Publication
Togo RV
Author
Togo RV
Published
March 9, 2023
Source
In this weekly roundup, Togo RV shares the top stories and features that are impacting and shaping the RV community. We cover everything from news and travel updates to gear and gadgets, and all the good stuff in between.
Spring is in the air, and this year you can embrace the season’s fresh floral landscapes along the Spacious Skies Campgrounds Spring Bloom Trail. The campground collective rounded up 13 of its campgrounds that campers can visit to catch blooming wildflowers while following the trail from south to north. Starting in Tennessee and ending in Maine, travelers can begin this flowery trek as early as late March.
Proving its popularity once again, Great Smoky Mountains National Park set its second-highest attendance record in 2022 with more than 12 million visitors. That’s more visitors than Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite national parks combined. This year, the park’s new “Park It Forward” parking tag program will help generate the funding needed to help keep up with park maintenance, address long-standing repairs, and improve the overall visitor experience.
Consumers can now reserve an upgraded Rivian R1S electric SUV designed with an increased driving range and more power. The company announced that the R1S EV can now be configured with a “Max Pack” upgrade—giving the vehicle a driving range of 390 miles. The updated SUVs will be engineered with dual motors consisting of Rivian’s Enduro motor units. Buyers can also opt for third-row seating. These improvements come as the company works to refine product development, lower costs, and increase production rates ahead of its highly-anticipated, more affordable R2 launch.
Looking to add new gear to your rig this year? From replacement parts and camping accessories to RV upgrade products, safety equipment, cargo carriers, and more, the 2023 edition of RVBusiness’s annual gear guide has all of the latest RV and camping aftermarket products. Off the Shelf: An Inside Look at the Hottest RV Aftermarket Parts & Accessories features more than 190 products designed to improve the RV and camping experience.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks is now live with a new website that allows park visitors to choose and reserve their campsites with ease. Campers can pick a site using an interactive map of the campground or they can use a grid view to check what accommodations are available during a specific time. The new system also allows visitors to provide the park with valuable feedback, which will be used to help make improvements to give campers better experiences. Of the state’s 23 parks, 19 are open for camping, and reservations can be booked up to 13 months in advance.
While popular national and state parks might be on your must-visit list, chances are, these destinations will be packed with crowds—making some hiking permits and campsite reservations difficult to obtain. Outside Online rounded up the most underrated parks in each state where you can skip the crowds and still have an amazing time exploring the great outdoors. From North Carolina’s South Mountains State Park located within the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains to Wyoming’s Curt Gowdy State Park known for its epic mountain biking trails, this list is filled with spectacular scenery and an abundance of outdoor activities to appease every type of adventurer.
Gear Check: A Portable Ladder for Life on the Road
Whether you’re grabbing gear on your campervan, climbing into a rooftop tent, or inspecting the roof of your RV, Thule’s 8.5-foot telescoping ladder can help you reach those out-of-reach places on your rig. Built with a space-saving design, you can fold the ladder down to 29.5 inches for easy storage. Plus, the air pressure system helps users retract the ladder safely, and the included magnetic fixation kit provides extra stability when attached to the side of your vehicle or RV.