If you get there too late there won't be anybody there to check you in. In that case you just go to your site and pay in the morning. They'll give you a parking sticker for your car and you're good, provided someone didn't reserve that site in advance. If they did you will have to move your stuff to a different place. Either way it never hurts to bring too much. Here's my list
Tent, tarp, air mattress, cigarette adapter powered blower for air mattress, hammer, axe, extension cord, fan or heater, bedding, pillows etc., hanging flashlight for inside tent, normal flashlight, rechargeable USB battery stick to charge phone, collapseable laundry hamper, flip flops for showering and walking to bathroom at night. Shower/bathroom floors are always gross. Soap, shampoo, towel, sunscreen, charcoal or gas grill, eggs are easy breakfast, bacon is good but greasy, coffee of any kind, plates, forks, spoons, cooking equipment in general, disposable cups, orange juice, sandwiches make a quick easy lunch after a hike. Precut the lettuce, tomatoes, etc. and put in ziplock bags. By lunch you're gonna want something quick and filling. Spend a little more time on supper. Hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, meat, etc. Easy but filling. Again a spatula for flipping burgers, etc. there is nothing there but what you bring. Trash bags, paper towels, cutting knife, aluminum pan, aluminum foil, oven mitt, cutting board, grocery bags to store dirty shoes, wear 2 pairs of socks on the hike that's a must, lots of drinking water. Most ppl go through a bottle an hour when it's hot. Backpack for the hike, put water and a few beers for when you get to the top. Pocket knife, horseshoes game, volleyball or basketball depending, fishing gear, yeti/rtic or equivalent ice chest the bigger the better.. cont...
No koozies and keep beer in the yeti cups. The park rangers are relentless about catching ppl with beer cans.
Bring 3x the amount of firewood you think you need. It goes way faster than you think.
