Campsite reservation improvements

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is making great strides in preparing for the Nov. 1 Central Reservation System transition to a new vendor, Camis, Inc., headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich. Camis will provide a new and improved reservation system for managing state park and harbor reservations.

This transition will have some short-term impacts to customers making campground reservations beginning next month.

Reservations for campsites typically have a six-month window for advance booking. However, as the transition date approaches, this window will shrink. Campsite reservations can be made in the current system, either online or through the call center, for stays through the end of October 2013. Reservations in the new system will be accepted beginning November 2013.

When the DNR fully transfers to the new system in November, the six-month window of advance registration for campsites will be restored.

“One of the DNR’s goals is to keep the impact to our customers as minimal as possible,” said Christa Sturtevant-Good, DNR liaison for the Central Reservation System. “We even plan to keep the web address for online reservations and the call center phone-number the same when we transition over.”

“When we fully transition to the new reservation software, our customers will have access to a robust online reservation system that will offer broader search capabilities and campsite photos,” said Ron Olson, DNR Parks and Recreation Division chief. “This advanced software will allow us to capture the beauty of our state parks and share that with our guests when they make reservations.”

Customers will be informed as plans for the new system progress, through press releases and at www.michigan.gov/dnr.