Let me start by saying this is a nice enough campground. The sites are close, but not stacked right on top of each other. It is convenient to the main attraction, only 7 miles from the lake and accompanying visitor center. The problem is, the new concessionaire is completely incompetent who has unnecessarily complicated which should normally be a simple procedure. First, don't bother even trying to book a site online, the link provided is ONLY for reserving a room at the inn. You have to call. When you do, you get a site, but you can't pick one. It will be assigned to you when you check in. And, you can't book a site with hookups. You can request one when you check in, and hope that one is still available. As for "walk-ins" here is where it gets REALLY frustrating. What is normally a simple process at a park service location becomes a maddeningly frustrating experience! When you arrive, you get in a line at the side door, and wait. And wait. AND wait some more. They claim they start processing people at noon, but it was more like 12:45. Campers are processed two at a time, explained the regulations and procedures, and assigned a site based upon their particular needs. There are three choices; tent sites, 28 or 55 foot rv sites. No hookups are allowed to walk-ins. When they run out of tent sites, tent campers take rv sites. You can only get the site for ONE night. If you plan on staying more, you must repeat the ordeal again (and again, and again). One reason is, although the website SAYS 25% of sites are kept for walk-ins (LIKE EVERY OTHER NATIONAL PARK CAMPGROUND). this is false. So I got there on Thursday, got a site, but on Friday (labor day weekend) they only had 18 sites available. I was #19 in line. It took them TWO and a HALF HOURS to process 18 people !! They told me there were several alternative campgrounds just outside the park, but they were out of the printed handouts showing where they are. Even more frustrating, they invited me to come back on Saturday and try again, when they had...…...SIX sites available !!!! Didn't bother. As I had spent 26 hours in the campground (four of them standing in line in the 90 degree sunshine) I had had enough. I went up to Rim Village to see the crater and the museum, went down the East Rim Drive to an overlook and a waterfall, stopped at the lower visitor center to hike a short trail and see a video (nothing else to do there, it is basically a gift shop), and headed out. The Williamson River Forest Service Campground down on 97 was less than half full, was actually nicer than Mazama (without flush toilets, of course) for $5 a night ! Aramark should stick to selling $8 hot dogs to drunks at Fenway Park, they don't have a clue about campgrounds management.
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