Book campsites, permits and passes in the right place
An independent guide to 94 official pages and camping tools: where to book, how to get a site when it's sold out, permits and lotteries, maps, gear and safety.
🎄 Christmas tree permits In season
How to get a National Forest tree-cutting permit for 2026.
How to get one →⛺ Federal campsites
National parks, forests and lakes are booked on the official Recreation.gov.
Recreation.gov ↗🪪 America the Beautiful pass
The annual pass for national parks and federal lands.
USGS pass store ↗Answer five quick questions and get the right booking pages, checklist and tips for your trip.
Browse by topic
⛺ Campsite booking
Federal campgrounds (national parks, forests, lakes) are booked on Recreation.gov. State parks each run their own…
17 sites →🏕️ Private campgrounds
When public campgrounds are full, private land is often available: farms, vineyards, RV resorts, glamping tents and…
8 sites →🌲 Free camping
Much National Forest and BLM land allows free dispersed camping away from developed campgrounds. These maps and…
7 sites →🔔 Campsite alerts
People cancel reservations all the time. These tools watch sold-out campgrounds and tell you the moment a site opens,…
5 sites →🎟️ Permits & lotteries
The most famous hikes and some busy parks need a permit or a reservation to enter. Most are won by lottery or…
11 sites →🥾 Trails & maps
Phone signal disappears fast in the backcountry. These apps find trails and, on most paid plans, let you download…
9 sites →🚐 RV travel
Renting an RV or van, finding RV-friendly campgrounds, and planning a route that fits your…
7 sites →🎒 Gear
You don't need to buy everything for one trip. Renting or buying used saves money, and lets you try gear before you…
7 sites →⛈️ Weather & safety
Check these before you leave and again on the way. Mountain weather changes fast, and fire seasons bring closures and…
11 sites →🪪 Passes
One pass can cover entry fees at every national park and many federal lands for a year. States and some forests have…
5 sites →🎣 Fishing & hunting
Licences are sold by each state. These links take you to the right state agency, and the apps help you find spots and…
4 sites →🛶 Paddling
River and lake trips need different planning: flows, launch points, and on some rivers a…
3 sites →Packing checklists
Tell us where and when. A planner gets back to you within 24 hours with a day-by-day plan, the exact booking dates and links, and help booking. From $49.
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