When I booked our reservation at Mitchell KOA Journey on May 3, I never imagined it would become…read morethe most disappointing stop on our family's cross-country relocation.
We were moving our family from Washington State across the country with a 42-foot fifth wheel, an SUV towing a cargo trailer, two tween children, three cats, a dog, a hamster, a gecko, and my elderly in-laws traveling separately with their own dog. We weren't on vacation--we were relocating our lives.
Unfortunately, almost nothing about the trip went according to plan. High winds, health concerns, and vehicle problems forced repeated route changes. At one point, our SUV broke down 110 miles east of Rapid City, resulting in a $700 tow bill and several unexpected days of repairs.
Throughout these delays, I remained in close contact with Mitchell KOA, calling multiple times to cancel, reschedule, and provide updates. I was transparent about our situation, our extra vehicle and trailer, and the challenges we were facing.
Through all of it, the KOA community was incredible.
From Montana to Wyoming and throughout South Dakota, every KOA owner, volunteer, and staff member we encountered treated us with patience, kindness, and understanding. As newcomers to RV life, we made mistakes, asked questions, and occasionally arrived after hours. Every campground we visited approached us with a spirit of hospitality and a willingness to help.
By the time we arrived in Mitchell, we expected more of the same. Instead, we experienced the opposite.
We arrived after office hours following another long day on the road. Tired and stressed, we were simply trying to get parked and settled safely for the night. Because of the campground layout and the size of our rig, we initially entered from the wrong direction. Rather than attempting a difficult backup maneuver, we safely circled around to reposition ourselves.
Once at our site, we began setting up. One of our leveling jacks lost its foot during the trip, requiring us to manually level the RV before extending the slides. While my husband handled setup, I temporarily parked our SUV and cargo trailer while unloading pets and essentials before moving the vehicle.
~30/45 minutes later, a woman approached us and informed us our vehicle was blocking another guest.
The moment I understood there was an issue, I immediately apologized and moved the vehicle.
Had the interaction ended there, this review would not exist. Instead, what followed left us feeling humiliated and unwelcome.
My husband and I repeatedly apologized and explained our situation. What surprised us most was being told that management had been watching us. If that was the case, I don't understand why no one came out sooner to offer guidance. A simple conversation when we arrived could have prevented the entire situation.
When I explained I had disclosed our extra vehicle and spoken with the campground multiple times during our travel delays, I was told I had not. I eventually pulled up my call history and emails showing communications, only to discover they had been with the very person insisting they never happened.
By this point, I was in tears.
Not because we had been asked to move a vehicle or because we had made mistakes, but because after weeks of setbacks, breakdowns, unexpected expenses, exhausted kids, anxious pets, and the stress of relocating our entire lives, we encountered the first person on our journey who seemed unwilling to extend even a small amount of grace.
Eventually, her husband stepped in. To his credit, he immediately de-escalated the situation. He listened, calmly explained where the vehicle could be parked, and treated us like people rather than problems. Within minutes, the issue was resolved.
Looking back, I fully acknowledge we made mistakes. We drove where we shouldn't have, parked where we shouldn't have, and inconvenienced another guest. For that, we sincerely apologize.
But hospitality is often measured not by how people are treated when everything goes perfectly, but by how they are treated when things don't.
Every other KOA we visited demonstrated patience, kindness, and a willingness to help a struggling family navigate unfamiliar circumstances. Mitchell KOA was the one exception.
We are deeply grateful for the many wonderful KOA owners, volunteers, and staff members who helped us throughout our journey. Unfortunately, our experience at Mitchell KOA left us feeling embarrassed, unwelcome, and disappointed.
We sincerely hope future travelers--especially families navigating difficult circumstances--are met with the same patience, understanding, and grace that we were fortunate enough to receive everywhere else.
