How to Be a 1-Stop Camper

Here’s a camping tip that ranks up there with Bring Waterproof Matches: Make Reservations Whenever Possible.

You wouldn’t visit Disneyland for a weekend without making sure the hotels had vacancies. If you drive 150 miles and discover your campground filled, you’ll spend the next two hours trying to find a vacant site somewhere else and, possibly, wind up at a Holiday Inn.

Not all parks take reservations. Those that do include state parks such as Point Mugu and national parks such as Yosemite. National Forest campgrounds, such as Messenger Flats, are on a first-come basis.

Reservations at state parks are a painless precaution. They can be made over the phone by calling Mistix at 1-800-444-7275 or visiting a camping store with a Mistix outlet. Ticketron (213-642-4242) takes phone reservations for national parks.

Mistix accepts VISA and Mastercard and adds $3.95 to the basic campsite fee. Campsites can be reserved as many as eight weeks in advance, and Mistix reports that most state parks are already booked on weekends that far ahead. But Mistix also can help you find a vacancy.

If you have not reserved a campsite yet for July Fourth weekend, make plans to stay home and barbecue. There are no vacancies at any state park, including Point Mugu, Mt. San Jacinto and Cuyamaca.