Lake George Island Camping-Negotiations?

[sailorboatfool]

Just went through my yearly stress-inducing regimen of attempting to reserve 6 campsites on the LG islands for a week in July. For the first time in 12 years, I lost not 1 but 3 of the usual sites. Arg.

When we lost our 3, we jumped on 5 sites on a different island...and I swear I could hear some guy in Connecticut cursing at his ReserveAmerica screen as he'd just lost HIS usual sites!

I know the new 5 sites will be great (though we are surrounding some poor soul in the middle...), but the old sites had cliffs, hiking trails, nearby access to Paradise Bay, decent docks...it won't be the same.

So it raised a thought - is there any place where I could post a plea to switch sites with whoever "stole" my usual sites? Not even sure how that would work...but it would be interesting to bargain...

Waiting for the ice to come and go
Cap'n Rick
Nautically Challenged

[DSettahr]

I think you'd have your work cut out for you in trying to even get a message to whomever reserved the sites. For privacy reasons, the campground likely isn't just going to give you their contact information, and I doubt they'd be willing to forward a message either.

And any kind of system that allows for bartering/trading of sites is just going to lead to people reserving sites that they don't intend do use just to turn around and sell them later at a profit. So I doubt the state would be too enthusiastic about facilitating any kind of trading.

My advice: Go to the new sites with an open mind. It's easy to get attached to specific campsites when we have a lot of memories at those sites, but that doesn't necessarily mean that any other site is somehow inferior. You never know, I bet the new sites will facilitate memories in ways that the old sites weren't able to (not necessarily better, just different).

I don't stay at campgrounds often, but in the backcountry in areas with multiple designated sites, I personally actually make a point of trying to stay in new sites on repeat visits. I find that even the less popular sites often have something nice about them that makes them worth using.

[rADK]

You could try craigslist. And you've already- sorta- used this site...name the sites/dates and watch your PM inbox. But yea, anonymity of those reservations is appropriately protected.

Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. I love Lake George but it is a zoo in the summer...an absolute zoo. There are probably a dozen other lakes in the 'dacks with similar if not greater outdoors experiences with free lean-to campsites instead. IME they can be just as great, just not with all the boat accessible shops, laundry mats, grocery stores, restaurants, etc that 'camping' on LG with a boat comes with.