I need HELP!!!: "walk-up" campsites

"walk-up" campsites

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Topic: "walk-up" campsites

Posted By: EchoGale
Subject: "walk-up" campsites
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2019 at 10:08pm

Hi everyone,

I've had two great little trips with my new-to-me 172 and am learning a lot. I live in north Florida so its easy to get to some fun places without going too far. I'm noticing state parks with sites available but marked "walk-up only." I get the basic part of what that means but can anyone give me insight on how these work? If there seems to be four available am likely to get one? How early should I be there to get one? This all seems a bit crazy to me: I'm supposed to get up at the crack of dawn, all ready to go camping, haul my camper there only to not get a site and turn around to go home? Am I missing something? Advice from experience would be appreciated.

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Julie

Replies:

Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2019 at 10:21pm

Walk-up or walk-in campsites usually means it's a tent site with parking for a vehicle (like a car or SUV) at some distance away, maybe 50 feet, maybe 500 feet, maybe more.

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r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!

Posted By: EchoGale
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2019 at 10:31pm

Thanks for the reply. In Florida public parks at least, "walk-in" means this, but "walk-up" means you can't reserve them in advance and just have to show up. They very specifically indicate that they can accommodate a trailer and have water and electric hookups. Can't figure out how people do this though.

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Julie

Posted By: Live2Camp
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2019 at 10:48pm

Originally posted by EchoGale

Thanks for the reply. In Florida public parks at least, "walk-in" means this, but "walk-up" means you can't reserve them in advance and just have to show up. They very specifically indicate that they can accommodate a trailer and have water and electric hookups. Can't figure out how people do this though.

Welcome Gale! Here in the west, and sounds like there too, "walk-in" is only that. And "walk-up" is "first come first served" (FCFS). I've done both, different situations. For FCFS sites, which I've used many times but NOT with a trailer, I would leave my trailer parked elsewhere if driving into the campground to secure a site or driving to a campground office which many state parks have, for same. Meaning, not hauling the trailer into tight spaces if I wasn't guaranteed a site. If you do get a FCFS site, they'll give you a tag or something to indicate it's yours and you can also leave a camp chair in the site (I secure ours with bike locks when they're the only thing in the site). That way if you don't get one of the sites, you can leave more easily. And all of that said, some State Park CGs are really spacious and it might be possible to drive through WITH your trailer as part of checking for a site. Get there really early and if it's a campground office, you can sit in line in your camp chair and drink your own coffee or tea while you're waiting. I hope this helps, or at least is food for thought. Have fun and I hope you are able to get a site!

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2017 R-Pod 179 HRE (the green one)
His:Ford F150 double cab 4WD; Hers/mine:Tacoma V6 double cab 4WD
Still love rugged, diggin' comfy too

Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 12:09am

The benefit of those sites is that you can, at least sometimes, get a site even the high season without a reservation. For some people, that's probably incomprehensible but for others it can be a lifesaver. Yeah, it may be nuts to tow a rig around with 2 kids and not have a reservation at every step of the way, but sometimes things happen, your plans get out of sync, and you need a place to stay. Your choice might be a Walmart parking lot 75 miles a way, or a very nice state park close by. You've always got a chance if the campground has a few sites for which they don't take reservations.

I've gotten primo sites in National Parks a couple of times by spending one night at a nearby campground, and then zooming over to the more desirable campground early in the morning to snag one of those sites as people leave. It can work, but it's not the best way to plan a trip.

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2010 176
FJ Cruiser

Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 7:05am

I wouldn't plan a trip around using walk ups, but so far, a dozen or so times, never have we not gotten a site.

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Posted By: Happy Tripping
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 7:45am

Two big variables -

#1 the park

Some are so heavily used you could never expect to get a spot.

#2 Time of week

Weekends are usually pretty well booked at nice government run places, but during the week spots usually open up except at places like Yellowstone or in the Smokies. We stop at a state park near Richmond VA and even there, spots MAY open up during the middle of the week.

I never travel without reservations if I can help it tho, driving is enuf hassle!

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 12:51pm

I agree with Happy Tripping. If you’re not in one of the really popular parks and you move camp on mon-weds and arrive early you stand a good shot. Lots of parks only have about half the sites on reservations.

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: EchoGale
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2019 at 3:18pm

Thanks for the help! The Florida parks are, as you know, very busy but reserve america indicates how many are "walk-up only" on any given day. There are three next week on Thursday through the weekend and the park is about 2 hours from me. I might give it a shot...if I do I'll let you know how it goes.

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Julie