How does this work?
Campsites fill up fast, but people often have to cancel their reservations when a conflict comes up. That's where we come in. We scan for those cancellations and notify you if we find one that matches the campground, dates, and options you're looking for.
What campgrounds can I search?
Currently we can scan campgrounds that are managed by the following sites:
- Recreation.gov: Includes nearly 4000 campgrounds on federal lands including National Parks and US Forest Service land.
- Yellowstone: Includes the 5 campgrounds at Yellowstone that are managed by yellowstonenationalparklodges.com instead of Recreation.gov
- Washington State Parks: Includes nearly 200 campgrounds in 75 Washington State Parks
- ReserveAmerica: Includes nearly 290,000 campsites at thousands of campgrounds across the United States.
- ReserveCalifornia: Includes campsites at over 280 parks throughout California.
- More coming soon! We're already hard at work adding more reservation systems.
What is an Alert?
An Alert is how you tell us where and when to check for open campsites. You tell us the campground, the dates you want to camp, and any optional filters to apply. Then we get to work checking for sites to become available.
What are filters?
By default an alert scans all reservable, non-ADA sites at the campground you've selected. If you choose the Advanced or Pro alert type, you will have the option to use filters to narrow down your search.
Allowed Equipment
Tent - Include sites that allow tents
RV/Trailer - Include sites that allow RVs and/or Trailers
Vehicle Length - If RV/Trailer is selected, an optional Vehicle Length filter will be shown. If you enter a vehicle length, we will only scan sites with a maximum vehicle length less than or equal to the length you enter.
Hookups
No Preference - Default value. Scans all sites regardless of any hookups they may or may not have
Full Hookups - Only scan sites that have electric, water, and sewer hookups
Electric & Water - Only scan sites that have electric and water hookups
Dry (no hookups) - Only scan sites that do not have any hookups
Site Types
Include ADA sites - Include ADA sites when scanning
Exclude RV/Trailer Sites - Set this filter to scan sites that only allow tents, ignoring any that allow RVs/Trailers.
I can't find a campground I know exists
We frequently update our system with the latest information from each reservation system. Sometimes the info we get from those systems can be delayed so new or updated campgrounds may not show up immediately. If you can't find a campground that you know exists, email help@camperalerts.com with the name of the campground, where it's located, what reservation system it uses, and the park or forest it's located in (if applicable). We'll research and if it's a campground we are able to monitor we will get it added to CamperAlerts.
Why do you charge for alerts?
Running a website like this isn't cheap. The code runs on servers that cost money each month. Every email and text message that gets sent to notify you of available campsites costs money. And the more the site grows, the more those costs increase. The goal is to keep the fees for alerts as low as possible while still bringing in enough money to keep the site running.
How much does it cost?
We have 3 different options for alerts with 3 different prices. You can see more detail on the Pricing page. All purchases are handled by our partner Stripe and we never have access to any of your payment information.
Can I check the same campground for multiple dates?
If you buy the Pro Alert you can choose 2 different date ranges to check. It's perfect if your camping trip has flexible dates, giving you a better chance of finding a site. For example, if you want to camp for 2 nights, you could check for Friday-Sunday and Saturday-Monday.
How often do you check for available sites?
It depends on the type of Alert you choose. We check Basic Alerts once every hour, Plus Alerts every 30 minutes, and Pro Alerts every 15 minutes.
Can I check for specific sites?
Do you have a favorite campsite that you want to check for? If you buy an Plus Alert you can narrow your search to 1 specific site, or buy a Pro Alert to search for 5 specific sites.
How do you notify me?
If we find a match for your Alert we will send you an email notification. Be sure to add alerts@camperalerts.com to your contacts so it doesn't get flagged as spam. If you buy a Pro Alert you'll also have the option to receive alerts via text message.
Do you book the campsite for me?
No, we just handle checking for available sites and notifying you. Booking the campsite is still handled through the campground's website, but we'll include a link to it in the notification email.
What if you don't find any available sites?
Unfortunately we can't predict if or when someone will cancel a reservation. The fee you pay is for us to monitor campgrounds. While the chances of someone canceling a reservation are good, it's not a guarantee.
How is CamperAlerts different from similar services?
- CamperAlerts monitors more reservation systems than any of our competitors. Currently we can monitor ReserveAmerica, Recreation.gov, ReserveCalifornia, WA State Parks, and Yellowstone National Park Lodges.
- CamperAlerts is the only service that monitors WA state parks
- Other services only offer monthly or annual plans, but a lot of people only camp 1 or 2 times per year. Why should they have to pay $40-80 just to set up 1 or 2 alerts? CamperAlerts lets you buy alerts 1 at a time because you shouldn't have to be a frequent camper to be able to find a last minute campsite.
- CamperAlerts has data on every campground and campsite that we monitor so you can research your trip ahead of time. The Explore feature lets you get details on campgrounds, view photos and amenities of campsites, find out which sites your RV will fit in, and more.
Other Questions?
If you have any other questions that aren't listed here, please feel free to email help@camperalerts.com and we'll get an answer for you as soon as possible.