The Internet has made booking campground reservations faster and easier than ever. But it also has enabled people to make reservations at state park, Forest Service, and national park campgrounds that they don’t really plan to use.
As a result, there’s a lot of available campsite inventory available this summer than campground reservation websites suggest, 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.
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.
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.