Affordable RV Campgrounds Near Top National Parks

Above, at Diamond Lake RV Park near Crater Lake National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With so many people traveling to our national parks in their RVs, it is next to impossible to get a campsite in one. Even if one does find an empty campsite, it may not be big enough to accommodate the RV.

I did stay at campgrounds in Lassen Volcanic National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Joshua Tree National Park and Yosemite National Park. Either I was just plain lucky or made reservations months in advance.

The alternative is finding a reasonably-priced campground near to the national park. I did this a couple of times. I stayed at a KOA Kampground near Yellowstone National Park in West Yellowstone, Montana and Diamond Lake RV Park near Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.

This is the topic of an article in RV Life.

They begin it with:

Looking for an affordable getaway into nature? RVing trips to national parks are among my personal favorite choices for sure! Unfortunately, the campgrounds in national parks aren’t always ideal. Some can’t accommodate big rigs, others can’t accommodate RVs at all, and most don’t have hookups of any kind.

The solution our family tends to turn to? Affordable campgrounds outside of popular national parks!

In honor of National Park Week from April 20–28, here are my top picks for great places to stay that won’t break the bank.

To read more, go here. 

Best Places To Stay Around Crater Lake National Park

Above, The Beast on Rim Drive at Crater Lake National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During my 2017 Great American Eclipse trip, I headed from Idaho to Oregon to visit Crater Lake National Park. I hadn't been there since the early 1970s, so this was a good opportunity to go.

While there, I stayed at the Diamond Lake RV Park, which was a few miles from the north entrance into Crater Lake National Park. It was nice to visit the park again, even though a haze of smoke settled into the crater from wildfires nearby.

The Travel posted their list of ten best places to stay around Crater Lake National Park. Even though Diamond Lake RV Park didn't make the list, I would recommend it.

The Travel begins with:

Crater Lake National Park attracts hundreds of thousands of people each year from all around the world. The deepest lake in the US is located within the crater of Mount Mazama, a massive volcano that erupted 7,700 years ago, leaving behind a bowl filled with some of the cleanest water on the planet. Visitors have always been charmed by going to the lake's shore, examining its various natural features, and staring from spectacular viewpoints. The lake's characteristic blue tint is a testimonial to that astonishing depth and mesmerizing purity. Of course, all of those attractions and the park's secluded location mean that many visitors remain overnight. Here are the top 10 places to stay around the lake.

To read more, go here. 

Camping In Oregon

Above, at camp at Diamond Lake RV Park near Crater Lake National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After leaving Lava Hot Springs, Idaho after the Great American Eclipse in 2017, I headed to Oregon, to pay a visit to Crater Lake National Park. I hadn't been there since the 1970s.

With the exception of wildfires in and around the park which left a layer of smoke in the Crater Lake caldera, I had an enjoyable time. I stayed at a private campground, Diamond Lake RV Park, just a few miles from the park.

Condé Nast Traveler has posted an article on the 8 best camping sites in Oregon.

They start it with:

If you could create an ideal camping destination from scratch, chances are it’d look a lot like Oregon. Forests carpet nearly half the state. The landscapes range from rugged coastline to arid high desert. And winding highways give road-trippers plenty of weird Americana and scenic viewpoints worth pulling over for. Along the way, you’ll find no shortage of places to pitch a tent or park your RV. 

You’ll get closest to nature at the many beloved Oregon State Parks and forest service sites, while private campgrounds range from rustic dry camping along alpine rivers to posh glamping in the heart of wine country. Whatever your camping style, you’ll find a cool place to rest your head here in the Pacific Northwest. Here are eight destinations we love for camping in Oregon.

 To read more, go here.

Skyrocketing Campground Insurance Threatens Future Costs of Camping

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

With thousands of new RVers hitting the road in their new RVs, the pressure on finding campsites increases.

Even before the pandemic, the numbers of new campgrounds had been lagging. But in today's world, if a campground cannot get reasonably-priced insurance, then they can't open or stay open.

Such is the topic of a new article in RV Travel.

Here's a snippet:

Insurance is a “must-have” – if you can find it

You can’t run a campground business without good insurance. When a park is crammed with hundreds or even thousands of daily visitors there are going to be problems. People slip and fall, and amenities such as swimming pools and Jumping Pillows raise risk ratios. Yet it’s the ever-present risk of wildfires that is really sending campground insurance costs into the stratosphere.

Two Oregon campgrounds recently destroyed by wildfires resulted in insurance claims of $1.8 million and $800,000, respectively. One insurance industry executive told me that those amounts together were more than all the annual campground insurance premiums collected in the entire state of Oregon. From the perspective of the insurance companies, those sorts of payouts are a recipe for going out of business.

In fact, that’s exactly what’s happening. A few insurance companies have folded in recent months, and a few more are deciding that insuring campgrounds in high-risk wildfire areas ironically isn’t worth the risk. Some are pulling out of campground insurance markets entirely in some Western states.

To read more, go here. 

A Newbie's Guide To Choosing The Right RV Park

Above, The Beast at Diamond Lake RV Park near Crater Lake National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With summer arriving before we know it, the time to start looking for a RV park that suits you is now.

msnNOW has a photo article on "A Newbie's Guide To Choosing the Right RV Park."  This should be a big help with one's travel planning.

It starts with:

All About Parking It

As any experienced RVer will tell you, not all RV parks are the same. Some are so well appointed that they’re practically luxury resorts, while others are rustic spots with few amenities but loads of natural splendor. Some are in town, while others are far from the madding crowds. Some are big social centers, while others help to facilitate the solitude that many seek when they go away in their RV.

Before you choose a spot to park your vehicle for the day, week, or month, it’s important to know what you and your traveling companions are looking for in an RV park. As you might imagine, there are a lot of variables to consider. To find the best RV park for you, here are 10 steps you’ll want to take and questions you’ll want to ask before handing your credit card over to book your slot.

To read more, go here. 

Diamond Lake and High Cascades

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

During my 2017 Great American Eclipse trip, I headed into Oregon to the Crater Lake National Park Area. Since I didn't have any campsite reservations at the national park, I stayed instead at the nearby Diamond Lake RV Park.

The visit into the area was slightly marred due to wildfires in the area. A firefighter encampment was about a mile away from the RV park.

Still, the area was beautiful and Diamond Lake is a great place to visit. Beware! There was no WiFi during my stay and I found Oregon to have non-existent to spotty (at best) cell coverage from the time I left Idaho to Bend, Oregon.

The News-Review has an article on Diamond Lake.

It begins with:

The High Cascades in eastern Douglas County offer stunning beauty with mountains, forests, wildlife, waterfalls and some of the best high lakes fishing in the Northwest.
The biggest lake in Douglas County is about 80 miles east of Roseburg. Diamond Lake is known as the Gem of the Cascades and the 10,000 acre lake’s fishery is legendary. 

The area draws visitors from all over the world. Because of the close proximity to Crater Lake National Park, many people from around the country and from many other countries will stay at Diamond Lake and make the short 20 mile trip to visit the national park. 

“We, here at the lodge, have 41 cabins and 50 motel rooms,” said John Jonesburg, marketing and events coordinator for Diamond Lake. “And there are 100 summer homes on the west shore that are privately owned.” 

The resort has motel rooms, cabins, studio units, campsites and an RV park where visitors can make their home base to see the whole area.

To read more, go here. 

Senior Market Projected To See Rapid Growth In 2020s

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

The baby boomer generation (post-World War II) is entering (in some cases, has entered) their "Golden Years" and marketers are targeting sales to that age demographic.

This includes the RV market.

Forbes has an interesting article on marketing to this age group and here's a snippet from it:

Now look at the population over 65. The growth rate of the 65-and-over population is running more than three times greater than the total population growth rate, and Census Bureau projections have this difference lasting through 2030. With faster growth of the senior population, expect more sales and services to this demographic segment. 

The RV industry is a good example. Although some new units are sold to younger people, the bulk of the market is older people. And over the past five years, annual growth of RV units sold has averaged over eight percent per year. That’s much faster than GDP growth. (Last year saw a small decline in unit sales, probably reflecting higher interest rates and the weak stock market. Even with the 2018 drop, though, the sales growth figures are impressive.)

At a growth average of 8% a year, these new RVers will need campsites to meet that growth.

To read more, go here. 

A Year Ago Today: Diamond Lake RV Park

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

After an overnight stop in Juntura, Oregon, I pulled into the Diamond Lake RV Park near Crater Lake National Park.

It was a strange sight as I drove down U.S. 87 from Bend, Oregon to Diamond Lake RV Park. I was miles away from the coast, but the smoke from the area fires made it look like I was driving down the coast with fog covering any ocean views.

Above, Wizard Island is barely visible through the smoke. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There were several fires in the Crater Lake area during my visit and smoke hung over like a fog. Fortunately, the smoke wasn't too visible from the RV park.

After setting up camp, I relaxed for a few hours and then decided to head over to Crater Lake National Park, which was only five miles away. My campsite had full hook-ups and was spacious. Unfortunately, there were no cell service to speak of or Wi-Fi available.

Above, The Phantom Ship. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I took a drive around Crater Lake on the rim road. The smoke from the fires were very evident as I stopped at different viewpoints to take pictures. This was my first visit to Crater Lake since I was 17.

Above, The Beast during my excursion around Crater Lake. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I stayed at Diamond Lake RV Park for a couple of nights before heading south into California to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Still, despite the smoke, I enjoyed visiting Crater Lake. 

Insurance Tips For RVers

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

If you are considering buying a RV (new or used) anytime soon, insurance is something necessary to have and what coverage to get is a major consideration.

If you are going to travel/live in your RV full-time, expect the premium for full-time coverage to be more expensive. Since I don't travel full-time in my RV, the premium is much lower (roughly $500).

RV Life has an article on RV insurance for full-time RVers.

They begin with:

No one likes to think about insurance. But whether you are heading out for a vacation or live in an RV full-time, insurance is something that you need to consider. 

Many times people are tempted to just get the cheapest or quickest coverage just to get that task over with so they can move on to more fun travel plans, but having the wrong insurance or being underinsured for what you are wanting to do can lead to trouble if you end up needing to call on your insurance policy. 

Recently I had the opportunity to ask my insurance agent some questions about RV insurance, and in particular what might be needed for full-time RVers. Although our particular insurance company does not cover full-time RVers, he offered some sage advice and things to consider when looking for an insurance policy.

To read more, go here. 

25 Ways To Save Big On RV Travel

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

When going on the road in my RV, I usually plan out my stops before leaving home.

If necessary (depending upon the season, etc.), I will make reservations. When I went back east for three weeks two years ago to Illinois, I only made reservations at two campgrounds, Graceland RV Park and Goulding's Lodge Campground. I figured that of all campgrounds, those two might be the busiest.

TravelPulse has a photo article on 25 ways to save big on RV travel this summer.

They begin with:

Campgrounds vary dramatically in price, which is why you should choose your stops carefully and plan ahead of time. There are all kinds of affordable and scenic campgrounds throughout our great nation, but you’ll need to do some leg work to find them.

To read more, go here. 

Diamond Lake RV Park

Above, the spacious site I was assigned. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last August, when I took my Great American Eclipse trip, I went to Crater Lake National Park for the first time since I was 17.

I didn't camp in the park, but instead, stayed at Diamond Lake RV Park, which is five miles from Crater Lake's North Entrance.

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

During the time I was there, there were fires around Crater Lake and within a couple of miles from Diamond Lake was a firefighter camp. The area in general was smoky.

Diamond Lake RV Park is a nice campground in a forest setting with plenty of pine trees for shade. There's no amenities to speak up except for restrooms, showers and laundry facilities. But the sites are spacious with full hook-ups. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and a concrete pad. It is a short drive to Diamond Lake. However, there is no Wi-Fi service at the RV park.

Each guest is escorted to their site.

Above, another view of the campsite. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I have read that there are lots of mosquitoes at Diamond Lake RV Park, but I saw none during my stay.

The cost to camp was $39/night.

My rating: B+ (they would have scored an "A" had there were Wi-Fi and a fully stocked store available).

To access their website, go here.

Smoke Deterred People From Crater Lake

Above, Crater Lake with Wizard Island in the smoky haze. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I traveled down U.S. 97 from Bend, Oregon to Crater Lake National Park, it looked as though I was driving down a coastline with fog in the air. Except, I wasn't anywhere near the coast and the fog was actually smoke from several fires in the state.

I stayed at the Diamond Lake RV Park, which is about 5 miles from the Crater Lake National Park North Entrance. The smoke at the campground wasn't too bad as it is situated north of the park and most of the fires were south of Crater Lake.

Before going to Crater Lake last month, I was aware that there were fires in and around the park, but I wasn't deterred from visiting. But many people were deterred from visiting as smoke settled inside the lake.

The Mail Tribune has an article on how the fires affected Crater Lake National Park's summer attendance.

They begin with:

Road construction, frequently heavy smoke, a wait-and-see attitude about two upcoming vehicle-free Saturdays and myriad other factors have made Crater Lake National Park’s summer season anything but normal. 

“I’m hoping we can have a good September and October,” said Marsha McCabe, the park’s lead interpreter and spokeswoman, who notes the several variables have affected the number of visitors and services available. 

“It’s been a challenging year for sure,” echoed Andy Stiles, general manager for Xanterra, the park concessionaire that operates the Crater Lake Lodge, lake boat tours, Crater Lake Cafeteria-Gift Shop and other facilities. 

Smoke from forest fires that began in July in and outside the park has been a major concern. At many times the lake hasn’t been visible from Rim Village or Rim Drive, and the lack of visibility, combined with delays created by ongoing road construction, has discouraged many visitors. McCabe recommends people considering park visits first check out the Crater Lake webcam, which is regularly updated, or the website at oregonsmoke.blogspot.com.

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

For me, it wasn't too bad a visit. The smoke cleared somewhat in the late afternoon when some winds over the lake kicked up. This was my first visit to Crater Lake National Park since 1971 and I wasn't going to let a fire deter me from visiting.

To read more, go here.

Crater Lake's North Entrance Closed Due To Fire

Above, haze from smoke inside Crater Lake National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears that I visited Crater Lake National Park just at the right time. I stayed north of the park (about 5 miles) at Diamond Lake RV Park and used the park's north entrance. There were fires going on then, but it didn't affect my visit.

According to the National Park Service:

North Entrance and West Rim Drive Temporarily Closed Due To Spruce Lake Fire 

The park's North Entrance and West Rim Drive are temporarily closed, along with many hiking trails west of the lake. Most of the park (and all park facilities) remain open and are safe to visit, although smoky skies and poor air quality are possible. 

To read more, go here. 

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.

Diamond Lake RV Park Reviewed In RV Park Reviews

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

RV Park Reviews has posted my review of Diamond Lake RV Park.

In a nutshell:

I stayed here as it is in close proximity to Crater Lake National Park (5 miles). It is a well-kept park with helpful and friendly staff. Every customer will be escorted to their site. We camped at Diamond Lake RV Park in a Motorhome.

Other reviews mentioned mosquitoes, but I didn't see, or feel, any.

To read the full review, go here.

Crater Lake National Park

Above, with Wizard Island in the distance, a smoky view of Crater Lake. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is hard to believe that I was seventeen when I last stepped foot into Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. Although it has been "many moons" later, I came back on this trip.

Above, Crater Lake's rim. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was during the summer of 1971 when my parents and I took a vacation trip to Crater Lake. We camped in the park itself in my grandfather's canvas umbrella tent. This time, I was in a RV and stayed 5 miles outside of the park's entrance at Diamond Lake RV Park.

Above, The Phantom Ship (or is that Godzilla?). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The thing I remember most of that trip was the hike down to the water and, especially, the hike back up the rim of the crater. That was one hike with all the switchbacks we had to take to get back to the top.

I stopped along most of the viewpoints around the crater. I remembered the views, but when I got to the Rim Village Gift Shop, it was not familiar to me. Perhaps it was built after my last visit to the national park.

Above, a little clearer view of Wizard Island. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Unfortunately, due to the fires in the area, the skies were smoky and "fogged" the views of Crater Lake. Later in the afternoon, some winds kicked up and blew some of the smoke away, which cleared the views of the lake a little bit.

I was all ready to present my Senior Pass to the ranger at the entrance gate, but the rangers just waved everyone through without even collecting entrance fees ($15 per carload). I wondered what that was all about.

Above, The Beast at the Phantom Ship viewpoint's parking area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After wandering around the lake for a while, I headed back to the RV park. Once I did, I started the barbecue for a great steak dinner.

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

Unless I get really bored, I plan on making tomorrow a "rest" day: just sitting around the RV park and doing nothing. I have either been driving every day on this trip or involved in seeing the eclipse. This will be my day of rest of reading, munching or napping.