Campers will be able to reserve a campsite on the same day they want to camp at 15 Wisconsin state parks under a new DNR program that begins May 1.

"We hope this pilot program will provide additional camping opportunities in our parks, especially for our customers who are able to make last minute plans to camp but want to be sure they have a campsite," Ben Bergey, Wisconsin state park system director, said in a statement. "We also hope this will make it easier to fill campsites where people have had to suddenly cancel a reservation."

In the past, same-day reservations had to be made at a park, which meant risking driving all the way to a campground that might not have any sites available.

Campers will be able to make same-day reservations at wisconsin.goingtocamp.com, by calling (888) 947-2757 (9 a.m.-11 p.m. May 1-Oct. 31, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday Nov. 1-April 30), or by picking up a new yellow, weatherproof phone at one of 10 state parks: Amnicon Falls, Big Foot Beach, Big Bay, Mill Bluff, Nelson Dewey, New Glarus Woods, Potawatomi, Rocky Arbor, Tower Hill and Yellowstone Lake.

Five more parks will not have phones but will allow same-day reservations during the reservation season: Council Grounds, Devil's Lake, Lake Kegonsa, Mirror Lake and Peninsula State Park.

Same-day reservations can also be made at any park office when it is open. Many parks will also continue to have campsites available for walk-ups.

Same-day reservations do not incur the usual $7.75 reservation fee.

If the pilot program is successful, the DNR hopes to expand same-day reservations to more parks in the future.

The program comes after the DNR launched a new online reservation system for its campsites in December 2018. Campers save about $2 per reservation through the new system, which is operated by Camis USA Inc.; Reserve America was the old provider.

The new online system provides more search functions, including the ability to search for waterfront or double campsites. It also allows for reservations of park shelters and amphitheaters.

Reservations for Wisconsin state park campsites are accepted up to 11 months in advance.

Contact Chelsey Lewis at (414) 224-2144 or clewis@journalsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter at @chelseylew and @TravelMJS and Facebook at Journal Sentinel Travel.

RELATED:New Wisconsin campsite reservation system will be cheaper for campers

RELATED:12 places to camp along water in Wisconsin