Customer Reviews

Coleman National Forest Campground and Recreation Directory: The Only Complete Guide to All National Forest Campgrounds

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For anyone who spends any time on the road or in the woods--this book has every national forest campground in the country in it--along with locator maps and descriptions for each of the campgrounds. Much of this information can't be found anywhere else--that I've found at least--and now it's all in the same place.

That's right! Throw away all those bulky Woodalls Guides that only chose to tell you about "camping sites" with vending machines, laundry facilities and prices that rival budget motel accomodations.
THIS is the guide that tells you how to take advantage of the thousands of FREE camping options all across the USA. I live in the Ozark Mountains of Northern Arkansas but have also made use of National Forest Campgrounds in New Mexico & Colorado too. They were hands down the BEST camping sites in the most scenic areas that I have ever used.
This book cannot be praised enough and if you have become accustomed to paying for camping sites THIS is the book that will liberate you! BUY IT!

I received my book about a week ago and we're already going to use it for the Memorial Day weekend. It is pretty amazing how much information is packed into the book. I would recommend it if you explore much at all but don't like to stay in traditional commercial RV parks or campgrounds.

In my experience, Forest Service campsites (especially the free ones) are among the best campsites because they are rustic, secluded, often have few if any other people, etc! This book lists the Forest Service established campsites, grouped by forest and then by region, each forest having a map that allows you to see what sites are in various areas you might be going. All sites have descriptions including facilities, area attractions (fishing, hiking), and price. I've found any number of amazing forest sites throughout the western half of the U.S. using this book...soon I will be using it again!

The material is important...Forest service campgrounds are great places to camp. But the Coleman guide is hard to use. There is not a good map to be found in it...(and these are the same folks who are publising the DeLorme Atlas?) You can get a feeling for the camping if you have a separate map and flip around in the directory from alphabetical listings tht aren't all in close proximity. It WILL work for you if you have the individual national forest maps that the forest service publishes!

Finally, a book that has all the National Grasslands and the Army Corp of Engr. sites in it as well as the Forest areas! Another nice feature of the book was that it listed some regional campgrounds as well if they were in the area of the Nat'l campgrounds.
There were a couple of items that could be corrected: 1.On page 314 #'s 264,265,&270 were written about on page 637 under Tennessee (because they are in Tennessee). 2. On page 623 #36 is on Map page 50 rather than 44 and not near Los Angeles but muchfurther northwest than where it is indicated if it truly is in the Visalia area.
Not to be picky, because I really like the book and find it a valuable resource but the color brown used in the numbering on the maps is a little difficult to read at dusk or later. And it seems like a lot of times we look for campgrounds late in the day.

Be aware -- this does not list every campground in America, or even every one run by the Federal government. Rather it only lists NATIONAL FOREST and Army Corps of Engineer campgrounds. (That's why Yosemite National Park is excluded.)

For what it does cover, this book is the one of a kind. Nothing compares to it. It covers campgrounds that are listed almost no where else, and these are some of the cheapest, most secluded, and natural campgrounds in America. To take advantage of most of them, you'll need to be largely self-contained.

Some of the reviewers that complain about not having site maps etc. ought to get a grip. With over 4,300 campgrounds in this book, it is simply ridiculous to expect a site map for each campground. The thing that is most helpful about this directory are the descriptions.

I love it. Very informative, beautifully printed, easy to use.

I was completely disappointed. Returned my copy. The same information is provided on the internet. I was looking for campsite maps, facility information, and site descriptions primarily for camping.