Our family is renting a RV this summer. We are new to camping. We are planning to visit the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. As I research various RV parks I have become discouraged. I envisioned our family hiking during the day while coming back at night to our RV…grill out, sit around the fire pit, look at the stars, enjoy the wild life. Are there any RV parks like that out there? Its seems so many of them are situated near the mountains but in a parking lots sandwiched next to many very close neighbors. Is this what RV camping is really like?
There are still lots of places out there that offer the "camping" experience rather than the "RV park" atmosphere. That's why our website is so good to use. We try to have the most and best information about each park so that you can easily determine if it is the type of park you are looking for. Reviews that just say "nice park" do not provide an idea of what the park is like. That is why we have a comprehensive list of services, facilities, and amenities that are available at the campground and also why we ask reviewers to give a few comments about the the place. Combined, these two features will give readers a good idea of what to expect at a place so that they can make an informed decision about staying there. Also if you are looking for a more natural campground, you should definitely look at the state and national park campgrounds which we have listed also. They are generally more of a campground than an RV park. Just keep doing your homework by reading about the different parks, and I'm sure you will find what you are looking for.
What I say here is not meant to discourage you from enjoying the RV experience the majority of us on this forum do, it is being said due to what we (my co pilot and I) personally have found to be true. In areas such as the general Jackson Hole area, Yellowstone, Yosemite and many other very highly tourist centered areas, the RV parks and campgrounds are usually cramped a lot more than the average park is and you will find the rates to be substantially higher also. This is just due to land being more expensive to occupy and that fact that in many cases rates are based on "what the tourist public will bear". Summer months are especially difficult even getting into these parks as many make their reservations months in advance knowing that "if they don't, they won't". RVing is a wonderful experience although it isn't for everyone. Be aware of the fact that some parks have limitations on the length of the RV you are coming in with so if you plan on renting a longer and larger Class A unit or a longer 5th wheel, make sure that you will be able to get in to the park/s you decide to try. Once again I am not trying to discourage you from enjoying the RV experience but as a first timer you need to be aware of certain facts that can lead to a bad experience if you haven't been made aware of them. On this site you will be able to zero in on all the parks and state campgrounds, etc. within a given city or area and read the various reviews for each one. This should at least give you some idea of what others think about a given park. As Texasrvers above noted, staying at a state campground or park may be worth looking at for your first RV trip. Most have limited hookups such as electric at the site along with water spigots placed througout the facility. Most don't offer sewer hookup, but some do. If you camped in any of these in the past using a car or truck you know all about this I would imagine. Whatever you end up doing do plan ahead and ask lots of questions just as you have done here. We are all willing to assist a new RVer and I for one say welcome to "wonderful way to travel". Enjoy your trip this summer and be sure to review the parks you do stay at and give your feedback on your likes and dislikes. Travel safe and have fun.............. Regards, Bankshot
We stayed at the Colter Bay campground inside Grand Teton NP. Although the sites may not be as spacious as you might like, they are definitely in the woods and wildlife is everywhere. The campground is less than minute walk to the shores of Jackson Lake where you can very easily look at the stars. You can choose to enjoy the experience or you can complain that you have to share it with others. We enjoyed our stay immensely.
Another possible negative for you is that many state and national campgrounds in heavily wooded areas ban campfires due to the risk of forest fires.
