This is a great book and well worth the money. It's bulky because it's the size of a telephone directory for a large city. It tells you everything you want to know about the parks and rates them.
There is a downside. I noticed that a lot of state parks were missing. In the keys, the best parks were omitted, and some of the ones mentioned have been closed for years. For that reason, I couldn't give it a five start rating.

This is a very large book with tons of campsites listed. However, the list mostly consists of state and national parks. Anyone could find these parks without this book. I recommend that if you are looking for good camp spots look somewhere else as this book is not a very comprehensive list. Crap meant to put it as one star......sorry guys

Haven't had a chance to use it to find any campground yet, but the information is very well organized, easy to navigate.

I'm getting ready to retire. I wanted a listing of those out of the way places that I always had to pass up on my travels. They ain't in this book!

I was sorely disappointed in what I found here. They list a lot of campgrounds but they only review about 1 in 10 or 1 in 15. I wanted listings of campgrounds in West Texas. While the maps gave their designation for an RV park...not one of them was reviewed. No names, contact numbers or anything that would really help.

On the other hand, if you want to stay in a state park or BLM site, this books for you. It really does cover those in great detail. In the few private parks they reviewed, the work again was detailed.

The advertisement for this book did not elaborate on what was there...it just led you to believe it was a complete listing...which it was not.

If you are looking for a more thorough listing, Trailer Life or Woodalls provides much more comprehensive cover of ALL the campgrounds they list private or not.

This is a terrific book if you are a R.V.er! Well worth the price.

I was hoping that the new edition would have included up to date information since the 2004 edition was published. While it is true that some campgrounds have been added in this edition, I also found several campgrounds in this directory that have since been sold or closed. Several. It doesn't appear as if information is verified again just before going to press. I find better information in campground review websites on the internet.

Does not cover as many campgrounds as the trailer life directory. However it does give a little more info on the campgrounds it does list.

The reason I really like this is it gives very specific details on each campground. For example, it will even breakdown by the site number which ones have more trees, which are quieter, and, if there's a stream which sites are closest to the stream. It especially has a good introduction (Pg.1), stating that "life is short, and life is about choices...". It would be better, therefore, to stay at the best campground one can find, rather than simply making do with a run-of-the mill noisy, dumpy rv park. And this book only reviews the cream of the crop rv parks!

I found this book to be chock full of info. It is a little intimidating being it covers all states but very helpful. The enclosed maps makes it easier to locate campgrounds. I find this book helpful, informative and easy to read.

Love the book and gave it as a Christmas gift - and he loves it. He is an RVer and I am a tent camper, so it is the best of both worlds. We haven't used it to be able to compare their ratings to our ratings, but just looking through it makes me ready to pack up and get out!! More information on places that I didn't even know existed surrounding me - and more!! Would make an excellent gift.

Just returned to Florida from three days at Modoc,SC Strom Thurman Lake and Dam. The Campground was everything the guide said it was. We were more than pleased and no complaints. We look forward to utilizing the guide again and hopefully soon...

its a nice book it will help find our camp sites
going acrose country Thanks

This book really is awesome. Sure it doesn't list every campground out there, but the book is already the size of a major city's phone book, so it lists the best ones. I love the rating system because it gives each campground separate 1-5 star ratings whether camping with a tent or in an RV. Extraordinary detail and excellent tips, but so far I haven't seen any altitudes given, which would have been useful.
A sample listing from the section on Georgia (In the book it's easy to read format-wise, and though I could read it no problem, some people might need a magnifying glass for the small print):
"CARTERSVILLE MAP A-1
Allatoona Landing Campground
24 Allatoona Landing Rd., Cartersville 30121.
T: (770) 974-6068 or (770) 974-6089;
www.reserveamerica.com
RV *** [stars] Tent ***
_____________________________________
Beauty **** Site Privacy ***
Spaciousness ** Quiet ***
Security **** Cleanliness ****
Insect Control **** Facilities ***

This large campground is very popular, which means it's often crowded. Combine that with small- to mid-size campsites, and you lose a little when it comes to spaciousness and privacy. The owners of Allatoona Landing do run a tight ship, so the property is well maintained and reasonably clean. Be aware that railroad tracks pass very near the campground, so some train noise is inevitable (especially for those sites nearest the campground office). Allatoona Lake offers plenty of options for water sports enthusiasts, including elaborate boating facilities and an extensive swimming beach. Sites 85, 86, 93, 95-101, and 103 are shaded and pretty, while 87 and 89-92 are the nicest water-front sites. Sites 60-73 and 75, 77, 79, 81, 83, and 88 are closest to the swimming beach.

BASICS
Operated By: Private operator. Open: All year. Site Assignment: By reservation. Registration: At camp office. Fee: $20-$25. Parking: 2 vehicles per site.

FACILITIES
Number of RV sites: 120. Number of Tent-only Sites: 20. Hookups: Electric (30, 50 amps), water, sewer. Each Site: Picnic table. Dump Station: Yes. Laundry: Yes. Pay Phone: Yes. Rest Rooms and Showers: Yes. Fuel: Yes. Propane: Yes. Internal Roads: Paved. RV Services: Yes. Market: In Bartow or Acworth. Restaurant: In Cartersville or Acworth. General Store: Yes. Vending: Yes. Swimming: Yes. Playground: Yes. Activities: Fishing, boating, biking, kayaking. Nearby Attractions: Barnsly Gardens, Coopers Iron Works, Dellinger Park complex, Etowah Arts Gallery, Etowah Indian Mounds, Lake Allatoona, Red Top State Park, Royal Oaks Gold Course. Additional Information: Cartersville-Barton County Welcome Center, (770) 387-1357.

RESTRICTIONS
Pets: On leash, some restrictions. Fires: In designated areas only. Alcoholic Beverages: Allowed. Vehicle Maximum Length: 25 ft.

TO GET THERE
From I-75, take Exit 283. Go 2 mi. to campground entrance (in front of 2nd set of RR tracks)."
______________________

Every listing has this kind of information. I wanted to camp during the summer around the southern part of the Appalachian Trail, and by looking at the map and going through the listings I was able to easily knock out the hotter, likely-to-be-crowded, expensive places, then choose various possible campgrounds that go near the trail and offer good hiking for a person who will be using a tent. I even know where to go in each park for the best sites, since this book is great at saying stuff like--section G is the best, F is closest if you're going to be swimming, A is a long walk to the outhouse, B and C have pull-throughs, sites 55-75 have lakeside views, 50-55 are the most stunning. In other words, you can use valuable information like this to reserve a good site over the telephone.

Here's one more exerpt from a park description on a facing page (Clarkesville):
"High in the Blue Ridge Mountains and bordered on three sides by the enormous Lake Burton, Moccasin Creek State Park offers a unique opportunity for campers with disabilities. The majority of the property is wheelchair-accessible, including a fishing pier reserved exclusively for handicapped visitors, seniors, and children. Despite its mountainous location, the campground is relatively flat. This makes it easy to maneuver around in large RVs, bicycles, and wheelchairs. Canoeing on the lake is a treat, though the high elevation and terrain mean that sudden winds can blow up (some strong enough to tip canoes over in the lake's center). Several trails wind through the mountains around the lake, including an easy walk to Hemlock Falls and a more rugged trek to Moccasin Creek Falls. The fall colors are especially beautiful here, making it very difficult to score a vacancy during October."

I just received this guide and really wish I hadn't taken the advice of the single other reviewer. I am currently planning a tent camping trip with a focus on the National Parks of Utah and Colorado. Then majority of the sites reviewed in this book are private campgrounds and KOA's!

As example, of the 85+/- Colorado campgrounds detailed, eleven are operated by state/local authorities and two are operated by the National Forest System -- the other 70 plus sites are run by private operators. Within the NPS in Colorado (Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of Gunnison, and the Great Sand Dunes to name a few) there are no less than 10 campgrounds -- yet none of these are covered in this guide!

If your desire is for tent camping and to gather information on the National Park system you are better off to find another source. If you want to pull your RV into a KOA then this guide may be of some use.

This guide to campgrounds is easily the best I have seen. It is comprehensive and highly readable, rates campgrounds on the factors most important to both tent campers and RV owners, and includes local sites of interest and detailed descriptions of the profiled campgrounds, as well as maps and driving directions. Our family has found this guide to be of tremendous assistance as we expand our horizons in the magnificent world of camping, a resource far superior to the alternatives on the market.