Quick answer: Recreation.gov releases most campsites 6 months in advance on a rolling daily window, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (7:00 a.m. Pacific). Each morning, one more day opens up 6 months out — so for a July 4th arrival, booking opens on January 4th at 10 a.m. ET. Some group sites open up to a year ahead, and a few campgrounds set their own windows, so always check the campground's page.
Booking a popular campsite can feel like a race — picture hundreds of people signed in to Recreation.gov at 9:59 a.m., all trying to grab the same site in Yosemite. Here's exactly when sites release, why they sell out so fast, and what to do if you miss the window.
When Does Recreation.gov Release Campsites?
Recreation.gov usually releases campsite reservations six months in advance. For example, if you're planning a trip on July 4th, you'll be able to book your site from January 4th. This six-month rolling window means new dates open daily, and you can book specific dates well in advance. Some group sites are bookable up to one year out from your arrival date.
What time do Recreation.gov campsites release?
Reservations are released daily at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. That's 7 a.m. Pacific Time if you're on the West Coast, 8 a.m. Mountain and 9 a.m. Central. At the most popular campgrounds, sites for peak dates can be gone within minutes of release.
Why Are Recreation.gov Campsites So Hard to Book?
Demand for outdoor recreation has grown sharply in recent years. In 2021, Recreation.gov handled over 4.25 million camping reservations. Campgrounds in national parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and Grand Teton often fill minutes after the booking window opens, creating fierce competition for peak-season dates.
How to Book a Campsite the Moment It Releases
- Do your research in advance. Pick the campgrounds you want and study their site maps. Make a ranked list of sites so you can move straight to the next one if your first choice is taken.
- Sign in early. Create your Recreation.gov account well ahead of time and log in a few minutes before 10 a.m. ET to avoid last-second login delays.
- Have payment ready. Keep your payment details handy so you can check out immediately — a site in your cart isn't yours until you pay.
- Have backup options. If your first choice is gone, book your next preferred site without hesitating.
Missed the Release? Sold-Out Campgrounds Still Open Up
Sold out doesn't mean there are no campsites. Campers cancel all the time, and those sites go straight back on Recreation.gov — usually without any announcement, and often in the final days and weeks before the arrival date. We track when these openings actually appear: see when campsite cancellations appear (by hour, day of week and how far ahead).
The hard part is being there at the right moment, because a freed-up site at a popular campground can be rebooked within minutes. That's what Recreation.gov cancellation alerts are for: Campsite Tonight watches sold-out campgrounds 24/7 — as often as about every 20 seconds at popular campgrounds — and alerts you the moment a matching site opens. On Recreation.gov it can go one step further and add the site to your cart automatically, so all you have to do is check out.
Get cancellation alerts in the Campsite Tonight app →
Popular Recreation.gov campgrounds to watch
- Upper Pines, Yosemite
- Lower Pines, Yosemite
- North Pines, Yosemite
- All Yosemite campgrounds
- Zion National Park campgrounds
- Yellowstone campgrounds
- Grand Canyon campgrounds
Or browse campgrounds near you and explore campgrounds by state.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance does Recreation.gov release campsites?
Most campsites are released 6 months in advance on a rolling basis, one new day each morning. Some group sites can be booked up to 12 months ahead, and individual campgrounds can set different windows.
What time does Recreation.gov release campsites?
10:00 a.m. Eastern Time every day (7:00 a.m. Pacific, 8:00 a.m. Mountain, 9:00 a.m. Central).
Can I still get a campsite after Recreation.gov sells out?
Yes. Cancelled reservations return to Recreation.gov as soon as they're cancelled, at any time of day. Checking constantly is impractical, so most people use a cancellation alert app such as Campsite Tonight to be notified — or have the site added to their cart — the moment one opens.
What is the app that tells you when campsites open up?
Campsite Tonight is an iOS and Android app that monitors sold-out campgrounds on Recreation.gov, state park systems and more, sends real-time cancellation alerts, and can automatically add an open site to your cart on supported systems. See pricing and how it works.