Memorial Day weekend kicks off Friday May 27. Be sure to reserve your site today.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, along with other northern states, Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of camping season. Fortunately, as Memorial Day weekend approaches, the availability of open campgrounds to accommodate weekend campers increases.
Let’s look at some examples:
Many forest service campgrounds don’t open until the weather begins to improve and the snow melts at higher elevations. In my neck of the woods, that magical time is the middle of May. The Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest is the closest to my home and most campgrounds open either May 14 or May 16 this year.
Most, if not all states, have a Department of Natural Resources and is often referred to as DNR. The DNR controls state-owned lands and in my home state of Washington, the DNR operates more than 160 recreation campsites, many offering camping as one of the permitted recreational uses. From my experience, DNR campgrounds are very similar to the United States Forest Service (USFS) campgrounds, typically in a forested area offering basic amenities such as vault toilets, picnic tables and fire rings. Similar to the forest service, DNR campgrounds open in time for the Memorial Day weekend. In my area the DNR camping season is May 1 to November 30.
Family-friendly DNR camping.
To find a “USFS” designated campground in your area, www.campgroundreviews.com is a great starting point to find a campground that is ideal for you, your rig and your family memebers.
Hopefully the information above will help in expanding your knowledge of available campgrounds in your area or the State you wish to visit. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
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