Methodology

How We Score
Every RV Park

ParkScore uses 10 independent dimensions to produce a single A–F grade. Here's exactly what every score means — and where it comes from.

ParkScore Grade Scale
A
90–100
B
80–89
C
70–79
D
60–69
F
Below 60

Sub-grades (+/−) apply within each tier. A+ = 95–100 · A = 90–94 · A− = 87–89 · B+ = 85–89 · B = 83–84 · B− = 80–82 · and so on.

ParkScore evaluates campgrounds across dimensions that experienced RVers actually care about — from whether 50-amp service is reliable to how well the park handles shoulder season crowds. No single inspector visit. No one-size-fits-all score. We aggregate data from park listings, cross-platform user reviews, and on-site inspection signals to produce a grade that's rig-specific, season-aware, and reviewer-informed.

Each dimension is scored 1–10, then combined with weighted averages. The final composite (0–100) maps to an A–F letter grade. A park scoring 69.0/100 lands at a D — regardless of how pretty the lobby looks.

The 10 Dimensions
Dimension 1
Location
8% weight

Proximity to highways, attractions, natural amenities, and population centers. Also captures noise level, road access difficulty, and surrounding environment quality.

Score range (1–10)
9–10— Premier destination with easy highway access, minimal ambient noise, all-weather roads
7–8— Good location near a highway or destination; minor noise possible
5–6— Moderate access; 15–30 min to highway or small town
1–4— Remote, difficult access, far from any highway or town
Dimension 2
Safety
10% weight

Physical safety for guests and their property — gate security, lighting, staff presence, emergency procedures, terrain hazards, and cell service availability.

Score range (1–10)
9–10— 24-hr gate, cameras, well-lit sites, clear evacuation plans
7–8— Cameras, visible staff, good lighting, clear emergency signage
5–6— Gated entry or staffed check-in; adequate common-area lighting
1–4— No security measures, poorly lit, no cell signal
Dimension 3
Hookups
12% weight

Completeness and quality of utility connections — 30A/50A electric service, water, sewer/dump station, cable/TV, and internet connectivity. 50A availability and pedestal condition are the primary differentiators.

Score range (1–10)
9–10— 50A + 30A at every site, great water pressure, no sewer issues, optional cable/Wi-Fi at pedestal
7–8— Full hookups at all sites; 50A standard; good pressure; functional sewer
5–6— Full hookups at majority of sites; 50A available; dump station present
1–4— No hookups or dump station only; weak electrical reliability
Dimension 4
Site Quality
12% weight

Physical condition and layout of individual sites — pad surface (concrete, gravel, grass, dirt), width and length, leveling ease, shade, privacy, and pull-through availability.

Score range (1–10)
9–10— Wide concrete pads, easy level, max rig clearance stated (45+ ft), natural shade, pull-through standard
7–8— Concrete pads standard, wide sites (≥15 ft), good sun/shade mix, pull-through common
5–6— Concrete or well-graded gravel; most sites accommodate standard RVs (≤35 ft); some pull-through
1–4— Dirt/rock surface, cramped sites, cannot accommodate large RVs
Dimension 5
Amenities
10% weight

Range and quality of on-site features beyond hookups — restrooms/showers, laundry, pool/hot tub, dog park, playground, store/cafe, Wi-Fi reliability, and recreational activities. Amenities must be functional to count — a broken pool scores 0.

Score range (1–10)
9–10— Resort-level: heated pool, fitness center, cafe/store, organized activities, excellent Wi-Fi
7–8— Well-maintained restrooms, laundry, pool/hot tub, dog park, Wi-Fi, at least one activity option
5–6— Clean restrooms, laundry, at least one recreational feature (pool, dog park, or playground)
1–4— No amenities beyond basic hookups; no restrooms, no laundry, no recreational features
Dimension 6
Policies
7% weight

Park policies affecting guest experience — pet policies, cancellation/refund terms, quiet hours, speed limits, generator rules, seasonal availability, length-of-stay restrictions, and ADA compliance.

Score range (1–10)
9–10— Flexible cancellation, clearly stated fair rules, service animals welcome, seasonal extensions, ADA excellence
7–8— Flexible cancellation, clear rules, pet-friendly (with conditions), ADA-compliant sites available
5–6— Standard pet rules, standard cancellation terms, reasonable quiet hours
1–4— Extremely restrictive or unclear policies; no pet allowance; no refunds; hidden rules
Dimension 7
Review Patterns
10% weight

Consistency and credibility of guest reviews — review volume, recency, balance of positive/negative signals, reviewer credibility, and rig-type diversity of reviewers. This scores the signal reliability, not the raw review average.

Score range (1–10)
9–10— 75+ reviews; strong positive pattern; recent (within 12 months); all rig types; reviewer diversity confirmed
7–8— 25–75 reviews; majority positive; recent reviews (within 18 months); diverse rig types
5–6— 10–25 reviews; reasonable balance of positive/negative; some recency signal
1–4— Fewer than 3 reviews; all negative; no recency
Dimension 8
Value
10% weight

Price relative to what the park delivers — nightly/weekly/monthly rates vs. local market, amenity-quality ratio, and pricing transparency (no surprise fees). Value is relative to location and market.

Score range (1–10)
9–10— Well below market for the quality; transparent pricing; weekly/monthly discounts clearly stated
7–8— Below-market pricing for comparable quality; good transparency; no hidden fees
5–6— At-market pricing; reasonable value; standard fees disclosed
1–4— Significantly overpriced for the quality delivered; surprise fees common
Dimension 9
Seasonal Readiness
8% weight

How well the park maintains quality, services, and infrastructure across the full operating season — including off-season shoulder periods and peak season crowding management. A park that's "perfect in July but terrible in September" cannot score above 6.

Score range (1–10)
9–10— Year-round operation with full services; excellent maintenance in all seasons; proactive crowd management
7–8— Year-round or 10+ months; good maintenance across seasons; reasonable peak management
5–6— Open most of the year; reasonable shoulder-season maintenance; some crowding in peak
1–4— Closed 6+ months/year; no off-season services; facilities degrade badly outside peak
Dimension 10
Rig Compatibility
13% weight

Ability to accommodate diverse RV types and configurations — Class A motorhomes, Class C campervans, fifth wheels, travel trailers, truck campers, and pop-ups. Signals: max rig length, slide-out clearance, turn radius, site width, and tow-vehicle parking.

Score range (1–10)
9–10— "Big rig friendly" confirmed: 50+ ft sites, wide roads, easy turn radius, pull-through standard, slides-out accommodated
7–8— Sites up to 45 ft; wide internal roads; good turn radius; pull-through common; Class A friendly
5–6— Sites up to 40 ft; adequate road width; accommodates most travel trailers and Class C
1–4— Sites under 30 ft; narrow internal roads; no turn radius; small trailer only
How dimensions combine into your grade
Rig Compatibility
13%
Hookups
12%
Site Quality
12%
Amenities
10%
Safety
10%
Review Patterns
10%
Value
10%
Location
8%
Seasonal Readiness
8%
Policies
7%
Scoring Formula
1
Score each dimension (1–10)
Every park is evaluated on all 10 dimensions independently using the rubrics above. Parks without sufficient data for a dimension receive a neutral score of 5.
2
Apply dimension weights
Multiply each dimension score by its weight percentage, then sum all 10 results.
Raw Score = Σ (dimension_score × dimension_weight)
3
Normalize to 0–100
Multiply the raw score by 10 to convert it to the 0–100 ParkScore scale.
ParkScore = Raw Score × 10
4
Map to a letter grade
The final ParkScore maps to an A–F grade. Example: ParkScore 69.0 → D
90–100 → A · 80–89 → B · 70–79 → C · 60–69 → D · <60 → F
Data Sources
RV LIFE Campground Reviews
Cross-platform user review aggregation, reviewer credibility signals, and rig-type segmentation for Review Patterns, Safety, Value, and Seasonal Readiness dimensions.
Good Sam Triple Rating
Park-provided listing data, hookup inventory, amenity verification, and annual inspection signals for Hookups, Site Quality, Amenities, and Safety dimensions.
KOA & Campendium
Regional rate benchmarks and amenity standards for the Value dimension; policy data and booking platform disclosures for the Policies dimension.
Park Address & GIS
Park-provided address and proximity tags (highway, beach, mountain, metro, rural) plus GIS-based distance calculations to nearest highway interchange, major attraction, and population center for the Location dimension.
NFPA 1194 Standards
Regulatory compliance signals for ADA site availability and site dimension standards for the Policies and Rig Compatibility dimensions.
Google Reviews
Cross-platform review signals for Review Patterns and Value dimensions, providing additional recency and volume data beyond RV Life Campground Reviews.
Known limitations

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