Arrival times

[nearlywild]

Generally, when is a good time to show up to pick out a campsite? I don't want to get there too early when people haven't left yet but not so late that all the spots are gone. So far one campsite we stayed at had a noon check out time and the other had a 3 pm check out time.

[renodesertfox]

What's the best time to show up to pick a campsite?

For us, since we prefer not to make on-line reservations for any campground and go there as a walk-in or as first come first served. It's common sense that dictates to get there as early as possible to have the best choice of what you're looking for during the late morning hours of the day we arrive. The earliest we have ever chosen a site was 7 AM at a fcfs campground and that was because it was in a very popular national park.

For us I'm looking at the best place to pitch the tent where the flattest area is to sleep on can be located. If it's on a lake, is there a place where I can leave the kayak on the shore. That's about it.

Usually if we try to get to a campground for a weekend a few days before the weekend starts, that way we feel that we have the best option for picking a great site. During the morning hours between 10 - 12. Sometimes earlier, it just depends on whether or not the area is a busy camping mecca.

If we make on-line reservations for a specific site, it doesn't matter what time it is. The site reserved will be there available as long as one gets there during the hold time for the reservation. That is usually for the entire day of the reservation until 10 AM of the following day. That's the common practice for most reserved campgrounds that we have ever camped at.

My bride likes it the way we have it now...whereby I'll go first a couple of days ahead of the weekend, shoulder the responsibility of choosing the site, and pitching camp. Then when her weekend starts she will drive her car(Nissan350Z convertible) to a pre-determined location(public parking lot, well lit & patrolled) to meet me at. This way it gives me some private time to fly fish, photograph and sip some JD. It gives her a peaceful more relaxing weekend for getting away from the stresses that her work causes having to deal with a lot of cranky old retired vets that are just like me, by cracky!

[Bigdog57]

Sounds like she likes to come into a 'turn-key' operation!

Since most of my camping involves travelling and roadtrips, we usually arrive in the late afternoon, but we do usually have reservations waiting.
At the last place, the 'reservation' is to guarantee a spot 'somewhere', but you don't have an actual spot specifically reserved - so we were able to pick from a few different areas. We got there about 3PM if I recall.

[ontariocamper]

Check in time is 2 pm in our Provincial Parks...........I always reserve a specific site online, so we usually arrive an hour or two early on the chance that the previous campers have vacated.
Not too often do people sit on the site until 2:00:00........

[Smokey Mtn. Camper]

Check-out time for the NP's I camp at is noon and the check-in time is also noon. It usually takes me until noon to get everything broke down and packed up. I am not in a hurry to leave so I get my moneys worth. I have only had the next campers show up once while I was still there but I was just strapping down my gear so I pulled out and allowed him to have at it.

I never go to the NP's without reservations. It is a crap shoot to get the spots available at the first come, first camp CG's. They are available but you gotta stalk them to get them. Thats not how me or my family rolls. We have to have a guaranteed spot due to the kids and the amount of effort we put into camping. I actually prefer it. However, on the few times we go to a state park near where we live, we have to beat the rush and get there early to get a spot. No big deal since it is close to our house but we prefer to sleep with the wolves and bears of the Smokies than the skunks and raccoons of the state park.

We also show up pretty close to the time we are allowed to occupy. When we went to Elkmont to see the synchronized lightening bugs we arrived @ 1:00 on a Thursday and left at 1:15 on Sunday. Like I said, we get our moneys worth.

[nearlywild]

So far, the places we've stayed at have been first come first serve. I'm the type who likes to get up early and get there. I'm just worried about getting there too early. The first campsite we stayed with the noon check out time, we made sure we were out of there on time. But my husband was talking to the guy in the campsite beside us and he said no one ever followed the check out times. Is this the norm or was this guy just inconsiderate?