DENVER — Avid campers are painfully aware of how challenging it has become to secure camping reservations over the past three years. Now we know just how much.
Getting a spot was five times harder in 2022 than before the pandemic, according to an annual survey conducted by The Dyrt, a popular camping website and app with 30 million visitors annually.
The Dyrt’s 2023 Camping Report, which is based on a random survey of 3,000 Dyrt users and a separate survey of camping property managers in all 50 states, found that sleeping under the stars is more popular than ever. The Dyrt says an estimated 80 million people went camping in the U.S. last year, 7.2 million for the first time. More than 15 million went camping for the first time in the past two years.
More than 58.4% of respondents said they had a hard time finding campsites in 2022. That number was only 10.6% in 2019.
“The thing that strikes me the most is the continued uptick of camping, which makes me really happy because I truly believe the outdoors is something everyone should be able to enjoy, not just a few who know how to do it,” said Dyrt founder Sarah Smith.
According to the survey, the two most popular kinds of camping were via RVs (35.8 million) and tents (30.6 million). Nearly 54% of campers responding were 55 years of age or older, with the 45-54 age group accounting for another 19.4%. Only 11.5% were 34 and under.
“I was pretty surprised by that,” Smith said. “I think it’s just that it’s a busy time in your life with (raising) young kids, and it’s not as easy to get up and go camping. I meet so many people with young kids who are like, ‘Yeah, we’re going to get out there, just have to wait for this little one to get a little bit bigger.’”
In Dyrt’s ranking of the hardest campgrounds to secure reservations across the U.S., six of the top 10 are located in the Rocky Mountain West, including Colorado’s Piñon Flats Campground in Great Sand Dunes National Park at No. 6. Three are in Wyoming: Slough Creek and Mammoth campgrounds in Yellowstone National Park and Signal Mountain Campground in Grand Teton National Park. Two are in Utah: Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef National Park and South Campground in Zion National Park.
Although the website recreation.gov has an exclusive contract with national parks and forests to handle its camping reservations, The Dyrt’s website and app can be used to book sites at more than 50,000 other locations. And a new feature this year enables campers to register for text alerts when there are cancellations at previously sold-out campgrounds, including those in national parks and forests. Users still have to make reservations through recreation.gov, though.
Users also can opt for The Dyrt PRO option ($35.99) which can help locate free dispersed camping on BLM and national forest lands. It has a trip-planner application for users who want to find camping options for cross-country trips. It also entitles users to discounts of up to 40% at more than 1,000 properties when booked through The Dyrt Pro.
Here is a list of the most popular camping destinations in Colorado based on federal data, according to The Dyrt:
1. Piñon Flats Campground, Great Sand Dunes National Park, booked 97.7% of the year
2. South Rim Campground, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, booked 86.3% of the year
3. Cayton Campground southwest of Telluride, San Juan National Forest, booked 84.9% of the year
4. Gore Creek Campground near Vail, White River National Forest, booked 84.6% of the year
5. Heaton Bay at Lake Dillon, White River National Forest, booked 81.1% of the year
6. Bogan Flats Campground south of Carbondale, White River National Forest, booked 80.4% of the year
7. Difficult Campground near Aspen, White River National Forest, booked 79.7% of the year
8. Pawnee Campground near Ward, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, booked 78.3% of the year
9. Baby Doe Campground near Leadville, Pike and San Isabel National Forests, booked 77.8% of the year
10. Ansel Watrous Campground northwest of Fort Collins, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, booked 77.6% of the year
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