Often people decide on a spontaneous trip and do not have a clear plan. At such moments, a camping site that can be accessed on a first-come, first-served basis is relevant. You can read more about first-serve camping in this article.
How does first come first serve camping work
Before proceeding to the question, of how does first come first serve camping works, you should familiarize yourself with the features of such a trip. Camping on a first-come, first-served basis is a fairly popular type of recreation that is relevant near national parks or in them.
However, if you choose to come first serve camping, there is never a guarantee that you get there. Some travelers perceive camping on a first come as boondocking. The latter term refers to a campsite where there are no sources of clean water.
Come first serve camping basis is that the first person to arrive is the first to enter the national park. This is the best option for people who do not like to plan a trip and always do it spontaneously. However, there is never any certainty that such actions will be successful.
Location for first-come-first-serve camping
You can find similar camping sites anywhere in the United States. These can be national parks or forests, as well as private campsites, can operate on such a system. There are certain difficulties to get to the Olympic National Park, especially if you select popular and well-known places.
On Saturdays, you can get to the campsite, which is located in Yellowstone National Park. Some tourists prefer to come first serve camping in Yosemite. Given that getting into such places is quite difficult, you always have to have a plan B in reserve. Grand Teton and Great Smoky Mountains national parks do not use such a system when the season starts.
Campsite full times first come first serve camping
There is no exact time. It all depends on the park and the popularity of camping. You should also take into account the time of year, and what is happening in a particular area. It is important to consider that the number of people can be large or small.
You can arrive in Norris at 5 pm on a Saturday and wait your turn. However, there is no guarantee that you get inside because this is a very popular place. You can come early in the morning to the Steamboat geyser.
You need to understand that popular camping sites need to be occupied from the early morning. You can often hear the question, how do you get first come first serve camping at Glacier National Park?
To get into it, you have to arrive early in the morning, around 5-6 in the morning. If you decide to camp on the shores of Lake Kintla, then it fills up in the evening.
It is important to consider that during the holidays, the national parks are also filled with a large number of travelers. Big Bend National Park is in high demand when spring break kicks off. During the season, tourists first come first serve camping to wait for their turn in the early morning.
How to find a campsite: camping tips
Often you may be faced with the question, how does first come first serve work camping? Many people are frightened by the thought that they arrive early in the morning at the campsite, but, they cannot get to the desired place.
Yes, such situations are not rare, so you always need to have a clear plan. You may have to consider several alternative options.
There are a few important things to keep in mind when planning your plan.
Take cash with you
Campsites that operate on a first come first serve camping site only accept cash. At the entrance to the campground, there is a special board with all the information. There may be a special box with payment envelopes nearby. Inside you need to put a certain amount.
On average, you need to pay about 20 dollars. This is a pretty safe offer. Try to carry different denominations of bills and coins with you. Because often campsites set the price for entry – about 17.5 dollars. If you do not have small coins and bills, you have to put in 20 dollars, which negatively affects the budget.
That is why you should have denominations of 1.5 and 20 dollars with you, as well as additionally get coins somewhere. This allows you to get into the campsite, and you won’t lose any extra money.
If you come first serve camping site, don’t waste time stopping at the visitor center or looking for passes. Make it a priority for yourself to get camping.
If you spend a lot of time on unnecessary things, someone else has time to take your turn. As a result, you need to look for a new place, which also does not guarantee success.
Come to the campsite early in the morning
The earlier you arrive at the place where you plan to spend the holiday weekend, the more likely you are first come first serve camping. Most people try to arrive at the indicated place by 8 am. If you want to secure your camping spot, it’s best to arrive around 6 am.
Some first-serve campgrounds have a formal process for assigning available sites. That is people who want to relax get in line. They have to wait until the owners of the place distribute all the free places. At other campsites, you drive inside, find an open area, and stop there.
If the place is working according to a formal process, then the owner of the camp arrives around 10 am. He counts the number of free seats and moves toward the place where registration is carried out. Then proceeds to the distribution of seats. If you arrive early, you will be among the first people to get their place on the campsite.
If you prefer the option when you arrive at the site and are looking for a free place, it is better to arrive around 7 in the morning. After all, by this time, some people who are leaving are vacating places. Therefore, you are more likely to get the coveted place. However, it is better to ask the front desk for information that people have checked out.
Otherwise, they may return after dinner, and there is a quarrel for a place. This can spoil the whole experience of the holiday. If you drove inside and did not see empty seats, do not jump to conclusions. You can wait half an hour and watch the campsites. You will see those who collect things.
Check with them if they plan to leave. If so, then you should not rush them to leave. Just wait until you can take their place.
Come first serve camping site on a weekday
Most people work from Monday to Friday. Therefore, it is on weekdays that campsites are practically not populated. They will only be crowded on weekends when people are free from work. After Sunday morning, they begin to collect things and disperse to go to work on Monday.
Therefore, you can come to the campsite on Sunday morning. If possible, come to the campsite on Friday. This allows you to take a secluded and comfortable place, and spend the whole weekend here.
Path in the off-season
If you prefer camping on a first-come, first-served basis, try to come during periods when there are hardly any people. The optimal time is the off-season. This allows you to find a place to rest.
Skip holiday trips
As you know, on holidays, most employers give their employees days off. Therefore, it is not surprising that campsites are filled with people on holidays. Even if it’s off-season, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to take a cozy seat on holiday. After all, the number of tourists is increasing several times.
A selection of less popular parks
Some state parks are considered the most practical and versatile for camping. However, there are quite long lines in them, so it is very difficult to get inside. Some parks are less crowded, so here you can find a secluded place and wait for your turn.
Yes, you can try to get into the popular park. However, the guarantee of success is so small that you risk wasting the whole day. That is why, if you want to have fun, try to choose less popular parks. The best solution is Kongari National Park. There are almost always a lot of free places.
In most cases, you will fail if you decide to visit national forests and state parks. But Yellowstone, Denali, and Bryce would be quite a good option.
A selection of less popular campsites
As with state parks, certain types of campsites are most in demand among tourists. Often this applies to places where the campsite is located near the sights.
For example, in Grand Teton, you rarely find free space. That is why going here is a waste of time and money. In Jenny Lake, many people prefer to stay because the campsite is located in the city center, and has accessibility to various hiking trails.
You can stay at Lizard Creek Campground. The place is located in the north of the park and has a remoteness from many attractions. Therefore, this is the best option for those who suddenly decide to go camping.
Finding a place in large first-serve campsites
As you know, all first-serve campsites have a different number of free places. It all depends on the available space.
If you like to come-first-serve camping on a weekday, try to prioritize spacious areas. The more space inside the first-serve campgrounds, the more chances you have to get inside.
On the territory of the Death Valley National Park, there are about 8 campsites, which in total gives about 631 places. Camping “Emigrant” can accommodate no more than 10 places. Camping Sunset has 270 beds.
If you decide to come to Death Valley, you should not immediately try to get into the “Emigrant”. After all, the chances are almost zero.
Flexibility and adaptation of first-serve campsites
Upon arrival at the campground, try to analyze the situation. Look around carefully to understand how the area is filled.
If you realize that the chances of getting inside are almost nil due to the large number of people, try to find a less crowded camp nearby. Fortunately, this is not difficult to do with Internet access.
If there is any chance of stopping at the first come first serve campsite, you can leave someone you know to hold the site and try to drive around to find a less busy place.
If you are traveling alone or could not find a better place, you can pay for several nights at once, and increase the fee.
Looking for a fallback
As you know, each person should have several backup plans, especially when it comes to rest. As mentioned, there is no guarantee that you will get your camping spot on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, try to keep in reserve not only park camping.
A public campground can be found nearby. If at a distance of 50-100 km you have not found a single suitable first-serve camping spot, you can opt for a dispersed campsite.
Often such places are located in national forests. The essence of camping is that you need to find a dense place near the roadway and set up your camp.
Keep in mind that this is a dry camping option. Therefore, here you definitely will not get the usual amenities in the form of water and a toilet. After that, you can visit the database of free first-serve campsites, which is regularly published online.
Form small groups
It is best to use the come first serve camping served basis when traveling in groups of 1-2. Thanks to first come first serve camping, you do not have to stand in line for a long time. If necessary, you can ask another person who is also traveling alone to share a seat. This is the best solution if the camping site is full.
No one will even notice that you have decided to team up with another person. In addition, traveling together can be beneficial. First, you won’t be bored. After all, you can talk about something with a new acquaintance, or drink a little beer in the evening. Secondly, you can meet a lot of new people, which is also very useful.
If you decide to stay on this travel option, you should not show your character. Try to be polite and kind to people. If you are denied, you should not insist. Thank you calmly, and go somewhere else.
FAQ
As you know, first come first serve camping is quite difficult, and therefore provokes numerous questions. Detailed answers to the questions about first come first serve camping are presented below.
How does the first-come-first-serve camping work in Yellowstone?
If you decide to camp in Yellowstone, it’s best to do so early in the morning. This increases the chances of getting a first-serve camping spot for relaxation. In the summer season, there are rarely places here, so it is better to look for more affordable options.
How hard is it to get a first come first serve campsite in Yellowstone?
If you decide to come first-serve camping to Yellowstone when summer has begun, be prepared for the fact that getting a place here is quite difficult. To get to the coveted place, you have to arrive very early in the morning and show a lot of patience. For several days you may have to sleep in the car, waiting for your turn.
Is it possible to leave the first come first serve campsite?
Yes, if necessary, you can leave the territories for a while. To ensure that no one else takes your place, you can pay in advance for it, or leave a few personal items. It is better to take a picture of everything you left before leaving. This will prevent unscrupulous “neighbors” from stealing anything from you.
Conclusion
As you can see, first come first serve camping is a pretty good option for those who don’t like to plan anything and always go camping spontaneously. However, it is important to remember a few rules that will ensure that you have the opportunity to get a first-serve camping spot and have a good rest. Wonder how much water to bring when camping, read the article
My name is Olivia Kellison. I have been camping with friends and on my own for a long time. For me, camping is a great way to escape everyday life’s chaos. I started this blog because I have always had a passion for the great outdoors, and here I am gladly sharing what I know with other outdoor enthusiasts. It does not matter whether you are an experienced adventurer, or just planning your first trip, my blog will be of great help to you.