Another day, another national park, and at least another hundred rental RVs.
A large segment of RV renters are from other countries. More than 50-percent of El Monte RV’s business are foreign travelers, according to Joe Laing, the nationwide company’s director of marketing.
All RV renters, including visitors from overseas, Canada and Mexico, find that renting an RV allows them the freedom to set their own pace and see what they want, when they want. This includes how much time they want to spend in each of the numerous viewpoints in the many national parks in Utah, including the red rock wonderland of the Arches National Park.
Whether it was at pullouts at the Balanced Rock (pictured at above right) or the Delicate Arch (below) there were a number of brightly splashed rental motor homes. The most common RV rental type continues to be the shorter length cabover Class C motor home.
And, of course, just about all those RVers were hoping for a coveted site at the Devils Garden Campground. With only 52 sites, many seekers had to go to other places including local commercial RV parks in nearby Moab, Utah.
We were among the seekers on the day who were looking for a nearby private RV campground.
Being a Good Sam member, I checked for the local Good Sam-approved campgrounds. We selected the Riverside Oasis Campground. However, even though I’ve been a Good Sam member for some time, I did not get the advertised 10% member discount because I did not have my Good Sam card with me. And, even though I could give my membership number and show evidence of numerous e-mails from Good Sam asking me to purchase additional services and products, it was not enough. (I want to add here that the work camper at the front desk was very courteous, apologized, and was only following procedure.)
Because it was late in the day and we were hot and desperately in need of a shower–we went ahead and paid the extra $3.50. However, because of that inflexibility in policy, this camper will never return to that campground; and suggests they reconsider the restrictive requirement of a physical card when membership proof can be provided in other ways, particularly in this technological age.
As for camping at the Devils Garden Campground sites, visit www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/camping.htm or call park information at (435) 719-2299.
Photos by Julianne G. Crane
