The Best Time To Book RV Sites For 2026 Travel

Above, at North Pines Campground in Yosemite National Park in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in November 2015, I got online to book a campsite in Yosemite National Park for April 2016. I was successful in reserving a campsite in North Pines Campground.

I noted the date that reservations are opened and calendared it in my phone. 

RV Travel has an article on the best time to book RV sites for 2026 travel.

They begin it with:

For longtime RVers, securing the perfect campsite isn’t just about picking a date; it’s also about timing, strategy, and knowing how to navigate the increasingly competitive landscape of 2026 RV travel. With peak-season demand growing and digital tools evolving, even experienced road warriors need a smart approach.

To read more, go here. 

Finding A Cool Campsite

Above, on the runway of Rice Army Airfield. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last month, I attended a four-chapter clampout (campout) in the Mojave Desert of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus. We were camped on the former concrete runway of Rice Army Airfield.

With that in mind, one of the things I made it a point of doing is having the refrigerator side of the RV facing away from the sun. This I did.

Finding a cool campsite is the topic of an article in RV Travel. Nanci Dixon provides some tips on how to do so.

She begins with:

Whew! It seems that the last several campgrounds my husband and I have stayed at have been closer to solar ovens than cool, shady campsites. It has been so blistering hot under the sun that we haven’t even bothered taking the chairs out.

If you think there’s no way to get cool in hot weather, think again. I’ll show you a quick, easy way to make sure your RV stays cool at the next campsite.

To read more, go here.

Booking Campsites Is Not As Hard Now

Above, Tucson Lazydays KOA last year. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since the pandemic, more people have purchased RVs and are hitting the road in record numbers. Yet, despite this, booking campsites is not as hard now.

RV Travel takes a look at this in an article.

They begin it with:

Back in 2022, people were screaming. If you wanted to go camping, they said, good luck trying to find a spot. A new survey says things have loosened up. Booking campsites is not nearly as hard as it was then, even though the number of RVers booking sites has increased significantly.

95 million campers in 2023

App promoter The Dyrt released its 2024 Camping Report, with statistics based on surveys of three different interest groups. The first, 7,000 members of its camper community. The other two, a representative sample of 1,000 U.S. residents, and finally, camping property managers across all 50 states.

Last year, says The Dyrt, almost 95 million Americans went camping. Of that number, 5.5 million went on their first camping adventure. Turning back the dial, the survey shows the number of new campers since 2021 is now up to 20 million. So, you wonder, how does this make booking campsites any easier?

To read more, go here. 

Top 10 Arizona Campsites

Above, The Beast at Goulding's Lodge Campground near Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Arizona has much to offer to campers, tent or RV campers.

There are contrasting campsites to choose from. They range from deserts to forested mountain areas. 

The Travel has posted 10 top campsites in Arizona. A couple of them I've already been to.

The start their article with:

Arizona is a land of contrasts. From the deserts to mountain meadows, there are so many places in this state where you can camp and enjoy nature. Each one has its own unique charm and will give you a true Southwest experience.

Whether you choose the stunning red desert landscape of Monument Valley or you choose to set up camp along the North Fork White River, you and your crew won’t be disappointed by the amazing natural beauty of the Grand Canyon State. Pack your camping gear, take the scenic route, and head out to some of the most beautiful spots in Arizona.

To see what they are, go here. 

Campground Crowding or Not?

Above, the Ouray, Colorado KOA in September 2020. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In recent months, RV Travel has been reporting on campground crowding, including the issue of people making reservations for campsites and not showing up to use them, thereby keeping the sites from being available to others.

One reader takes issue with what's been reported. He found the opposite to be true during a 6,000 mile trip around the western U.S.

The article posted in today's RV Travel newsletter begins with:

We recently got an email from a reader named Drew. Drew and his family had just completed a more than 6,000-mile RV trip around the West. In a gentle chide, he used his trip experiences to point out something we might have missed. “You have been crying about RV overcrowding for three years (or more) and there is definitely some of that. But every RV park we stayed in along the way—and there were many with many different brands—there were always open spaces. Even in the KOA next to Mount Rushmore. Some were actually almost empty!” It got us to thinking: Are campgrounds suddenly uncrowded? 

To read more, go here. 

Reserved, But Empty Campsites

Last year, I went to the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico.

Above, empty campsites, some reserved. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The park has only one campground, but it's a nice one. It is the Gallo Campground.

While walking around the campground, I noticed a number of them with reserved cards clipped to them with that day being the stated arrival date. Well, a number of them didn't get occupied. It seems people have been reserving campsites, but not showing up. It's their money, but it keeps others from being able to use the site to camp there.

This is the topic of an article in RV Travel.

They begin it with:

There are two sides to every story, right? Well, that means there’s another side to why there are so many empty campsites. You’ll find the other side of that story behind the campground check-in desk.

As RVers, like everyone else, we are seeing an amazing number of empty campsites. They’re reserved… but empty. We are camp hosts so we probably notice them even more than someone who isn’t. I have been finding entire weeks that are reserved, but the sites remain empty. Granted, a lot of those are non-electric sites, but still…

To read more, go here. 

What Is The Best RV Length?

Above, Manzanita Lake Campground at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer

If one is about to purchase an RV, there are many considerations to think out.

One important one is, What length of RV? 

There are RVs of various sizes and types. One consideration is: What are you going to use it for?  If the new potential owner plans to stay at national park campgrounds, they have to keep in mind that campsite sizes in national parks are limited. A 40' behemoth would likely not be able to have a national park campsite large enough to accommodate it.

I have a 23' Class C motorhome. It is big enough my needs and I have had no problems in finding campsites big enough for it.

RV Life has posted an article on the best RV length.

They begin it with:

What Is The Best RV Length?

The RV industry is full of options for potential buyers. This can make buying an RV more difficult for the undecided.

Once you decide on buying an RV, there will be some important questions about the RV you will be searching for.

The type of RV will likely be first; do you want a Class A, Class C, travel trailer, or a fifth wheel? The price will be another determining factor, as will floor plans and preferred manufacturers.

With all these questions to answer, it is important to have decided on one other very important factor: what length RV should I buy?

To read more, go here.