This post may contain affiliate links.
Whether you’re already a Thousand Trails (TT) member – with a Zone Pass or one of the upgrade options, you’re going to want to check out the Trails Collection offering by Thousand Trails.
This post will help you consider if it’s worthwhile adding this extension onto your existing membership. The Trails Collection is basically a selection of Encore RV Parks. Encore and Thousand Trails are owned by the same parent company, Equity Lifestyle Properties. So, it’s an attractive way to dramatically expand your camping options for a bargain price.
UPDATE MAY 1, 2024: Thousand Trails is celebrating their 55th Anniversary, so complete the form below, or read on, to get their special discount.
What you will learn
In this article, we’ll give you the lowdown, along with the benefits and limitations. It will help you understand how the Thousand Trails, Trails Collection works. And help you decide if you’re ready to pull your credit card out and snag one of these. You will notice I use the term “Trails Collection” and “Encore RV Parks” interchangeably. Just know it’s the same thing.
The Trails Collection is ‘Thousand Trails branded terminology’ for a group of Encore RV Resorts that are being made more affordable and accessible to new and existing Thousand Trails members. It’s a marketing term that distinguishes the Thousand Trails parks from the Encore parks. But first, for the benefit of those of you who may not be familiar with Thousand Trails and their camping memberships, let’s start with a brief introduction before diving into the detail.
If you are already a Thousand Trails member and familiar with how it works, you can jump down to the features and benefits, rules, and limitations section.
The Thousand Trails Trails Collection Backstory
We learned about the Trails Collection while staying at the Thousand Trails campground in Bend-Sunriver, Oregon. Occasionally, while staying at a Thousand Trails campground, we’ll drop into one of their sales presentations to see if we can learn something new or different to share with you all. This one turned out to be a serendipitous drop-in indeed. And well worth our time.
If you’re a full-time RVer like us – or even an extended stay / part-time RVer – it’s well known that it’s pretty hard to beat the value for money offered by a Thousand Trails camping membership. We consider it a no-brainer. But we also understand it may not be for everyone.
Our regular Thousand Trails membership allows us to stay at 80+ campgrounds available around the country. We can stay at these RV parks ‘for free’ (after buying a membership and paying annual dues). It makes our RV lifestyle extremely affordable. And we consider it a no-brainer for full-timers especially. If you’re spending at least 30 nights a year in a Thousand Trails campground, it’s difficult to find a cheaper way to camp.
Less expensive than boondocking
For us, it’s actually less expensive staying in Thousand Trails campgrounds than boondocking. Which is one of the reasons we do it so often. We get water and electric hookups, sewer (most of the time), access to a laundry, pool, hot tub, and more. Plus it’s become one of our best ways to meet fellow RVers and find community. Many of our RVing friends also stay in Thousand Trails often. So a campground stay can often turn into a reunion!
RELATED: Is Thousand Trails Worth it? Our Comprehensive Review after over ten years and 1,000 nights of RV camping
Expanded camping options
So when we discovered a way to expand our camping network from 81 parks to 191, we were all ears.
Let’s return to the Trails Collection and what you get for just $425 a year! Trails Collection was originally $199 per year. The price has increased annually since it was first offered in 2017. But It’s still a bargain if it fits with your RV travels.
Trails Collection
In August 2017, Thousand Trails introduced the Trails Collection camping option that can be added to ANY Thousand Trails membership. That means Zone Passes AND any/all of the upgrade options. Regardless of whether you bought it new, direct from Thousand Trails, or whether you picked up a discounted, resale membership as we did back in 2014.
And in 2020, they also introduced the Trails Collection PLUS as a benefit for Adventure memberships. Click here to learn more about the Adventure membership and Trails Collection Plus.
The Trails Collection essentially makes many Encore RV Parks available to Thousand Trails members for free (after purchase). Encore and Thousand Trails are owned by the same company, Equity Lifestyle Properties.
In a nutshell, for just $425 per year, the Trails Collection adds around 110 Encore RV Parks to your existing Thousand Trails membership. It allows you to stay up to 14 days at a time at any available Encore property for free, multiple times a year.
Nightly Fees for Trails Collection
There is NO nightly fee for 92 of the properties. But for 18 of the higher-end/more popular Encore properties such as San Francisco RV Resort, Marina Dunes, Sunshine Key, and Miami, to name a few, there is a $20 per night fee, plus taxes.
The retail rates for these particular RV Resorts can be well over $100 a night. So, this still makes for an excellent deal. The Trails Collection is essentially a group of Encore Properties. Not all of them, but 110 of them, which is a significant number. They are considered “Affiliated Resorts.” So it’s not exactly the same as simply expanding the 80+ Thousand Trails camping network to 190, but kind of.
OK, let’s dig into the key features and benefits of the Trails Collection.
Photo: Our campsite at Thousand Trails in Bend, Oregon from our most recent stay there in October 2023.
Features and Benefits of the Trails Collection
110 Encore RV parks are added to your Thousand Trails membership
When combined with Thousand Trails parks, you gain access to a total of up to 191 campgrounds/RV parks nationwide
You can stay up to 14 nights at a time at any park
There is no fee to stay at 92 of the Encore RV Parks in the Trails Collection. But 18 parks charge a nightly fee of $20 + tax
You can make advance reservations up to 60 days in advance
The Trails Collection add-on currently costs $425 per year
The Trails Collection PLUS add-on is available exclusively to Adventure members and costs $725 per year
As you can see, the Trails Collection will likely be a pretty attractive option for just about any Thousand Trails member. Regardless of your membership type, it automatically expands your camping access by 110 parks. That is ON TOP of what you already have included in your membership. No matter which kind you have.
Trails Collection for Zone Pass
What we find interesting is that even those with a single annual Zone Camping Pass (one Zone/region costs $725 per year for 2024) will be able to add the 110 Trails Collection (Encore) parks NATIONALLY onto their membership. This makes for a pretty incredible deal.
If you want longer stays (up to 21 nights) and have the ability to go park-to-park with no time out of the Thousand Trails system, you will want to consider an upgrade option. Upgrades like the Elite, Elite Connections, and Adventure. Or also the VIP and Platinum if it is a resale membership. And while these are more expensive (usually in the thousands), they are still very worthwhile for people who get a lot of use out of their membership, as we do.
In 2021, Thousand Trails introduced the Adventure Membership. It offers the exclusive Trails Collection Plus add-on. This gives you the ability to book Trails Collection (Encore) parks 90 days in advance and stay up to 21 nights. And also the ability to move directly from Encore park to Encore park. These are HUGE benefits for those who travel extensively and like to stay at Thousand Trails / Encore RV resorts a lot.
RELATED: What is the NEW Thousand Trails Adventure Membership Upgrade?
Photo: Our campsite at the Encore Mt Hood RV Resort in Oregon
Trails Collection Plus (Adventure members)
In 2021, Thousand Trails introduced a second Trails Collection program called the Trails Collection PLUS. This is exclusive to those with an Adventure membership, and offers additional benefits, such as:
- Stay up to 21 nights at Encore properties in the Trails Collection, just as you would within the Thousand Trails campground network
- Book Trails Collection parks 90 days in advance. This is a huge advantage as you will more often than not be able to secure your reservation.
- Park-to-park access, with 21 Days in / seven days out of an Encore park if you wish to return to the same property. Instead of 14 days in / seven days out with the original Trails Collection. The exception to this is the two Florida Keys properties – Sunshine Key and Fiesta Key – which require 28 days out in between returns to the same resort.
The Trails Collection PLUS is $725 per year, on top of your annual dues for the Adventure membership.
Learn more about Adventure Membership and Trails Collection Plus
OK, back to the key features and benefits of the standard Trails Collection! Many of these still apply to the Trails Collection Plus.
Photo: Our campsite at Marina Dunes RV Resort near Monterey California
Rules and Limitations of the Trails Collection
There are, of course, some gotchas that you need to be aware of. Yup, the fine print! But don’t worry, they aren’t too bad. And note that the Trails Collection PLUS (which is exclusive to Adventure memberships) has additional benefits.
- If you are a Zone Pass holder spending five or more nights at a park (Thousand Trails or Trails Collection), you must stay out of the TT/TC system for seven days before going to another park.
- If you have a Thousand Trails membership upgrade (Elite, Elite Connections, Odyssey, Adventure, Platinum, VIP, Alliance, etc.) with park-to-park privileges, the ‘7 days out rule’ does NOT apply.
- You cannot move directly from park to park with Trails Collection properties like you can with the Thousand Trails membership upgrades UNLESS you have the Trails Collection PLUS add-on, which is exclusive to Adventure members.
- You cannot make back-to-back reservations for Trails Collection parks like you can with Thousand Trails. You can go from Thousand Trails to Encore to Thousand Trails. But you cannot move directly from Encore to Encore Parks within Trails Collection UNLESS you have Adventure Membership Trails Collection PLUS add-on.
- Reservations are subject to availability, and not all sites are available for Trails Collection members (e.g., premium sites)
- Every park has a minimum of 10 sites allocated to Trails Collection members. We heard that some larger properties may offer 40+ sites.
- Some Encore RV Parks may have an RV age or condition restriction. This means they may not allow RVs more than 10 or 15 years old to stay in the parks. It is not a hard and fast rule across the network. But tends to be dependent on each park/manager. If in doubt, check the rules and restrictions at the time of making your reservation. (Note: This RV age restriction rule does not apply to Thousand Trails campgrounds. But the RV condition restriction may still apply.)
- Many Encore RV Parks in the sunbelt (e.g., Arizona and Florida) are MEMBER AGE RESTRICTED in that at least one member must be aged 55 or older in order to be able to stay. While we have seen and heard of occasional exceptions, this rule tends to be more strictly enforced during peak times, like winter in the southern states.
- If your Thousand Trails membership already has specific Encore parks INCLUDED, then your usual Thousand Trails reservation window (e.g., typically 120 days or more) remains the same for those Encore parks ONLY (check your Thousand Trails contract for details). For all other parks in the Trails Collection and not included in your Thousand Trails membership the reservation window is 60 days. But Adventure memberships with the Trails Collection PLUS add-on have a 90-day reservation window.
- The $425 Trails Collection fee is charged immediately when you sign up and is automatically added to your annual dues invoice at renewal time. But you can request Thousand Trails to cancel/remove the Trails Collection if/when you choose (no pro-rata refunds). This annual fee is $670 for Trails Collection PLUS.
- Thousand Trails will not pro-rata the $425 (or $725 for Trails Collection Plus). So if your annual dues anniversary is January and you buy the Trails Collection in September, you will pay $425 (or $725 for Adventure / Trails Collection Plus) twice. Once at the time of initial purchase then again with your annual dues again in January.
- You can contact Thousand Trails Member Services and ask them to delay activating your Trails Collection privileges until your annual dues date to avoid two charges close together. They did this for us.
- Membership in the Trails Collection is only valid for one year and is subject to renewal. And with likely cost increases annually. It was $199 back in 2017, and now in 2024, it’s $425 yearly.
- You must be a Thousand Trails member in good standing. This means your dues/payments are up to date to access the Trails Collection.
- Trails Collection privileges are NOT available for Family Courtesy Card holders to use.
- Encore RV Parks will only accommodate RVs that are fully self-contained. NO tents, popups, or van conversions.
- Some Encore RV Parks may have stricter rules around the AGE of the RV (e.g., no RVs older than ten years). Rules can vary from park to park. So be sure to call ahead and check on their rules before making a reservation as it may not be honored upon arrival if you don’t qualify according to their rules.
Remember, if your annual dues are coming up soon, you can call and ask Thousand Trails to sign you up but hold off starting the Trails Collection access until your dues date. They will charge you the $425 (or $725 for Trails Collection Plus) immediately. But at least you won’t be paying it for say just three months of access and be charged again with your next round of Trails Collection dues. You will get access for the full year.
In fact, we signed up online right away the first weekend it became available. Then a Thousand Trails Membership Representative called me on Monday and offered to delay our commencement date until our dues anniversary in early December. This saved us from being charged in August and again in December. Of course, we can’t use the Trails Collection during that time, but we didn’t need to anyway. We did plan to use it in December though. So it made sense for us to delay our start date and avoid paying the Trails Collection add-on fee twice, just a few months apart.
Things to Keep in Mind...
As always, it pays to understand what you are buying. So you can manage your expectations accordingly. Keep these things in mind:
- As the Trails Collection becomes more popular, we expect those 10 (or more) allocated campsites for TC members will probably get snapped up pretty quickly. However, with over 100 properties, this probably won’t start to become an issue with so many to choose from. We hope that as Thousand Trails monitors the occupancy, they may increase the site allocation in line with demand. But there are no guarantees. Adventure membership holders with the Trails Collection Plus add-on almost always get reservations. Their booking window is 90 days.
- For all bookings, we recommend you check the RV Park’s policies to ensure you qualify for a stay before making your reservation. Each park is entitled to set its own rules. So go to the specific park’s page on the Thousand Trails website (or call them). Ask if they have any specific policies you need to be aware of. Especially around age restrictions of Members OR RVs. Some Encore properties, especially in the sunbelt in the winter (AZ, TX, FL), are “Age Qualified.” Which means at least one member must be 55 or older to be able to stay. Plus, Encore properties have a strict 10 (or 15) year RV AGE RESTRICTION. So be sure to check first to ensure your RV qualifies.
- If you are a Thousand Trails member traveling with a tent, popup, or van conversion, you’re out of luck. RV units must be self-contained.
Where Are the Trails Collection Parks?
As you will see from the above map, the heaviest presence is on the east and west coasts, midwest, and Texas, which correlates pretty closely with the geography of Thousand Trails campgrounds. However, we find many Encore parks to be of a higher quality and often more conveniently located than many Thousand Trails campgrounds.
Some of our favorite Encore parks are included in the Trails Collection. Resorts like Narrows Too near Acadia National Park in Maine, Marina Dunes RV Resort in California, and Mt Hood in Washington. And we’re looking forward to getting out and exploring a whole lot more Encore properties now!
To view the list of Trails Collection parks, click here and scroll down to the map and the text below. You can view by individual zone or click TRAILS COLLECTION (on the right) to view the entire list.
Something to note: For some reason, they have called the Trails Collection Properties in the northern part of the USA “Campgrounds” and those in the southern part (snowbird belt) “RV Resorts.” But they all work exactly the same when it comes to benefits, reservations, and usage. When looking at the above map, you will see those campgrounds are shown as Yellow dots, RV Resorts are shown as Blue dots, and Thousand Trails properties are shown as Brown dots.
Photo: View from the bike path by the Encore San Francisco RV Resort in Pacifica, California
Is the Trails Collection Worth It?
Of course, that is for you to decide, but hopefully, by now, you’ve been able to work out that this really is a screaming deal for anyone who likes to stay in RV parks with hookups.
In our opinion, it is DEFINITELY worth paying $425 (it is $725 for Trails Collection Plus for Adventure members) to get access to an additional 110 Encore / Trails Collection properties as part of your Thousand Trails membership.
Most Thousand Trails campgrounds charge a minimum of $50 a night. And the majority of Encore properties are easily $70 and up. So, just one week at an Encore / Trails Collection park would cover your investment. Most of the 18 Trails Collection parks that charge a $20 fee have retail rates over $100 per night! But remember, at the other 92 Encore resorts, your stay would be free for up to 14 days.
How to get the Trails Collection
If you’re already a member, it’s SUPER easy. Log into your Thousand Trails Member account, and you will see on the left side menu “Trails Collection.” Click that button, which will bring up your account and add $425 per year ($725 for the Trails Collection Plus, exclusive to Adventure members). You will be charged immediately, regardless of when your annual dues are due.
Note: When we signed up for the Trails Collection back in 2017, it cost $199, so that’s why you see that amount below. As of December 2023, the Trails Collection costs $425 a year.
Note: The image above is from our 2017 addition. Since then, it has been automatic, including the annual increases in price.
Other Options
Or, if you prefer, you can call Thousand Trails Member Services at 800-388-7788 and ask them to add it for you. No matter which way you go, upon payment, you will be charged immediately, and you will get almost instant access to the Trails Collection properties and be able to start making reservations right away.
I must admit, it was pretty exciting to log into my Thousand Trails account and, with the click of a few buttons, suddenly see my choice of campgrounds jump from 81 to 191! It feels like we now have a smorgasbord of places to explore. And it opens up our camping options dramatically. Gotta say, as an RVer, it feels a bit like Christmas!
Remember, if you are NOT already a Thousand Trails member, you will need to become one first in order to be able to buy and access the Trails Collection. There are a few options below to choose from. We have provided a quick overview of each, along with the contact details of the people we personally know, trust, and recommend to help you get set up with a great deal.
How to Sign Up for a Thousand Trails Membership
Below we have shared a few options for you to consider. Which is the best way to go depends entirely on your needs and budget. Read on to dig a little deeper and learn more about each of them. We’ve included links to some of our other related blog posts which we hope you find helpful to learn about the different memberships and narrow down to the best option for you.
To buy a Thousand Trails Zone Pass
Reach out to one of our Thousand Trails inside connections and contact Joanna or Pat by phone at 631-921-1674 or 352-396-6835, or email them at [email protected]. If you’re happy with the 14 days in, seven days out limitations, and the low cost/low commitment of the Thousand Trails Zone Pass, they will be able to help you get a better deal and more personalized service than you will experience online or via the Thousand Trails call center. We have known Joanna and Pat for many years, and we appreciate their laid-back, non-sales approach.
They are easygoing and helpful and will be happy to answer all of your questions. They can sign you up for a Zone Pass and add the Trails Collection simultaneously to give you instant membership access. Zone Passes usually cost $725 for a year, and you can add an additional Zone for $110, but they often have specials (like 20% or $100 off. Tell them RV Love sent you and that we said hi! We already did the legwork by grilling them to ensure they look after our RVLove community.
To buy a NEW Membership Upgrade from Thousand Trails
Again, we recommend you contact Joanna or Pat Parizo by phone at 631-921-1674 or 352-396-6835 or email them. When it comes to buying a NEW Thousand Trails membership upgrade, you have three options. They are Elite, Elite Connections, and Adventure. Plan on spending $7K-13K (or more) for these.
It depends on which one you purchase and how well you negotiate. We suspect there’s a good chance you could negotiate the Trails Collection to be included with your membership, especially if you’re dropping that kind of cash! Whether you buy outright or choose Thousand Trail’s monthly payment plan (with interest), ask how to get the best deal.
At certain times of the year, Thousand Trails runs special promotions that aren’t usually publicized, so you may get lucky. Or, if you aren’t in a hurry, you can give them your number or email address and ask them to contact you when a special deal comes up. Tell them RV Love sent you and that we said hi! Remember, we already did the legwork by grilling them to make sure they look after our followers, so Joanna and Pat will get the very best deal available, and they provide excellent service.
To buy a RESALE (used Thousand Trails Membership Upgrade
You’ll want to contact Kim Hoel at Campground Membership Outlet (CMO) at 800-272-0401 or click here to email. We wrote extensively about buying our resale membership upgrade here and highly recommend Kim (and her brother Chad) from CMO. They are membership brokers who handle the majority of Thousand Trails membership resales and transfers. And there is absolutely NO FEE for their service. We had a great experience with them in 2014, and since then, hundreds of people have emailed us to say the same. Buying a resale membership can be extremely complex and confusing. So before you even attempt to do this, please read this article to learn about them and get our advice on what you need to look out for.
With a resale membership (usually $3k-5k depending on what you buy) you actually have several options. This includes some of the older memberships that are no longer available. Some still have great benefits, like Platinum, Platinum Plus, and VIP. These tend to be less expensive than the Elite, Elite Connections, Odyssey, and Adventure memberships. But they may be all you really need. We have an Elite, but Platinum/VIP memberships are typically cheaper and may fit your needs and budget. They may even offer unique benefits no longer offered directly by Thousand Trails.
And you can add 110 Trails Collection / Encore properties nationally to any Thousand Trails membership. Just know that you will have to pay for a resale membership in full upfront. They don’t offer a payment plan, but this is a cost-effective way to buy a Thousand Trails membership upgrade.
Did You Find This Post Helpful?
If you found this article helpful, you end up buying a Thousand Trails membership (whether it’s a Zone Pass, new or resale/used), and you want to say ‘thanks,’ please tell your member representative we referred you: Marc and Julie Bennett of RVLove, Thousand Trails Member Number 298683360. They may send us a VISA Gift card which will buy us a round of drinks. Of course, we never expect this. But it’s always a very welcome bonus which we’ll graciously accept as we toast you, your new membership, and how much it will save you!
If you’re adding the Trails Collection to an existing Thousand Trails membership, there is no referral option, so simply log into your account or call to upgrade and enjoy!
But if you STILL wanted to say thanks in some way, please feel free to use this link next time you do your Amazon shopping (for anything, not just RV gear). We are Amazon affiliates and earn a small commission from them. It won’t cost you a cent extra to use our Amazon shopping link. If you do, THANK YOU! 🙂
We hope you get as much value and use from the Thousand Trails and Trails Collection as we do. Maybe we’ll meet up at a campground sometime? Happy Trails!
Useful Contacts and Links
Thousand Trails Zone Camping Pass, and NEW Elite, Elite Connections and Adventure Memberships: Contact Joanna or Pat Parizo, Phone 631-921-1674/352-396-6835 or click here to email
Campground Membership Outlet: Contact Kim Hoel, Phone 800-272-0401 to find out more about or buy a Thousand Trails Resale (discounted) membership upgrade.
Trails Collection Properties and Map – View the Encore properties included in the Trails Collection
List of TT campgrounds and partners – see which parks belong to each networks (Thousand Trails, NACO, Leisure Time, Outdoor World, Mid-Atlantic Resorts etc) that makes up the Thousand Trails camping network
Sign up for our email newsletter with the latest RV park reviews, news and updates.
GOT COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
We would love to hear from you. Drop us a note in the comments section below.
More Thousand Trails Content
Want to check out more information about Thousand Trails? Hover over each image to see the title of the post.
45 thoughts on “Access 110 Encore RV Parks with Trails Collection”
I am now beyond confused . It was my understand as well that the “7 days out” rule applied to TT and TC bookings of longer than 4 nights. So this happened today. We are 2 zone camping pass holders. A Thousand Trails member service rep just booked us into a Thousand Trails park 3 days after the end of a 7 night stay at a Trails Collection Park. We have email confirmations for these stays and our account reflects the bookings as confirmed. She stated that the 7 day rule does not apply between TT and TC stays, only TT to TT or TC to TC. Again, this directly from Thousand Trails member services and it is booked and confirmed.
Hi there, Yes totally understandable how confusing this can be! I’m going to run this by someone I know at TT and see what they come back with. But if you have a confirmation for your reservation, that is GREAT! Enjoy it! Thanks for sharing! Will update post if needed once I hear back from them.
Hello,
I am purchasing a used Platinum membership and will be getting the Trails Collection as well. I was researching if I will be able to go park to park at Encore resorts when I found this page.
However these 2 points from your article seem to contradict each other. Can you clarify for me please?
“*If you have a Thousand Trails membership upgrade (Elite, Elite Connections, Odyssey, Adventure, Platinum, VIP, Alliance etc) with park to park privileges, the ‘7 days out rule’ does NOT apply.”
“*You cannot move directly from park to park with Trails Collection properties like you can with the Thousand Trails membership upgrades UNLESS you have the Trails Collection PLUS add-on, which is exclusive to Adventure members.”
Hi Ronny, thanks for your question. We can see why that. may have been confusing! To answer your question…
“*If you have a Thousand Trails membership upgrade (Elite, Elite Connections, Odyssey, Adventure, Platinum, VIP, Alliance etc) with park to park privileges, the ‘7 days out rule’ does NOT apply.” >>> The 7 days out rule does not apply to stays at Thousand Trails campgrounds.
“*You cannot move directly from park to park with Trails Collection properties like you can with the Thousand Trails membership upgrades UNLESS you have the Trails Collection PLUS add-on, which is exclusive to Adventure members.”>>> Trails Collection (Encore) properties are treated differently than TT campgrounds.
Summary specific to you…. As a TT Platinum member with the Trails Collection add-on, you will be able to go from park to park at all Thousand Trails properties WITH NO TIME OUT of the system (except where high use restrictions may apply and you may need to stay out 27 days before going back in, say at Palm Springs in Winter). However, when it comes to stays at Encore / Trails Collection properties, the 7 day out rule DOES apply. And you cannot move directly from Encore to Encore park. You need to stay out 7 days in between Encore/TC stays. You CAN, however, spend say 2-3 weeks at a Thousand Trails park, then 2 weeks at an Encore park, up to 3 weeks at a TT park, back to Encore park and so on, no problems…. subject to availability, of course. The premium properties like those in the Florida Keys may require 28 days out of the system before you can return, especially during high season.
Hope this clears it up for you, and I will go tweak the article to clarify. Hope you enjoy your Platinum membership! It’s a great membership, and I believe one of the great benefits about that one is you can re-sell later, when you no longer need it, with benefits intact! Double check that to ensure it’s specified in your contract! Assume you found a good one through Kim at Campground Membership Outlet? She’s great! Happy travels to you!
Thanks for the clarification Marc!
I did go through CMO for the membership, but I worked with Ken (Kim’s Dad). He was great! Have a great Christmas!!
Glad the clarification helped out, and Great that you worked with Ken. Ken is great too. Wishing you a great Christmas too!
I couldn’t find one encore rv campground in TX that was not 55plus age restricted. Az is not looking so good either for us. It really bothers me that we all pay the same price for the same amount of campgrounds but the majority of us can’t event use them in an entire state. This isn’t made clear on the thousand trails site when purchasing trails collection. I think they should charge 54 and younger less because there are way less encore parks available to us. Its misleading.
I hear you re the 55+! We have actually stayed at some of them, despite being under 55. While those resorts are not designed for families, we have often been able to stay by letting them know we are a professional couple in our 40s (now early 50s) with no kids… and they are find with it – OR we just book and show up anyway and they don’t (rarely) ask for ID.
Do you have any Encore or 1,000 in Colorado?
HI Sharan, Unfortunately not! We have recently purchased another membership (Coast to Coast) that DOES have a couple properties in Colorado, but not in the Denver area. It’s a different kind of membership than TT and we will be sharing more about it in upcoming content. If you want to know more before then let us know and we can email you. Thanks!
Hi guys,
I have had TT for almost a year now. I have been in TX for a while now. Down in the Rio Grand Valley are some awesome Encore parks but no TT.
Last week I upgraded to one of their new Elite packages.
I was thinking about going to FL this winter but was advised that usually you have a hard time funding a park.
Do you have any suggestions on how to make a trip to FL successful?
Hi Susan, Glad to hear you are making good use of your TT membership! We have yet to visit the Rio Grande Valley but hear it’s awesome and not difficult to get campsites there using the Trails Collection or booking deals with Encore, like those found in the back of the Trailblazer magazine. We spent last winter in Florida – our second one … the first one was end 2015/early 2016 – and we really enjoyed it. We did notice it was a bit tricker finding spots than usual due to the increased popularity of TT. But spent most of the winter within the TT/Trails Collection network. I am assuming you have the Trails Collection add on? If not, we strongly recommend it! There are so many parks in TX and FL and AZ too. Now to answer your question. Booking FL in late November for winter is not an easy feat. But not impossible either. Being such a popular destination for snowbirds, Florida can be tricky but not impossible to secure campsites. It is always best to book as far in advance as possible – ideally the 90 or 120 days that your membership allows. Generally your Elite gives you 120 days advance res, but some parks in FL fall under the 90 advance res restriction. So the more notice, the better. Plus, you can only have 2 high use reservations in the system at any given time. You can log into your account on the TT website and start to experiment with availability. I would say being late November, you’re going to find it tricky finding a 14 day block anywhere, but you should be able to at least find a few days here and there. And keep in mind, people change their reservations all the time, so inventory is constantly changing. My tips? Grab whatever you can, and then keep calling back TT member res to “add on” days either side of the dates you have already. It can take patience and persistence, but it’s worth it when you consider the saving. TT Orlando is a big (and popular) campground. Up the road at Clermont, Clerbook RV & Golf Resort often has availability for TT members. The Florida Keys are difficult to get into, but I called last week and was surprised to learn they DID have availability, even at Sunshine Keys for 8 days over New Years! (probably gone now). The parks near the coast are always popular and go fast. If you’re prepared to go inland a bit your odds will improve. Be flexible. Don’t expect to be in TT/Encore 100% of the time – maybe you can pull it off, but it’s good to have a backup plan. Like I said, we managed to spend a good chunk of time in TT/Trails Collection last winter but it did involve quite a bit of planning and calling/patience/flexibility… If you aren’t able to find much in Dec-Jan-Feb, maybe consider going in March when the snowbirds start thinning out a bit. Start trying to make reservations now – even if you aren’t 100% sure of your travel plans – just to get them in the system, you can always move/change/cancel them in need. But in general, we would strongly recommend you make your reservations for the peak places and times as soon as your res window begins (usually 120 days prior). And you’ll have better luck calling than trying to find places online during peak times – which it is right now. I just jumped on and tried making some FL reservations myself to see what availability was like and didn’t have much luck – it can get frustrating… but remember, it’s not always like this. Usually just in Florida in the winter. If you aren’t successful, perhaps consider enjoying this winter in Texas and planning your visit to Florida next winter, and book well in advance. Hope that helps!
I was so hoping the trails collection would have more campgrounds in the Northwest region. We only use these locations and am completely happy with that but is a downer to see they only have one location in Washington. Would have enjoyed increased capacity but not going to pay $214 for one camp. Good articles by the way.
Hi there, yes not as many in the northwest, where there are 3 – Mt Hood and Portland Fairview in OR and Tall Chief in WA. I guess it all depends on if you would use those camps. Even $214 for one week would be considered inexpensive… and of course, you can use the pass for an entire year for multiple visits to those campgrounds up to 14 days at a time for free (after the $214 pass has been purchased). With most RV parks averaging $35-45 a night these days and many up to $60 or more per night, the Trails Collection is still very good value for anyone that would use it for more than 7 days in a year. On the other hand, the North West actually benefits from more TT campgrounds than many other regions. Glad you enjoy the articles!
I think you mistyped that Mt Hood was in WA. Anyway good description on the membership. Hate to go off course but I love my mtns and don’t see TT network cover CO, UT, ID, MT and WY. Is there anything that covers these states?
Thanks for the correction and compliment. You are right about the coverage through those states. That is one of the biggest drawbacks to our TT membership, especially being from Colorado. But, we use our TT membership to keep our overall expenses down, so that we can afford to pay for sites when visiting those states. I know there is a campground membership that focuses on Colorado River related properties. Our friend Kim at Campground Membership Outlet could tell you more about that one, and maybe some others. Her phone number is352.242.0401, or toll free 800.272.0401
HI Rich, thanks for the catch – will rectify! The TT network doesn’t cover those states BUT with a membership upgrade you are eligible to purchase the RPI add-on, and that gives you discounts at some parks in that network. eg. in Montana, we paid about $13 a night at a lovely campground called Conestoga Campground in White Sulphur Springs, through our RPI membership, and were able to stay 14 nights. Our RPI add on costs about $159 a year. Hope that helps!
Please explain if you can: If I purchase the camping pass – purchase just 1 zone – add the Trails Collection ( this is adds Parks ENCORE). I have been told that you can stay in a TT park 21 Days, Then you can go directly to an Encore Park without having to have any days out can go back to a TT.
Hi Cynthia, with a Zone Pass and Trails Collection, your maximum stay is 14 nights without having to leave the system for 7 days. You may be thinking of the membership upgrades (like Elite, Elite Connections, VIP, PLatinum etc) which allow stays up to 21 days… without having to stay any days out of the system, you can go park to park. Here are a couple of articles that will explain further for you. Hope these help!
Our Membership Upgrade: https://rvlove.com/rv-camping/memberships/thousand-trails/upgrades/
I’ve seen the same thing posted by Jennifer and (whatever his name is). He says they are 2 different systems and TT to Encore is ok, but he ‘s never done it.
Yes they are different systems but both owned by the same company. You can go direct from TT to encore and vice versa, but need 7 days out between encore. And of a TT zone pass 7 days out after any stay Of 5+ days
Hi, thanks for the article. FYI It seems that Encore has now changed its RV age restriction policy. Today 9-11-18 I received their policy and it states “we do not typically have a age limit for RVs”. They do have a list of reasonable appearance guidelines(no tarps, no duct tape..ect). Another update is most of the Encore parks in Texas and Arizona you have to be 55+. Encore parks in Florida do not currently have this age restriction. Hope this helps someone else.
I want to thank you guys again for your extremely thorough research and explanation of the TT system. Not only did I add the Trails Collection but I just purchased a resale membership through Campground Membership Outlet. I was able to get my hands on a unique combination of an Elite AND a VIP rolled into a single membership. So I get all the benefits of the Elite PLUS no 14 day “high use” restrictions that come with a VIP (I get my full 21 days regardless)! And I made sure to mention your names as the referral to Kimberly! 🙂
Andy that IS a unique membership, good for you! You will be glad to have that 21 day stay option during the winter months in the snowbird parks! Thanks so much for mentioning us to Kimberly, glad she took such good care of you. Happy Trails!
We have been at an Encore Park for 4 months and have not heard anything about the 15 year rule. Our rig is 19 years old and they have had no issues. Many of the rigs here (transient and seasonal) have been older. Was this tidbit in the Trails Collection terms and conditions? I thought I read thoroughly through everything before we purchased it, but if this is the case it will render the upgrade useless to us.
It is specific to parks that can make their own rules – check the Portland-Fairview Park. It’s not across the board at all Encore Parks.
Hey Marc and Julie
Sooooooper awesome article of course! I am not sure why it took me so long to read it. Our annual bill just now came due (witch we were waiting for) so we can go ahead and go all it. Your article is so informative and answers it all. I was hoping we would have got to see you guys this summer but I guess we missed out on that little spice of life. Oh well maybe this winter sometime, somewhere. We still owe you a fish taco dinner! yaaaaa Hoooooo!
Brett Hays
Hi Brett! What! It took you over a week to read our article? I have one word for that… RADIATOR! LOL Good job by the way. Glad you found this helpful. I just made a few updates, so check those out, specifically to RV age – can’t remember the year on your RV but SOME Encore parks (like Portland-Fairview) do have an age restriction of 10 or maybe 15 years so something to keep in mind – each park has their own rules so check their policies. Yes, fish tacos in the winter! Are you staying South West or heading to FLorida?
beware of Encore parks that have an AGE RESTRICTION on older RVs before you plunk down any extra money. We are thousand trails members and had reservations at Portland/Fairview RV Park in Oregon (an Encore Park). When we arrived we were asked the age of our rig and said it was a 1991 (in good shape for it’s age). They then replied that we couldn’t stay even thou we had a partial payment made thru thousand trails/encore reservation system. 15 years or less was the rule. No exceptions!!!!! It was a friday afternoon and the temperature was in the 90’s and we had 2 pets with us. We told them we would be there only 2 days, but still no exceptions to the age rule! Our money was refunded. If you do decide to stay at an Encore park make sure your rig is YOUNG ENOUGH.
Oh Ronald, I am sorry you had that experience (how frustrating!) and I was not aware of that policy so will add it to the article. You have also reminded me that many of the AZ and FL Encore resorts in particular also have a strict age restriction with many resorts being available only to 55+ so those that are OLD enough! Geez it seems the way to go is older driver, younger rig and then you’ll experience less issues. They should really ask those questions upon reservation, NOT when you arrive at a campground. Thank you for sharing.
“If you are Zone Pass holder spending 4 or more days at a park (TT or TC) you must stay out of the TT/TC system for 7 days before going to another park”
This should say “more than 4 days…”. (You can move park to park after a 4 night stay.)
Ah good catch – yes you are quite right. You can bounce between 4 day stays as long as you like. Thank you Todd, fixing now.
No need to publish this but just a heads up, you reference MT Hood as being in Washington. It’s in Oregon. ????
Great article, answering many questions I had about the TC option. Nice to know we can ask to have it added at the time of renewal.
Great thanks Betsy, I am making some tweaks to the article now so will fix that as well. Glad you found it helpful!
Excellent article, as usual. I haven’t, however, found the 60 day advance booking to get extended, even though I have a 180 day window for my upgraded Thousand Trails membership. I’ll have to look into this to make sure it wasn’t an error on their end.
Yes David, you are right. I was given misinformation when it first came out and was new. I have since checked and found that ONLY the Encore parks within a specific TT membership have the longer advance res window, but any others in the TC and not in the TT membership (with bonus Encore parks) are a 60 day advance res window. Glad you found the article helpful. Cheers!
Thanks for the Trails Collection info. Had been considering it, was thinking of adding it next year when dues come due, didn’t know about the pay now, activate when 2018 dues taken option, may well do this in case TC goes away before we sign up.
Enjoy Alaska, hope you get to see bears. We’re driving our trailer up for first time next year SOOO excited ☺
Yes, just remember, if you think you would use any of the TC parks before then – even for just a week – it may still make sense for you to join/activate at that time (ie. sooner) to save you $. But of course, if you don’t plan on using it until next year, you could join now and hold off on the activation – I am just not sure of the timeframe they will allow you to do that so call TT and ask. Just know they WILL charge you the $199 right away. We are SO glad we did the cruise now, as the drive up to Alaska and big is a big undertaking, and we weren’t sure when we might get a chance to do it next. Have a wonderful time!
Hi RV love,
I purchased thousand trails membership from membership outlet after reading your past article and used you as a referral. I also bought the encore add on before I read your latest article. I am now full time and I just want to thank you for helping my wife and I on our full time new chapter in our lifes. God bless
Dan
Hi Dan, Oh great to hear. HAppy that the articles are helpful and enabling you to save money as you travel. Enjoy your new chapter! Cheers Julie
Hi Dan, so happy to hear the article was so helpful AND is saving you buckets of money! Always love hearing that and how our content makes things easier for folks. Glad you got the TRails Collection too, enjoy it! And thanks for mentioning us as the referral source! We appreciate it 🙂
Thank you for this info! I am a TT member and JUST paid almost $200 for 3 nights at one of the parks now included in the Trails Collection (Mt Hood Village, OR). If only I had spotted this sooner it would have been FREE. But better late than never…thank you so much for sharing.
Hi there, oh good now your future stays will be FREE or cheap (depending on which ones you stay at). Enjoy it! We recently stayed at Mt Hood too and liked it – great bike trails right from that campground too! Cheers, Julie
Hi Julie
Enjoyed your article as I always do. We have the same membership you do and are considering TC. My question is did you keep RPI and RCG? Seems to me there would not be much need for RCG with TC as there would be a lot of duplication but RPI might still be worth keeping. Your thoughts? Enjoy Alaska!
David
Hi David, yes this needs to be covered in another article. I just didn’t want to over complicate this one (TT gets confusing as it is, especially for new folks!) Plus I also wanted to do some more digging and researching to come up with a response to this… We paid for/renewed our RPI in June so it’s got another 9 months or so remaining. RCG part of it doesn’t cost anything to renew BUT RPI must remain active to be able to use it. As far as I can see, RCG is pretty much irrelevant now with the Trails Collection as it would actually cost more to use that than stay using TC. RPI does have some other parks eg. Hart Ranch in SD, Conestoga Campground in MT that we stayed at and enjoyed at a discounted rate… however we rarely use it. I like having memberships active in as many places as possible even it’s just for research purposes and being able to speak to first hand, but personally, I don’t think RPI is as attractive as it once was.. but I’m not cancelling ours yet. That’s a project to go on my to do list when we get back from Alaska. When is your RPI due for renewal? Do you use it often? I think there is a RPI campground in Florida near TT Orlando that many use and can stay $10 a night…though we haven’t done so.