Some RVers Don't Like KOA

Above, The Beast at the Cedar City, Utah KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Every so often, a member of the iRV2 Forum will start a rant about Kampgrounds of America (KOA), the nation's largest campground/RV park chain.

Usually, they complain that KOAs are "large, crowded and expensive" in comparison to other privately-owned campgrounds.

I never found all KOAs  as being "large", some are and some are not. On average, they are about the same size as any other private campground or RV park.

Also, I never found KOAs any more "crowded" any other private RV park or campground. It depends upon the time of the season and location. KOA does have an excellent online reservation system.

As far as expensive, with two exceptions, the West Entrance/Yellowstone KOA in West Yellowstone, Montana (near Yellowstone National Park) and the Lava Hot Springs City Center KOA in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, KOAs average about the same as other privately-owned campgrounds. The two cited KOAs are considered "destination" campgrounds and, as such, charge a little more.

Above, The Beast at the Diamond Lake RV Park in Oregon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For the fun of it, I ran an average in nightly costs between KOAs and non-KOAs. I used the last nine stays during my most recent trip and some from last year's trip and came up with the averages. For KOA Kampgrounds, they averaged $40/night. This may have been lower had not the $72 charge at Lava Hot Springs City Center KOA been in the mix. For non-KOAs, the nightly costs averaged $33.67/night. Only a $7.00 difference.

With KOAs, one pretty much knows what to expect in regard to service, sites, amenities, etc. It is more of a crapshoot with non-KOA campgrounds. Some campgrounds are nicer than others, and that goes for KOA and non-KOA campgrounds.

I will use whatever campground that is available. If it is a KOA, fine. If it is not a KOA, that's fine too.