Class B Camping Sites

Starting2022 · 09-15-2021, 03:04 PM

New to the game. It seems like it’s going to be tough finding premium parking for class B coaches. Especially in Florida during the winter. Thoughts?

booster · 09-15-2021, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starting2022

New to the game. It seems like it’s going to be tough finding premium parking for class B coaches. Especially in Florida during the winter. Thoughts?

It is tough to find premium, the most popular in a park, type sites at any popular place these days. For some places we already have a site reserved in our favorite sites a year ahead of time, or as soon as the reservations are open to reserve.

Florida in the winter, on short notice or drive up, is going to be very tough to find nice spots, I would guess.

Jon in AZ · 09-15-2021, 07:18 PM

Good campsites are hard to come by in a lot of desirable places. It takes a lot of planning and learning to navigate various reservation systems, each with its own rules and lead times.

For this winter, if you really want to be in a warm climate, you may have to settle for something inland and perhaps less than "premium." Nice thing with a B is you can make day trips to the really nice places and have the comforts of home with you.

As you explore, scout out some possible places you might want to stay in 2022-2023. You might even be able to make a reservation in some private parks that far in advance. For public campgrounds, you have to learn when the reservation window opens and how the system works, and mark your calendar.

Dogman · 09-19-2021, 04:34 PM

Lots of ways to find camping grounds and the fast freeway is using Maps Google com and in direction type in "RV PARKS Near City, State" or just State or just County. Once opened you will find full contact details. You must use the word "NEAR" as this is the search gear for Campgrounds, RV Service, RV Center, Boondocking, and 1000's of other ways just use the NEAR GEAR to search.

For Florida, locations type in CampFlorida as this is a travelers guide book to RV parks. "campendium" Best to may ask for suggestions in the State and county of interest as you will find a great number of very well seasoned RV'ers who know about every good camping location. But a tip on Florida you need to reserve months well in advance to find just a spot. Good Luck and happy camping and if you're on the road and just need an overnight spot check online or stop at Walmart or Sams Clubs for overnights and they have a website for more details.

RAA357 · 09-19-2021, 05:09 PM

I just went onto the Florida State Parks website last night and made reservations for Nov and Dec
with no problems. There are openings available you just have to be flexible in your days and regularly check the website. FSPs are a great bargain and offer discounts for seniors. the disabled and others.

RAA
2007 Roadtrek 210 Versatile

ArtDeco · 09-20-2021, 04:02 AM

Nice thing about my classB is that I don't really need a premium site. I've stayed in tent sites, and even stayed a night in the overflow area until a site was available.
But in Virginia and the Carolinas ... not Florida.

MsNomer · 09-20-2021, 02:05 PM

West of the Mississippi, we don’t need a campsite at all. We even pass up FS campgrounds because there's nothing there we need.

ArtDeco · 09-20-2021, 03:39 PM

OTOH, east of the Mississippi "free" and "overnight" never appear in the same sentence unless it's "stay 3 nights, get 1 free" occasionally.

avanti · 09-20-2021, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArtDeco

OTOH, east of the Mississippi "free" and "overnight" never appear in the same sentence unless it's "stay 3 nights, get 1 free" occasionally.

Oh, I wouldn't say that.
Not in the same class as the West, but there are plenty of national forests, and there are many, many dispersed camping sites, some of them quite spectacular. It often takes a little digging to find them, but they are certainly there.

Davydd · 09-20-2021, 07:20 PM

We probably grabbed the last site available last week in the whole of Yellowstone NP in its Canyon campground. A lot of campgrounds had already closed. It popped up and we took it and no Class A, long Class C or trailer with vehicle would have fit. Maybe a so called B+ would fit. It was a nice campsite.

Yellowstone was more crowded than I have experienced before after Labor Day and a 20 ft shorty Sprinter saved us a lot of grief in finding parking spots in all the attractions.

GallenH · 09-20-2021, 10:12 PM

piggyback on davydd: We learned re Yosemite that it doesn't hurt to check frequently after first attempt yields no campsites available. Things do open up periodically due to cancellations. We stayed 4 nights in Yosemite last year using that tact but did have to change sites every night. Another nice capability with the B.

ArtDeco · 09-25-2021, 06:42 PM

I am searching Campendium and googling "state name" + free camping with liitle luck; any other online resources you can recommend?
I bought a couple of paper books, but they seem too outdated to be useful. And I have a Harvest Host membership that has worked a few times, not really free but cheap enough.

Davydd · 09-25-2021, 08:01 PM

A lot of National Forest camp grounds were created in the era of mostly tent camping and some of the have nothing but sites that accommodate mostly vehicles of less than 25 feet. Ideal for Class Bs and few others.

SteveJ · 09-26-2021, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArtDeco

I am searching Campendium and googling "state name" + free camping with liitle luck; any other online resources you can recommend?
I bought a couple of paper books, but they seem too outdated to be useful. And I have a Harvest Host membership that has worked a few times, not really free but cheap enough.

If your free search mostly involves areas east of the Mississippi pickin's are slim.

@Michael · 09-26-2021, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArtDeco

I am searching Campendium and googling "state name" + free camping with liitle luck; any other online resources you can recommend?
I bought a couple of paper books, but they seem too outdated to be useful. And I have a Harvest Host membership that has worked a few times, not really free but cheap enough.

I use the app "Ultimate Public Campgrounds" to find free or cheap public camping. It has about 45000 campgrounds and dispursed sites listed. There are other apps that are even better for dispursed camping on public lands.

ArtDeco · 09-26-2021, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by @Michael

I use the app "Ultimate Public Campgrounds" to find free or cheap public camping. It has about 45000 campgrounds and dispursed sites listed. There are other apps that are even better for dispursed camping on public lands.

Looks like a great find for the price of a coffee. Unfortunately I am not an Apple user, but I hope it helps someone else viewing this thread. I will search for similar apps for Android again.
It's a process, after all, and sure beats a paper map and sendjng tp tourist boards for info like we used to do.

avanti · 09-26-2021, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArtDeco

Looks like a great find for the price of a coffee. Unfortunately I am not an Apple user, but I hope it helps someone else viewing this thread. I will search for similar apps for Android again.
It's a process, after all, and sure beats a paper map and sendjng tp tourist boards for info like we used to do.

You can access that service for free on their website, Apple or not.

https://www.ultimatecampgrounds.com/...ducts/full-map

@Michael · 09-27-2021, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArtDeco

Looks like a great find for the price of a coffee. Unfortunately I am not an Apple user, but I hope it helps someone else viewing this thread. I will search for similar apps for Android again.
It's a process, after all, and sure beats a paper map and sendjng tp tourist boards for info like we used to do.

Here's the Android version I use.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ds&hl=en&gl=US

Davydd · 09-27-2021, 03:17 PM

Two Class B (mostly be default) campgrounds I have frequented more than twice are public campgrounds.

The first is the Cochise Stronghold Campground near Douglas, AZ. It has 10 sites that list 22 ft. Length though a 24 ft. Sprinter would fit. Vault toilet but no water or hookups. Level sites. It is in a circle road. There is usually a campground host. First come first serve no reservations. Interesting trails from the campground. It is where Cochise held out.

Natural Bridges National Monument, Lake Powell, UT. 13 sites with a stated maximum length of 26 feet and that is a hard restriction and there is no room to park another vehicle. No hookups, first come first serve no reservations. There are several trails to natural bridges right from the campground.

You can find them with Ultimate CG or All-Stays. First come first serve but you aren’t going to find any Class A’s or 5th wheel trailers competing with you. A few so called B+‘s can probably compete, tent campers of course, truck campers and maybe small trailers like Scamps.

avanti · 09-27-2021, 03:51 PM

I live half-way between two large eastern national forests: Allegheny NF is a couple of hours to the north, and Monongahela NF is a couple of hours to the south. Both are also adjacent to large tracts of State Forest and other public lands. Both are full of obscure and poorly documented dispersed camping areas. It is great fun to comb through the sloppy government websites and old maps. Some of our most memorable trips have been at these sites. I'm sure there are hidden treasures in all the national forests. The idea that there is no free camping in the east is quite exaggerated. It does take work though.

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