Diverse friends laugh around a modern communal fire pit at night at a glamping campground.

Campground Business Startup Steps to Know Before Opening

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How to Start a Campground Business

As a campground owner, you provide outdoor lodging sites — tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, or glamping accommodations — on privately-owned land.

Guests pay nightly, weekly, or monthly fees to stay on your property. You earn additional revenue through a camp store, equipment rentals, propane sales, activity fees, and event hosting.

It’s a business that blends real estate development, outdoor hospitality, property management, and customer service under one roof. Before you follow any startup steps, it’s worth understanding what you’re signing up for.

Campground ownership — especially for owner-operators — often means living on-site, working weekends and holidays, handling maintenance emergencies after hours, and managing seasonal staff through a compressed peak season.

The financial picture is equally demanding. This is one of the more capital-intensive startups in the outdoor hospitality world. You’ll commit significant money to land, infrastructure, permits, and professional fees before earning your first reservation.

Are you prepared to carry that financial weight through a development period that can stretch two to four years before opening day?

Your household needs to be prepared, too. If your income disappears while the project is under development, your family’s financial stability is directly at stake. Talk through the timeline and the risk with the people who share your finances before you go further.

The skills needed span a wide range: project management, basic facilities and maintenance knowledge, financial literacy, customer service, and comfort navigating permit agencies and regulatory timelines. You don’t need to be an expert in every area, but you need to know which gaps to fill with professional help.

One of the best early moves is to talk to campground owners in markets where you won’t be competing. Ask them about permit timelines, first-season cash flow, what they underestimated, and what they’d do differently. Firsthand owner insight is worth more than any guide.

The Outdoor Hospitality Industry organization — formerly known as ARVC, the national trade association for private campground owners — offers education, networking, and peer connections. Getting involved early gives you access to people who’ve solved the same problems you’re about to face.

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If building from scratch feels like too much, consider buying an existing campground instead. Some owners also explore a franchise model through brands like KOA or Jellystone Park, which offer brand recognition, reservation systems, and operational training in exchange for ongoing royalty fees. The best path depends on your budget, timeline, experience level, and how much control you want over your operation. Thinking through whether to build or buy is a worthwhile exercise before you commit.

Red Flags Before You Start

A campground is a major capital commitment. These red flags are worth reviewing before you go further.

Weak local demand is a serious problem before it becomes an obvious one.

If the target location lacks nearby demand drivers — scenic areas, national forests, lakes, tourist corridors, or a large population within a reasonable drive — you may struggle to fill sites even during peak season. Verify demand through a professional feasibility study before buying land.

Zoning and permitting issues can stop a project entirely.

Some parcels that look ideal for a campground can’t legally be used that way, or require a lengthy rezoning process that isn’t guaranteed to succeed. Confirm zoning feasibility before making an offer on any property.

Environmental constraints can reduce buildable land and drive up costs.

Significant wetlands, floodplain areas, steep slopes, or proximity to protected waterways can limit development, trigger federal environmental reviews, or block the project. A site analysis before purchase is essential.

Seasonality can break the financial model.

Many campgrounds in northern climates operate for only five to seven months per year but carry year-round fixed costs — debt payments, insurance, and property taxes don’t pause in winter. Verify that peak-season revenue alone can cover the full-year cost structure, or plan off-season income strategies before you commit to debt.

Under-capitalization is one of the most common causes of campground failure.

Permit timelines, construction delays, and ramp-up periods all come before revenue. If you run out of operating capital before reaching stabilized occupancy, the project can fail even in a strong market. Build a realistic development budget with a 10–20% contingency and confirm your funding before breaking ground.

Large operators and consolidation are structural realities.

Well-capitalized platforms and real estate investment trusts are actively acquiring independent campgrounds. Independents compete best on location uniqueness, distinctive accommodations, and guest experience — not on price alone. If you’re entering a market already dominated by a large, well-resourced competitor, understand how you’ll differentiate before you build.

Campground liability exposure is real and wide-ranging.

Guest injuries at pools, fire pits, and electrical hookups — along with slip-and-fall accidents, campfire incidents, tree falls, and wildlife encounters — all create litigation risk. If appropriate insurance isn’t available at a manageable cost for your planned amenities, adjust the model before committing to it.

Step 1: Decide on Your Campground Model

The campground model you choose drives every cost, compliance requirement, equipment decision, and staffing need that follows. Make this decision before you evaluate any land or hire any professionals.

The main campground model types to consider:

  • Tent-only or primitive campground — minimal infrastructure, smallest compliance footprint, lowest startup investment, but a limited revenue ceiling
  • RV park with hookups — requires electrical pedestals, water connections, and sewer at each site; highest infrastructure cost per site, but the strongest nightly rate per site type
  • Mixed-use campground — tent sites, RV hookups, and possibly cabins or glamping units on one property; the most common model for independent operators
  • Glamping or outdoor resort — furnished accommodations such as safari tents, yurts, geodesic domes, or treehouses; commands the highest nightly rates and attracts a premium guest segment
  • Family destination campground — recreation-focused with amenities like pools and playgrounds; requires more capital and staffing but can support higher occupancy
  • Overnight or transit campground — positioned near highways to capture road traffic; relies on volume rather than depth of amenities

You’ll also need to decide on ancillary revenue. A camp store, propane sales, equipment rentals, food and beverage, on-site activities, or event hosting each add their own compliance requirements and operational complexity.

Consider your guest mix, too. Nightly transient guests provide flexibility. Long-term seasonal campers — guests who lease a site for a full season or month — provide steadier cash flow but require different legal and billing arrangements.

Getting clarity on your model now keeps every step ahead of it on track.

Step 2: Validate Demand and Commission a Feasibility Study

Don’t evaluate land or engage engineers until you’ve confirmed that real demand exists for a campground in your target market.

A professional campground feasibility study is standard practice before land purchase and is typically required by lenders before they’ll consider financing a development project. It covers site suitability, physical constraints, utility access, regulatory feasibility, market demand, competition, and preliminary financial modeling.

Beyond the formal study, do your own initial market check. Research local and regional camping demand using tourism board data and state park occupancy patterns. Check whether existing campgrounds in the area book up quickly and far in advance — that’s a positive signal. Heavy discounting or low occupancy at established parks is a warning sign.

Think about your catchment area. Destination campgrounds typically draw guests from a 30–50 mile radius or farther. Overnight transit campgrounds depend on highway traffic. Your location needs a demand driver: national forests, state parks, lakes, scenic corridors, tourist attractions, or proximity to a large metro area.

Also assess what’s underserved. Are families looking for RV hookups? Are younger travelers seeking glamping options? Is there an unmet need for pet-friendly sites, accessible accommodations, or long-term seasonal rentals? Understanding the gap helps you design toward real demand.

Confirming demand before spending on land or professional fees is one of the most consequential decisions on the path to opening day.

Step 3: Find and Evaluate Your Land

Location isn’t just about scenery. The physical characteristics of a parcel determine whether your campground can be built at all — and at what cost.

Before making any offer, assess the parcel for:

  • Slope, drainage, and soil type — land that floods or stays muddy is a serious problem
  • Wetlands, floodplains, and protected waterways — check FEMA flood zone maps and consult an environmental professional
  • Utility access — proximity to municipal water and sewer, or feasibility of drilling a well and installing an engineered septic system
  • Electrical infrastructure — the cost to extend power lines to a remote site can be substantial
  • Road access and fire access — internal roads must allow emergency vehicle entry
  • Neighboring land uses — industrial or noisy neighbors can deter campers; adjacent public lands or scenic areas are an advantage
  • Easements, deed restrictions, and mineral rights that could limit development

A typical campground with around 100 sites requires roughly 20–30 acres, including space for roads, recreation areas, bathhouses, and buffer zones. Exact requirements vary by jurisdiction and campground type.

Zoning is the single most important thing to confirm before purchase.

Not all rural or agricultural land permits campground use. Check with the county or municipal planning office before signing anything. Rezoning or obtaining a special use permit is possible in some areas but involves an application process, fees, a site plan review, public hearings, and a timeline that can stretch six to 18 months — with no guarantee of approval.

If you’re buying an existing campground instead of raw land, the evaluation shifts. Review three years of financial records. Confirm the condition of all infrastructure. Verify the status and transferability of existing permits and licenses. Check for outstanding compliance violations. Have a licensed inspector assess deferred maintenance.

An attorney experienced in land use and a civil engineer should both be involved before you close on any property.

Getting the land decision right — before any design work begins — sets the foundation for everything that follows.

Step 4: Work Through the Permit and Approval Process

The permit process is where many campground projects stall. Understand it early and plan for it to take time.

Don’t finalize your land purchase until you understand the permit requirements and their feasibility.

Request a pre-application meeting with your local planning, zoning, and health department officials before committing. Most agencies encourage early contact and can identify major barriers before you’ve spent significant money.

The development permit process for a new campground typically involves multiple approval streams running in parallel:

  • Zoning approval or special use permit (from the county or municipal planning office)
  • Land use and campground development permit (for the overall site plan)
  • Building permits for each structure — bathhouse, office, camp store, cabins
  • Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits
  • Road and access permits
  • Water supply and wastewater system permits (typically from the state or county health department)
  • Fire safety review
  • Health department approval for food service or swimming facilities, if applicable
  • Signage permits
  • Pool construction and operating permit, if applicable

If your land is near wetlands, streams, or navigable waterways, a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — coordinated with the EPA — may be required. Development near protected species or critical habitat may trigger an environmental review under the Endangered Species Act.

ADA compliance is a federal requirement. New campground construction must include accessible campsites, accessible parking, accessible restrooms, and accessible pathways per the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Build accessibility into your site plan from the start — retrofitting it later is far more expensive.

Plan realistically. The permit process alone can take 4–12 months depending on location, site complexity, and scope. All required inspections must pass before you can open to guests.

Every permit secured on schedule keeps the project moving toward opening day.

Step 5: Hire Your Design and Engineering Team

A campground can’t be designed or built without licensed professionals. This team is not optional.

You’ll need a licensed civil engineer, a landscape architect or site planner with campground development experience, and a licensed land surveyor. Together, they produce the master site plan — the central document submitted for regulatory approval.

The master plan must address:

  • Site layout and campsite spacing and dimensions
  • Internal road design with emergency vehicle access
  • Utility systems — water, sewer or septic, and electrical
  • Stormwater management
  • ADA accessibility features
  • Setbacks, buffers, and property boundaries
  • All structures, parking areas, recreation zones, and signage

Familiarize yourself with NFPA 1194 — the Standard for Recreational Vehicle Parks and Campgrounds published by the National Fire Protection Association.

NFPA 1194 is the national industry benchmark for safety-related design and construction at RV parks and campgrounds. Many state and local regulatory bodies reference or adopt it in their campground regulations. The 2026 edition includes updated requirements for EV charging pedestals, reflecting growing demand from RV travelers with electric vehicles.

Electrical design must comply with NFPA 70 (the National Electrical Code). RV sites require electrical pedestals with 30-amp and 50-amp service. Your engineer will specify this in the design, but you need to understand the requirement before pricing out infrastructure.

Working with a team that has built campgrounds before — not just generalist contractors — significantly reduces the risk of design problems that delay permits or require expensive corrections.

Step 6: Register Your Business and Handle Legal Setup

Before you sign contracts, open accounts, or put money into the project under a business name, your legal entity needs to be in place.

Choose a business structure. Most campground owners form an LLC to separate personal assets from business liability. Choosing the right structure is worth discussing with a business attorney before you register.

Register your entity with your state’s Secretary of State office. Then apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS — you’ll need it for tax filing, payroll, and opening a business bank account. If you plan to operate under a trade name, you may also need to register a DBA.

Tax obligations for campgrounds can involve multiple layers. Some states impose sales tax on campsite fees. Many counties and cities charge a transient occupancy tax — sometimes called a lodging tax — on nightly rentals. Verify what applies in your jurisdiction with your state’s department of revenue and your local finance office before you accept your first reservation.

If you plan to hire employees, you’ll need to register for state income tax withholding and state unemployment insurance accounts. If your campground will serve food, operate a swimming pool, or sell alcohol, each of those activities requires its own permit — typically from the state or county health department and, for alcohol, from the state liquor control board.

Campground licenses and permits vary significantly by jurisdiction. Check your state’s department of health or department of environmental quality for state-level campground operating license requirements. Check your county or municipal planning and building offices for local requirements.

Getting legal setup right early means you’re building on a solid foundation instead of catching up later.

Business Plan

A detailed business plan isn’t optional for a campground startup — virtually every lender and investor will require one before considering financing for land acquisition or development.

Your plan should cover your business model, target market, site description, development timeline, revenue projections by site type and season, operating cost estimates, staffing plan, and funding request. It’s the document that connects your vision to the financial reality.

The revenue model for a campground has real complexity. You’re pricing tent sites, dry camping RV sites, partial hookup sites, full hookup sites, cabins, glamping units, and ancillary services separately. Site type, amenity level, location within the property, and season all affect what you can reasonably charge.

Geography matters significantly. Coastal, mountain, and urban-adjacent campgrounds command substantially higher rates than inland or rural properties. Understand what comparable campgrounds in your target market charge before setting your own rates.

The break-even calculation is the most critical financial exercise to complete before committing to debt. How many site nights do you need to sell each season to cover your debt service, insurance, utilities, payroll, maintenance, and operating reserves? Build that number from your own projected rates, site count, and operating season — don’t borrow it from someone else’s operation.

Seasonality deserves its own section in the plan. If your campground operates for five or six months in a northern climate, you must earn enough revenue in that window to cover twelve months of fixed costs. Many owners who fail do so not because peak-season demand was weak, but because they didn’t plan adequately for the off-season cost burden.

For funding, campground startups commonly use SBA 7(a) loans, SBA 504 loans for real estate and fixed assets, USDA Rural Development loans for rural-area properties, conventional commercial real estate loans, and seller financing when buying an existing campground. Lenders typically require your feasibility study, several years of financial projections, personal financial statements, and evidence of relevant management experience.

A strong business plan is also your internal reality check. If the numbers don’t work on paper with honest assumptions, they won’t work in the field. Estimating profitability before you commit to a location, a site count, or a level of amenities is one of the most important planning steps you’ll take.

Getting this document right before lender meetings means you walk in prepared — not catching up.

Step 7: Build Out the Site and Install Infrastructure

Once permits are approved and funding is secured, construction begins. Cost overruns and schedule delays are most common in this phase, so professional project management from your engineering team is essential throughout.

The core infrastructure every campground needs before opening:

  • Internal roads — graded, stable, and accessible to emergency vehicles
  • Drainage systems — swales, French drains, or stormwater infrastructure to prevent flooding
  • Electrical pedestals at each RV site (30-amp and 50-amp service where offered)
  • Water hookup connections at each full-service or partial-service site
  • Sewer connections per site, or a shared sanitary dump station for RV waste
  • Water stations accessible within the required distance from tent sites
  • Potable water system — municipal connection or an approved well with health department testing and sign-off before guests use the water
  • Septic system or wastewater system — engineered, permitted, and inspected

Bathhouse and restroom facilities must meet health department requirements for toilet, shower, and lavatory ratios per the number of campsites. These ratios vary by jurisdiction — confirm the requirements with your state or county health department during design.

Every structure — the bathhouse, office, camp store, cabins — requires a building permit and must pass a building inspection before use.

Fire safety requirements apply across the entire property:

  • Fire detection and alarm systems in structures, per NFPA 72
  • Fire safety rules posted conspicuously throughout the property, per NFPA 1194
  • Fire pits placed per local setback and design requirements
  • Emergency vehicle access maintained throughout the property at all times
  • Fire extinguishers installed in all structures

Site furnishings — picnic tables, fire rings, site number markers, and wayfinding signage — need to be in place before the first guest arrives. Required ADA-accessible campsites, pathways, parking, and restrooms must be complete and confirmed compliant.

All inspections — building, electrical, plumbing, fire, and health — must pass before you can legally open. Build the inspection schedule into your construction timeline so you’re not waiting on an agency visit the week you planned to welcome guests.

Every signed inspection report is one step closer to opening day.

Step 8: Set Up Operations Before You Accept a Single Reservation

The guest experience starts before anyone arrives on-site. It starts when they find your campground online, book a site, receive a confirmation, and know what to expect. That entire flow needs to be working before you open.

Select and configure a campground property management system (PMS) before you go live with bookings.

Campground-specific PMS platforms — such as Campspot, CampLife, WebRezPro, and Newbook, among others — do far more than accept reservations. They handle site inventory mapping, availability display, dynamic pricing, check-in and check-out workflows, payment processing, utility metering for long-term hookup billing, maintenance request tracking, and occupancy reporting.

A PMS designed for hotels won’t handle the operational complexity of a campground. Multiple site types, utility hookup configurations, long-term vs. nightly pricing, and site-specific amenity differences all require a system built for outdoor hospitality.

Set up your pricing structure within the system before bookings open. That means nightly rates by site type, seasonal rate differences, minimum stay rules for peak weekends, and long-term monthly rates if you’re offering them.

Dynamic pricing is now standard practice at well-managed campgrounds.

Adjusting rates based on demand, day of week, and seasonal patterns — rather than using fixed flat rates — helps you capture more revenue during peak periods and fill gaps during slower times. Most campground PMS platforms include or integrate dynamic pricing tools.

Before you accept your first payment, set up a dedicated business bank account and a merchant account with payment processing integrated into your PMS. Keep business and personal finances completely separate from day one.

Guest-facing documents need to be ready before opening:

  • Guest registration form
  • Liability waiver and release of liability — reviewed by a business attorney before use
  • Campground rules covering quiet hours, pet policies, fire rules, check-in and check-out times, cancellation policy, and maximum site occupancy

Your campground rules aren’t just hospitality policy — they’re also a layer of legal protection. Have an attorney review them alongside your liability waiver before guests sign anything.

Establish supplier relationships before opening: firewood, propane delivery, camp store products, cleaning supplies, pool chemicals if applicable, and maintenance supplies. Don’t leave supplier setup for after you open.

Getting the booking flow, payment processing, and guest documents in order before opening day means the experience guests have from their very first interaction is smooth and professional.

Step 9: Hire and Train Your Staff

The right people in the right roles make the difference between a guest experience that generates repeat bookings and one that generates complaints.

The core staff roles to fill before opening:

  • Front desk or check-in staff — the first face a guest sees; needs strong customer service skills, comfort with the PMS, and the ability to handle a rush during peak check-in windows
  • Grounds and maintenance — responsible for keeping roads, sites, fire rings, and common areas in clean, working order; plumbing and electrical familiarity is a meaningful advantage
  • Housekeeping — essential if you’re offering cabin or glamping unit rentals, or if your bathhouse needs regular cleaning throughout the day

Many small campgrounds start with the owner filling multiple roles and bring in seasonal staff for the peak season. Workampers — RV travelers who work at campgrounds in exchange for a free site, sometimes plus wages — are a common labor source and can help stretch a staffing budget during the busiest months.

Train every staff member on the PMS, the campground rules, and the emergency procedures before their first shift. Untrained staff create inconsistent guest experiences, and inconsistency damages the reputation you’re building from scratch.

If you’re offering a swimming pool, check whether your jurisdiction requires a certified pool operator on-site when the pool is open. Some require a certified lifeguard as well. Confirm those requirements before your hiring plan is finalized.

Staff who know their roles, know the systems, and know the property before opening day deliver the consistency guests expect.

Step 10: Secure Campground-Specific Insurance

Standard commercial insurance is frequently inadequate for a campground. The risks are too specific.

Guest injuries at pools, fire pits, and electrical hookups — along with slip-and-fall accidents, campfire incidents, tree falls, electrical malfunctions, and wildlife encounters — are all documented liability triggers. A generic commercial policy may leave significant gaps in exactly the areas that matter most.

Coverage categories to arrange before opening:

  • Commercial general liability — covers premises, operations, amenities, and activities
  • Commercial property — covers structures, outdoor equipment, and signage
  • Business interruption — helps replace lost income if a covered property loss forces the campground to pause operations
  • Commercial auto — required if you own or operate vehicles, maintenance trucks, or golf carts
  • Umbrella or excess liability — adds coverage depth above your primary liability limits
  • Pool operator liability — if your campground includes a swimming pool
  • Liquor liability — if you sell alcohol in a camp store or at events

Workers’ compensation is legally required in most states for employers with paid staff. The exact requirement varies by state — confirm it with your state’s workers’ compensation board before your first hire.

Work with a broker or agent who has specific experience placing campground and outdoor hospitality insurance. Specialized campground insurance programs are built around the actual risk profile of the business — use one.

Having all coverage confirmed and active before opening day means you’re protected from the moment your first guest arrives.

Opening-Day Red Flags

Before you open the gate to paying guests, run a final check against this list. If any item isn’t confirmed, resolve it first.

  • Missing permits or approvals: Every required permit — zoning, campground development, building, electrical, plumbing, fire, health department — must be in hand before opening.
  • Outstanding inspections: All required inspections must have passed with documented sign-off. If any inspection hasn’t been completed, the campground isn’t ready.
  • No certificate of occupancy: Structures can’t legally receive guests without a certificate of occupancy or the equivalent local approval. Confirm this for every structure on the property.
  • Unapproved water system: If you’re using a well, water testing and health department approval must be complete before guests use the water. An untested water system is a health and legal risk.
  • Electrical pedestals not tested: Every hookup pedestal should be tested before an RV connects to it. Electrical faults at hookup sites are a known cause of fires and guest injuries.
  • Fire safety not confirmed: Fire safety rules must be posted conspicuously per NFPA 1194. Fire extinguishers must be installed in structures. Emergency evacuation routes must be posted.
  • ADA compliance incomplete: Accessible sites, pathways, parking, and restrooms must be complete before opening. Noncompliance with ADA requirements carries legal consequences.
  • No liability waiver ready: Every guest should sign a liability waiver before using the campground. Don’t open without one reviewed by an attorney.
  • Booking system not tested: Run test reservations, confirm payment processing, and confirm that confirmation emails are working before you go live with real guests.
  • Staff not trained: If your staff don’t know the PMS, the campground rules, and the emergency procedures before your first guests arrive, the experience will show it.
  • Insurance not active: Confirm all policies are in effect — not just applied for. You need active coverage from the moment the property opens.
  • No soft open completed: If possible, run a test weekend with a limited number of bookings before full public launch. You’ll find operational gaps you didn’t anticipate, and it’s better to find them before peak season.

Every item checked off this list is one less thing that can go wrong when real guests are on the property.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need prior experience in hospitality or property management to open a campground?

No specific license or degree is required, but the startup complexity — covering land development, regulatory navigation, hospitality, maintenance, and financial management at the same time — makes prior experience in at least one of those areas a real advantage.

Many new owners work with campground consultants, hire licensed professionals for each technical phase, and join the Outdoor Hospitality Industry organization to access training and peer networks before and during their opening process.

How long does it take to open a campground built from raw land?

A realistic timeline from land identification to opening day is typically two to four years for a campground built from scratch. Permit processes alone can take 4–12 months in many jurisdictions. Buying an existing operating campground can shorten the timeline significantly, though due diligence and the legal transfer of permits and licenses still take time.

Can I buy an existing campground instead of building from scratch?

Yes. For many first-time owners, buying an existing campground means inheriting infrastructure, established bookings, and a shorter path to revenue. The risks shift — you take on the property’s condition, any deferred maintenance, and any existing compliance issues.

A thorough due diligence process — including infrastructure inspection, permit status review, financial record review, and an environmental history check — is essential before purchasing.

Is a campground franchise a realistic option?

It is for some owners. KOA and Jellystone Park are the two most recognized campground franchise brands. A franchise provides brand recognition, reservation system access, marketing support, and operational training in exchange for ongoing royalty fees and brand standard compliance.

Options include purchasing an existing franchised campground, converting an existing independent campground, or building a new franchise location. Review the franchise disclosure document carefully and consult an attorney experienced in franchise law before committing.

What revenue sources does a campground have beyond nightly site fees?

Common ancillary revenue includes camp store sales, propane sales, equipment rentals, cabin or glamping unit rentals, activity fees, event hosting, monthly or seasonal site leases, and laundry facilities.

A well-planned ancillary revenue mix can meaningfully improve overall profitability beyond what site fees alone generate.

How does seasonality affect campground finances?

Many campgrounds — particularly those in northern climates — earn the substantial majority of their revenue in a three-to-six-month peak season while incurring year-round fixed costs.

Careful cash flow planning and adequate operating capital reserves are essential. Some operators extend the revenue period through off-season cabin rentals, snowbird seasonal leasing, or event hosting.

What is NFPA 1194 and why does it matter?

NFPA 1194 is the Standard for Recreational Vehicle Parks and Campgrounds published by the National Fire Protection Association. It’s the national industry benchmark for safety-related design and construction of RV parks and campgrounds.

Many state and local regulatory bodies reference or adopt it in their campground regulations. The 2026 edition includes new requirements for EV charging pedestals. Any new campground developer should obtain and reference it during the design phase.

Do I need specialized insurance, or will a standard commercial policy work?

Standard commercial insurance is frequently inadequate for a campground. Guest injuries at recreational amenities, electrical malfunctions at hookup pedestals, water system failures, and campfire incidents all create exposures that generic policies often don’t fully cover.

Specialized campground insurance programs are available through insurers experienced with outdoor hospitality. Workers’ compensation is legally required in most states for employers with paid staff. Use a broker or agent with documented campground insurance experience.

Expert Advice From People in the Campground Business

These interviews share practical lessons from campground owners, RV park operators, managers, and outdoor hospitality leaders who have dealt with permits, staffing, guest expectations, rule enforcement, amenities, and day-to-day operations.

Readers can use these insights before starting a campground business to compare business models, plan for hidden challenges, ask better questions, and avoid building a plan based only on the appeal of outdoor hospitality.

Lessons from the Campground: Ontario-Based Owner Shares Experiences Running Camping in Muskoka

This interview with Paul Cook covers long-term campground ownership, family operations, financial pressure, online reservations, customer mix, and permit challenges.

It is useful for someone starting this business because it explains why approvals, infrastructure, and professional support need serious attention before opening.

Veteran Owner Offers Tips for First-Time Park Owners

This interview-based article features Cathy Reinard’s guidance on marketing, customer targeting, rules, staffing, emergency planning, pricing, and contingency funds.

It is useful for someone starting this business because it gives direct operating advice from an owner who has handled real campground problems over many years.

Open Road Resorts Transforms RV Parks with Focus on Cleanliness, Safety and Consistent Guest Experience

This interview with Jim Omstrom covers acquiring a first RV park, building a consistent guest experience, hiring managers, and treating RV parks like outdoor hotels.

It is useful for someone starting this business because it shows how cleanliness, safety, amenities, and staff quality can shape a campground’s reputation.

Anvil Campground at 70: A Legacy of Family, Innovation, and Excellence

This interview with David Jump covers modernizing an established campground, moving from paper reservations to digital systems, and investing in infrastructure.

It is useful for someone starting this business because it shows how systems, utilities, and reinvestment affect daily operations and guest experience.

The Heart of Richfield KOA

This interview with Dave and Jenny Wenner covers campground management, expansion, staffing, guest interaction, pet-focused amenities, and preserving a peaceful atmosphere.

It is useful for someone starting this business because it shows how managers can improve the guest experience by watching customer behavior and training the team.

YP’s Vision Helps Create and Grow ‘Starlight Campgrounds’

This interview-based profile of Eric Kline covers acquiring campgrounds, reviewing financials, choosing established parks, staffing, training, and managing multiple locations.

It is useful for someone starting this business because it explains why buyers need to understand daily operations, manager quality, financing, and seasonal staffing before purchasing a park.

 

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