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What's a good online camping resource?

bajakirch

bajakirch

Crotch Rocket
It's been a couple of years since I've done any motorcycle camping, but I have a multi-day ride coming up and I'm breaking out the tent, cot and sleeping bag again.

Often, I tried to set my camping spots up in advance so I didn't have to worry about where I'd lay my head at night. For this trip, I'm looking at a more unplanned approach. I'd like to ride as far as I can until around supper-time, then find a place to pitch my tent.

What I'm looking for is some sort of online resource that will allow me to punch in my location and get a pretty comprehensive listing of nearby campgrounds. With that, I can (hopefully) make a few phone calls and find a nearby opening.

My dream site would include all types of campgrounds -- private, city, county parks, state parks, national forests/parks, etc. -- with easy to use contact information. Reviews and a complete listing of amenities would be a plus.

Any of you long-haulers have any suggestions?
 
There's an app out there from REI called REI national park guide and maps.

That will get you a pretty inclusive list of all the national parks, including camping information. You can search by filtering nearby to find parks closest to your location.

Not sure about smaller state and local resources..
 
I have found many small towns up here in the north have
city parks. I ask if overnight camping is allow and have
had very good results. In Ohio along Lake Erie I sleep
under the town water tower. In Wisconsin & Minnesota
have stayed in small town parks. You don't get all the
amenities but they are convenient.
 
Depends on how fussy you are, but if you have this APP/website and a smart phone, there's a LOT of good free/cheap camping to be had..... wherever you are.  freecampsites.net
 
RWulf said:
I have found many small towns up here in the north have
city parks. I ask if overnight camping is allow and have
had very good results. In Ohio along Lake Erie I sleep
under the town water tower. In Wisconsin & Minnesota
have stayed in small town parks. You don't get all the
amenities but they are convenient.
Click to expand...

Very true...but some, or most, can be located next to thoroughfares and train tracks. A few of the sites we camped at recently were located pretty close to active rails. Tends to dice up sleep cycles. Cheap though. Suggest taking a good look around before breaking out the tent.
 
works4me said:
Ask the experts at: motocampers.com
Click to expand...

+1

Good listing of spots, when a member camps a good one, they write it up and it goes in a topic for stuff like that.

 
All Stays for camping/RVs is an excellent source for that info, plus a LOT more. Ease of use, instant one click to sat map, easy access to campsite links and other related services make this my go to app for traveling. $10, but well worth it. They do have a free version that is not as complete.

Free campsites is also a valuable tool to get to an obscure place. BTW, most US Forests and BLM allow dispersed camping for no fee.
 
Leaving on my trip today.

Reviewed the suggestions above and ended up biting the bullet and ponying up $10 for the All Stays app. I've played with it just a little bit this morning and it appears to be exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll try to remember to revisit this thread with a review upon my return.
 
Well, I only was able to use the All Stays app once, and it worked exactly as I'd hoped. I found a campsite just a few miles from my location. Although I'll say that, enroute to the campground, I passed several others, so I wouldn't say the app is super-comprehensive.

Sadly I had to cut the trip short because of a family medical emergency. 10 minutes after I paid for my site, I received the call, jumped back on the bike and rode 3.5 hours back home.

Hopefully I'll get another chance to try out the app before the riding season's over.
 
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