Where is everybody?

THE MEEKER · 06-13-2022, 05:32 AM

I just returned from camping this past weekend (June 10-12) at a popular state park in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. We have been going during this weekend in June for the past several years and it is always been at capacity. Not this year. The campsites were about a third fill with RVs with a few more occupied with pop-up and tent campers. A third of the campsites were unused. Even local attractions and restaurants were not busy. My neighbors were camping in the Tug Hill area of New York two weeks ago and report the same.

I believe the current situation with fuel prices and inflation is having an impact with camping. I’m just using this one example of making my opinion. You may see it differently from where you go camping. I hope so. If where you go camping is at capacity, that’s great.

I would like to know what others are seeing in other parts of the country without getting political. My camping plans for this summer have not changed, but I have had to make some adjustments to be able to go.

Onyrlef · 06-13-2022, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE MEEKER

I just returned from camping this past weekend (June 10-12) at a popular state park in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. We have been going during this weekend in June for the past several years and it is always been at capacity. Not this year. The campsites were about a third fill with RVs with a few more occupied with pop-up and tent campers. A third of the campsites were unused. Even local attractions and restaurants were not busy. My neighbors were camping in the Tug Hill area of New York two weeks ago and report the same.

I believe the current situation with fuel prices and inflation is having an impact with camping. I’m just using this one example of making my opinion. You may see it differently from where you go camping. I hope so. If where you go camping is at capacity, that’s great.

I would like to know what others are seeing in other parts of the country without getting political. My camping plans for this summer have not changed, but I have had to make some adjustments to be able to go.

Was at Lake Texoma in OK last week, it was a ghost town.

Marcm157 · 06-13-2022, 06:22 AM

We stay primarily in the Catskill / Capitol / Hudson Valley regions of NY for our short extended weekend trips and use mostly private campgrounds. We have had trouble getting sites at some of our usual places.

We are looking to head up to the Seneca Lake Watkins Glen area in September and found some sites available at local family owned type campgrounds up there. We are heading south in July to the Carolinas and had no trouble finding sites for stop overs or extended stays along the route.

Racinforthefinish · 06-13-2022, 06:29 AM

I was at Buckhorn Campground in the Chickasaw National Park a couple weeks back and it was about a third full even though Rec.gov said it was booked full. These were the reservable sites, first come first served was almost empty.

tom463219 · 06-13-2022, 06:30 AM

These fuel prices have put the kabosh on our retirement plans. Been retired for 6 years, the first 5 were great. Traveled a lot in the RV. Now, I refuse to pay $250 for a fill up to drive 375 miles. It sits in storage now. I guess it will remain there until fuel prices drop to at least $4 a gallon. Not that I didn't save a nest egg, I don't feel like dumping it all in the gas tank.

OnTheGo · 06-13-2022, 06:30 AM

We do mostly short trips for a "change of scenery" from retired life. With the cost of travel where it's at now we stopped going altogether.

RedHorse1 · 06-13-2022, 07:35 AM

Recent WDW visitors, what are the crowds like there?
Just a quick estimate suggests my round trip diesel costs would be right at $1000

But I do miss the Mouse!

DocBrown · 06-13-2022, 09:57 AM

For lack of a better term the "covid" campers are most of the ones bailing out first. I've seen several trailers in my area go up for sale in the past few weeks that were purchased in 2020/2021 or in the few years prior. This doesn't surprise me at all. And maybe we'll see less of the disrespect for others that's been so prevalent the last few years.

For those who travel long distance or plan to, these prices hurt bad. For those who stay within 3-4 hours of home, it doesn't actually add that much to a trip. Make adjustments elsewhere and it's doable. It's the die hards that will keep camping.

When gas was $4.00 in '08, we just ate out a little less on the trip and planned for the fuel increase. But it didn't stop us. We sold our trailer in April for non-fuel related reasons, but knowing where prices were going, we would have kept camping. The real question for us now, is whether we should keep our truck or not. Love the truck but having a harder time justifying keeping it.

GarlicDude · 06-13-2022, 10:02 AM

Wife hasn't provided the actual numbers yet, but I'm guess-ta-mating that we spent $500 for a 720 mile trip in Cali.

Oogie34 · 06-13-2022, 11:10 AM

As mentioned above I bet these gas prices are cooling off the Covid campers quite a bit. My prediction is, the more remote campgrounds will be ghost towns while the ones nearer to highly populated areas will remain at or near full capacity. Since many places need to be booked months if not a year in advance these days, a lot of people are going to choose to skip camping this summer or quit altogether because they can't find a place to go near to home.

We just bought a new Jayco 242BHS a few weeks ago. I'm now thinking it was pretty much the worst possible time to buy. Prices are going to be dropping very soon with demand cooling off. Then again our trade value would have gone down too, so maybe not so bad.

Route 66 Traveler · 06-13-2022, 11:28 AM

Leaving tomorrow on a 210 mile round trip to Williams, AZ from Kingman. Gas here today just hit $4.95. Gas there is a bit higher so I am estimating $115-$120 for the trip. We made a reservation, but the last time we were there in May the place looked deserted, only about 1/3 of the spaces were occupied. I have a feeling it will be the same tomorrow or even less RV's.

We also just canceled a planned RV trip to Colorado Springs for our granddaughters wedding next month. Airfare for the trip was going to be right at $400 for the both of us, but $850 for a rental car for 4 days ...

So we are taking our Santa Fe instead...estimated cost for gas round trip around $450, plus about $350 for the hotel. Just a quick trip up and back.

Bill Johnson · 06-13-2022, 11:50 AM

I'm going to visit my son near Minnesota it says it's 600 miles round trip. I don't mind the gas prices, that won't stop me it's the retirement in the stock market. The people (experts) HaHa on tv and my investment guy just ride it out it will come back. Not till the war is over. I would love to see what he did with his money(mostly mine)

Kim Gass · 06-13-2022, 01:02 PM

Ghost campground
Cathedral Pines Eustis ME
less than 1/4 full
Nearest town Rangeley. 30 miles away
Canadian border just up the road

Jagiven · 06-13-2022, 01:19 PM

We have not gone camping once this year! Normally we would have been out 4-6 times by now. Has nothing to do with fuel price (that will not stop me). Kid graduated from HS this last week, and the DW wanted the house/yard to be perfect for the open house party (lot of yard landscaping ). So that is what we have been doing all spring.

Marcm157 · 06-13-2022, 01:41 PM

We are still heading south this July. Will be close to a 2,000 mile round trip. At between 8 and 9 MPG it's going to hurt very badly. Fuel will far surpass the cost of the place we are staying at and it's been described as one of the nicer camping "Resorts" out there. We will be at Carolina Pines in Conway SC....

Finally Able · 06-18-2022, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcm157

We are still heading south this July. Will be close to a 2,000 mile round trip. At between 8 and 9 MPG it's going to hurt very badly. Fuel will far surpass the cost of the place we are staying at and it's been described as one of the nicer camping "Resorts" out there. We will be at Carolina Pines in Conway SC....

We were at Carolina Pines from mid-January to mid-March and loved it there. It may spoil you, but enjoy!

FashaPa · 06-18-2022, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

Ghost campground
Cathedral Pines Eustis ME
less than 1/4 full
Nearest town Rangeley. 30 miles away
Canadian border just up the road

It will be interesting to see how full now that school is out. I'm in Maine all summer and finding it all over the board.

Racinforthefinish · 06-18-2022, 02:02 PM

We recently took a 3,240 mile trip and spent $1350.00 on gas. Best average I ever had at 9.8 average for the trip by cruising about 62-63 and backing off on the hills. I usually get 7 to 8 but times are a changin!

Route 66 Traveler · 06-18-2022, 02:13 PM

We just returned from a 5 day trip to Williams, AZ. We stayed at the Grand Canyon Railway RV park. We almost didn't make a reservation because last year it was only about 1/3 full. This time it was about 95% -100%full and we might not have gotten a spot without a reservation. The $59.00 per night at the RV park was the same as last year...less than we paid for fuel and food.

Looking at the amount and types of RV's you wouldn't know there had been any changes in the price of gas or food. Williams isn't too far from Kingman where we live so we used about 1/2 tank of gas each way....still spent $150 on gas for the trip.

We also saw lots of RV's on the highway, as well as the truck stop where we stopped for gas. At one Love's there were cars and RV's waiting in line for $5.20 a gallon gas. Diesel was almost a dollar a gallon more.

The abundance of people out traveling might be drastically reduced in a month or so when the credit card bills come rolling in.

twdenman · 06-18-2022, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE MEEKER

I just returned from camping this past weekend (June 10-12) at a popular state park in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. We have been going during this weekend in June for the past several years and it is always been at capacity. Not this year. The campsites were about a third fill with RVs with a few more occupied with pop-up and tent campers. A third of the campsites were unused. Even local attractions and restaurants were not busy. My neighbors were camping in the Tug Hill area of New York two weeks ago and report the same.

I believe the current situation with fuel prices and inflation is having an impact with camping. I’m just using this one example of making my opinion. You may see it differently from where you go camping. I hope so. If where you go camping is at capacity, that’s great.

I would like to know what others are seeing in other parts of the country without getting political. My camping plans for this summer have not changed, but I have had to make some adjustments to be able to go.

Don’t worry about gas prices. I predict gas prices will drop after Labor Day. Politicians will NOT maintain these ridiculously high prices before the mid-term elections.

Happy Camping

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