We've heard this idea - put everybody on the reservation system - from several sources. It's an idea that might work in some places but the key word here is "National". Having each and every national forest campground taking reservations would be a logistical nightmare. Think about it - reservations would be sent to someone, perhaps the District office, who must somehow get this information to the campground which in most cases doesn't have a landline for a telephone, isn't in cellphone range, and very often is off the powergird. And that is assuming there is someone, a campground host, who is at the campground most days to receive the information. I think you can see the challenges involved in putting all campsites into the reservation system.

Besides I have a couple of philosophical problems with this idea. Both have to do with the charge one must pay to make a reservation. First, the $9 plus charge seem to me to be wrong. You don't pay to reserve a hotel room so why do I have to pay for a campsite? And if I must pay this fee, why isn't it going into the Forest Service's pocket? Second, is the affordability of adding the $9 plus reservation fee to the campground's regular fee. (Example: Oconee NF's Lake Sinclair campground is $9/night so the cost of a two night stay would be $27.) If the national forests are for everyone to use and enjoy, doesn't a $9 plus reservation fee reduce the number of people who might have gone camping?

I'm starting to rant - sorry- but there has to be way to insure all can enjoy camping in their national forests.

FYI - According to our research less than 50% of all national forest campgrounds have sites that are reserveable. See earlier comment about 60-40 campsite reservation ratio.

Thanks for your reply Suzi. You raise some excellent points.

I can understand the challenges you outline but benefits seem to far outweigh the challenges and I think there are ways to resolve the issues you mention in your post.

In the interest of acting in the interest of all citizens, federal campground parks should grant equal access to all and this is hardly the case currently. For example, I live in Altanta and for us working stiffs, I must travel 75 miles to the mountains, all loaded up on a Friday after work, in hopes of finding a wilderness camping spot, only to find that most are frequently taken by “squatters” who park their rig on a site unoccupied thus “holding” it for the weekend. And in many cases, the better spots are tied up on most weekends anyway by the locals because they live closer and can get to the sites sooner just because of their proximity to the campground.

A reservation system makes the playing field level for all and since most non-federal campgrounds have already gone to this kind of system, I doubt that it is because they are losing money. The Federal park sytem simply needs to step into the 21st century and get with the program - - meaning phone and internet reservations.

I also get the feeling that many people avoid national park campgrounds for some of the very reasons I mention above and our government might be surprised at the additional income they could derive if the system was more fair for all.

As for the money issue, I agree that a large percentage of the reservation fee should go back to the individual parks but since I’m not familiar with how recreation.gov (for example) handles this, I really can’t comment on that. Certainly the people who manage the system should get some percentage of the fee for doing most of the reservation work but not all of it. And I do think it’s reasonable to hold a certain number of sites for “drive-ups.”

As for the lack of hosts at campgrounds to enforce the system, one need only print their authorization form from the web to access the site and this system is alive and well for many places that accept such reservations. Concert tickets, baseball games and access to other national park venues come to mind so that this should not be an insurmountable problem. Additonally, the folks who currently collect the fees from the lock boxes might be instrumental in ensuring that the reservation rules are enforced and at most parks, a park ranger is usually not far from any particular campground with or without a host. Add to the fact that most “camping people” are generally good, decent and honest folks and I don’t think there would be much of a problem.

There may be some parks for which the system would not work, but I think that it could work for most of them if given a try and why shouldn’t we at least give it try? Consider too that with a reservation system, the gov’t gets the money quicker thus enabling them to collect interest money on all fees collected prior to the campsite actually being occupied; something that might help with the current budget crunch that is causing many wilderness areas to close.

As for the 60/40 rule, most campsites should be reservable with the understanding that all sites must be reserved at least two weeks in advance. This give drive-ups plenty to choose from when they visit a campground and sites are not occupied.

There may be other problems with the system but I’m sure they could likely be worked out and I for one would start using our federal campgrounds much more often if the system of getting a site was easier.

I would also like to thank you, Suzi, for responding to my earlier email to you where you made a suggestion as to who I should write to formally about this. You indicated that I should take it to the highest level by writing to the following contact and copying the local forest supervisor (on the Forest Service’s web page) as well as my Federal representative in Washington:

Gail Kimbell
Chief of the Forest Service
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, D.C.
20250-0003
(202) 205-1661

I’m including this info here with the hope that any others who feel the same as i do (and even those who don’t) will write to the appropriate person to express their opinion. Hopefully there’s a solution that everyone will be able to enjoy and like better than the current system.

It’s late and as a working person, I must go to bed now. I am planning to go camping this weekend but it won’t be to a federal campground because by leaving on a Friday after work, I probably won’t be able to get a spot and I don’t want to risk going there and not getting one.

Oh well. I guess those dollars will just have to go to a campground that supports reservations and that, in my opinion, is unfortunate and a shame.

Thanks again for your reply,

Neal

I would like to respond to Neal's post reagarding reservations. He prefers reservations so that the playing field is equal, I guess I don't understand his logic. If someone goes early and pays for several days even though they are not there isn't that bringing in more money to the campground than holding a site for a two day weekend camper? Perhaps Neal could move closer to the campground so he could be a "squatter" and could then guarantee his choice of sites by being there first. I realize this is an over simplification of the problem but I feel his response was also over simplified and tilted towards his own interests.

I feel like paying a reservation fee equal to the amount of an overnight stay is too much. We stayed in a NFCG recently(without reservation) and the payment went to a vendor and the charge was about twice what it has been in the past. We chose to go to a state park just down the road for about $2 more per night and have electric hookup and very nice bathhouses for the balance of our stay.

I understand we cannot please everyone all of the time however raising fees in a time when travel is costing so much more does not bode well for the parks.

Dewey

Our families are planning a trip to Osceola National Forest, FL Oecan Pond CG for the X-mas Holidays...we live in WPB and Atlanta. Just checked out their website and no reservation...I can not believe in this time and age that the whole NF system is not on a resevertaion system...You have any idea what it is to travel 400 miles and find out there are no campsite available that everything is first come first served its crazy.[color=blue][/color]

Over Labor Day weekend we traveled to a National Forest Campground in upper state Minnesota. This is a campground we frequent two/three times a year. Our reservations needed to be made four days ahead of time, but knowing the area would be very popular we arranged everything three weeks before travel. So for the first time we used the reservation system paying the extra $9 to insure our two and a half hour drive would have a site waiting for us. Sure enough 16 of the 22 sites were taken. What was left were sites not large enough to accommodate our motor home.
If I'm traveling across country and want to stay a few days in a site, it really is beneficial knowing I can reserve a spot that can meet my needs. As a retiree, we are able to travel more often during times when most folks are unable to camp do to school and work. We are supporting the National Forest Service by camping in the "off season" still supplying funds for this great service.
May we all continue to enjoy the wonders of the outdoors.

In our opinion, we are willing to pay any required fee for a reservation if the torment of not having a site is eliminated. When you compare the sites costs in most NF CG are less than $23 compare to a private decent CG which can run up to $80...paying an extra $5 to $10 to us is reasonable.

I'm in Texas so camping season here is basically a year round event. Our campgrounds are usually pretty full on weekends so without reservations it would be hopeless. I am in 199% support of the reservation system but sure with the national parks didn't charge such a high reservation fee.

We spend about three months each summer wandering around the western national forests. Often, very often, we arrive early in the week and find the campground nearly empty, except for the handful of non-reservable sites which are filled with folks like us. We then spend a couple days haunting those non-reservable sites to see if one will come open. Otherwise we are on the street come Friday. The locals book the reservables for the weekends months in advance. A large campground on a lake in northern Colorado was almost empty but had zero non-reservables. A very nice CG near Red Lodge MT had only 3 sites that were first come. I see a very valid need to have some reservable for those who must plan on a specific location and a date certain. Just give us balance. BTW, hi to everyone. I have used this very valuable site in the past, but just joined so I could rant. Bill

We do not make reservations as we travel since we never know where we're going to be or when.

I'm not totally against Forest Service campgrounds having reservations available, but I don't think that more than 50% of the sites should be reservable. I also strongly object to paying $9, or whatever the current charge is, to make a reservation. Since we both have a Golden Age Passport, we can stay in federal campgrounds for half-price...a $9 reservation fee for a $5 (or less) per night spot is ridiculous!

This is part of why I dislike the reservation system...locals grabbing up all the reservable spots for the entire season and then the spots sit empty on the weekends the locals decide they don't want to come out to camp.

IMO, if a spot is still empty by, say, 6 PM, then it should be made available to someone else.

It sure is great seeing all of your opinions about the reservation system. Some of you haven't voted in the two polls displayed on this forum - sure wish you would. The narratives are excellent, but also seeing the poll results gives everyone a quick idea of overall opinions . . . Fred

Fred, I didn't vote because neither option reflected my views. I don't care if all NFS CGs have reservations, so long as there is a balance. Just give me a descent chance of getting a site without one. No guarantee, just a reasonable chance. I usually arrive at a new CG on Tuesday. I kills me to see a nearly empty CG, but if I stay, I have to be gone by Friday. Bill

I am in my 2nd year of camp hosting and from my exp. the people taking the reservations have never been camping nor do they get enough information on the camp sites themselves as far as being able to back in a 28ft trailer into a T entrance with a narrow road and the spur is only 30 ft. just an example. And as far as having a ranger close to the campgrounds forget it they just don't have the man power even if called it could take up to 2 hrs to arrive they just have to many square miles to cover. What we need as camp host is a furnished land line if we are in a reservation campground and not wait for someone to deliver the reservations. Last year reservation campground, this year non reservation campground. I voted 60-40

Voyager

Hello,
I wrote them a long review and i guess i didn't do something write cause i can't find it here. I'm not writing all that again, sorry Alexa. highlights are i got my flights and i'm happy! my out of pocket was $155.60, i had already given them $75 at the beginning so i had to put $80.50 on my debit card.


Thanks
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LED tail lights

I agree, I can also make a reservation at COE CG's & not be charged a fee for the reservation, why not at NP & NF, it's the same system.