Question / Rant

[Mjlebsa]

Been there twice. I've seen a few 5ers that big there. Going around the loop is no issue but depending on the site it may be tough to back in. Most are easy though.

Just an FYI dogs aren't allowed on most trails. We went there a couples years ago with my son's family and he brought their dog and we were limited to the trails we could go on.

Thanks. Good info


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[CoChris]

You ever been to Silver Falls State Park? If so, you see any issues with getting my solitude in there? Got lucky with reservations.


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We stayed there last year with our Solitude 310GK (35' vs your 40') and long wheelbase truck. We stayed in the A loop (A77 or A79) . Loved it! The A loop is tight (little narrow and little twisty with trees next to the road), but doable. Just take your time. Some of the sites I do not think I could have backed into. To tight of a turn off the road with trees in the wrong location. The B loop is more open and looks like it would be a little easier. I would check out your campsite (and others) on campsite photos and on the site map to get an idea of where you are going and how tight it might be.

Enjoy your trip. It is a beautiful area.

Chris

[Mjlebsa]

We stayed there last year with our Solitude 310GK (35' vs your 40') and long wheelbase truck. We stayed in the A loop (A77 or A79) . Loved it! The A loop is tight (little narrow and little twisty with trees next to the road), but doable. Just take your time. Some of the sites I do not think I could have backed into. To tight of a turn off the road with trees in the wrong location. The B loop is more open and looks like it would be a little easier. I would check out your campsite (and others) on campsite photos and on the site map to get an idea of where you are going and how tight it might be.

Enjoy your trip. It is a beautiful area.

Chris

Thanks for the information. We are staying in the B loop. We are looking forward to it


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[goducks14]

We stayed in B loop. A loop is more for tent campers.
Most all the outer sites in B loop are easier to back into. The inner sites are more of a 90* angle.

[Mjlebsa]

We stayed in B loop. A loop is more for tent campers.
Most all the outer sites in B loop are easier to back into. The inner sites are more of a 90* angle.

Perfect. We’re on the outer…I still suck at backing so I need easy.


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[D2Reid]

I found a site, put my dates in, and waited until 6:00 PST. I clicked reserve and it came back booked.

When we started full timing 10 years ago we could pretty much just roll with the flow and get a site whenever/wherever we wanted. Then more folks started RV'ing, then 30-40 year olds got some success and started camping on the weekends. Then technology improved enough remote work actually worked. Then Covid.

We no longer rove around freely, we plan. We used to never stay more than a week at a place, now we stay 3-4 months after making reservations a year in advance. Part of it is our changing ability to rove as we age.

So don't feel alone in your frustration.

As far as what happened when you tried to make that specific reservation. I have attempted the same thing a few times with varying results. I have learned that sometimes when you start to reserve a site some system will lock that site for about a half hour, saying it's reserved when it is just waiting for the reservation to be completed. Depending on your click sequence and timing you can lock yourself out of that site. Yes it took a lot of failures to discover this. Wait an hour and try again.

Some reservation sites just time you out.

You can log into the reservation site at :59, but don't start selecting location/site until :00. I don't know exactly how it works, but in my minds eye I see the system holding search time/date at :59 or before and saying it's unavailable. While search time/date of :00 or later would pass the logic test.

I find completed profiles helps speed things up. The less new information you have to type in the faster you are at completing the reservation. And while it is a security concern my Chrome web browser has the ability to fill in credit card information also.

The only true constant is change, so I have learned to adapt to the new reality of RV life.

[Mjlebsa]

When we started full timing 10 years ago we could pretty much just roll with the flow and get a site whenever/wherever we wanted. Then more folks started RV'ing, then 30-40 year olds got some success and started camping on the weekends. Then technology improved enough remote work actually worked. Then Covid.

We no longer rove around freely, we plan. We used to never stay more than a week at a place, now we stay 3-4 months after making reservations a year in advance. Part of it is our changing ability to rove as we age.

So don't feel alone in your frustration.

As far as what happened when you tried to make that specific reservation. I have attempted the same thing a few times with varying results. I have learned that sometimes when you start to reserve a site some system will lock that site for about a half hour, saying it's reserved when it is just waiting for the reservation to be completed. Depending on your click sequence and timing you can lock yourself out of that site. Yes it took a lot of failures to discover this. Wait an hour and try again.

Some reservation sites just time you out.

You can log into the reservation site at :59, but don't start selecting location/site until :00. I don't know exactly how it works, but in my minds eye I see the system holding search time/date at :59 or before and saying it's unavailable. While search time/date of :00 or later would pass the logic test.

I find completed profiles helps speed things up. The less new information you have to type in the faster you are at completing the reservation. And while it is a security concern my Chrome web browser has the ability to fill in credit card information also.

The only true constant is change, so I have learned to adapt to the new reality of RV life.

Thanks for the advice. It’s very trying at times!


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[SteveCass]

Yes there’s a problem, here in AZ during winter at the lower elevations and in the mountains during the summer……the state parks here last year canceled all the reservations because of the fires…..then when we tried to get ours after it opened back they would not honor our reservation times and said we had to re reserve…..wtho…..and of course ever slot was taken until September……so yes there is a corruption…….same as we found in NM too…..also eastern OK as well……

[rbgntx]

I'm trying to see if I'm missing something. I'm having a HARD time getting reservations...especially at state parks. I just tried to book at Wallowa Lake State Park and the reservation window didn't open until 6:00 PST. I found a site, put my dates in, and waited until 6:00 PST. I clicked reserve and it came back booked. WTH! Is it really getting to the point that it coming down to who can click reserve faster? Or, I'm I missing something? VERY discourging.

All the parks near Wallowa Lake have been busy since Covid. We host at a private RV park just up the road from the state park and have been at capacity all summer long the last two summers. We book our trips as far out as we can. Parks are full all over the country.

[sajohnson]

As D2Reid said:

"When we started full timing 10 years ago we could pretty much just roll with the flow and get a site whenever/wherever we wanted. Then more folks started RV'ing, then 30-40 year olds got some success and started camping on the weekends. Then technology improved enough remote work actually worked. Then Covid."

Not to mention the whole "van life" craze, and the insane popularity of some national parks.

My wife and I started RVing 10 years ago this summer. Not full-time, but 2 long trips each year -- about 7-8 weeks spring and fall. Finding a site was never a problem. Even the "Crown Jewel" national parks were often all but deserted.

It looks like we could sell our rig for about what we paid for it in 2012! At this point, the only reason we're holding on to it is because it's still a nice way to travel and visit friends and family.