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Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 28 Dec 2010
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National Parks & Camping (USA)
Hi,

Just started doing some research for the USA. I'll be there from May 2011 onwards. I want to visit quite a number of National Parks & State Parks.

I noticed that the big parks ask for campsite reservations, sometimes as much as 4-6 months in advance. (Yosemite, Grand Canyon North Rim,...)
Other parks sell entry tickets months in advance as well, sometimes through a raffle system (Coyote Buttes for example) – but that's a different issue.

About camping: If I don't have a reservation in advance (and I probably won't have one, as I don't know the exact dates of when I'll be where): Could it be possible to find someone who has a reservation who might be happy to share a campsite?
Obviously, it'll always depend on who I ask, and if they like me. But because a motorcycle & tent aren't that big, what I mean is: is 'sharing' a campsite slot in buzy/booked-out areas common practice, or does it happen from time to time, or is it completely unusual?

Bjorn
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Old 28 Dec 2010
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You have a question, or you're making a general statement? Yes, if you want to camp in Yosemite Valley during peak seasons you'll want to reserve loooooonnnnngggg in advance. Out-of-peak weekdays, no particular problem. "May onwards" will be trouble in the popular areas, but there are always options outside the parks and sometimes walk-in camping within (which requires that you carry your stuff for brutal distances far from the parking lot: a hundred meters, maybe two hundred, which most of my countryfok cannot even begin to contemplate). Ask about this.

If you're doing a lot of American parks, buy a pass at your first one. Used to be called "Golden Eagle Pass" but now has some other name. Good for entry for a full year, and will save you money after four or five entries.

Mark
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Old 28 Dec 2010
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Markharf,
Thanks for your answer. My intital post was truncated & I updated it. (This ALWAYS happens when I'm using Safari. The HUBB is the ONLY forum, where I can't use Safari and need to switch to Firefox... sometimes I forget)
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Old 28 Dec 2010
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I hate it when that happens.

People share campsites. In the highly-regulated campsites, uniformed rangers sometimes come around checking vehicles against registration lists, and it can cause trouble if you're not on the list. It's happened to me.

That aside, if you see people who look like you, just talk to them. Don't jump right in and ask if you can share a space; talk about riding and let them see how fascinating and exotic you are. Then mention that you don't have a reservation or a site, and see what they say. No different from anyplace else.

Some of those places are real zoos during summertime, and you might find that you don't really want to be there overnight anyway--c.f., the campgrounds on the floor of Yosemite Valley.

Good luck.

Mark
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Old 29 Dec 2010
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That's good news about sharing. Guess when a ranger checks license plates, I could try & do some sweet-talk about a rtw journey... maybe some rangers are bikers

Yey – I heard about Yosemite Valley being bad. Guess it doesn't help that I'll probably be there 2nd week of June, i.e. after summer break started
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  #6  
Old 29 Dec 2010
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A couple of years ago I toured around California on a DR650. I was lucky when I went to Yosemite as I just rolled up at Lower Pines and they had a campsite for me. It was only after talking to others I found out "everyone" knows you have to book 5 months in advance. (I was there in the last week of July). I didn't have any trouble at other National Parks I visited. If you're going to visit more than 3 or 4 parks on your trip it's worth getting the pass. I didn't bother as I only visited 3. So, if you're on your own I'd just chance it.

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Old 17 Feb 2011
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Hi, the Rustic camping,or back woods where there might be just a water pump and a considerable distance to the showers usually have plenty of spots available.The sites with power and sewage are the ones on the hot list for reservations.Summer vaca.Jun-sep.is the time to avoid.But remember all Public lands in most states just require a permit(usually free or nominal fee)ENJOY.....
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