Thousand Trails is a network of campgrounds in North America. We’ve written many articles over the years about how this membership has worked for us. We’ve also written about specific campgrounds. Today, though, we’re considering the pros and cons of buying a used Thousand Trails membership rather than a new one. While this might not be the best option for everyone, it worked well for us. Let’s dive in and learn more!
Thousand Trails is a membership program that includes dozens of campgrounds all over the U.S. and one in British Columbia. With the optional Trails Collection add-on, members can access over 200 campgrounds.
The main benefit of membership is the lack of nightly fees. Depending on the membership, owners can stay at these Thousand Trails locations for free. They only pay annual dues to keep their membership active.
While we won’t go into the details, we want to explain the different Thousand Trails membership levels. The new memberships offered through Thousand Trails include the Elite, Elite Connections, and Adventure options. There’s also a basic Camping Pass option, but this isn’t a one-time purchase. The Camping Pass must be purchased yearly and can’t be sold as a used membership. It’s also relegated to a single zone in the U.S.
The Elite, Elite Connections, and Adventure Thousand Trails memberships allow owners to travel from park to park without any time out of the system. During the high-use season, stays can be limited to 14 days, but most of the year, owners can stay up to 21 days in one location. These owners have access to all of the Thousand Trails locations and aren’t relegated to a specific zone like RVers with the basic Camping Pass.
The booking window is the most significant difference between the Elite and Elite Connections membership levels. Elite owners have a 120-day window, while Elite Connections owners have a 180-day window. Adventure members also have a 180-day booking window.
The Adventure package is the newest and most expensive option. It also comes with the most perks. The Trails Collection is wrapped into the membership and not an add-on. The booking window is 90 days for these parks, not the standard 60 days for other members. Owners can also stay for 21 days at the Encore parks. Elite and Elite Connections owners can only stay up to 14 nights at these Trails Collection parks. Consequently, Adventure members get early access to all Thousand Trails locations.
Pro Tip: For more about these memberships, check out How Much Does a Thousand Trails Membership Cost?
The Camping Pass varies during the year because of promotions offered through Thousand Trails. You might save $100 or more depending on when you purchase. In general, it’s $630.
The Elite membership costs around $7,995, and the Elite Connections membership costs around $10,345. The Aventure package is a whopping $16,595, but it also has the most benefits. All three membership levels have annual dues of $630.
Yes, you can buy a used Thousand Trails membership. The prices above reflect the new Thousand Trails membership costs. If you’re on a tight budget, these prices may not be affordable. No matter if you purchase new or used, you still pay annual dues.
We bought our used membership from Campground Membership Outlet (link to this article). This company specializes in reselling memberships to various resort programs, like Coast to Coast, Travel Resorts of America, Outdoor World, and Thousand Trails. The staff has over 25 years of experience in the resale membership industry.
One of the benefits of buying a used Thousand Trails membership is the variety of options. Many old memberships are available for resale, as well as newer options. You might find an affordable older membership that suits your travel needs better than any new membership options.
With this variety also comes cheaper membership with fewer perks. Maybe you don’t need access to all Thousand Trails locations. Perhaps you can only travel in the Southeast U.S. Having access to campgrounds in California doesn’t matter to you. An older membership may be cheaper because it has a smaller selection of locations. The perks and benefits of a new membership are great, but only if you use them.
The biggest pro to purchasing a used Thousand Trails membership – and why we did it – is because of the savings. You can find used memberships with almost as many benefits for half the price of a new membership. For us, this was well worth losing some of the perks, like no RPI membership or no free weeks. Spending $4,000 rather than $8,000 on a Thousand Trails membership is a more affordable option for many RVers.
A used membership may come with fewer perks than a new membership. Although, this varies. So make sure to ask specific questions and read all the fine print before purchasing. You may discover that the lost benefits aren’t deal-breakers, especially if you weren’t going to use those perks anyway.
For example, you may not receive a discount on cabin stays with a used Thousand Trails membership. However, this may not matter to someone who will only book RV sites. On the other hand, someone who wants family to stay nearby may want those privileges.
Older used Thousand Trails memberships may also have smaller booking windows, which puts you at a disadvantage when making reservations. For example, some friends of ours have an older Platiumun membership that allows them to book 90 days in advance. This is 30 to 60 days after Elite, Elite Connections, and Adventure members have the option to book reservations. Our friends have had some trouble getting into the more popular campgrounds.
Finally, often, you can’t resell your used Thousand Trails membership at the level at which you purchased it. If you bought a used Elite membership, you likely won’t be able to resell it as an Elite membership. This means the resell value drops significantly. Despite this, some older memberships do allow owners to resell at the same value. So again, ask these questions before purchasing a used membership.
Only you can decide if a used Thousand Trails membership is worth it. Everyone has different travel styles. If you want the option to resell your membership at a higher value, you’ll want to buy new one. If you want to ensure you have the largest booking window available, you’ll probably need to buy new, although some older memberships have great booking windows. The new Adventure package is your best option if you’re a full-timer who plans to winter in the Florida Keys every year.
But a used Thousand Trails membership will suit your needs if you’re on a budget and still want to travel from park to park without paying nightly fees. You might pay $5,000 for a used membership and not a dime for camping afterward. If you are full-time, that’s less than $14/night for the first year!
A used Thousand Trails membership was right for us, and it has been the best option for many of our friends. But is it right for you?
