The Prices!

We haven’t been able to get out in our RV for about a year, due to elderly family issues and death. But a family wedding up in Oregon in late August is getting me in trip planning mode, plus a desire to get back to Lolo, Montana.

Man, is $50 the new benchmark for nightly fees? Just curious, because decent places seem to be mostly above that number. Normally I try for a variety of price points, realizing some places are just going to be much more expensive than others, but I am reeling a bit at some sticker shock.

Also, is it just me, or are RV Parks just willy nilly deciding to tack on the Resort label to charge more? I see so many reviews, which I tend to agree with, that the Parks aren’t resorts in any way, but man they sure are using the label a lot to extract a higher fee.

 

Hi Ellistea - We are also sorry to hear about your family issues and setbacks, etc. Hopefully everything will begin turning around for you and your family very soon. As to RV parks and campgrounds pricing at this point in time, we have noticed that in very recent years prices have gone up from the $25 to $40 a night rates we started out paying to what have now become $45 to $55 a night, and up for the higher end parks. When you stop to think about it tho it should come as no surprise as the folks that own and operate RV parks are faced with the same increases across the board with most all commodities, foods, gasoline and transportation, etc. as are we, the traveling RVers are, so it's understandable they would have to raise their rates to remain in business. In her many prior years of RVing with her late husband my very significant other has told me that when they first started out, staying at an RV park would cost on average $12 to $15 a night and that they thought back then $20 a night was outrageously expensive. Anyway, it is what it and we all have to either just pay the going rates or stop doing what we enjoy so much and I for one don't see that happening until DMV takes my driver's license away. And shame on them when they do...

Safe and happy future travels, BankShot...........(aka Terry)

 

I'm sorry for your loss as well...

You didn't say where you're looking in Oregon, but in the listings for Lolo, MT, the Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park is the only park I found that charges $50. The rest were all less, with even the KOA coming in at $41.

 

For a little perspective, as mdcamping mentions for "coastal" areas: One of the Key West CGs is weighing in at $99/night... OFF season [read: May to Oct. and HOT as a mutha!]... INLAND [not waterfront] site. Granted, this is not ON Key West, but Stock Island and is but a short bus/über/rental scooter ride down to Duval Street.

Ya pays ya money...

 

Unfortunately with limited supply comes demand. Prices will only keep going up. Get ready for $150/night. It's not far away.

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Sure hope that's for full hookups and not just in the overflow area.........

BankShot..............(aka Terry)

 

We're currently in a prime tourist area (Durango) and are staying in a premium site at the KOA. We have a beautiful, large site with landscaping, a table and chairs, a charcoal grill and a firepit. With our KOA discount we're paying ~$65/night before tax. I don't think this is excessive considering it's one of the most expensive sites in the park.

Furthermore, what has really surprised me give all this discussion is the fact that the the park isn't 100% full. It's probably at the ~80% level but there are a few vacancies even with these premium sites. You wouldn't be able to reserve the two week stay that we have, but you probably could manage to stay two weeks if you were willing to move around from site to site.

 

I would say the reason the park isn't full is due to the fires in the area, especially the 416 fire.

1) up until last week, the Durango/Silverton train was shut down which is a major tourist draw.
2) some people go camping, specifically to have a campfire. Since the fire bans, I'm sure there are a few people who have chosen to stay home or go somewhere else.

Just my 2-cents.
Chris g.

 

If parks are all full prices have to go up. Economics 101. Pushes the building of more which is good.

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Good points; the CG has had a "flag" on its website explaining that the fires are not near it, but yesterday the road to Silverton was closed by a mudslide which resulted from heavy rains in the fire scare area. And the train is closed today because of it.

 

Thanks, all, for the replies!
Both my parents passed away within three weeks of each other, but it was being a caregiver to my mom that really put the kibosh on the trips this last year.

Just starting my booking now for end of August, and was able to snag a County Park near Ashland, Oregon for $30/night, but with an $8 online fee and I believe when we are there, we’ll have to pay a day use fee for the toad. Still, that’s not terrible.

I’m sortof over the shock, and yes, as a graduate with an economics degree, I understand how this works, just wanted a reality check from others, which you folks have given me. I think I got a bit spoiled for a couple of years, there, when prices seemed stable.

As to Lolo, Montana, our go-to is the Square Dance place off, I believe, Route 12. It’s right on the creek and the fees are reasonable (not recalling right now what they are). It’s just down the road from Lewis and Clark’s Travelers’ Rest, which is worth going to if you’re around Missoula. All of The Bitterroot Valley is quite nice, of course.

As to Durango, it’s on the list. My daughter-in-law’s mother lives there, so one day, hopefully soon.

 

. YIKES!!

 

I’d like to think it would, but not so sure about the overall economics or business forecast out there. I’ve seen some shrinkage, but some growth in areas we like spending time in, like Dripping Springs, Texas, near Austin.

 

Thanks, Terry.

 

I can't directly speak about Oregon, in neighboring WA campers (who are paying for a campsite) aren't required to pay the day use fee for vehicles. You ought to ask if OR has the same policy.

 

We are traveling now in the NW. Jackson Hole, Wy $120.00 per night..Glacier N.P $140.00.
We prefer to dry camp. We have a 40’ Tiffin Allegro Bus and a Jeep tow. Don’t need or want hook ups!

 

With all due respect, I'm sure that the cost for a site actually in Glacier NP is a lot less than $140/night. Even for commercial parks, you have chosen dollar amounts far higher than we have encountered on our current trip and we like to stay in the best parks in an area.

For example, we're staying at Yellowstone Grizzly RV park in a week and it's only costing us ~$75/night for their best site. Please don't exaggerate to make your point.

Everyone has a different perspective on RVing; I'm glad your approach works for you. My wife and I have been fulltimers for 8 years and also have a 40' MH. We hardly ever stay anywhere without full hookups. My wife's view is that she has a washer because it's meant to be used!

 

Obviously, as the late Paul Harvey often offered up, what we need is the Rest of the Story. It is possible that Jackson Hole is over $100.00 (it has some of the most expensive real estate in the US. Everything in Jackson is expensive, RV sites included). You should expect RV sites to be at the very top of the national market, comparable to the Florida Keys, the Southern California Coast, San Francisco and other ultra expensive real estate markets.
Moving on, there is no way a normal RV site is $140.00 at Glacier. Are you traveling with a huge group and getting charged for the additional people in your group? Do you have multiple vehicles and getting charged additional vehicle fees? Do you need to set up tents or is your rig a double RV setup (i.e. Truck camper, Class A or Class C towing a RV trailer) and therefore the park is requiring you to reserve more than one site? As presented, I agree with Doc, the prices you are quoting appear to be a gross exaggeration.

 

I'm a bit late joining this subject, but have to add my two cents. I am totally shocked at some of these prices. I could maybe see places like Key West where land is a primo, but still!
As I started to plan our late April/ early May 2019 trip and being from St. Louis, MO am looking for warmer climates. Considered either the South Carolina coast or Louisiana in general. Been to the Florida pan handle just recently. We are mostly state park and COE campers. I was totally blown away to find SC state parks are any where from $48 to $60 plus per night where as Louisiana SP rate is generally $28 per, with 50% with a Geezer card. Pretty tough to beat. We are not beach people, but we generally don't like cajun food either.