Tips for Making Campsite Reservations at Popular Locations

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Looking to strike gold and reserve a campsite at a popular area this peak season? Demand for popular campsites remains high, but with an alternate plan in mind, you may strike it rich with an unexpected off-the-beaten-path gem. Keep in mind, many locations that were first-come, first-served may now require advanced reservations. This may include high-demand recreation sites at forests, parks, and refuges, and for activities when smaller groups are desired.

Here are some tips that may be applied to any high-demand location that tends to book up quickly.

A few simple steps can set you up for success

Tip #1: Create or Log In to Your Recreation.gov Account

Campground nestled near a narrow creek under a stand of pine trees and the looming granite of Half D

Yosemite National Park (Michelle Hopkins, Share the Experience)

If you are new to Recreation.gov, start by creating an account. If you already have an account, we encourage you to log in and ensure your password and contact information are current.

Once you log in to your account, get comfortable with the site. Understand how to read the availability matrix, how to select dates, and where to discover additional opportunities nearby.

Pro Tip: If you can, select travel dates that do not include a Friday and Saturday. Instead of a week-long stay, consider a Sunday through Thursday trip.

Tip #2: Set Up Digital Wallet

A RV parked at a campground with yellow wildflowers and dramatic cliffs

Yellowstone National Park (Nancy Williams, Share the Experience)

Recreation.gov now offers a digital wallet feature that allows you to securely store and manage preferred payment methods in your Recreation.gov account for convenience at checkout. Payment methods can be saved through your Recreation.gov account before making a reservation or when checking out on the cart payment screen. By saving a preferred payment method ahead of time, you will not need to enter your credit card details at checkout. Simply review your cart, select a payment method, and you're good to go!

Note: The Recreation.gov digital wallet meets strict federal government requirements, including Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards – rigorous guidelines designed to keep credit card information safe and secure.

Tip #3: Know the On-Sale Dates

Campsites with vehicles in front of a wall of stone pinnacles

Joshua Tree National Park (Chris Wonderly, National Park Service)

Once you are logged in and ready to book, check the Seasons and Fees tab on the campground facility page to view the available booking windows and season dates. Plan accordingly – most campsites can be booked six months prior to your arrival date, and some popular campgrounds can book up in minutes, so it’s never too early to start dreaming and planning.

Pro Tip: Some locations offer shorter booking windows in addition to the standard six-month booking window. You will also find this information on the Seasons and Fees tab.

Tip #4: Be Ready on the Day!

A woman gazes out upon the Teton mountain range

Grand Teton National Park (Logan Mayer, Share the Experience)

On the day of the sale, log in well before the sale begins. Synchronize your clocks to the Recreation.gov clock (Coordinated Universal Time) to be sure you are poised to refresh at the exact time sites become available. Most campgrounds go on sale at 7am PT/8am MT/10am ET, but not always! Check the campground’s Seasons and Fees tab for the specific time and date.

Bring up the campground page and be ready to refresh your page at exactly the time sites are released for sale. To refresh the page, select the refresh button in the tool bar of your browser. You may have to string together multiple campsites if the site you want is not available for your entire stay.

Once you click Add to Cart, the campsite(s) and date(s) you selected are locked in your cart for 15 minutes to give you time to complete your reservation. If you do not complete the transaction after 15 minutes, the campsite is released for others to reserve.

Pro Tip: Do NOT log in to multiple browsers, multiple tabs, or multiple windows using the same account on the day reservations become available. You may be prompted to complete the reCAPTCHA challenge (designed to ensure you are a human and not a bot), adding extra time to the reservation process. Keep your eyes on the prize in one reservation window.

Tip #5: Explore Your Alternatives

Two tents and a picnic shelter in a grassy field in the Badlands

Badlands National Park (Linnea Cochran, Share the Experience)

Maybe you didn’t strike gold this time around. The beautiful thing about your public lands is there are endless opportunities, destinations, and experiences waiting for you just around the corner.

Here are a few more tips to stick in your backpack as you consider planning alternate trips:

Set an Availability Alert! Availability alerts will send you an email/notification if a booked campsite matching your preferences becomes available. This does not guarantee you a reservation as this alert will be sent to everyone who has alerts set for the same date.
To avoid the crowds, use Recreation.gov to find less explored, off-the-beaten-path destinations.
If you encounter a campground that does not have availability when you want to visit, use Recreation.gov to take a look at recommended sites nearby that may have space for you during that timeframe.

Locations often have peak seasons, and weekends tend to book up quickly as well. If you have flexibility in your schedule, you may find that shoulder seasons or weekday trips are ideal for avoiding the crowds.

Tip #6: Manage Your Reservation

Two friends take a selfie in front of a red rock butte

Canyonlands National Park (Alexander Smilor, Share the Experience)

No-shows are not cool. Please be sure to modify or cancel your reservations if you can no longer make your trip. This lets facility staff know you won't be there and frees up space for others to enjoy our public lands and waters!

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Camp, RV, and Explore Outdoors

Recreation.gov is your gateway to explore America's outdoor and cultural destinations in your zip code and across the country. We provide tools and tips to discover new adventures through a one-stop shop for inspiration and ideation, trip planning, information sharing, and reservations. Find incredible places and experiences that help you bring home a story through Recreation.gov!