How to Make a Last-Minute Campsite Reservation

Updated May 17, 2023 — Looking to make a last-minute reservation for camping? You are not in luck. (Sorry.) Sleeping on the ground is surprisingly appealing to a lot of people—who probably made campsite reservations months ago.

I wish I could give you better news. Fact is, booking a campsite was challenging in the first place. The pandemic and associated restrictions on international travel have many looking instead to domestic travel options. Given its outdoor setting, budget-friendliness, and nostalgic good-vibes, camping is at the top of the list for many. (Oh, yeah, and it’s easy to social distance in the forest.)

Those who made their camping plans early didn’t have it much easier. Campgrounds sell-out quickly. Many reached out to us this year noting that they had their mouse over the Reserve button on opening morning—but spots were gone by the time they clicked. Seriously: Campsites are booking faster than an Abba reunion tour. (Mamma Mia!)

The truth of the matter is that getting a last-minute campsite reservation won’t be easy. So, it’s time to check your expectations. If you are lucky enough to score a campsite, you might not get the spot of your dreams. That said, all hope is not lost. Following are a handful of options that could help get your family around a campfire, eating some gooey s’mores, this summer. Read on…

Sites like Glamping Hub allow you to sample camping options that are sometimes more unique.

Go camping on someone else’s land

In recent years, Airbnb-like services have opened up for camping. These sites allow people to rent their property out to campers for a (not always) small sum. These camping options range from lakefront retreats and bucolic farms to rustic cabins and even… I’ll say it… “glamping”. (Do you loathe that word as much as I do?)

Not sure where to begin? Check out sites like Tentrr, Campertunity, and (possibly) Glamping Hub. My hunch is that we’ll see even more such services come available in the years ahead.

Search for canceled reservations

This is the self-promotional part of this blog post, but it’s probably worth your time. You see, many thousands of campsite reservations get canceled over a year. (Typically this is because people book months in advance, and their plans change as the arrival date nears.)

One way to find canceled reservations is to visit your park’s website to check if new openings have come available. Another is to create a campsite notifications scan that’ll automatically notify you if someone’s canceled a campsite reservation that matches your criteria.

Check private campgrounds for availabilities

Provincial, state, and national parks can be spectacular. That doesn’t mean they’re your only options though. When it comes to last-minute campsites you can sometimes fare better with private campsites. This is because many don’t even offer online booking. (I’ve stayed at gorgeous campsites where all of the reservations were made by hand in a paper day planner.)

These campgrounds require a little more research, but even a Google search for “[placename] + campsite” will get you started. No luck? Check Campendium or Reserve America and you’re bound to find some workable options. Pro-tip: Sometimes it’s worth making a phone call to the park you’re interested in. Then speak with one of their staff about possible openings.

You might also consider exploring some groups that manage several different campgrounds. Most everyone’s heard of Kampsites of America (KOA), which operates over 500 campgrounds across North America. Similarly, Good Sam Parks boasts 2,100+ campgrounds in Canada and the United States.

Sites like Freeroam allow you to connect with other campers and share notes.

Explore other camping options

Some expect reserving a campsite to be as easy as booking a hotel on Expedia. Fair enough, but you can significantly expand your options by looking at some less-familiar organizations (who often have pretty antiquated websites). For example, in B.C. (where we’re based) Recreation Sites and Trails BC lists many campsites.

There are also plenty of free camping options, but finding good spots does require more research (and patience). You might start with Free Campsites. It’s a community-driven platform for sharing campgrounds and campsites. FreeRoam is a similar resource with campsite listings, reviews, and forums. iOverlander also lists campsites—as well as water fills and dump stations.

If you’ve served, you might be able to camp at a military campground in the United States or Canada. Admittedly, these aren’t for everyone, but they do illustrate the diversity of camping options to be had.

The U.S. National Forests’ interactive map is packed full of information and options

Camp on public lands

Many areas that aren’t necessarily set up for camping are still accessible to campers. These will require you to take extra care. Please educate yourself on wilderness camping and leave no trace. Here are some additional tips for camping on public lands.

The U.S Forest Service has this handy interactive map that allows you to explore recreational activities in national forests and grasslands. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has a similar interactive map. These can be a little frustrating to navigate, but they do contain a vast amount of data.

Many public lands can be camped on, but some are strictly off-limits. For this reason, it’s up to you to find/download some maps, check the regulations in each jurisdiction, and abide by those rules. (I’d like to help more with these. That said, they are too varied and extensive to address in a single blog post.)

Do your research

Camping comes in many flavors. Some live in their RVs and stay at campsites for extended periods. Seasonal campers book sites for long stretches in the summer and stay put. Weekenders hit places closer to home so they can return to the office on Monday (boo!). Vanlifers might stay in places as uninspiring as Walmart parking lots. Overlanders go way off the beaten path, and backcountry campers go even further.

For this reason, it’s worth doing some investigation and learning about all of the options available to you. Check your favorite parks’ blogs to see if they have any special opportunities. Ontario Parks offers a weekly vacancy report and Sepaq has a last minute deals page.

Alberta Parks’ dedicated first-come, first-served page shows what you might get if you take your chances.

If you’re willing to arrive early and roll the dice, there are also first-come, first-served (FCFS) campsites. Some parks organizations like Alberta Parks have pages dedicated to their FCFS campsites, whereas other campgrounds set aside a few spots as FCFS. You might also consider joining some local Facebook camping groups These often contain good tips from other campers.

So, yes, finding a last-minute campsite isn’t necessarily easy. That said, you probably have more options than you realize… and certainly more than I’ve covered in this post. 😉

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That photo up top comes courtesy of Dan Gomer.

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