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Campers to get help in April
Come spring, campsites at state parks can be reserved at least 48 hours before stay
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Published: January 4, 2009
Updated: 01/04/2009 12:05 am
Planning a trip to camp at a state park during a popular time of the year has long been an exercise in chance-taking for North Carolinians.
In some cases, people have loaded their car with kids and gear and driven three hours to a state park only to find that all the campsites have been claimed.
Beginning April 22, a reservations system will replace the state's first-come, first-served system of assigning campsites, cabins and shelters at its 37 parks.
"We're very sensitive that a lot of people were loading up on weekends to state parks without being assured they could get a camping spot," said Charlie Peek, the public information officer for the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. "That's happening a lot more often as we've grown and gotten so many more visitors, and our campgrounds have gotten so much more popular."
Most of the state's 3,000 campsites will be assigned through the new reservations system. However, a few sites at some parks will be reserved for walk-in registration.
Once the system is in place, reservations can be made online, by calling a toll-free number, or visiting a state park's office or visitor's center.
A $3 surcharge for each night's stay will help pay for the new system, which is being managed by Infospherix, a company based in Maryland.
The online reservations system will include a brief description of the campsites so that people can choose a site to their liking. For instance, some people may prefer being close to a bathhouse; some may want a more secluded spot. A link to the reservations system will soon be added to the state park's Web site, www.ncparks.gov.
The new system should make planning easier for people who like to camp at Hanging Rock State, which is one of the most popular parks in the state, Peek said.
"It's difficult to find other campgrounds in that area, and it's quite a ride out there," he said.
Jonathan Griffith, the superintendent for South Mountains State Park in Burke County, said that the 11 drive-up sites at that park typically fill up on weekends from April to October.
"Overall, this is going to make things work more simply for park systems in general," he said. "It will certainly ease the pressures for the larger and busier parks with more camping facilities."
Once the system is up on April 22, reservations can be made for visits on July 15 and after. Reservations must be made 48 hours before visiting the park.
Peek said that about half of the state park systems in the country use a reservations system.
■ Lisa O'Donnell can be reached at 727-7420 or at lodonnell@wsjournal.com.
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