GREAT FALLS — If you were thinking about having a last-minute camping trip this weekend, you might have to think again, as many campsites are either already full or already booked.
Brandi Boatman, owner of the KOA camping site on the east side of Great Falls, said, “The last few weekends we have had probably 15 to 20 people that we have to turn away, simply because we just don't have the room."
"No room" is a common theme for many campsites, especially this weekend.
One camper claimed his spot almost eight months ago: “It would be impossible to try to do it now. Last year everyone bought RVs and are now trying to make up for lost time. I couldn't imagine trying to find a place right now.”
His comment about the purchasing of RVs was spot on. Sales of RVs over the last year have gone way up; in June alone sales were up 10% from last year, and show no signs of slowing down.
With more RVs on the road and in campsites, seasoned campers are finding themselves planning up to a year in advance.
One couple from Florida, Mike and Lindy Chase, mentioned that they have had their 41-day road trip planned for more than a year, but still came across some problems finding reservations in their desired campsites.
Mike said, “We started thinking about this about a year in advance, but we are a little late to our plans so we’ve been shut out of a lot of the national parks.”
Boatman also mentioned another factor: “We actually had a lot of Canadians who normally come down and see us. A lot of them were booked for this weekend last year, and unfortunately they have had to cancel due to the border being closed.”
