Camping Across America

09/04/2026

FOR YOUR SAFETY: GRAND CANYON CAMPING & TRAIL ALERT — NEW CLOSURES
Grand Canyon National Park has EXPANDED its inner-canyon closures following the destructive August 29 flash flood.
Effective immediately:
⛔ South Kaibab Trail — CLOSED below the Tip-Off
⛔ Bright Angel Trail — CLOSED below the Tonto Trail intersection
Already closed:
⛔ North Kaibab Trail
⛔ Cottonwood Campground
⛔ Bright Angel Campground
⛔ Phantom Ranch
⛔ Black Bridge
⛔ Silver Bridge
The flooding caused significant damage to trails, bridges, utilities and other infrastructure throughout Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area.
There is currently NO estimated reopening date.
🚐 IMPORTANT FOR RVERS:
The entire Grand Canyon is NOT closed.
✅ South Rim remains accessible.
✅ Mather Campground remains OPEN, but it is currently DRY CAMPING because of Stage 4 water restrictions.
🔥 Outdoor wood fires are prohibited at Mather.
✅ Desert View Campground remains OPEN with reservations required.
✅ Desert View Drive and the East Entrance remain OPEN.
If you're headed to the Grand Canyon this September, don't rely on an old itinerary. Check current conditions before leaving — especially if you're backpacking or camping below the rim.

🇺🇸 Camping Across America
Pull up a chair by the campfire, follow along, and let's explore America together.

09/03/2026

SOMEONE ASKED ME ABOUT FISHING LAKES IN KANSAS. I thought I would share to everyone.
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks information, there are some legitimate free primitive camping opportunities worth considering. KDWP confirms that state fishing lakes and wildlife areas that allow camping currently charge no camping fee; they're generally first-come, first-served with no reservations.

For a big RV, I would not treat every fishing lake as suitable. Some have narrow access, unimproved camping areas or limited turnaround space.

My shortlist would be:
🥇 Kingman State Fishing Lake — Best big-rig candidate
The strongest option I found. KDWP specifically states that all sizes of RVs, trailers and tents are allowed at the campground area. There are roughly 40 sites with picnic tables and fire rings, three vault toilets, no hookups and no camping fee. Another KDWP page notes no dump station and carry-in/carry-out trash.
Kingman State Fishing Lake — official KDWP information
🏕️ Ottawa State Fishing Lake — Good boondocking candidate
Free primitive camping is specifically allowed in designated areas around the lake. There are no RV utilities, so you'd need to arrive self-contained. KDWP currently lists a 14-day maximum on the lake's individual page, although the department's general rule is normally seven days unless otherwise posted—I'd follow the posted rules when you arrive.
Ottawa State Fishing Lake information
🌄 Chase State Fishing Lake — Best scenery
This would be high on my list for Camping Across America. It's about 1.5 miles west of Cottonwood Falls in the Flint Hills, with camping areas along the north shore. There's a vault toilet, but no water or electricity.
Chase State Fishing Lake information
🎣 Neosho State Fishing Lake — Best facilities among the primitive choices
Primitive camping is free, and KDWP lists water at the south restroom, three primitive camping areas, 18 fishing piers, two vault toilets, walking trails and a boat ramp. The separate reservable shelterhouse has a fee, so don't confuse that with the free primitive camping.
Neosho State Fishing Lake information
🌲 Douglas State Fishing Lake
Primitive camping areas, four vault restrooms and picnic tables are provided. Camping and campfires are restricted to designated areas, and trash must be packed out.
🏕️ Rooks State Fishing Lake
Four designated camping areas sit along the east shoreline, with a vault toilet near the boat ramp and picnic tables around the lake. One caution: the lake periodically goes dry, although KDWP says a camping area by the boat ramp and toilet remains open during dry periods.
🚐 Ford State Fishing Lake
Camping is permitted in the designated camping area. It has vault-toilet facilities, picnic shelters and a boat ramp, although low water can make the ramp unusable.
🌾 Osage State Fishing Lake
Primitive camping is allowed only in designated areas. Pit toilets are available, but this is another place where I'd verify the road and campsite dimensions before bringing a very large fifth wheel or HDT combination.
🏕️ Hain State Fishing Lake
Camping is permitted, but KDWP specifically says there are few facilities and no restroom. I'd classify this as a more serious boondocking option rather than a conventional campground.

One I would currently cross off the list is Sheridan State Fishing Lake. Although it normally offers free primitive camping, KDWP says the lake is currently drained and fully closed for renovations as of July 2026.

09/03/2026

CAMPING FEES ARE GOING UP AT KANSAS STATE PARKS

If you camp or RV through Kansas, here's a change worth knowing about.
The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission has approved major changes to state-park camping and vehicle fees beginning NOVEMBER 1, 2026.
⛺ OVERNIGHT CAMPING
Current: $9
New: $15
That's roughly a 67% increase before applicable processing fees.
🚐 14-NIGHT CAMPING PERMIT
Current: $110
New: $165
⚡ RV UTILITY FEES
One utility: $11
Two utilities: $13
Three utilities: $15
🚗 VEHICLE PERMITS ARE INCREASING TOO.
The annual vehicle permit will increase from $22.50 to $37.50 before applicable processing fees.
But here's the change frequent campers may notice the most:
❌ THE ANNUAL CAMPING PERMIT IS BEING ELIMINATED.
That means campers who spend a lot of nights in Kansas state parks will no longer have that annual option for covering their basic camping charges.
The state says park operations are funded primarily through entrance permits, camping reservations and other user fees rather than Kansas General Fund tax dollars.
📅 The new fees take effect NOVEMBER 1, 2026.
🏕️ ONE ALTERNATIVE WORTH KNOWING
Camping is currently FREE at Kansas state fishing lakes and wildlife areas where camping is permitted.
Those sites are generally first-come, first-served and have tighter stay limits, but they could become much more attractive to budget-minded campers.
👇 WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Is $15 a night still a reasonable basic state-park camping fee, or are public campgrounds starting to get too expensive?
🇺🇸 Camping Across America
Pull up a chair by the campfire, follow along, and let's explore America together.

09/03/2026

Big shout out to my newest top fans! 💎

Avenues NLife, Dennis Helms, Denise Helms Wright

Drop a comment to welcome them to our community,

09/02/2026

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09/02/2026

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09/02/2026

09/02/2026

🚨🏕️ NEW CAMPING FEES COULD BE COMING TO LAKE TAHOE

If you camp, RV or recreate around Lake Tahoe, here's one to watch.

The U.S. Forest Service is considering NEW and HIGHER recreation fees at roughly 40 locations around the Lake Tahoe Basin.

And some places that are currently FREE could start charging.

⛺ CAMPING

Under the proposal, currently free camping areas including Luther Pass Overflow and Watson Lake could begin charging $20 per campsite.

🚗 DAY-USE AREAS

Some currently free recreation areas could eventually charge up to $15 per vehicle.

Other existing recreation fees around Tahoe could increase as well.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: THESE FEES ARE NOT FINAL YET.

The public-comment period remains open through September 29, 2026.

More than one-third of Forest Service recreation sites around the Tahoe Basin would still remain free under the current proposal.

🚐 WHY RVERS SHOULD PAY ATTENTION

Most of us don't mind paying a reasonable campground fee when we're getting good facilities and services.

But when previously FREE public-land camping, beaches, trailheads and recreation areas begin charging separately, those costs can add up during a longer RV trip.

🏜️GRAND CANYON UPDATE

The major water emergency continues.

❌ Trailer Village RV Campground — CLOSED

✅ Mather Campground — OPEN, DRY CAMPING ONLY

✅ Desert View Campground — OPEN, DRY CAMPING ONLY

✅ North Rim Campground — OPEN, NO WATER

🏔️ GRAND TETON BIG-RIG HEADS-UP

Construction between Lizard Creek Campground and Leeks Marina is causing approximately 15-minute daytime delays and up to ONE-HOUR overnight delays.

If you're pulling a big fifth wheel or driving a motorhome through the area, plan extra time and don't let your GPS talk you into a questionable shortcut.

👇 WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Would you pay $20 to camp at a public-land site that used to be free if the money stayed locally to maintain and improve the recreation area?

👍 YES — reasonable if the facilities improve.

👎 NO — keep public-land camping free.

🇺🇸 Camping Across America

Pull up a chair by the campfire, follow along, and let's explore America together.

08/31/2026

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08/30/2026

🏕️ GOOD CAMPING NEWS — PARTS OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS ARE REOPENING!

After wildfire-related closures restricted access, the U.S. Forest Service has begun a PHASED REOPENING of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota.

But there's an important catch:

⚠️ REOPENING DOES NOT MEAN EVERYTHING IS OPEN.

Some entry points, campsites, trails and recreation areas may still be affected by closures.

If you're heading into the Boundary Waters for a late-summer or Labor Day camping trip:

✅ Check your specific entry point
✅ Verify your permit and planned route
✅ Check current Forest Service closure maps
✅ Confirm road access before leaving home
✅ Have a backup plan

🚨 BIG SUR RV TRAVEL WARNING

This is the bigger road story today.

A roughly 40-mile stretch of Highway 1 through the Big Sur area is closed as the Timber and Plaskett fires continue affecting the region.

State parks and recreation areas are also affected, and authorities are urging visitors to stay away from Big Sur right now.

🚐 RV TRAVELERS: Don't blindly follow your GPS around this closure—especially with a fifth wheel, large travel trailer or motorhome. A GPS-generated mountain-road detour can turn into a much bigger problem than the original closure.

🏕️ GOOD NEWS FROM TEXAS

Moss Creek Lake in Big Spring has reopened after volunteers removed an incredible 41.5 TONS of debris.

🎣 Fishing and daytime recreation are back.

🚤 Boating is back.

⛺ But overnight camping is still prohibited for now.

👇 Would you continue with a Boundary Waters trip knowing some areas remain closed—or postpone until everything is fully reopened?

🇺🇸 Camping Across America

*Pull up a chair by the campfire, follow along, and let's explore America together.*