Honest Thousand Trails Park Reviews: The Ongoing Ranking List
Let’s be real for a second: Thousand Trails is a discount camping program. I love my membership, and I’ve saved thousands of dollars using it — but if you’re expecting Ritz-Carlton service at every stop, you’re going to be disappointed. Some of these parks are absolute gems. Others have personality. This is my ongoing, unfiltered ranking — updated as I go, with no sponsorship and no sugarcoating.
📞 Need a park's phone number? Reaching a specific Thousand Trails park directly is weirdly hard to do through Google. So I built a full directory of every park's ranger-station phone number, grouped by system →. Bookmark it for when you need to call a park before you book.
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New to Thousand Trails?
Videos, buying guides, membership explainers, and tools — everything you need before you decide. No fluff, no sales pitch.
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Ready to Join?
New or used? Which tier? Not sure you should buy at all? See all three options side by side, including a call with me.
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The Full TT Deep Dive
Membership tiers, booking strategy, real-world costs, pros and cons, and how to actually save money. Everything, in one place.
🏆 The “Loved” List
Top Tier — These parks make the membership fee feel like a total steal.
Bend-Sunriver
Oregon
Located in the nature lover’s paradise of Bend, Oregon – you won’t run out of things to do if you are an outdoor fanatic. This is your perfect BaseCamp to hike, bike, float or do just about anything else outside you can imagine! 🏞️ Near Nature, 🏔️Mountain views, 🚐 Large Sites. Cons: 🚽Not Full hookup, 💨dusty.
Thousand Trails Bend-Sunriver isn’t the most amenity rich park in the Thousand Trails system. Far from it. But what you lose in terms of amenities most folks don’t use, you gain in terms of proximity to amazing recreational opportunities. The park also has really nice large sites that are wooded and offer a feeling of privacy. This is not one of those parks where you feel cramped in or like you are looking inside your neighbors’ slide. My site had ample space front and back as well as enough trees on both sides I never felt like I was camping in a crowded campground. Overall, this is not necessarily a destination park like Lake of the Springs. But you could spend months at Bend and never get bored. I loved this park for the location and easy access to world class mountain biking and hiking. I also found Bend as a city to be charming.
Circle M
Pennsylvania
Circle M in Lancaster, Pennsylvania is one of my top Thousand Trails parks. Pros: 🌳Shady • 🎡Quaint • 🚜Amish-Country
Circle M is one of my favorite Thousand Trails Parks! Located right outside of Lancaster, PA its on a beautiful river that you can float! From covered mini-golf to river front camping sites – Circle M can be a family friendly adventure, a time for solitude in a natural setting, or a getaway to not to distant tourist attractions!
Thousand Trails Hershey
Pennsylvania
A classic for a reason. Great for families and incredibly close to the chocolatey action. Pros: 🍫Convenient • 🎢Fun • 👨👩👧👦Family-friendly
Thousand Trails Hershey may actually be my favorite park. It’s a high-use park for a reason! With a bit of natural topography, I just love the lake, the clubhouse, and the pool. For reasons I cannot fully articulate, I just love the look and feel of this park. I also love Hershey, PA. A quiant town. While you are here – you can experience the thrill of the Hershey theme parks or the wonder of the chocolate world. I highly recommend the trolley tour from the Hershey Chocolate experience to learn all about Milton Hershey and what an incredible man he was!
La Conner
Washington
Loved. 🌅 Bayfront Sunsets, 🚤 Boat Launch, 🌲 Wooded, Quiet. Cons: 🔌 Mostly 30-amp, No FHU, 📡 Limited Starlink, 🏊 No Pool.
La Conner was my favorite of the North Washington trio. Mount Vernon may be the high-use, high-demand pick, but for me La Conner was the better stay. It sits right on the bay — genuinely on the water, with sunset views that are hard to beat — and it’s noticeably quieter being off I-5 and away from the major roads. Some of the sites are waterfront, though I suspect most of those go to seasonals, annuals, and rentals. It’s not quite as conveniently located as Mount Vernon, but what you give up in a slightly longer drive you get back in a calmer, more distinctive atmosphere. The main knock is the lack of full hookups — most sites are 30-amp — and no pool. My honest split for the three: the family should pick Mount Vernon, the remote worker Birch Bay, and the explorer La Conner.
Lake George Escape
New York
Massive, active, and the perfect gateway to the Adirondacks. There is always something to do here. Pros: 🌲Wooded • 🏔️Adirondacks • 🛶Active
Lake George Escape (trails collection) is nestled close to the town of Lake George and convenient to all the major tourist attractions of the area. The campground has river front access, large open spaces, loads of activities, and wooded campsite for a tranquil feel. You won’t want to miss Lake George Escape!
Lake of the Springs
California
The hidden gem of the California TT network — hilly, wooded, and genuinely beautiful in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Real sandy beach, deep amenities, and a Gold Country day trip (Empire Mine + Nevada City) that’s one of the best single days I’ve had on the road. Remote enough to stay quiet; close enough to everything that matters.
✅ Sandy Beach ✅ Gold Country Access ✅ Deep Amenities
❌ No Pool ❌ Remote Location ❌ Speed Vigilantes
Thousand Trails Lake of the Springs doesn’t win on glamour or proximity — it wins on authenticity. The park is hilly enough that my daily runs averaged 1,000 feet of elevation gain, and the sites have real character because of it. The sandy beach on the lake is the genuine article — not a pond with a marketing upgrade. Hot day, late afternoon light, Odie sprinting for the water. Beautiful. The amenities run deeper than you’d expect: shuffleboard tournaments, disc golf, mini golf, tennis, and pool tables with intact felt — a first for any TT park in my experience. The speed limit enforcement is\u2026 enthusiastic (I received a citation for going seven miles per hour, which I accept with grudging respect). The Gold Country day trip — Empire Mine in the morning, Nevada City for lunch, Nevada Theater in the evening — is one of the best single days I’ve had on the road. Remote, quiet, and completely underrated. Make sure to check out my full Lake of the Springs review for the complete rundown.
Morgan Hill
California
In the heart of wine country, you literally drive through vineyards to get here. The largest pool in the Thousand Trails system Quiet at night. 30 minutes from San Jose. An hour from the Beach! .Pros: 🍷Vineyards • ⛰️Mountains• Redwoods
Thousand Trails Morgan Hill is Central Coastal California greatness. nestled in the heart of wine country, this quaint park has high use restrictions during peak times. It also might have a theft problem (3 people warned me to be careful with my e-bike), and the amenities might need a little TLC (or a lot in the case of the pool table). But the park is gold. Quiet. Pretty. Scenic. Close to Heckler Pass, you can be wine tasting in 5 minutes or hanging out with seals in an hour. Some don’t like this park – but I loved it and was sad I had only budgeted 8 days.
Mt. Desert Narrows
Maine
The amenities are standard, but the location is world-class. You are basically in Acadia National Park’s backyard.Pros: 🥾Acadia • 🌊Coastal • 🌅Scenic
Mt. Desert Narrows (trails collection) is bay side with waterfront camping available. But more importantly, the shuttle that will take you to Acadia National Park was well as the town of Bar Harbor literally picks you up from the parking lot. What the campground lakes in amenities it makes up for in convenience!
Want to know more about my trip to Maine? Check it out here →
Orlando
Florida
The “Mothership.” It’s busy and can be crowded, but the proximity to Disney and Universal is unbeatable. Pros: 🐭Disney-adjacent • 🏊Huge • 🎡Central
TTO takes on almost mythical qualities among Thousand Trails parks. As only 1 of 3 TT parks in Florida (the rest are trails collection) this park is hoping. With 1100 sites you almost feel the hustle and bustle energy. TTO has great amenities (two pools), lake access (where you can view the Disney Fireworks) and so much more. If there is a downside – its that its so big and so busy.
Pacific City
Oregon
Old-growth Sitka spruce, a lodge with a Pacific view, and the beach two miles down the road — Pacific City is my new favorite Thousand Trails park on the Oregon Coast. Slower and quieter than its neighbors, it’s a place you come to enjoy the campground itself. 🌲 Old-Growth Forest, 🌊 Beach Nearby, 🏊 Pool & Spa, 🎣 Dory Fishing. Cons: 📶 Near-Zero Cell, 🚐 Tight Hilly Roads, 🔌 Limited Full Hookups.
Thousand Trails Pacific City might be my favorite park on the Oregon Coast. It’s heavily wooded, hilly, and a little isolated — and that’s exactly the point. You come here to slow down: run on the beach, watch the sunset from the lodge, walk the trails under the Sitka spruce. Cape Kiwanda and 100+ years of dory fishing are less than two miles away, Tillamook (cheese!) is 30 minutes north, and the capes and dunes are right there. Just know the tradeoffs going in — cell service is basically nonexistent, the roads are tight for big rigs, and full-hookup sites are limited (about half sit along the road). Pick an inner loop, come stocked, and enjoy.
Ramblers Rest
Florida
A very solid, comfortable Florida home base with a great community feel. backyard.Pros: 🐊River-access • 🌴Relaxed • ☀️Sunny
Ramblers Rest (trails collection) is near Venice Florida / Sarasota. From a beyond adorable historic town (Venice) t my favorite beach in the Continental United States (Siesta Key), you are close to the action. Rambler’s Rest is more seasonal/annual trailer park then RV resort. However, the community was destroyed by multiple hurricanes and recently rebuilt. So honestly its in tip-top shape. The “natives” seem to be primarily retirees who are all super friendly and welcoming. Nice pool. Nice amenities. River front. Hard to go wrong with this one!
Sandy Beach
New Hampshire
A true hidden gem. This park has a great vibe and is a must-stop if you’re in New England. Pros: 🏖️Lakeside • 🌉Historic Bridge • 🍦Summer-vibes
Sandy Beach is tucked away in rural New Hampshire. The beach itself is adorable and you can see why people love their annual sites here! It just projects New England summer vibes. The park is smaller and not super amenity rich. Convenient to a quaint town – I definitely recommend running into see the oldest covered railroad bridge in the US and grabbing a slice of pizza at Riverside Pizza!
Tall Chief (Trails Collection)
Washington
Loved. 🌲 Big Wooded Sites, 🔇 Quiet, 🏊 Pool & Sauna, 🏙️ 30 Min to Seattle. Cons: 🔌 No Sewer, Few 50-amp, 📡 Limited Starlink.
Tall Chief surprised me to the upside. One of my friends told me it was her favorite park, and I dismissed that a bit — I was wrong. Big, wide wooded sites under old-growth trees, a pool, a rec area, and even a sauna, all about 30–45 minutes from downtown Seattle. It’s a Trails Collection park, so you’ll need that add-on. The knocks: no sewer at any site, only a handful of 50-amp hookups, first-come-first-served sites, and open sky for Starlink is hard to find under all those trees. Arrive on a quiet day, pick your site carefully, and it’s a fantastic basecamp for exploring Seattle.
Verde Valley
Arizona
Great winter weather meets amazing views and miles and miles of trails all convenient to popular tourist destinations. Pros: 🐊River-access • 🥾 Hiking. • ☀️Sunny
Thousand Trails Verde Valley is a spectacular park! With breathtaking views from the upper sites (currently $10 per night upcharge which includes full 50 amp hook up) this moved into one of my most beloved parks! Its 30 minutes form Sedona, Jer0me, Clarksdale and abougt 15 minutes from historic downtown Cottonwood. From wineries to nature walks – this park offers you great access to everything you might want!
Make sure to check Out My Guide on What to Do in Cottonwood: The Secret Sedona Basecamp!
Whalers Rest
Oregon
Located smack on the Oregon Coast near Newport, this coastal retreat offers convenient beach access and access to unlimited natural activities from hiking to whale watching. 🏞️ Near Nature, 🌊 Beach Access, 🚽Full hookups. Cons: , 🅿️ Tight Roads, 🛣️Near Highway Noise, 🌁 Marine Layer Mornings.
Thousand Trails Whalers Rest isn’t the most amenity rich park in the Thousand Trails system. But you can’t beat the location. Directly across from the beach, you have a short walk to be enjoying the beach with your family. What’s more? It might as well be a private beach because its basically deserted. I ran most mornings and rarely saw more then a few people on any given day. And I was there 4th of July weekend (250, baby!). It’s also legit positioned to offer you all kinds of tourism opportunities. From Whale watching to hiking, you won’t run out of things to do. Hiding out in some of these small Oregon coastal towns: amazing seafood restaurants. Head into Newport, take a walk along the harbor, say high to the seals, and then enjoy some word class dining with fresh seafood literally bought that day off the back of the boat…
Wilderness Lakes
California
Medium Sized Park with unique system of lakes and canals. Central SoCal location with great access of plenty of things to do and see. Even has two nice pools! Pros: 🏊Pools • 🥾 Nature. • 🥂Vineyards nearby.
Thousand Trails Wilderness Lakes is a stealth park. The canals and lakes make for a unique camping experience with lots of waterfront sites. You are within an hour of Oceanside for a day at the beach, or 20 minutes to great mountain biking and hiking. From historic Old Town Temecula to the San Bernardino National Forest you are at peak recreation within an hour!
Williamsburg
Virginia
Historically great and consistently well-maintained. A top-tier park with plenty of room. Pros: 📜Historic. 🗺️Spacious.🛡️Clean
I love Thousand Trails Williamsburg almost as much as I love Hershey. Great amenities. Pretty mini-golf course. Close to Historic Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg, there is just so much to do and see in the area. Hit up Busch Gardens for some adrenaline pumping excitement if the historic stuff isn’t your cup of tea.
🚐 The “It Works” List
Middle Ground — Solid stops. Not my favorites, but worth knowing about.
Birch Bay
Washington
It Works. Near Bay. 🌊 All Sites FHU. 🚽 Open Sites for Starlink. 📡 Cons: Limited Amenities/Activities. ⛳️ Even/Odd Pull In Back In Site Configuration. 🅿️
Thousand Trails Birch Bay is a perfectly acceptable campground. Located near Birch Bay, you are a mile from the tourist section. This campground has more of that “parking lot” feel. Not a lot of trees. Not a lot of amenities. Its a place to park with a pool, a fitness room, and two small playgrounds. And that’s basically it. That having been said – for me it was perfect. I rolled in to get caught up on work. I had FHU, Starlink, and the staff was kind. The bathrooms were excessively cleaned as was the clubhouse. For me, its not that there was anything wrong with the campground – its just that there wasn’t anything exciting about it either.
Moody Beach
Maine
The sites can be tight, but the access to the Maine coast makes it a worthwhile stay. Pros: 🐚Coastal • 🦞Location • ⚓Accessible
Moody Beach has a lot of seasonal and annual sites. It is wooded and pretty. This park actually gets a lot of love from a lot of folks – so don’t count it out. For me. I thought the sites were no the smaller side (at least the non premium sites) and the park lacked amenities. It may have been the time of year I was there. But for me, it was a nice park – just not nice enough to make my top tier.
Want to know more about my trip to Maine? Check it out here →
Mount Vernon
Washington
Loved. 👪 Family Central, ⛰️ Mountain Views, 🌳Wooded Sites. Cons: 🛣️Road Noise, 🔌 Limited Full Hookup, ⛳️ Limited Amenities/Activities.
Mount Vernon is a favorite. It’s one of the few parks that has a 28 day exit requirement post stay and so its ultra popular. The old growth forest and thick beautiful trees are nice. The mountain views are spectacular. And Mount Vernon is a genuinely neat little town. The thing is: I don’t see it. I stayed for 20 days and enjoyed my stay including access to world class mountain biking. I loved the location as it is within about 15 minutes of shopping, movies, and other necessities making the campground easy access. You are about an hour and half from North Cascades National Park, making for an easy day trip. So while I loved the location, the park itself to me was unremarkable. It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t great. It just was.
The Oaks at Point South
South Carolina
The perfect pitstop right off I-95. Easy in, easy out. Pros: 🛣️Convenient • 🌳Forest • 🚚Quick
The Oaks at Point South might be one of my favorite “sleeper parks” that is a bit underrated for all that it has to offer. I spent a long weekend there and for most its just a stop off I-95. It’s an hour and a half from Charleston, an hour from Savannah so either of those make excellent day trips. There are scenic walks around a lake. The park is wooded and feels like a campground. Overall, I think this is a great park. Its not quite a top tier for me – but I can see why someone would move it up into a fav.
Palm Springs
California
Located in the Coachella Valley, this is one of the most popular parks in the entire system. Pros: 🎥 History • 🥾 Hiking. • ☀️Sunny
Thousand Trails Palm Springs is desirable because of location. And also – not desirable because of location. Its literally next to I-10. Which while convenient for a hop on and hop off point both from a Rig perspective and a getting places perspective, While it has a nice pool, billards room, and pickle ball galore – this is not a super amenity rich park. But – Its still great because you are so close to everything from necessities like groceries to all the major tourist attractions, including Joshua Tree National Park and historic Palm Springs.
Rondout Valley
New York
Polarizing for some, but I find it to be a very functional, useful stay in a beautiful area. Pros: 🍎Catskills • 🌲Rustic • 🛠️Functional
Rondout Valley was a few day stopover on my transiiton into Vermont. Its a nice park in many ways but I also found some drawbacks. I had read members complaining of mud holes that pass as sites – and I certainly got that experience on a rainy day. The park also has a lot of seasonal/annuals. On the flip side. Its a large park with wide open spaces, some waterfront sites and plenty of amenities. I could go either way on this one – which is why it made it into the middle category.
Russian River
California
Quiet with 125 spots, few amenities and very few full hookups. You come here to drink or to get away from it all! • 🌲Rustic • 🍷Wine Trail • 🛶River Access
Russian River actually goes on my one and done list. Not because its not a great park. It is. Especially for what I used it for – a quiet place to catch up on my blog! The Park is beautiful. Its wooded and hilly. It sits on the banks of the River and you can wander down and enjoy some float time or rocky beach time. That said. There are basically no amenities of note. No pool. No mini golf. Nothing. And. The area is somewhat remote for anything except wine tasting. If you want to some amazing food and wine. Russian River is your place. If you want a peaceful chill week. This is your place. If you want to see something besides Vineyards. Skip. Read the Full Trip Report Here!
San Benito
California
Central Coastal California. But an hour away from everything. Near wine trails and offroading adventures. More importantly, the Campground is 30 minutes from the entrance to Pinnacles National Park! Pros: 🍷Wine Trail Access • 🥾 Hiking. • ⛰️Scenic
Thousand Trails San Benito is remote. And that’s a good thing or bad thing – depending on what you are looking for! The upside of this park is that it’s at the front door of the best section of Pinnacles National Park. Hike a cave. Check out a California Candor. Get some epic views. The Campground is legit quiet at night. Something I love. The park is also an hour to hour and a half from Monterey, Carmel by the Sea, Pebble Beach, and a host of other California icons. You’re literally on the same street as many vineyards so you have the opportunity to wine taste. 2 hours from Big Sur. The downside: the park is close to everything and convenient to almost nothing. It has seen some better days and some of the amenities aren’t in the best of shape. But it was still a nice park with abundant wildlife. The only reason its not a fav for me is it was just a little too remote! Read My Full Trip Report, Campground Review and Day Trip Suggestions here!
San Francisco RV Resort (Trails Collection)
California
Located in the Bay Area literally on a cliff next to the Pacific Ocean – this resort puts you in the center of the action with Breathtaking views. Pros: ⛰️Scenic, 🚊Train Convenient, 🛒 Easy Access to Basics.
San Francisco RV Resort (trails collection) may properly belong on my Favorites list. This self-described glorified parking lot (and it is) has incredible views. The town of Pacifica is loaded with nice folks and the Campground staff is lovely. The only reason this isn’t my favorite park is simply the weather in Pacifica. Its notoriously cold. And the Marine Layer seems to stick around most of the day. However, if you stay – you are 10 minutes from an amazing train station that has you in the heart of San Francisco in under 30. You walk your dog down a miles long pedestrian path on a cliff overlooking the Pacific. I honestly can’t put in words how pretty is. As long as the marine layer has at least somewhat dissipated…. But, if it hasn’t its cold and foggy….
Seaside
Oregon
The most family-friendly park on the Oregon Coast — 1.2 miles from Seaside’s Promenade and that postcard-Americana beach vacation. It lands on my “It Works” list, though most families would rank it a solid Loved. 👪 Family Central, 🏖️ Walk-to-Beach Town, 🏊 Indoor Pool & Hot Tub. Cons: 🅿️ Tight Sites, 🔌 50-amp South Side Only, 🧺 No Laundry (Building Being Demolished).
Thousand Trails Seaside is a fan favorite on the Oregon Coast, about 1.2 miles from the heart of Seaside — the Promenade — so you’re near the center of the action. It’s a family-friendly destination, clearly built for memorable summer getaways. I’ll be honest: when I first pulled in, I wasn’t a fan — I was on the north side. The south side, by the pool and amenities, is the side to be on, so call ahead and request it. The indoor pool and hot tub are lovely, and there’s plenty of outdoor space to enjoy nature. One heads-up: only about half the sites are 50-amp, and they’re all on the desirable south side — if that matters to you, call the park, because they likely can’t move you once you arrive. Booking is brutally competitive too; a ranger told me openings can last literally seconds. For me, I lean toward Whaler’s Rest and Pacific City for that rainforest-meets-ocean feel — but if you want the classic tourist beach vacation, Seaside wins by a mile.
Encore Sherwood Forest
Florida
Located Kissimmee, you are close to Disney($30.00ish Uber each way) and the heart of the action. The park itself is okay with mixed reviews with some saying it didn’t feel safe. I had no such reservations and used it as my jumping off point for a week of theme park fun. 🎢 Close to theme Parks, 🛒 Grocery and other conveniences nearby. 🚔 Some Theft Concerns.
Encore Sherwood Forest (trails collection) was actually my first TT stay. Its more long-term/seasonal combined with a trailer park. The amenities are on the older side but decent. The park is friendly and the residents are friendly. Not a lot of trees. Older amenities. Not the best sites but not bad either. Its not like TTO where you have all kinds of activities. You stay here to go to the parks – not to use the amenities!
Soledad Canyon
California
The Park is in a canyon about an hour outside of L.A. From local hiking favorites to the bustling LA life, you’re close enough to get in on all the action but far enough that its relatively quiet. . Pros: 🥾Nature • 🏊Nice Pool • 🌞Nice Weather
Thousand Trails Soledad Canyon is located about on hour outside of LA. A fairly remote location, you are literally in a canyon. But the park is still located near enough to LA to take advantage of all that LA has to offer. And you will be reminded of that proximity many times a day as the Metrolink train runs literally next to the Campground. Which – is the major downside of this park. The trains are relatively frequent and they almost seem to take great joy in using their whistle. For this park, the Gold section is my strong recommendation, and if you can go with 30 amp and without ful hookups, the platinum is also a great choice as its up on a ridge away from the train giving you the best views. The amenities are nice with what, during the summer, has to be an amazing pool. This is definitely a great resort of the family.
Sunshine Holiday Daytona
Florida
The Park is more long-term residence and trailer park then RV resort with some having a very negative view of this park because the seasonal/annual sites can be a bit of an eyesore. Pros: 🏎️Daytona • 🏖️Beach-close • 🌴Urban
Encore Sunshine Holiday Daytona (trails collection) has a super convenient location right next to the main Harley Dealership for bike week. I personally liked this park. However, many TT members put this park on the “One and Done” never again list. For me it was about location because the park was convenient to everything I wanted to do. From hitting the amazing beaches in the Daytona area (there are many) to heading to Speedway for a VIP tour, I enjoyed my time at the park because of the things around it. Yes. It is more trailer park then RV Park. Yes. Honestly some of the long term residence have trashy sites or modular homes/RVs in terrible states of repair. But everyone was friendly and I never felt unsafe.
Three Flags
Florida
Simple, quiet, and reliable. It’s not flashy, but it works. Pros: 🕊️Peaceful • 🍊Rural • 💤Quiet
So there are folks who love Three Flags. And I just don’t get it. The Staff is uber friendly. The pool is okay. The park is wooded and okay. The location is okay. For me it was just a neutral campground and pit stop. Nothing particularly awesome but nothing stuck out as bad either.
🚫 The “One and Dones” — Bottom Tier
I stayed, did my time, and these parks just aren’t for me. Honest. No sugarcoating.
Carolina Landing
South Carolna
One of the TT parks that could be awesome. But isn’t because of the state of disrepair. 🎣Lake-side
I’ve stayed at Carolina Landing twice. The first time I stayed, I actually liked the park. On a beautiful lake, wooded, and hilly the park has some natural beauty to it. But the park has fallen into such a state of disrepair that its almost embarrassing (and sad). When I arrived I was told to drive around my section until I found working electric then call them – because they knew that “some” of the sites had working electric but not which ones. The sites are horribly unlevel. The staff is beyond nice and they honestly make it a better park. If a modicum of maintenance were done – this could move into the awesome category again.
Chehalis
Washington
One and Done (for location only). 🌲 Wooded & Pretty, 🔇 Dead Quiet, 🌌 Dark Skies, 🏔️ Lower Pool Mountain Views. Cons: 📍 Remote — Everything’s an Hour Away, 🔌 Limited Full Hookup, 🔄 Tight Turns, 📶 Weak Cell Signal.
Chehalis is where it all began — the very first Thousand Trails park, opened to members back in 1972 — and pulling in feels a bit like stepping back in time. Smaller sites. Mostly 30-amp water and electric. Unlevel sites, no concrete pads, and sewer sites rarer than a level pad (they exist — I was in one — there just aren’t many). But the park is pretty. Naturally pretty. Big trees, hills, trails, and so quiet and dark at night you can see every star in the Pacific Northwest. Let me be clear: there is absolutely nothing wrong with this park. It lands on the One and Done list for one reason only — location. It’s “close enough” to a lot of things and convenient to absolutely nothing. I use Thousand Trails parks as a basecamp to go see things, and from here Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, Olympia, and the coast are all an hour-plus drive. And the nearby towns won’t win you over on their own. If you want a quiet, wooded park to actually camp at, you might rank it higher than I did. If you want to wake up close to the good stuff, you’ll be logging a lot of windshield time.
Lake Whitney
Texas
A classic Texas stop with plenty of room to breathe. Standard, reliable TT quality. 🤠Wide-open • 🚤Lake-access • 🌵Reliable
Lake Whitney makes me sad. Because it has sooo much potential. Located near Waco on – you guessed it – Lake Whitney – this park could be great and could easily move up a class. Activities abound and opportunities for recreation are amazing – including miles of hiking trails and lake front access. But the park is in disrepair. From potholes that would swallow a large goldfish bowl to a cinema whose chairs are so worn you can see the stuffing – its clear this park has been let go and forgotten. I actually spoke with management for a while and they are trying to turn things around. Natural beauty this place has in abundance. A coat of paint applied after the year 2000 it lacks…
Medina Lake
Texas
Isolated and Quiet. Away from Everything. No Actual Lake. Not well carred for. 🤠Wide-open • 🦌Wildlife • 🏞️Country Environment
Medina Lake is not on an actual lake. At least not any more. I have to admit: I struggled with this one. For me – I actually liked it. The amenities aren’t great. The mini golf could use some love. But it was quiet. And – its actually a decent location. If they renamed the park “Gateway to the Texas Hill Country” and fixed it up – this park could be something special. It’s about an hour out of San Antonio. Not far from Fredericksburg, and close Bandera. Quaint little Texas towns and of course historic San Antonio and the infamous river walk. The only reason I downgraded it from the middle list is that so many people hate this park.
PA Dutch Country
Pennsylvania
Felt a bit dated and lacked the upkeep of the other nearby Pennsylvania options. 🚜Rural
PA has some great TT parks. Unfortunately, PA Dutch Country isn’t one of them. The park had sort of in icky feel to it. Perhaps it was because I was parked next to tent campers and bathrooms and those folks were not the best neighbors. But either way – this would be my park of last resort in PA when you have such amazing options as Hershey and Circle M.
Pio Pico
California
Isolated and Quiet. Away from Everything. Two Sections. One far better than the other cared for. ⛰️Scenic ⛳️Nice Amenities 🏪Nice Camp Store.
Pio Pico is about an hour from almost every attraction in the San Diego area you might want to visit. To say its isolated is a bit of an understatement. Yes, there are grocery stores and major retail within about 15 minutes. But if you’re coming to tour – you will be driving. The Park itself is divided by a highway (yes, really). The main park is actually pretty nice. The section I was in – which is leased – was not. The rigs were broken down. The locals didn’t give me the warm and fuzzy feeling, and it felt more like I was parked in a random dirt lot then a “resort”. I’ve also heard that the coyotes are on the ridiculous side and at this point so tame they will walk into your site. Be careful if you have small pets… This park is definitively on my “One and Done” list.
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I started writing this blog as a way to capture the adventurous and free lifestyle I’m privileged to live. I’ve traveled to over 28 countries and 35 U.S States. I’ve lived aboard in multiple countries and averaged over 100 days a year of travel for work. I’ve skied and hiked all over the world – and my new obsession is mountain biking.
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