Several ways actually:
1. Keep a journal of places we have camped with specifics: site we were on, sites we'd like to be on, bathroom situation, amenities, places we visited, weather and temp. On back page is wish list for campgrounds we'd like to stay at.
2. Have file drawer separated by state and region with campground maps and brochures, maps have notes on them if we've been there.
3. Reservation confirmations are in email account with notes on it about the stay.
4. Have a state map and highlite each town or state park we've stayed in.
I have a leather-bound notebook (Barne's and Noble, I think) that I use to record "outdoor" activities. I've been writing in it for years and it includes a plethora of hunting, some scuba diving and lately some PUPing. I hope one of my boys wants to keep it one day and show it to his kids and grandkids. At the very least, I hope one of them wants to keep in just to re-read some of the fantastic times we've had.
At any rate, I write in it every day when we camp and I include details like what campground, what site, weather, activities we did, any relevant water levels, etc.
We've got a nylon-covered three-ring binder, divided into two sections: Campgrounds We've Been To, and Possibilities. We have a customized Campsite Rating Sheet (that also rates the campground), and we fill one out for each different site we stay at. When we see a campground we think we might like, we try to get a CG map. If we're in the area, we get the CG map and drive through the CG, noting the sites we prefer (and the ones that are bad), so that we can request one of the acceptable ones when we book. I also take a lot of photos of the campground and the sites.
Before we go, we do check online to get first-hand reviews, taking them all with a grain of salt, of course. I used to refer to AAA Campground Books, but found that, in far too many cases, the "official" description left something to be desired. Still, one must start somewhere.
I downloaded this:
http://www.theultimatecampgroundlog.com/
I use all the features and really like it.
Along with several of the ideas already mentioned, I also maintain a map of places I've been, want to visit, or have just heard about, mostly in the mid-atlantic region.
There's a legend regarding the different markers and colors, and also at least a little bit of info about each campground if you click on the "Click here" link above.
I keep a log in "Word" called "Camping with the Girls" on my laptop but I share it on my computer at work for review and things I forget I tack on at lunch time.
This works best for me because I'm an English Teacher and I have several story lines on the laptop on any given day so I'm on it often.
Doc
We started keeping track in a journal. That lasted all of about 2 trips.
For the next 3 or 4 years we just remembered, but as most people realize, that's a horrible way to keep track.
Over the past year or so I've been putting up some trips on a blog. Camping with Fritz is now where I keep track of our trips. There's a lot of the Dutch oven meals and some camper mods there as well. I'm enjoying this process now, so it will likely be my regular way to doing this.
We have used one of these ie=UTF8&qid=1362011311&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=camping+journal for two RV's now and refer to them often. It's a real handy deal when your memory fails like mine often does these days.
Dick
[quote author=ben31popup link=topic=2122.msg26837#msg26837 date=1383874552]
theberrys - I looked pn Amazon and that logbook lists for $363! I don't think I'll be getting that anytime soon!
Whoa......................$363 is a bargain. Plus its already filled out. The $363 one is from someone who visited State Parks, and the $1664 one must be from someone with a Prevost class A pusher, who visited luxury RV Parks.:D ;D
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Keep an updated excel spreadsheet, with all the parks, driving distances, favorite site #'s on the 1st tab, then a tab for each year (i.e., 2014, 2013...) with the date for each line. Keep track of the campground, miles, total miles, # nights camped, site#, and other key dates. This is also a nice tool for planning out where we will go for the new coming year.
Brochures are kept alphabetically in an accordion-style manilla file.
also put them all on the the Google maps thing, but only use it once a year or less. I have a better google maps list for all the places we want to go to, with a moho after retiring.
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