Find the exact day and time your campsite dates open on Recreation.gov, see it in your own time zone, and add a reminder to your calendar.
Pick your arrival date to see the day and time it can be booked.
Most Recreation.gov campgrounds release each date 6 months ahead at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. Some use another window - check the booking window on the campground's Recreation.gov page and change it above. Popular dates can be gone within minutes.
How the booking window works
- Rolling window. Most campgrounds on Recreation.gov release each date a fixed time ahead - usually 6 months. Every morning, one more day becomes bookable.
- 10:00 a.m. Eastern. New dates open at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, whatever the campground's own time zone: 7:00 a.m. in California, 8:00 a.m. in Colorado.
- Same day of the month. With a 6-month window, an arrival on August 23 can be booked from February 23. When that day does not exist (August 31), check the campground page for the exact date.
- Not every campground is the same. Some use a shorter window (for example 14 days), some a longer one, and some keep sites first-come, first-served. Each campground's Recreation.gov page shows its own booking window - change it in the calculator if it differs.
Tips for popular campgrounds
- Sign in to Recreation.gov a few minutes early and have two or three site numbers ready.
- Popular dates at well-known parks can be gone within minutes of opening.
- If your dates are taken, check again in the days before the trip: plans change and sites come back.
Campground Planner is not affiliated with Recreation.gov. Booking is only on the official site.