Campground booked out? How campping can help

See where you can be flexible

Start with the parts of your trip you can't change: when you can leave, how long you can stay and what your vehicle or equipment needs. Then look at the options that are still open to you.

If you're set on a particular campground, could you arrive on another day? If your dates are fixed, is there another campground that would suit? And if you need a particular site, make sure an alternative will actually fit your setup.

Check the departure date for each option. A two-night stay from Saturday runs until Monday, not Sunday.

Set an alert

Search for the campground and see if you can set an alert for the site or campsite type you want. Choose your arrival dates and stay length, finish setup and check that monitoring is active.

If more than one arrival date works at the same camp, you can watch them in one alert. You'll need a separate alert for another camp or a different stay length. During beta, you can have up to three active alerts.

Choose a notification method you'll notice. campping checks on a schedule, and an opening may be gone by the time you reach the booking site.

Keep a backup in mind

An opening might not come up, so it's worth having another plan. Check the official park information for access, site size, facilities and restrictions before settling on an alternative.

If you book a backup, read its cancellation and change terms first. Decide how long you're willing to wait for your preferred camp.

You can check your alert and any provider or notification messages in Watchlist. Pause it if you no longer want checks, or mark it as booked after you've secured a stay.

When you get a notification

Open the link and check the camp and dates. If the stay still works for you, continue to the official provider and check the availability, price and terms before booking. Have your group details handy.

For more help, see what to do when campping finds availability.