Finding campsites at popular no-reservations national park campgrounds

When heading to a national or state park where you can’t reserve a campsite and will arrive too late to get one, plan to spend the night before at a boondocking site or private campground for one night.

The next day drive into the park early and get on the waiting list or snag a spot as someone pulls out. Many national parks are surrounded by national forests where you can boondock or stay in a FS campground the night before entering the park.

If it is close enough, you might even decide to stay there and drive to the park each day and avoid the park's congested campgrounds.