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Strategy for finding campsite?

BMW Triumphant

Ed Kilner #176066
So, I'm riding in ON, NY, PA, W VA, ... on a weekday in July or August. Had a great day, now need a campsite. How to best find one, in your experience? I've often seen signs at turn offs from a highway, but never actually gone off to find one. Any experiences / local knowledge in the areas mentioned would be appreciated.
 
If you have a "base camp" location in mind, you can Google for campgrounds in that area while planning your trip.

You can do the same thing from home using a Garmin or other GPS: Where to?/Near/Spell City/Points of Interest/Lodging/Campgrounds and RV Parks.

Or use a Garmin to locate nearby campgrounds while on the road.

I have found that some National Forest campgrounds do not have showers, so I prefer privately run campgrounds.

If all else fails, I suppose you could ask around.

Harry
 
AKsuited, I think I will try the GPS search on some rides soon, when not on a trip where I need a campground, just to see if it looks like it will work. I do have the latest maps, so it might be the way to go.

One of my concerns was finding one full campground after another. If the GPS search returns a phone number, it is obvious that I could check availability.

Somewhere I read (years ago, I think) that ON Provincial parks keep a few spots, not the best ones, for "emergency" arrivals. Anybody know of this policy? How about other jurisdictions?
 
If they're acceptable to your needs and style (commercial camping with food nearby; I like having a shower), stop at any KOA (Kampgrounds of America) site and get their free book of all site locations; it also includes small maps. May also be useful in planning how long the day will be.
I've spotted many KOAs that have a competitor nearby...
 
Tourist info stops often can direct you to camping sites; most towns and cities have one and they are usually located near the main route in or out and are marked with signs to help locate them. Some will be a manned center, others may just be a sign directory.
 
Edit: Never mind... it was a link to what I thought was the current version of Don Wright's Guide to Free Campgrounds. I peruse my copy and note possible sites before I leave.
 
I use an application for my iPhone called Campwhere. I believe it was $5. It lists anything from US National Parks down to local authority owned. That's a lot of campgrounds. It doesn't seem to know where private campgrounds are.
 
I normally look at State Parks when planning the route. State parks, not forests, have showers and such, at least the ones I have been to in NY, PA, WV, and TN. I like that Park Rangers can arrest, unlike private camp ground "security guards", so if some one gets out of hand, they go away in the back of a squad car. Tends to help keep behavior more responsible.
 
I like state camp grounds without hookups for recreational vehicles. That tends to keep most of your fellow campers in tents and leantos. Being in a pup tent next to a air conditioned, TV equipped motor home can be a real drag.
 
We have a couple of campground directories. I also have the app Oh Ranger on my phone. It locates national, state, and local parks.
 
It's a bit old fashioned in today's world of electronic gizmos, but a Rand McNally road atlas will show campgrounds as well as campsites.
 
At the gas station ;)

I do know not to ask about campgrounds because people who live there don't camp there. Usually.

Voni
sMiling
 
Voni- I don't buy that one at all...LOTS!! of people camp fairly close to where they live. They did when I lived in KS & they sure do it here in KY. Some travel a good ways too,e.g. is the "Ohio Navy" (as they're called) that travels to Lake Cumberland,KY on the weekends. Gas stations are a possible as is anyone spotted with an RV, gun or a boat. Your asking the wrong people?
My suggestion is for people looking for a campground to ask @ places like boat,RV,tackle shop or that department in box store, gun shop, national forest offices, anything associated with the outdoors.
I have a campground guide I bought @ retirement which is the size of the NYC phone book & I never use it as the web is so much better! I will say that I've been looking for camp spots in New England & they are mostly closed after Labor Day or late Sept-virtually none in Oct! esp. after mid month. I guess they all crawl in a hole?
 
2Bike makes an excellent point ... My Rand-McNally (LARGER version, not the "handy" one) is in the top of the trunk (with the KOA directory), and it don't need no steenkin' batteries.
 
For me, asking locals is what you do. They live there, have been cruising the woods and roads all their lives, and pretty much know the hazards and dangers involved of the various locations that they suggest. Some of the RV type of "guides" are not bad; but as somebody pointed out above, they are like a phone book. When we are "Airstreaming" it, we use Woodall's as our bible for finding a place. We begin looking early in the day when we are a few hours out and even ask them, the campground hosts or rangers, what else might be available in the area. 99% of the time they are totally helpful and honest...........When on the bike or "tenting" it everything from a picnic table, a friendly backyard, behind the gas station (with a key to the restroom), where I stop to buy a can of chili/stew to sit on my engine while I set up camp and follow the clerk's advice have been used. I find that fear and paranoia of what could happen is the greatest deterent for just following your instincts to a great spot..........God bless........Dennis
 
I like pulling off the road and going down us forest dept roads in national forest's and dropping camp when I'm a ways off the road with my rt.Done this many times.I don't need no stinking gs!! Lots of peace and quiet.Great for watching stary nights.:wave
 
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