Campgrounds after hours.

[slrayl]

When traveling at the end of August I was calling campgrounds to stop for the night along my route and all the offices were closed. My question is, do I just pull in and park and pay the next day, or find a Walmart? I don't mind paying 30 or 40 dollars a night, but I was afraid that the owner would jack the price up because I didn't have a reservation.

[whj77372]

Many RV parks have signs and handouts maps etc regarding how to handle RV parking after their offices are closed.

[Iwannacamp]

Lol. We stayed in one in Ohio that was an honor system(closed for the season I guess). Only hard part was figuring out the small number you were allowed to use.

Stayed in another COE in Kentucky I think that was closed...we finally took a chance, stayed the night and paid the next morning.

Most places know how it is and are willing to work with you. If they didn't want you in then there would be gates.

[Flybob]

Depends on where you are traveling. Many state park systems have one or two first come first served sites that can not be reserved. In addition some parks have gates and some are open. It also depends on location as some parks around major attractions are booked solid for the entire season. Suggest you call a few parks along your route ahead of time and check their policy.

[keith52]

Some but not all campgrounds will have some sort of instructions posted near the door. I always try to arrive in the late afternoon before the office closes. If you arrive after the office closes, just look for some late check in instructions. Most will say get a site and pay in the morning.

[A32Deuce]

I have called some and got held up getting there, but they had sheets to sign and pay and an after hours area to park,in with full hookups!

[fella10]

If we're traveling on the interstate, we choose welcome centers and rest stops, .... they have many advantages, ... can travel as late as we want and then stop, can start as early as we want the next day, don't have to leave the main drag to find them, don't have to plan ahead and make a reservation, ....

now the nay-sayers "if you can't afford the price of a campground every night LIKE I CAN, then you shouldn't be camping", .... over night stopping/sleeping ain't camping, its traveling, and the Welcome Centers and Rest Stops ain't free, we pay for them with our taxes, .... that's what they're there for, ..... even when they have signs "no over night parking", have never been kicked out, .... a sheriff sitting in a rest stop once told me, "we'd much rather a tired/sleepy driver was parked here for a while than out there on the road driving", ...

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by keith52

Some but not all campgrounds will have some sort of instructions posted near the door. I always try to arrive in the late afternoon before the office closes. If you arrive after the office closes, just look for some late check in instructions. Most will say get a site and pay in the morning.

As Flybob said above "Depends". I've had reservations at a state park and got there late and found an envelope with my name taped to a window of the gate house. I've pulled in at a state park after hours and found late check in instructions, also... found a list of open sites... picked one... paid in the morning. I've pulled in at a state park and found instructions to write my site number on an envelope, write my name on it, put correct amount of money in and stuff it in a drop box -- entirely honor system. [I didn't know the park so I didn't know a site number so I found an open site and paid a gate keeper in the morning.] If their gate is open, I take that as an invitation to enter and sleep.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by slrayl

When traveling at the end of August I was calling campgrounds to stop for the night along my route and all the offices were closed. My question is, do I just pull in and park and pay the next day, or find a Walmart? I don't mind paying 30 or 40 dollars a night, but I was afraid that the owner would jack the price up because I didn't have a reservation.

We typically will start calling places at 3-4 in the afternoon because we have a pretty good target of where we'll end up that night. In those cases, we figure out what their after hours check-in is.

In the case that we just pick a random place, yep- just pull in and find the office. There's often a published "after hours" process. Be aware, there are a handful of gated parks that you can't get into after hours.

And lastly, no- I've never found an owner or manager to jack up the price for folks without a reservation. Feel free to do it!

[mjones12]

There are sometimes camp hosts who can provide info and assistance if office is closed.

[BuzzWolfAR]

I have stayed in campgrounds that lower the price for late arrivals and early leavers, but they need cash people leave before the office opens.

Was a great deal.

[slrayl]

Thanks for the input. I was going to stop after hours but wasn't sure. I will next time.