Back to School Already?

Why do the summers seem shorter now?!

Can you believe this is the middle of August already?  Back-to-school ads bombard us everywhere we turn!  Have you NOT squeezed enough camping in?

Well don't give up!

August is a great time for camping.  It often has the driest weather so you don't have the added challenge of packing a wet tent.  Campgrounds are still pretty packed during the first couple weeks of August but first-come-first-served sites come open every day.

Osprey Campground, on Priest Lake, Idaho

Mid to late August is the best time to find a campsite on weekdays.  You can see a lot more openings on the reservation system: Recreation.gov.  Reservations can be made at least 4 days in advance of your arrival and up to 6 months ahead.  So book now for your late-season camping trip.

More first-come-first-served sites will also be available during the last couple weeks in August.  Plan on arriving at the campground around 10 am to find a first-come-first-served campsite.  Although checkout time is later in the day, some people get moving early.  Sites will become available throughout the day.  If someone else hasn't snagged it, it's yours!  Be polite and don't ask campers if they are leaving.  You know how it is when you are trying to get things done and people keep interrupting you.  You may not be the only one watching for a site to open.  The Camp Host may be able to help you find an open campsite.

If you are short on days, who wants to spend most of them in the car?  Maybe staying closer to home is the best plan.  There may be a campground near you that you didn't know existed.  If you have younger children, they won't even know that you're only a half hour away from home.  Check out your local forests from our state lists of campgrounds.

Click on the state for a map and a list.