Steve, if you want some of the best weather for camping and avoid the tourist crowd, come back here to Wyoming in early September right after the kids have gone back to school and the weather is still beautiful.
Mid to late May can also be good but some of the higher elevation campgrounds don't open until June due to snow depth. But, that is why I like dispersed camping because you can just about go anywhere.

 

I hit one of the Big Horn NF campgrounds in early June a few years back and had it to myself and didn't have to pay a thing because it wasn't officially "Open". The water pump was disabled and there was no camp host. It was about 27 miles off the main road and not the nicest road but a truck camper would make it easy.

 

We will be leaving here in late August and will not be home until October. If the weather chases us, we will head into the Southwest is our plan now.

 

Ive noticed over the years that whenever an "Equity" company buys out a camper manufacturer its a death knell for the company and employees . The puropse of equity companies seems to be how much blood can be drained before they dispose of the carcasses . Would like to believe change can be good , but i have yet to see it with truck camper companies.

 

Best example I can think of LCI. They have grown huge. Can anyone name a company they have bought out that they improved. Did the Dometic buyout of Atwood improve the breed? My thought is not likely.

 

Totally agree ^^^^^ I think 2018 was a good year to buy our camper.

 

I've making a list.
1.)Party campgrounds
2.) Reasonable campgrounds (follow some rules, don't act a fool)
3.) Camp Alcatraz's (too many rules, no fun allowed)

Some state parks have "group areas" as well. You can be rowdier there.

East Harbor State Park is a good example. Half the park is Alcatraz, the other half is pretty cool. You can't use any kind of boat or flotation anything at the beach because idiots die. (in florida, you can do whatever you want in the water, in Ohio you have to find a designated spot to put a paddle board in!) But you're welcome to anchor a boat on the far side of the beach and party. It's just darn weird threading the needle of rules at some parks. And it is getting old.

I try to remind myself that some rules need to be made, other wise every rednecky truck driver with poor hearing will be running generators all night long, and some parks would just turn into noisy, dirty, night clubs.

The "hard shell campers only" rule is quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Grizz ain't that stupid. They can just nap next to your camper and grab you in the morning. And a camper door can't even stop me from ripping it off it's hinges, a griss could open one up in just a few seconds. I've seen them claw right through steel sheet metal on cars. Even 'lil black bears can do that. Sounds like a completely ignorant rule to me.

Ignore the haters, and the rude park rangers with 2nd grade educations. RV'ing attracts stupid. But at least it's not as bad as a public boat ramp (yet).

 

I'm not quite sure how to respond to this. Up here, the hard shell camper rule is a Good Thing. Most Alaskans are carrying firearms and if a grizzly were to try and tear into a hard shell (in 30+ years, I've never heard of this happening), they'd have extra time to take it down. As far as a grizzly napping by a door waiting for a fresh morsel to pop out... That's not how bears operate. Yes, Alaskan wilderness can kill you dead; however, most of the risk can be mitigated by just paying attention to your surroundings. Situational awareness - it's a thing. In other words, if you're camping in the deep wilderness, in grizzly infested land, moose wandering around, wolf pack in the area, etc, all you have to do is look outside your hard shell before you open your door.

 

Avoid campgrounds.Consider traveling and camping during the winter months.You can have 100% complete seclusion in many national forest and even national park campgrounds during the winter months.You can have a great time winter camping.It's about getting the right gear.
When it comes to prime camping time though,in the summer I'm afraid this is just the way it is.People want to be out in nice weather.The trick then is find locations off the beating path.This is much easier in states like Maine with population so low to begin with but if you can travel,you can find some prime locations.

If you really continue having trouble,it may be time to walk away from the camper.Learn about backpack camping and gear.As a tent camper I can tell you,there is absolutely nothing like walking a few miles in to camp.Most Americans these days (no offense) are lazy.Take advantage of this if you and your wife are fit and able.If you invest in the correct gear,you can camp out in the woods away from the whole world and hear nothing but nature for days on end.With the right gear,I sleep far better out in the woods than I even do in my bed at home.Many folks think of tenting as sleeping on the cold and hard ground.If I did that,I would hate it too! It's all in the gear.You save mega on fuel too without hauling around a big truck and camper.

I've been to every state in the lower 48.I have slept just about everywhere.The best places are by far where campers can't go or during the winter months when they don't go.Campgrounds are always my last choice in summer if there are other options.

 

i dont fear no bears in Alaska i often tent camp 50+ miles off a driven road.

 

I don't know how you can sleep,knowing there are brown bear out there.I slept in a tent in the parking lot of the Teton National Park (that's where they allow camping in winter) and had dreams of being attacked all night long lol! Took me until daybreak to wake up enough to calm myself down and rationalize it was the dead of winter.This was one of many camps that normally would be packed all summer of course,where I had the place all to myself.



Solitude winter tent camping is amazing.People will think your crazy,totally unaware that your warmer and more comfortable than they are in their heated homes.It's all about the gear.

 

Just got back from the Yellowstone and the Grand Tentons. Beautiful country out there. My family and I enjoyed it immensely. WE did not camp there however we did this...

1) Counted the number of truck campers. The wife said we could think about getting one if the price is right.
2) Totally agree with RV scene out there. I got sick and tired looking the rental company wrap or vinyl lettering jobs on the side of the Class C.
3) Tour buses galore.
4) Sorry too many rude people or people who don't appreciate personal space.
5) Since we were not camping we were under the bounds of the parks lodging. We were not pleased with our first night and wound up changing our plans for rest of the trip,
6) There are no bison in central park ny LOL

Back to the topic on hand, I feel the same way about the direction of an equity firm taking over. It's usually not for the best.

 

My wife was just sitting here looking at pictures of the Tetons. Said she want to load the truck camper and head to the Tetons and I can stay here and work if I want.

 

Tell your wife to stop looking at pictures of *****!

Grand Teton National Park got its name from early 19th century French trappers who called the Teton Mountain Range “les trois tetons”, which means “the three breasts” or “the three teats” or “the three *****”.



I went for a snowshoe hike out through there.I freaked myself out about a grizzly waking up looking for a snack (this does happen!) About a mile in the woods,I turned back lol! IIRC the magic number where a grizzly wont attack is 7 in a group.

 

I grew up in Alaska and camped 22 years there and never had a bear come into my camp. I move to Washington State and the first summer I had a black bear trying to check out our site