The inability to just "go" to a national park without entry slips and lotterys is a huge turn off to those of us who remember when you could do just that..

As a lifelong Camper, I think the reservation system is rather frustrating. I really takes the spontaneity out of camping. On my three month excursion around the country last year, it was nearly impossible to get into some of these national Park campgrounds. Not because the campgrounds were full, but because people had booked them and not shown up. We stayed at Many Glacier a couple nights that we could get in, and about 1/4 the campground was empty. I walked around and looked at many of the tags and most of them were halfway through their reservation and hadn’t ever shown up. it’s really a shame they don’t leave 1/4 or more of the sites as first come first served or only bookable two weeks out or something. I also feel like they should open up Sites where people don’t show up for the first two days of their reservation. Many of the privately ran campgrounds in Yellowstone do it this way.

It's a rare day that we camp in a campground. We mainly do dispersed camping. I live in the Pacific Northwest and we have millions of acres of public land that we can camp on. We have been doing this for decades. We love not having neighbors. Of the few times we've had to use a campground there always seems to be neighbors that played music loudly (drowns out nature), dogs running around, people talking very loud, vehicle doors opening and closing constantly at all hours, etc, etc, etc. We figure that if we were to end up in a campground, for whatever reason, we are to treat it as a layover and to accept the noise and wear ear plugs at night. Many people love campgrounds and that's ok with us. It means less people dispersed camping! We've been doing this for decades.

Talk about how Campendium just bricked their own webiste to force users over to Roadtrippers, without providing the same features. Charging for crowdsourced content and then taking away the only features worth paying for is very not cool.

Maybe this is something or not but this year I checked prices throughout the country on KOA’s. Now mind you I’m not a bit Koa person but on occasions for a night or two. Koa’s are franchises . And many of them have jacked the prices so high it’s ridiculous! Look at the pictures of the sites they have and the costs affiliated with said sites , do you want to spend 80 plus dollars to over a hundred to stay in a Koa with gravel and pot holes and when it rains your in water, or the pool is closed till further notice and bathrooms/showers are antiquated and funky?? I sent a big email to the corporate and the reply I got was that many are franchises and that my questions should go to said franchises. Really? Do your homework before going to koa’s as well as non Koa. The Koa in Kankakee illinois which is 60 miles due south of Chicago wants over 80 buck a night, there are no attractions in the area and I live there. The water smells of sulpher, gravel sites with weeds and a rusty semi truck rim for a fire ring. Sounds good huah.

Great video!!! The problem that I see is that corporations are buying up the mom and pop campgrounds. Not changing and or adding anything new but raising all the rates up per night. Charge for an extra car, extra person, dogs and etc. Now we won't go to these places due to the cost.

The current "landscape" of camping stinks. It has caused me to purchase country property that I can access at any time. The influx of new campers without any regard for traditional camping etiquette is abysmal. Turn down your music, keep your children and pets under control and pick up your trash, should be posted everywhere. Also the water spigot or pump is not a place to bathe or do your dishes. It has forced a lot people out of traditional campgrounds and fueled the boom of private land ownership, leaving the trash filled , overbooked campgrounds to the new comers. This is a nation wide problem that effects State , Private and Federal campgrounds.

We still have to book nearly a year in advance on the popular destinations, so we don't see KOA's decrease. Add the fact that we have a large class A, we still must plan our spontaneity well in advance.

The campers that have bad manners is only because they had no one to learn from. With youtube I've realized I've been a bad camper and had no idea!! So instead of villianizing us try educating us! Thank you yuotube!❤

The Barriers to Camping Chart is missing the biggest reason there is (IMO): You can't get into the best places unless you've planned a year in advance and get up at midnight to compete for reservations that are gone in 10 minutes. There's no flexibility or spontaneity. And instead of making changes to handle greater numbers of visitors, and expanding campgrounds to accommodate increased demand, the National Park Service would rather work to block visitation altogether. There are many parks that could handle increased visitation if the infrastructure was there. Wrangell St. Elias is the largest park in the entire system-and it's breathtaking. Why aren't we building roads to make it accessible? The only people who can visit the interior of the park are triathletes who can carry a 50 lb pack into the backcountry. The park is bigger than Switzerland. There is capacity for multiple uses. North Cascades is another example. Visitors are not the problem. Visitors are the clients. NPS needs to prioritize accommodating them.

There are a lot of things that influence whether or not people are camping less. The price of everything has went up. We cut back from 5 trips to 4 trips, but We added an extra night on two of the trips being weeknights are cheaper and less fuel needed.

Jason, great report… as many of us know enjoying this lifestyle has always been a reward in that the deeper the person pushes to explore it, the more they will get back in return. That said as a boomer that was hoping for a quieter camping experiance in my golden years, has learned to continue to do what i have enjoyed my whole life now means 2 things, the first was I was right about how camping was always a great way to recharge the soul… however as we have all discovered to continue that experiance that the shift has gone from a whim to go camping to now it has to be a deliberate decision to make it happen. At 71 im still fighting the good fight to state the reward justifies whatever you need to do to get there!

We have nearly stopped camping in the prime time/ summertime due to the amount of people now camping. For the most part people are pretty good but like anything else there’s always those that don’t care about keeping their area clean or having consideration for other people.

Very well done, Jason, Nobody presents the rv news like you!! Hotels with large parking lots could offer a points program for folks that stay at their hotels and rv. At a certain points level, offer free overnight spaces.

Just completed 7 weeks traveling with two dogs. 21 states, 1 Canadian Province, 10,200 miles and all but two nights off grid (an electrical component problem forced me to plug in while on Vancouver Island). Saguaro, The Rim, Monument Valley, Moab, Arches, Canyon Lands, Mt. Ranier, Mt. Hood, Columbia River Gorge, West Glacier, Pompey's Pillar, The Grasslands, Theodore Roosevelt National Park and countless state and federal forests. The Colorado, the Snake, the Salmon, the Green, the Spokane, the Flathead, the Yellowstone, the Missouri, the Mississippi like you've never seen it and the forementioned Columbia River. Amber waves of grain and purple mountains majesty. Truly. signed: A Boomer.

We have been camping since the mid sixties. Started out in a tent we now have a camping trailer. We love camping and prefer it over any other type of recreational activities. Love your show ❤😊

I think RV camping will increase if the manufacturers improve quality, if not they may have trouble. As costs and prices go up people will demand more quality.

It is VERY difficult to get reservations due to increase in campers, especially in Texas. While I am happy that so many people are discovering nature, I personally could use less crowds-lol I plan on boondocking more now. Thanks for the informative video.

We're heading out next week for our first trip this year, new campground for us at Mohican State Park in Loudinville, Ohio.

Thanks for the data Jason. At the last Oliver rally nearly half of the 200 attendees said the Oliver was their first ever RV. I also noticed more younger 40's typical in the crowd as well. These were generally work from the road types and they needed a rig to stand up to the road. I thought it interesting that one couple to justify the price said they intended to travel 100 days a year for the next five years. Doing that by air or car and hoteling would easily add up to over 200K.

We have a seasonal site in mid Michigan and so far this year the number of available seasonal sites is quite high compared to the last few years. The number of non-seasonal campers also appears to be down, but it is early in the season here. It will be interesting to see just how busy our campground gets this year compared to the last few.

We have started camp hosting at local state and National parks Because my husband works. When we purchased our first camper in 2020 we vowed to use it as much as possible. Our children are grown so it's just us. This is a good fit for us for now. We have a couple of debts we need to pay off, then we will begin to travel further. This year we are spending the entire camping season doing this. April-October. We like this and it fits for the time being. We took our 4 boys tent camping for many years! Happy Camping friends!

We’re retired and RV three seasons and stay home in the summertime when the kids are out of school. We also show dogs and stay on the fairgrounds then hit a RV park between shows. For the few outings we take we still need to book really early if it covers a weekend. Mid week is not a problem. Prices have gone up since 2017. And the amount of full time residents in the parks is amazing. Selection in Northern California is slim.

I would like to see a breakdown of where people did or didnt camp in 2023. Was the dip regional because of extreme weather for extended periods of time.

Great video and interesting results. We bought into a campground in 2022 due to having issues with booking sites and it gave us a place to go whenever we wanted while we are still working. The goal is to RV/camp outside of our state much more once I retire in a few years. We love the overall lower cost of RVing and exploring the area. Again, as of now, we have been incorparating our vacations with RVing and staying at Airbnbs/hotels. We look forward to the RV news each week.

I absolutely agree with you, “why are you surprised more people love camping, you do;-)” great job recapping this report….

What my guy & I have noticed through years of being camping tramps virtually everywhere is; by far the biggest jump in "campers" are the RVers. People do not camp in tents very much at all anymore. We still camp in tents. That being said; we've got battle scars from it. With the weather being so unpredictable it is changing the ways and times that we are camping. We find ourselves camping closer to home and not on holidays. Just last weekend we were so excited to take our first outing of the season. Found a great new spot close to home, the weather was calling for great weather. We get there hike all our stuff in, set up the tent and then realize that we forgot our camp stove. Rather than drive all the way home to get it; we decide to drive into the little town close by and get some grub. While there we see the giant TV on the wall is warning of severe weather for that night in that area at 80%. Well crap, do we try to ride it out? OR do we go back and pack our camp down and go home? We decided to enjoy the evening, had a fire, played some music, downed the tent and headed home. As we are lugging our gear back to the car I see the first signs of a giant shelf cloud above the southern horizon. Ok. We thought, we are doing the right thing. Well at about 3 in the morning, home safe and warm in our bed- we knew that we had. All H--- broke loose, with hail and hurricane force winds, thunder, lightning, haha yes indeed. I think that people do not want to be inconvenienced & want all the comforts of home. Can't say as I blame them. It's just a sign of the times we live in.

Always great information, with data to support it. Looking forward to your next report! --- Bryan Appleby

I had no problem reserving Canadian national and provincial parks for my summer trip to Newfoundland/Nova Scotia, all prices from $15 to $35 US. Starlink is one of the best improvements in the past few years, nothing like being able to work and attend meetings 15hrs a week in the middle of nowhere with no cell signal.

There is a koa in my area .the man that had it for years,cut his ties with them.fed up on there rules.now its his own business,and better i think

Have you heard about new regulations on taking your pets over the Canada and Mexico borders. That the C D C has implemented new rules when trying to bring your pet back into the United States. I looked at the C D C website and it was very confusing could you maybe take a look at it and do a report about it.

I live in Florida and love to camp but I really don’t like the crowds so that holds be back. 3 day week ends are great to camp but everyone else thinks the same way. I like my solitude so I have to look for places where I can be by myself.

We’ve stayed at several KOA Kampgrounds over the years, and despite the higher cost, our experience has been overwhelmingly positive. The best campground we’ve ever stayed at is The Lost Alaskan RV Park in Alpine, TX. It is vey beautiful, with lots of trees for shade, has excellent bath, and laundry facilities, a propane fill station, a camp store, and even an RV wash station. Alpine is a great little college town (Sul Ross State University) with lots of public art, good restaurants, a good tire shop, a McCoy’s hardware store, with close proximity to Marfa (The Marfa Lights), Marathon, Terlingua, Lajitas, and Big Bend National Park.

May want to revisit that definition of overlanding

Nice, Great information

People not showing up for their reservation is a big issue. Campgrounds need to leave at least 25% for first come, first serve. Especially national parks and forest land parks. We don't make reservations more than a week in advance. And when getting from point A to point B, we often stay in a parking lot somewhere. Why pay for a noisy campground? If we're going to deal with noise, we might as well not pay for it. I love stats, so enjoyed this video. Many thanks!

Great summary of the report, Jason.

I’ll stick to dispersed camping when I can! Thanks for the video!

Love your videos! Great information today, Thank you!

In the aftermath of 9/11, I attended a recreation conference where speakers discussed the surge in outdoor space useage. The comment was that when we are stressed, we don’t go to the mall, we go to the outdoors. I wonder if the increase in recreation reflects the stress of our current political strife?

great report!

Great data thank you!

Great work as always! I really appreciate hearing your viewpoints based on your vast experience. That said, I would also like a more pared down perspective. I'd like to hear your opinions based on data in just a couple minutes. Just my 2 cents - you're fantastic and please keep doing your great work 💪🏻

Good report! Thank you!!

As always, love your info Jason!

Great job getting in to the data…your enthusiasm is so enjoyable. Really looking forward to our RV Miles rally!

We just got done with a monthlong trip of mostly tent camping. We found conditions much more similar to years prior to the epidemic years. Places normally less busy were found to be so. Weekends, high summer and popular campgrounds were about as busy as earlier years. The big improvement we found were the telephone reservation systems which were tedious but manageable. Prior years could only be described as horrible and dysfunctional. We saw moderate improvement in amenities and number of sites in full service campgrounds but continued shrinkage or no change in all types of public campgrounds. Continued conversion of areas and actual campgrounds to day use only continues to a worrying trend. We rate our trip as very good with a few not good moments.

Last summer a 5 month trip to Alaska and back to Indiana. This year, property in Michigan and exploring Michigan, especially the Upper Penninsula. We have yet to leave, unfortunately, because our 12v freezer decided last year was enough. We are currently waiting for a warranty replacement to arrive.

Come for the excellent analysis, stay for the stock videos. (Seriously, I don't know how you source them, but they're actually pretty good. I sometimes miss what your last point was and have to rewind.) I see all the grumps out there bemoaning the "good ole days" just like you predicted. We've been doing this for 25 years. Started with tents, then a pop up, and now a trailer. And, on balance, the state park campground experience (in Wisconsin) today is almost unchanged from what it was when we started. That includes park behavior. I simply don't agree with those who say that today's newbies are louder, dirtier, and more obnoxious than at any other time. But I only know my experience. I sure wish the WI DNR would get busy increasing capacity, but to your point about reservation lead times, I have noticed they've relaxed a little bit up here. But thanks for bringing sanity and common sense to the table. Too many people out there base their viewpoints on what they see with their own eyes instead of basing them on data, which is the collection of many sets of eyeballs.

Love your passion. Thanks!

We often do blended trips, some days camping, some days in hotels.

Another great video. I loved the RV mattress Laurel and Hardy bit!!!

Thanks Abby and Jason. Great video.

Hey I camped last night. Beautiful weather, empty NPS campground. But it is the end of the season around here unless you go to high altitude. Weekends in the mountains? Forget about it unless you check last-minute.

Statistics drive my job(education) so I have learned to HATE stats like this. It is had to reduce many things down to real usable data(ie kids are far more than a number or making so many decisions about their education based on nothing but data!) so much of the data is flawed and skewed in many different ways. But, you're easy on the ears and easy to watch, not to mention some of your data(and when I say some I mean only a little, lol because I HATE data) was interesting to hear about. Still, thanks for taking the time to bring us some useful info and I look forward to your next vid ;)

During pandemic we only did rv camping but now we love blended camping. Haven't done rv camping this year as we are planning a trip up north and towing an rv for more than 10 hours is just not fun. We're also using Dvc rental for a resort at Disney that looks like Yellowstone and then going back to rv camping. It's just fun to mix it up not to mention it's easier than having to set up an rv every time.

Always so interesting. Lynn and Danny

Jason you are hilarious!!! Great information 😊

Great Video Jason … Thanks for the updates and info … truly appreciate all your efforts to keep us informed about camping news #RVMiles #GetOutdoors

Jason, Michele and I really enjoy your channel. We're full time in our fiver and vacation by flying to destinations and staying in resorts, hotels and cruise ships.

While very interesting data, there are competing goals. If people want tranquil environments with isolation, you need fewer people. But businesses invest in camping to generate money which requires MORE people. Also, I wonder what the trend is for people who take multiple trips to the same place. I own land and almost always go there; people I know have a couple of favorite campgrounds they always go to. So multiple trips does not mean multiple destinations. Finally, I'd love to see a breakdown on for-profit camping (i.e. KoA) vs. State and national parks. Excellent video.

Great breakdown on this report. Interesting statistics! - Michelle

I am in my mid 50s and grew up camping; first in a canvas wall tent, then a refurbished popup. It was a cheap way for a family of 6 to have a vacation. As an adult I have continued camping in all modes. We bought our first RV in 2002 and now have our 3rd, a 5th wheel. I have also been active in Boy Scouts since the early 2000s and that meant some tent camping and a lot of backpacking style camping. I love camping in all forms. My wife and I plan to do more RV trips this year compared to last year. Most will be long weekends but we do have one full week already booked. As for the future, our plan is to keep camping.

We exclusively camp in public campgrounds and only stay in private ones when there is no other option. We have camped a great deal in the past 45 years with our growing children and in our retirement. The biggest factor that we bemoan is the loss of flexibility in our travels. We wish we could travel without having to make reservations all along our route before we even leave home. Just 10 years ago we could travel for weeks and make reservations only for the big holiday weekends. Those days are long gone, but we are still going to camp until we are 80, God willing.

I try to stick to state campgrounds so price is usually $30-35/night with electric hookup.

I'd like to know how many people live full time in RVs. So many parks are filled with long term and permanent "campers". I'd like to be able to see how many sites are already taken up by those folks when I go to make reservations for my 1 to 5 nights.

Interesting that ~25% of the country go camping and that is the same percentage of generations within camping which means that doesn't matter what generation or background you come from, 1/4 of the population have their head right.... hahaha Hotel chains would highly benefit from offering their parking lot for overnight and charge for breakfast. Many hotels by the highways keep their parking lot 50%+ empty all the time ...

I agree with your comment about "fear". Both the weather extremes but primarily with so many transient/homeless type "RVers". There is also an increase of squatters at campgrounds. There have been a few occasions when rangers have warned us about camping at BLM areas due to random violence and large parties "raves" that just show up in the middle of the night.

Camping or RV’ing!! I pack up my kayak and paddle out to sites to go camping!! I pack up my RV to go RV’ing and stay a campground/RV park. I especially love going to the free sites way off the path….boondocking….with no cell service!! The one problem I see is that campgrounds are being bought up by corporations and then they ruin them by splitting sites, adding sites that are so close that your awning is touching your neighbor…..then charge $120 a night. People reserve several sites in state parks then become no shows…… After walking through a RV show…..I see major problems coming because a lot of those rigs are so expensive that they are pricing people out.

I look at how my camping has evolved, started out with a back pack with what I could carry in and a pup tent. Now I camp in a class A but, fundamentally it's the same. Give me a place with nature hopefully a lake for fishing and swimming. I don't need a theme park. No WIFI required, phone service a plus but not a necessity. Just sit outside watch the sunset with an adult beverage.

I❤Camping !

I think they are missing a category. How long have these surveyed been camping. Only see first time campers mentioned. What about lifelong camping. How many baby boomers have been camping most of their lives. Then Gen x millennials and so on. My point is those of us raised outdoors tend to remain outdoors

This is a double edge sword...it's interesting news, but it brings i to view why cost are going up and governent oversite looms...

Thank you Jason for this video. Nice to know people are getting to like camping. Nice to know why people aren’t is because they are afraid of wild fires and wild life and weather. Thank you for this information.

Yea; KOA = way overpriced ridiculousness. And I camp there when I need a reliable and hopefully secure place to stay and there's no where else to go (very rarely).

Campground prices are getting ridiculous! I just went to Utah and prices were as high as 150 a night! For a tent spot. Insane!

Two things koas have going is the website and booking window. I can book a year out for a single night if i want.....i can book a long my route. their website makes it easy. they are expensive but one night with full hook ups makes it easy to flush the antifreeze or black tanks on the return trip

Can you investigate why all the developed campgrounds have no water! In colorado for the second year in a row. I can't get an answer. They keep jacking the prices and no water? Even arizona and new mexico camps have water.

You’re hysterical 😂

They are ruining camping with lock fees, reserve fees, higher prices, rates going up in west 4X more in one year!

Pandemic was great for csmping becsuse we got socmucj extra time off and could go on a trip and work for part of the day and then enjoy the destination for thr rest of the day. This year I got 12 weeks parental leave and I used 3/4 of it for camping trips!

That woman in a tent by a river, has pitched her tent too close to the water. As interesting as this topic is, it is incumbent upon you to use stitches from others that demonstrate sustainable practices. Responsible outdooring is important; especially with the latest uptick in interest. LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES must be encouraged and promoted so that all who want to enjoy the outdoors can do so. 🌿

This type of reporting and definition of camping have me sick to my stomach. KOA for starters, KOA and everything they do, everything they offer is the opposite of camping. WiFi, camping has nothing to do with WiFi. And the number of people who have hijacked camping for vanlife, vagabond, stealth living, homelessness and half dozen other lifestyles that now fall under camping is truly terrible. But when you said reservations, that's a real trigger. Our land management doesn't yet use non use days as important as use days. So campgrounds that have 10, 14 day limits make sense, but as one camper leaves and minutes or hours later another takes the spot, that's basically ruining, or already ruined many plans, some forever. Campgrounds, campsites need to go unused, need rest, recuperation, time to heal from disasterous overuse and misuse. Wifi is a huge factor in people destroying open, wild spaces, camping and working are different and when combined only the workers benefit but campers are harmed. KOA is a great example, I could care less if a vanlife person or massive, heavy, ultra noisy and intrusive RV wants to go to a KOA, put out a huge BBQ, multiple E-bikes, satellite dish and run their generator and massive outdoor light setup all night..go for it . but in campgrounds there should be limits to who and what are considered proper use and users. Soon being able to backpack or tent camp will be impossible so instead someone can send email and watch Netflix while camping, and their onboard ice maker is part of my camping while they run a generator.

It's an annoying thing to see. I miss the days before the Iphone and social engineering. In the 90's I would go to Yosemite, Yellowstone and be fairly comfortable. Joshua Tree, we use to call it the "monument", was virtually empty. I'd say yes, around the early teens the Instagram effect has really impacted the outdoors.

State and national parks block many camp sites-empty sites aren’t just from people not showing up. A camp host confirmed this when I asked. I guess for preservation? It seems our usage of OUR paid for by our tax dollars parks is being manipulated to shorter seasons also. How do we vote on our parks policies? (Leave 25% of sites to first come first serve for instance-and not just the less desirable sites). We disperse camp most often and can’t wait to get out of RV parks, campgrounds due to insolent noise 😂🎉

Please let's not bring hotels into the outdoor hospitality. They are doing all they can to destroy the short term rental market after entering it. They will do the same to camping. You'll see more regulations and taxes in an attempt to squeeze out their competitors. That will negatively change the landscape of camping, guaranteed.

My wife and I early 60's. Her family canoe club and tents. My family had boy scouts tents and later pickup bed camper and a ski boat. We had gone on trips both family's. Then our first was born we went on our own used popup tent camper and a 4x4 suburban 1985 - 2000 no a/c so mostly went march - may and September to November allover Missouri long weekends. Back then NO crowds NO reservations. down side not much open back then (season) was memorial - labor all the bath rooms and showers were drained for winter. We quit when you had to start making a reservation also 3 boys glowed up now I snore = cpap needs electricity we do have beds at opposite ends of popup But we were paying $6.00 for electric site. diesel was hard to find but we had 40 gallon tank and cost 50 - 80 cents a gallon. We loved those days probably why I am $ 140,000 in debt credit cards and home equity line against house those were the magic years earned Missouri camper awards. memories and photos are great

It is unaffordable for solo seniors now.

This will lead to more and more shut downs of land throughout the years. It’s best to see what you wanna see now and while you can before it happens to the next area. It’s depressing, really. These free campsite apps have ruined things too along with KZfaqrs showing their camp spot. All a recipe for disaster one day…….

I have camped all my life and i hate what it has become. I like to just pick up and go and you can no longer do that. I hate having to plan a weekend six months or a year in advance so my camping days are just about over. Sucks....

National parks are finite in number and spaces. Campgrounds added very few new locations for a few decades. Many campgrounds grew tired and almost non-usable. It will take time to catch up. Many new US-made RV's are overpriced and oversized compared to European offerings. US manufacturers are gaining a reputation for making crap that will need constant servicing. I see young families looking outside the box to enjoy camping.

Obviously you don't get it. I don't even own an RV and I get it. For starters most of all RV's ever built are junk. There are several reasons for this. I would say first and foremost would be that strong AND light weight IS NOT CHEAP! How much titanium do you see in an RV? NONE! The other thing is the manufacturer pretty much plans on the fact that their product is only going to be used 2 weeks out of a year. Experienced RV people say this because they have seen the problems first hand. Pandemic RV's were flying off the lots in record numbers. Some people at that time, were making more money staying at home than working. So finding GOOD QUALIFIED help, in many businesses was a problem. It was obviously an issue in the RV industry. People spent $150,000 on an RV that had catastrophic failures in the first few years. One example would be a couple that bought a 5th wheel for $142,000. In two years, the frame on that trailer BROKE! The manufacturer agreed to pay off the $92,000 balance on the loan, in return for doing that, the owner had to agree to NEVER discuss the issue. So that couple lost $50,000 or $25,000 per year on that RV. And with the influx of new campers, particularly those with RV's camper etiquette also seems to be a problem.

So for those of us that live in them permanently ... are we counted?

I do like the KOAs but is expensive

The data mirrors my personal observations over the past five years.

The increase in RV’ers/campers aged below 60 & 50 is significant. I would consider the franchise if only the KOAs would learn to increase their spaces between sites. What they charge for a site and a hotel is comparable. I believe the increase is on the downside, and I predict that natural disasters will cause many of those affected by natural disasters to increase ownership of driving & camping.

I was RVing this weekend at a very good Corps of Engineer campground on the lake in Oklahoma. It was shocking to me how many of these RV sites were filled with tent campers. Some of these single RV spots had up to 10 people camping on them with 3 or 4 tents. Part of the reason is the cost is about $25/night which includes water and electric. This is not meant to be political, but a large majority were large groups of foreigners (people from India, Mexicans, and Asians). We also get a lot of Texans who don't want to pay Texas prices...but they supposedly LOVE TEXAS🙄. It appears to me that these people aren't camping, they're living at campgrounds. With 10 people in one $25/night spot, they are basically living for $2.50/day and they get free showers, electricity, and water. They stay for 2 weeks, which is the max, then they move on to another state owned campground for a couple of weeks. Besides the fact that RVers have very few spots available in these campgrounds, the resources like the showers and bathrooms are not made for this many people. Plus these people have zero campground etiquette such as not walking through another person's campsite, dogs on leashes, etc. Something has got to give. I was told that another local campground has had to change their policy and start charging per person because too many people were in one spot. Even though I don't like paying higher prices, they need to raise the prices or charge per person to get rid of the homeless encampments that we are currently calling campgrounds.

Here is my take on camping and the RV business as a whole. We are experiencing the perfect storm. Camping has become more popular, partly due to the increased sales of units during COVID. Campgrounds haven't grown as quickly, or even worse shrunk due to closing because of increased property tax/liability insurance. The alternative is sell to big corporations that raise prices that are insane. The alternative if state,l9cal Fed land. Much cheaper and more space, problem with that is they are at a price point that people will book and not have a problem eating the cost if they cancel, parks are not full. Many people can now work remotely. That includes at camp grounds, this is also a byproduct of high covid unit sales. I suspect these all will shrink over the next 3-5 years as these units are sold off or simply not used out of guilt of expensive units sitting idle

I would sleep alongside the road before I go to a KOA

I wonder who gets these surveys? I’ve been camping over 10years and never been surveyed. Mmmm