I was fortunate enough to be invited to Yosemite National Park by Gary Wellwood, a friend from the UCSD Photography Interest Group. He had a reservation for Lower Pines Campground for 4 nights and he was looking for another photographer to join him. Other than a couple nights in Anza-Borrego earlier this month, I have never taken our travel trailer on a solo adventure. Yosemite in late April is a perfect time to visit. The weather is ideal and the place isn’t as crowded as during the summer. It did take an extra long time to get into the park because April 28th was the last “free National Park entry day”. Many people in the queue were turned back because they had not made an entry reservation. Although entry into the park for the past week was free, the weekends still required an entry time reservation. I had made one just in case I didn’t meet Gary before entering and his documentation didn’t get me in.
Lower Pines Campground is a great location in the shadow of Half Dome by the Merced River. Campsite 1 is at the entrance and has room for two vehicles. As it turned out, with the travel trailer, we took every foot of the small parking area. We managed to squeeze in without issue since Gary was car camping in a tent. I had Howie, our 20ft travel trailer. This is dry-camping without hookups so I had to fill the fresh tank with ~10gals of fresh water. Electrical power was provided by a 1200w Anker battery pack I brought. I also brought a 500w Jackary power bank which Gary used to keep his camera charged. My Anker bank powered the Starlink, my coffee machine, and all my electronics and camera gear with no problem for the 5 days. Since our site was shaded, the solar panels did not keep the batteries topped off. But they were able to keep the fridge running and the beer cold.
After six months of using Starlink for RV I think the pluses strongly outweigh the minuses. Not a glowing endorsement but the main plus is having internet when there isn’t cell service or wifi. That’s a pretty big plus when you are traveling. Plus Starlink’s tech support is excellent if you ever have issues.
The main trip in 2022 where Starlink shined was during our trip to Yosemite National Park. We stayed at Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes RV campground west of the park. There was zero cell service and wifi cost $6.95/day and sucked (according to the office manager). We had decent download speed ~52Mbps and were able to stream Netflix, Youtube, and DirectTV. I was also able to make a cell phone call to book a layover campsite for our drive home. The Starlink antenna had a good view of the sky (photo above) here with only a few trees nearby.
We also used it during our stay at Bass Lake RV Resort south of Yosemite. That campground also has poor cell service and wifi since it sits on the side of the mountain. Although on a hillside, our campsite had a good view of the satellite and decent internet speeds. Some trees were obstructing the antenna (photo >>) but signal was pretty stable, no outages .
Between trips, I setup the Starlink for RV antenna for use at home. Since we had other trips planned and the monthly charge is $135 ($150 in 2023). I figured I might as well use it between trips. I bought a weBoost Antenna Telescoping 25ft Pole to elevate the Starlink antenna above our roofline. It worked great but during a wind storm, the top-heavy pole blew over. My pole setup couldn’t handle the torque from the wind blowing on the antenna 20ft in the air. No fault of the pole, it’s plenty sturdy. I just didn’t install solid enough support on the base since it was a temporary home trial. I’ve since bought a stainless-steel eaves antenna mount. The pole was for elevating the antenna when on-the-road. But, so far, I’ve been setting the antenna on the RV roof, secured with cable ties. I’ve seen other rv’ers setup their antennas on the ground at their campsite but I’m concerned about theft. I do not know if that’s an issue but rather not test it.
Unfortunately after the pole & antenna fell over, the Starlink antenna motor started to struggle. It would stow and unstow and start to search for satellite but then would display a ‘Motors Stuck‘ error. I messaged Starlink Tech Support and they called back by phone a few minutes later – nice! It was 6pm PDT. I explained the issue and without me asking, they offered to send me a replacement. I would keep the faulty but working antenna until the box arrived. Then use the box to send back the defective antenna. The box came within a week – it was a completerefurbished kit with router. I swapped all the ‘new’ components with the old and shipped it back prepaid (free). I’m impressed with Starlink’s support which is stellar ;-P There was no issues re-establishing service with the new unit. It was already listed in the app under my account & it activated when powered on. I was online within minutes and it worked without any issues.
The next trip we used Starlink was to Utah where it had even more impressive numbers. Zion Canyon RV Resort has decent cell reception since it is in Springdale. The campground also has good wifi but I still setup the antenna on the roof of the RV. After hiking in Zion National Park, we were able to stream the Homerun Derby and Allstar Baseball Game. Evening peak hour speed was much slower than morning but still plenty fast for streaming and general internet browsing. This was using the refurbished replacement system.
From Zion, we moved to Bryce Canyon and although our site was shaded by multiple trees. I set the antenna on the roof and still got reasonable internet. We stayed at Ruby’s Inn RV Resort which has cell and wifi but the Starlink was used for streaming TV and internet surfing.
After Bryce Canyon we stopped for a few days in Kanab Utah. We did not use the Starlink since Kanab RV Corral RV Park boasts excellent wifi. Plus, since this campground is on the south end of town, there was good cell phone reception (T-Mobile). But it’s great to have the piece-of-mind that we could set it if the campground reception was bad.
After this trip, I did not setup the Starlink for use after returning home. Because the antenna pole setup is a pain and the at-home speeds are so-so compared to cable internet. I decided to pause the service when not on the road. An important note about billing: I received a Starlink billing notification Nov 1st that my service would be billed Nov 9th. So I tried to pause the service Nov 4th and couldn’t. You have to pause the service BEFORE you receive the billing notification. Once the notification email is sent, “your invoice has been generated & is in the system” (Starlink Billing Support quote). You will be billed $135 ($150 in 2023) even though you do not plan on using the service. So be sure to pause your service well before your billing cycle if possible. The service is billed monthly and there is no prorated refund or credit for unused days. The $135/mo fee is kinda pricey but I enjoy trying new technologies. I have not tried cell phone boosters or other RV internet options though. If you can afford the hardware cost ($599) & monthly fee, Starlink is a great way to get internet when you otherwise would be offline. ‘Unplugging’ is not a bad thing but we like having internet during our down time and staying connected to family. If you are on the road for only two weeks or less per trip, like us, then Starlink for RV is an expensive luxury. If you are a full-timer or at least on the road for a month or more then Starlink’s cost is worth it. Especially if you do not stay in campgrounds with wifi or in an area with cell service. In addition to the $135/mo subscription ($150 in 2023), the standard RV hardware bundle is $599 (late 2022). Which isn’t bad actually compared to top-end cell phone booster hardware. Mobile Starlink hardware costs $2500 (in 2022; price has comedown in 2023) and will give you internet while driving. I’ve tested using Starlink for RV at home to replace my home internet service. It’s promising if you do not consume a lot of bandwidth and have decent weather. If you have thick cloudy conditions, the internet speed drops. Since I was testing Starlink at home, when this happened, I just switched to cable internet. Starlink for RV is also throttled during peak hours versus residential Starlink. Conversely, when my cable internet went down for whatever reason, it was really nice to have Starlink as a backup. Unfortunately, the residential Starlink service requires a different system, firmware, & antenna according to Tech Support. You can use Starlink Residential when camping – there are YouTube vlogs about how to change your address. But you cannot switch/upgrade your Starlink for RV to Starlink Residential for use at home. Starlink for RV will work at home, just not given the bandwidth priority of the residential service ie throttled. So Starlink Residential may be the system to choose if you want to use one Starlink system both at home and on-the-road. Right now (late 2022), Starlink’s policies allow this or do not block it. In 2023, they changed this so your residential Starlink service address is difficult to move. The technology, software and hardware are changing so what’s working well now, may change for better or worse. I’m betting on better. But we’ll have to see as more people join, if peak traffic clogs the bandwidth.
For now, we are sticking to cable internet at home and Starlink for RV on the road. I’ve just got to remember to pause the service at the appropriate time.
Our favorite RV campground in Springdale is Zion Canyon Campground and RV Resort. The same campground we stayed in 2021. Its location just outside the park and availability of river-side campsites make it our favorite place to stay.
Last year we hiked Zion’s two most popular trails – the Narrows and Angels Landing. So this trip we wanted to explore some of the other trails:
We used our Starlink internet during our stay and it worked well with an unobstructed northward view of the sky. Zion Canyon Campground is still rebuilding their main lodge and have added cabins. They should be finished by 2023. We had a torrential rain storm blow through the 29th afternoon and we worried about flash flooding. We imagine the Narrows hikers might have some serious issues. Fortunately, we did not hear about anyone having trouble. Most of this squall hit downriver.
We had a great time – late September is a great time to visit Zion since it’s starting to cool down. The park is still busy and the shuttle is still taking full loads into the park mid-day. Hiking early can help quite a bit with less crowding on the trails. But by 10am, the traffic entering the main entrance is backed up and parking is scarce.
After nearly two years of rv’ing and relying on our cell phones &/or campground wifi, we decided to try Starlink for RVs. Residential Starlink service in our area is scheduled for sometime in 2023. So when Starlink for RVs was announced & became immediately available, we bought the antenna & service. We had planned on testing the residential service ‘on-the-road’ when traveling as some RV YouTuber’s demonstrated. But a legitimate, roaming, mobile satellite internet service appeared to be an easier solution. Plus we can use the antenna & service at home when not traveling – this is currently being tested since Starlink for RVs is throttled. A speed test at home can get over 200mbps then, a short time later, get only 22-30mbps. On our 1st trip w/ Starlink, to Yosemite, there was zero cell service & campground wifi was terrible/non-existent. We were online in several minutes once the antenna was set on top of our travel trailer & the router powered on. Although partially obstructed by trees, we were able to stream DirectTV, Netflix & place phone calls. Starlink’s speed varies quite a bit due to congestion, throttling, partial obstructions, and the ‘growing pains’ of new technology. But having any reception in an area without cell service is wonderful. Stay tuned for continued assessment & comments.
11am – an hour before departure from Borrego Palm Canyon Campground: on our way back to campsite 105, we drove to the day-use parking lot to turn-around. A Ranger directing traffic for Palm Canyon Trail parking had me pull into a parking spot and before I could tell him “I’m just turning around”. He pointed out the Bighorn Sheep near the road. We were finally able to see & photograph a pair of young male Bighorns. They were less than 100yards from our new campsite – if we were still at site 97, we probably would have missed them. They were not disturbed by the dozen hikers in the Palm Canyon parking lot & trailhead. In fact, they crossed the trail & were unconcerned with our presence. I brought my 200-500mm Nikon zoom lens this trip just for this reason. It was a bright enough morning that I was able to hand-hold this long lens. Here are some of my favorites taken just 30mins before we were to leave for 29Palms/Joshua Tree.
After Anza-Borrego, we headed to Twentynine Palms/Joshua Tree, a 2.5hr drive. I was on Cloud-9. Our Anza-Borrego stay was fun but this morning’s Bighorn Sheep encounter made it extra special. Some regulars at Anza say they see them all the time. I’m just glad we did before we left.
After a short Valentine’s Day visit with family in Indio, we moved to Borrego Palm Canyon Campground in the State Park. Although Sat-Sun were completely booked for months, we were able to get three nights – two at one site (97), one nearby (105). So on Friday we had to move a couple hundred feet to a different site. It was a pain to have to move but the new site was only a few hundred feet away. It turned out to be quick and easy since we were dry-camping without any hookups. But we were much farther from the restroom, in a more remote spot. This would turn out to be a lucky change in my quest to photograph Bighorn Sheep.
Borrego Palm Canyon Campground has full hookup camping (parking-lot-style camping, completely booked) and dispersed campsites (some spotty availability during the week). There’s a very well-maintain restroom with flushing toilets, sinks, and hot private showers that require tokens (2 for $1). Scattered around the dry-camps are also vault toilets and water faucets to fill containers. It’s a very nice State Park campground – highly recommended.
We drycamped at San Onofre State Beach, Bluffs Campground 30 miles north of Oceanside. Availability at this campground is pretty open since it is essentially a long parking lot next to the I-5 freeway just south of the retired San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. There are no hookups but sites do include an area for tents, picnic tables (in pretty poor shape but usable if covered) and fire rings. Restrooms have rv-style flushable toilets, outdoor beach-styled cold-water shower and sink. The RV campsites are wide asphalt parking spaces with adjacent dirt areas with fire rings & tables. The ranger-recommended tent site was on the bluff above our RV, on a wide hiking trail. But in other sections of the campground, most tents were pitched at parking level (quieter). Hikers & dog walkers use the trail so it’s not very private, although there wasn’t much foot traffic. Noise from the I-5 freeway and railroad is noticeable especially higher up where the tent was pitched. Each section of the campground has a restroom & trail leading to the beach (see map below). We were next to Trail 5 which was closed due to an unstable cliff collapse. Next trail, Trail 6, is quite a ways down so if you are carrying beach gear, driving to the trailhead is a good idea. The beach at Trail 6 is not busy, rocky, and dog-friendly. If you prefer a sandy beach then drive N a couple miles to Trail 1. The hike to the beach on Trail 6 is longer but less steep than Trail 1. People with e-bikes had the best method to access Trail 6’s beach. Trail 1 was steeper and coming back uphill was shorter but more challenging. The coastline & bluffs are beautiful here. But other than visiting the beach, surfing, or biking along the 3.5mi stretch of paved, level road, there is not much to do. There were groups of people in RVs & tents gathered & enjoying getting together. So if you are having trouble finding a campsite, this campground usually has vacancies. For no hookups, rustic restrooms, and closed trails, paying $40/night is a bit pricey since it dry camping. We’ve stayed at other Ca state beaches with water & electric for the same rate. There is a dump station but there is a $10 fee, even for paying rv’ers. When talking to the ranger, he said it was something they recently implemented because non-paying rv’ers were dumping when the ranger station was closed.
Feb 23-24 2021: Our grandson Ronan wanted to go camping to celebrate his 5th birthday. His Mom & Dad booked a site at Indian Cove Campground for a tent & trailer, without hookups. There are fewer sites available at Indian Cove because their Covid-19 strategy is to closed every other site. There is an empty campsite separating the occupied sites. This made for a less crowded and much quieter camp-out. This was our first campground without electricity or water but we knew our Geo Pro is well equipped for dry camping. Before leaving home, we added ~12gals to our fresh water tank since we were only there for one night & wanted to keep out tow weight manageable. This was plenty of water for our washing & flushing needs. We also brought a couple gallons of bottled water for drinking & cooking. Since our Geo Pro has 190w of solar and two deep cycle 225ah 6v batteries, we had no issues using the interior or awning lights. We used our propane griddle to cook burgers for dinner, bacon & pancakes for breakfast. We’ve been debating about whether to keep the relatively heavy 17″ Suburban griddle or replace it with a propane bbq. Weight-wise there isn’t much gain and the grill does work really well if kinda a pain to clean. I guess a bbq grill could be a messy cleanup as well.
