Watch a campground opening
Watch a campground opening in Parks Manager by naming one Recreation.gov facility and the nights you care about. When a site opens, Parks Manager emails a Recreation.gov link with those dates selected.
Parks Manager never books, never pays, and never enters a lottery. The click that reserves the site happens on Recreation.gov.
- 25active watches per account
- 2 minutesbetween Recreation.gov polls
- 4kinds of watch
- Add alertbutton on the park page
Where a watch starts
On a park page, stay-first search lists Recreation.gov campgrounds for that park. Pick the nights, then tap Add alert. Settings also lists every watch you already have, including paused ones.
If the campground is not listed on a park page yet, Settings accepts a Recreation.gov campground URL and the nights you want.
Create the watch
Sign in first. A watch is stored against your email, not against a browser.
- Open the park that owns the campground, or open Settings if you already have a Recreation.gov link.
- Choose the nights you want. Consecutive nights come first on the park search.
- Optionally narrow the sites — tent-only, group, or the other filters Parks Manager stores for that facility.
- Tap Add alert. Parks Manager keeps the watch even if you later turn off the “Alert openings” email.
What the email is
When a matching site opens, Parks Manager sends mail to the address you signed in with. The message holds a Recreation.gov link with your dates already selected. You finish the booking there, including payment and any lottery the facility uses.
Turning off Alert openings in Settings stops the mail and leaves the watch in place, so you can turn the mail back on without recreating the nights.
Campgrounds are not the only watch
The same Add alert path covers permits, cave tours, and timed entry. One account holds up to 25 active watches across all four kinds. A permit watch still does not enter the lottery for you.
What it does not do
A watch is a lookout, not a reservation.
- Parks Manager does not take payment and does not hold a site.
- Parks Manager does not enter a Recreation.gov lottery.
- An account stops at 25 active watches.
- The email is not a guarantee the site will still be open when you click through.
Common questions
Does Parks Manager book the campsite when an alert fires?
No. Parks Manager emails a Recreation.gov link with your dates selected. You complete the booking there.
How many campground watches can I keep?
Twenty-five active watches per account, shared with permits, cave tours, and timed entry.
Can I watch a campground that is not on a park page?
Yes. In Settings, paste the Recreation.gov campground URL and the nights you want.
What if I turn off alert email?
The watch stays. Parks Manager stops sending openings until you turn Alert openings back on.
All Parks Manager features are indexed in one place.