How Do You Book a Campsite on Recreation.gov?

Recreation.gov is the federal reservation site for campgrounds and other recreation on federal lands, including many National Park Service campgrounds. Popular campgrounds can sell out quickly, so knowing how booking windows work matters more than speed.

What is a booking window?

Recreation.gov’s FAQ explains that a booking window is how far ahead of a date you can reserve it, and that booking windows are set by each individual facility. You’ll find a campground’s window under its Seasons and Booking (or Seasons and Fees) tab.

Recreation.gov’s tips article says most campsites can be booked six months before your arrival date, that some locations also have shorter windows, and that most campgrounds go on sale at 7 a.m. Pacific / 8 a.m. Mountain / 10 a.m. Eastern, “but not always.”

What does a real booking window look like?

Example from the National Park Service: at Acadia National Park’s Blackwoods, Seawall and Schoodic Woods campgrounds, 90 percent of sites are released six months ahead on the first of each month at 10 a.m. Eastern, and the remaining 10 percent are released 14 days ahead on a rolling basis. Other parks use other rules, so read the specific campground page.

What should RV campers check before booking?

• Maximum vehicle length for the specific site, and whether it counts a tow vehicle.
• Site type and whether it has electric, water or sewer hookups.
• Dump station availability in or near the campground (see our tank guide).
• Generator hours and quiet hours in the campground rules.
• Season dates, because some campgrounds close for part of the year.

How do you book, step by step?

1. Create your Recreation.gov account well before sale day and sign in early.
2. Open the campground page and read the Seasons and Fees tab for the on-sale date and time.
3. Shortlist several sites that fit your RV’s length and hookup needs.
4. At the release time, refresh and select your dates. Recreation.gov holds a site in your cart for 15 minutes; if you don’t finish, it’s released.
5. Use one browser tab. Recreation.gov advises against signing in on multiple browsers, tabs or windows, which can trigger extra reCAPTCHA checks.
6. Save the confirmation and read the cancellation and change rules.

What time zone does it use?

Recreation.gov says to synchronize your clock with the Recreation.gov clock, which uses Coordinated Universal Time, so you can refresh at the exact release time. Convert the time shown on the campground page to your own time zone.

Planning a park trip? See our national parks guide and the first-rental checklist.

What should you do the week before sale day?

• Pick two or three campgrounds and several sites at each that fit your RV.
• Write the exact on-sale date and time from each campground page, converted to your time zone.
• Sign in to Recreation.gov the day before to make sure your password and payment details work.
• Decide your backup dates in advance so you can switch quickly if your first choice is gone.

What are the common booking mistakes?

• Booking a site shorter than the RV plus any tow vehicle.
• Assuming every campground opens six months ahead; each facility sets its own window.
• Opening several tabs at once, which can trigger extra reCAPTCHA checks.
• Letting the 15-minute cart hold run out while comparing sites.
• Missing that the campground closes for part of the year.

What if you don’t get a site?

Check the campground again closer to your dates, since some parks release part of their sites later (Acadia releases 10 percent 14 days ahead). Look at nearby federal campgrounds on Recreation.gov, state parks and private campgrounds. Our national parks guide covers planning around full campgrounds.

Can a group book together?

Each campground sets its own rules for group sites, the number of vehicles per site and how many sites one account can hold. Read the campground’s rules and Need to Know section before sale day, and agree with your group who will book which site so you don’t compete for the same ones. Keep every confirmation in one shared place so everyone has the dates, site numbers and cancellation rules.