[Heero[CntRmbrPwd]]

Mammoth Campground, Slough Campground, and Pebble Creek Campground (only sites 1-16) are now going reservations on recreation.gov with reservations taken 6mo out. Utter bullshit.

This probably belongs in Bitching Room. My last minute Lamar Valley fishing weekends are done, I guess - usually do a couple per summer as can always get site showing up at 6am. Not any longer, Id bet.

Le sigh.

[peetso]

I feel yer pain brother.

Seeing this up north too in almost all the parks, the days of spontaneity are over.

Sucks.

[Heero[CntRmbrPwd]]

It’s the way of the world.

Rec.gov ruins everything. Within a couple weeks of becoming available, everything is booked solid. I’d be surprised if the Jellystone campgrounds last more than a day.

Oh well.

Mar 24 they become available FYI. If someone is going to book them, it might as well be Drake people’s. It won’t be me - I can day trip it tho I’m gunna miss weekending it. Book when they become available if you’re planning a trip.

[Heero[CntRmbrPwd]]

I have a hard side camper now - bought a little teardrop. I can camp at the hard side- only places in Cooke City, I guess.

[The Wandering Blues]

I blame Covid. When that hit, RV sales went through the roof.

[Lando]

There will be a bunch of good used ones for sale here shortly.

Mike, just hike further. No ranger will follow tracks off trail. What would Heyduke do?

[Adams]

I feel your pain. The days of hovering around a campground to snake a spot as someone is packing up are getting to be a fond memory only.

In my job, I'm a schedule taker, and have little control over my calendar. Camping vacations are spur of the moment. With the move toward online reservations, its really getting tough to just pack and go.

[-G-]

There will be a bunch of good used ones for sale here shortly.

God I hope so. Covid had everyone flying up and down the highways here in MI all last summer and it made me sick. Suddenly being outdoors was fun. Now that brunch, clothes shopping, and work are things again im hoping the north woods will be less busy this year.

[The Po Thead]

I don’t know how it’s worked for you all down in the lower 48 and Canada, but this has been going on for MANY years for cabin rentals in the Tongass. Any of the USFS cabins around Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan (or any of the southeast Alaska towns with cabins on the road system) have always been that you need to book WAY in advance. COVID hasn’t really changed any of that up here.

My worthless 2 cents.

[peetso]

I don’t know how it’s worked for you all down in the lower 48 and Canada, but this has been going on for MANY years for cabin rentals in the Tongass. Any of the USFS cabins around Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan (or any of the southeast Alaska towns with cabins on the road system) have always been that you need to book WAY in advance. COVID hasn’t really changed any of that up here.

My worthless 2 cents.

It used to be just the National Parks, the crown jewels so to speak but in last 5 years or so its spread to all the provincial parks.

[Heero[CntRmbrPwd]]

Forest Service cabins have been on the reservation system for quite a while. The reservation system is probably ok for people planning a trip from elsewhere - takes much of the uncertainty out of finding a campground. Not so good for the person close by, wanting to grab a site on a whim. Dispersed camping can be tough, too - there are A LOT of people in the mountains these days. The only solitude I usually find is when I strap 50lbs on my back and go for a walk.

Anyway, just lamenting - belongs in Bitching Room, as I said. If youre planning to go to Jellystone to fish the Lamar Valley, remember to grab a site as soon as they become available the 24th!

[woolly bugger]

Reminds me of the time we drove to Baxter State Park looking for a campsite... and this was probable close to 40 years ago. Got to the ranger station and got the blank stare, "We're all booked up" so we took a look at the exhibits and were about to leave, when they called out, "We just got cancellation, you can have a lean-to for one night!" We took it. Raccoons opened our cooler and ate our breakfast and carried off most everything else. In the morning we hiked up to baxter's peak, aka Mount Katahdin. The three of us hiked up in T-Shirts and shorts, when we arrived at the summit it was snowing and the wind was wicked.
Hiking back down to camp we piled into the car and I drove back to our place on the coast. My comrades were asleep before we crossed the park boundary..