to comfortably stay at one for the short term when you don’t.
Robert Gourley
It’s pretty disappointing to drive many kilometres out of the way only to find the campground has been closed for years.
Update Gear Based on Experience
Although bad experiences at campgrounds for us have been few and far between over the years, it’s still important to be prepared to offset problems should there be an unexpected issue with the water, power, non-operating amenities, etc.
To offset some of these problems, our quality water filter system, surge protector, generator, solar, spare sewage/water hoses, and electrical connection adapters are great tools to use. We also travel with empty waste tanks and always like to fill up with fresh water right before visiting a campground. Being prepared - even with these simple best practices - helps us shrug off any campground issues that would have otherwise ruined our stay.
Another way to prevent a bad campground experience is to avoid the park altogether. By this we mean arriving at a campground early enough in the day so there’s time to cancel and find another campground at a decent hour (and not in the dead of night). Although it’s not always possible, we often travel only three hours a day, which provides us with the chance to change our plans early enough if we don’t like an RV park that we planned to stay at.
Just recently, we visited a campground in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After maneuvering our fifth wheel into our ‘pull through’ site, we realized it was just too cramped. We couldn't extend the slides on one side and the hookups were not 50-amp like we were told - there was just a 30-amp post that we had to share with another RV. We quickly brought this to the attention of the campground manager, received a full refund and then left only to find a new favourite RV park up the road.
Bureau land Management Oregon and Washington
Boondocking is another great option on Crown land but requires some research if you’re new to an area.
Reserve a Site Wisely
Before booking a campground, be sure to determine the rate and understand the park’s cancellation policy. A few years ago, we drove off the highway long after dark to fuel up and saw a billboard for an RV park. We called and there was space available but we didn’t ask what the rate was. When we arrived, the fee for one night was $65 USD only to find that we had a horrible spot and there wasn’t a refund policy. Lesson learned!
My wife and I are creatures of habit and if we find an RV park that we like, we'll just automatically go there the next time we pass through the area. This concept usually works great, but we have learned that campground policies can change since the previous visit. During our last time in California, we visited a campground that we stayed at many times. We quickly learned that the new owners began allowing long-term stays. In addition to being in really bad shape, the rate had increased! We decided to stay since we were already on-site and enjoy the area, but we won't return.
Huron Manistee National Forests
Rustic sites may not have all the amenities you want, but they can offer a lot of peace and quiet.
Boondocking vs. RV Resorts
The immaculate grounds and number of amenities at a resort-style RV park have many benefits but there are few aspects to consider. The first one is cost as many of these facilities command a premium price. Another aspect is the crowds since most of them are destination parks with many sites, which translates to a lot more people.
We have learned that rustic campgrounds or boondocking locations are often great options. There may not be full hookups, amenities and a little out of the way from the Interstate, but the trade-off is peace and quiet, and a chance to relax with fewer people around.
How We Find the Perfect Campground
We like to research a campground we plan on staying at by referring to Good Sam and Passport America Campground directories as well as reading online consumer reviews. Once we find one we like, we'll call ahead from the road for more information. If we still like it, we reserve a site over the phone. There’s nothing worse than following a Google Map to an RV park several kilometres off a highway to discover it's been closed for years or it's a mobile home park. Yes, we have experienced both of these situations.
We also ask a lot of other RVers we meet where they have stayed (or planning on staying) to find a good location or one to avoid. We also scout out other RV parks when in a certain area to find alternate options the next time we visit.
PS Yellowstone National Park
Speaking with other RVers is also invaluable when looking for a reputable RV park.
Reading online reviews can be helpful but sometimes they are only semi-reliable. For example, we've stayed at some great places that had poor or mixed reviews, while disliking other parks that had five-star ratings.
One year we stayed at an RV park in Mississippi for two months, which had horrible reviews based mostly on their laundry and bathroom facilities. As we normally use the washroom and do laundry in our fifth wheel, we were pleasantly surprised by how friendly and clean the RV park was - not to mention how close it was to everything we wanted to see in the area.
When to Leave and When to Stay
While it’s easy to leave an undesirable campground, there is sometimes a fine line between unacceptable and tolerable. For us, if a campground is unsafe in any way, we’ll leave - even if we don't get a refund. The risk isn't worth it.
In other cases when we are not happy with a certain RV park, we’ll quickly weigh our options based on getting a refund, the availability of other campgrounds in the area or if we are alert enough to keep driving. This provides some additional perspective on whether to settle in or roll on.
Jason Betzing and his wife sold it all in Michigan to live their full-time RV dream nearly four years ago. When he retired at age 40, they decided winter is a drag and travelling is more fun than shovelling snow. Betzing loves helping people through sharing authentic, first-hand experiences. Connect on Instagram @FullTimeFire, or his blog at www.MilesTwoGo.com