I'm trying to plan a winter trip, and this is the first year I'm noticing this recreation.gov crud.. I have been a lifetime backpacker, been to most national parks, etc.. Then had a kid 6 years ago and took a break. And now I'm starting to get out again.. everything I used to just pull up to and stay seems to want reservations.. what happened?!?!? Even national forest sites which are always empty, now say they require reservations.
So, was planning on going to bigbend for Christmas and staying on some of their dispersed sites. They're all booked for months. But also, they're free sites, so there are zero consequences for people to think maybe they'll go, and book the site. Then never end up showing up.
I guess I'm wondering.. Is this recreation.gov stuff real? I really can't just drive around in the parks and forests and find a random place to stay, w/out planning my stops months ahead of time?
What happens if I drive out to big bend, and down one of those loooooong roads and it gets dark? Are there still unpublished options for us explorers who might not want to reserve things months ahead of time?
So, was planning on going to bigbend for Christmas and staying on some of their dispersed sites. They're all booked for months. But also, they're free sites, so there are zero consequences for people to think maybe they'll go, and book the site. Then never end up showing up.
I guess I'm wondering.. Is this recreation.gov stuff real? I really can't just drive around in the parks and forests and find a random place to stay, w/out planning my stops months ahead of time?
What happens if I drive out to big bend, and down one of those loooooong roads and it gets dark? Are there still unpublished options for us explorers who might not want to reserve things months ahead of time?