Finding a CG has become such a frustrating pain in the....

[BobsYourUncle]

We are planning 3 weeks this summer in Saskatchewan on a lake. Didn't think it would be that big a deal, as Sask has thousands of lakes.

I have a 93 year old aunt I want to visit, so I'm looking close to Swift Current.

Well gee whiz, its turned into a serious pain in rear. We have a rear window living area so want to back in to a site with a view of the lake or something nice.

Didn't think this would be so difficult.

Seems like there are now more RV'ers than CG's.

We have looked online at numerous places, tried booking one and all we can get is unsuitable sites.

Sigh.....

[BobsYourUncle]

Thought I'd come back here 5 months later and update! :B

We managed to to find sites at CG's in 3 locations.

Plans changed for Swift Current 😞 My aging aunt passed away before I could go see her. Went to Hodgeville in May for a funeral instead. Darn....

We found a full hookup site at the Sask side of Cypress for 4 days. That was a chance fluke, 4 days at Moose Mountain on Lake Kenosee. Close to Carlyle for a family reunion. And almost 2 weeks at Echo Valley, near Fort Qu'Appelle. All full hookups.

Ahhhhhh, can't wait to be off work for 3 weeks!

[BobsYourUncle]

Thanks Don, you're awesome!

[pianotuna]

Hi Bob,

There are lots of small town campgrounds that have no listings.

I've added a few low cost or no cost ones here:

https://freecampsites.net/

[BobsYourUncle]

pnichols wrote:
How about going to public campgrounds that do not take reservations?.....snip

I may have to do that. We need to book our time off now.
Our government websites don't open for reservations until the first week of April.

[pnichols]

How about going to public campgrounds that do not take reservations?

For instance, one of our favorite National Forest spots on a beautiful lake in the woods with great trout fishing has very few reservable sites - most sites are walkin sites. We just show up on Sunday afternoons or Monday mornings and can usually find great lakeside walkin sites at this particular place.

Also for RV'ing in the Western U.S. many beautiful and serene desert dry camping areas with no hookups are available. We like these for late Spring and early Fall camping in order to miss the summer crowds and hot weather.

It's been my observation that if you're set up for dry camping, in general many more opportunities are available for non-reservation camping all over the U.S. in the areas where we have been so far.

[BobsYourUncle]

🙂
Not too many of those left in the country!

[pianotuna]

I forgot to mention there is also a drivin theatre just north of Carlyle.

[FLY_4_FUN]

You wanna see a frenzy, try booking for the National Parks! I was online at 8am to book Waterton for July and in 2-3 minutes all sites except a few stragglers were booked for the summer. With Whistlers in Jasper closed for 2019 the pressure is on the other parks. With AB prov parks its a 90 day window starting late Feb so I expect that to be a hectic day also. I hate being part of the rat race for booking, but with larger rigs one needs to plan especially for long weekends. I hope you find what your needing in sask. We have a family friend in Swift that is part of the tourism/marketing dept and she helps educate us on what's available there. She part-times in Sask landing most summers.

[BobsYourUncle]

blofgren wrote:
Well, I'm happy to hear that your current problem is the fact that you're too early! :B

Yeah usually I'm always too late!
I was going to do something about my procrastination, but I never got around to it! :B

I hear you on the real estate pricing in the Lower Mainland.
I lived in Surrey from 85 through 2013. I was in Fleeteod, 161 off 96th. Saw lot of changes. Especially what it cost me to build my house vs what it sold for in 14! Wow!

Not enough decent campgrounds there. There are a few kinda scungy ones though. Like the one off 160 on 103 close to the Port Mann.
Cultus is nice, but in all the years I lived there I never did get to camp there. Place is always full.
Never camped at Bridal Falls either. Oh well!

[blofgren]

Well, I'm happy to hear that your current problem is the fact that you're too early! :B

That said, finding camping spots in many areas is becoming very difficult if not impossible at times. Here in the Lower Mainland of BC it is becoming worse with every year that goes by; the price of real estate is through the roof so the chances of having any new campgrounds built is nil. We bought a campground membership in Bridal Falls a few years ago which has helped but it is tough to even get in there at times. We have talked to many people in many different areas in the past few years who say the same thing.

We have even thought about selling the camper because of it.....:(

[BobsYourUncle]

Thanks Don.
Carlyle would be 2 days max. Short family get together. We are collectively inputting family history stuff.
Maryfield would be a day trip from Carlyle. One cousin lives there, my father, stepmother, grandfather are buried at the local cemetery there. I used to walk the boardwalks there as a boy. Sidewalks were made of wood slats. Quaint little place. Grandfathers homestead there is now a vacant lot, at least it was years ago the last time I was there.

[pianotuna]

Carlyle has a nice campground on the south east side of town. The bakery is famous for its cinnamon rolls.

There is a free campground with power at the Bear Claw Casino 15 km north of Carlyle. Not too level. 30 amp and 15 amp outlets which are incorrectly wired (bypassing the pedestal breakers, but polarity is correct). Just be aware that you want to power down items in the RV before plugging in, to avoid arcing. All back in sites. Reasonably priced food at the restaurant, but not open for breakfast. Register for a players card for some free casino cash. Ask before you park--because the sites no longer had much of a gravel base--I sank in to my wheel wells once. They do have a paved parking lot--and you can plug into 15 amp circuits.

Another bakery to hit is on main street of Stoughton. Their donuts are to die for. I generally preorder 4 dozen and give them to friends. Stoughton has a campground with shower house, dumpsite and power. NOT free.

Maryfield has a campground--but I've never stayed in it. There is no longer a gas station--just a cardlock.

[BobsYourUncle]

Iceman31 wrote:
Sask Landing which is North of Swift Current opens for reservations for April 11th according to the website.

Thanks.
I just realized I'm looking too early. Thought it may be open to reserve, guess I should have considered that first.

Just did a province wide search at the government website and it shows unavailable everywhere. Thought maybe it was because I want full hookups for a 32 foot TT... Or I waited too long and everyone in Canada best me to it!

Oh well, gotta wait til April. Makes it hard because we have to book our time off now, not April

[Iceman31]

Sask Landing which is North of Swift Current opens for reservations for April 11th according to the website.