State Parks vs. private parks

[retiredhappy]

Decided to go camping for a week to see the fall colors the week after Thanksgiving. We have a beautiful state park, Garner, about 80 miles from home. Well since I don't have their annual state pass the cost to me for a W/E site only, would have been $22.00 a day PLUS $7.00 a day for their daily use fee. There is a Passport America park ( www.parkviewriversiderv.com )right across the road where I can get a F/H site right on the river front including Wifi and cable. With my $45 Passport American card it will cost me $18.00 a night. Granted I can only get the PA rate for six nights as they don't discount for weekly rates so I gave up the 7th night rather than pay the full price of $36.

I wish this was the exception but I'm finding that many state parks and not just in Texas, are pricing themselves out of my camping fees. The other thing I've found in the last few years is that there is no one in the state parks that enforces any rules. You have some of the most misbehaved kids running wild right through your campsite, people who don't pick up after or leash their dogs, don't put their campfires out, loud parties that go on into the night, etc. Compare that with a private park and I get a lot more peace and quiet in a private place. Now if I just don't miss the fall color!!! Been in Texas since 1999 and have yet to actually see any fall color.

So sad - my daughter grew up tent camping in state parks.

[Readytogo]

Aside from the park question, maybe you go a little earilier to see the colors? I don't know about Texas tho.

[Pooker]

Karen - I know just what you mean! Our CA state and county parks are getting quite pricey, too, and those I've visited tend to be overrun with dogs, bikes, screaming kids - especially on weekends. My biggest peeve is we also have a $7 reservation fee in addition to the camp fee. If you'd like to change or extend your reservation you pay another $7!

I remember the days of camping in state parks where friendly rangers roamed around keeping things orderly and chatting with visitors. Guess our states can't afford that any longer. One of the best campiing trips I remember when my kids were small was a week in Acadia Nat'l Park in Maine - in the rain! Duties included constantly tightening tent ropes and pouring water off the awning; following the path through the dripping trees to the restrooms; and sitting on logs after the rain stopped each evening for the ranger talks.

What neat memories do the rest of you have?

Pooker

[sharon]

Yeah, I have to agree with Evie about the Ca state parks, for the price of a week long stay at Doheny Beach, with NO HU's at all, I can do a cruise and not listen to screaming kids all day. At least at the National Parks and COE I can camp for half price, but we don't have very many COE in Socal, at least not any within a decent drive. Or Nat'l Parks for that matter, just Death Valley.

[Bethers]

TX, unless you have the state park pass (and are going to use it enough) is too expensive with the fact that you have to also pay the day use fee. It's why, except last winter when I got the pass, as I knew I'd use it enough, I don't stay at those parks often. Now, on the other end of the spectrum, the NM state parks are still a bargain - and are some of the best parks I've ever stayed in. AND they do have people there watching over and keeping the rules. I was also impressed with the OR sp's, but some of them were pricier than I cared for. Here in AZ, they are a little pricey - but some worth it. However, I'm one of the cheap ones - so I look to see where I get the best deals. I completely understand your frustration, Karen. And TX needs to hear from enough people about how rediculous they are for adding the day use fee in on campers. One other state did - but only one day - no matter how many days I stayed - so it was not a deal breaker. I think that was GA.

If I was staying a lot in NM sp's I'd even pay the fee for a season there (way more than TX - but if it was used, would be a savings). Some days when I have the time to spend traveling NM. In case you can't tell - I think those sp's are gems.

[WickedLady]

I haven't found any WA state parks that charge a day use fee along with the cost of camping.

[linann]

Florida SP have a senior pass that cuts the camping fee in 1/2. Have to be 65 or older to qualify.

[JudyJB]

I have had excellent experiences with New Mexico and Arizona State parks this past two months, and neither charges a separate day-use fee. They also have been well-patrolled and quiet. I love the large camping spots and distance between camp sites also.

Now I will say that I was in one very crowded state park in Michigan where the sites were small and I had to close my windows because of the many campfires smoking me up and setting off my asthma.

I also have had bad experiences in commercial parks, one just three days ago that was highly recommended on the reviews. The spots were tight and dusty because the roads were dirt. In addition, one big diesel pusher decided he needed to start his engine and let it run for half an hour at 6:00 am!!! It woke me up and kept me up, plus the road noise was all night from the nearby expressway. I also had a bad experience in a KOA where I happened to be there the same weekend as the Little League 12 year old championships--talk about noisy kids!! And the guy next door opened his awning which flapped against my slide, so I had to move over 2' even though he was encroaching on my space to begin with.

In early October I spent 9 days in two regional parks near Phoenix and they were deserted, even on the weekends because it is off-season. I highly recommend them.

So, I guess, costs aside, I will still prefer the state parks over the crowded commercial parks where you can hear and see everything your neighbor does. I do think it depends on the state and the specific park, however.

[mtngal]

Was going to mention regional parks too. Sometimes called 'county' parks. Worth a search. And often small towns will have 'city' parks.

[JudyJB]

You also have to be a florida resident to get the 1/2 price discount on camping at state parks, which is one reason I have been considering trying to get Florida residency. It is quite a savings.

[snowball]

I think that is a right assessment that it depends upon the park or campground...we had a 1/2 off book all the campgrounds where 1/2 off so used it some when we first retired and one campground (private) I thought that they should have paid us for staying there we camp hosted in national forest campgrounds and that was part of our duties to make sure the "rules" were kept...and to also help the visitors have an enjoyable stay...when in SLC I stay in a KOA which isn't the favorite of a lot of people but that one is older has lots of trees and is well cared for expensive but we always return and for that matter not much of a choice there but there are a couple of other places we still prefer it to the others in SLC
I can't imagine having to pay for the day use fee on top of the camping fee...think that is a bit over the top and probably would tell them that and either not stay or only stay the night and find something else
sheila

[MsJane]

Karen - I know just what you mean! Our CA state and county parks are getting quite pricey, too, and those I've visited tend to be overrun with dogs, bikes, screaming kids - especially on weekends. My biggest peeve is we also have a $7 reservation fee in addition to the camp fee. If you'd like to change or extend your reservation you pay another $7!

I remember the days of camping in state parks where friendly rangers roamed around keeping things orderly and chatting with visitors. Guess our states can't afford that any longer. One of the best campiing trips I remember when my kids were small was a week in Acadia Nat'l Park in Maine - in the rain! Duties included constantly tightening tent ropes and pouring water off the awning; following the path through the dripping trees to the restrooms; and sitting on logs after the rain stopped each evening for the ranger talks.

What neat memories do the rest of you have?

Pooker

I'm in CA too but when I need to change my plans I will call ReserveAmerica. I think I have added on another day to the reservation without paying the second reservation fee over the telephone. If I am making switches with sites numbers, dates and/or campgrounds I think I still pay the new reservation fee but I don't pay the cancellation fee. It's been a while since I had to make changes but I do know I save a fee by calling.

Also if you have handicap status you can apply for the discount card for CA parks and save 50%.

[Getupngo]

The Utah state parks charge $26 a night with full hookups. Come camp on my loops ... I work hard to keep the campsites clean and nuisance noise down. But honestly, the sound of children having fun is music to my ears. One group of families rented seven or eight sites, and they had to have some 30 kids with them. They were like starlings darting around in groups, laughing and playing. That's what children should do in the woods. I made sure dogs were on leashes and kept evening (read: adult) noise down.

I think ReserveAmerica is such a ripoff and a monopoly that should be broken up. Eight dollars for a reservation is robbery.

[Dawn309]

I'm with Janice on loving to hear kids laughing and playing. I am sure when we were kids and camping with our folks, we weren't quiet. That is what started my love of camping and then RV'ing. My best memories from childhood involved tent camping in lots of different places. My only problem with the kids is the dogs want to go play too. Have to calm them down. LOL.

[dpf]

We don’t have a lot of choice other than state parks unless we want to go to one of the private campgrounds that are basically geared toward the summer tourists. From the little I have experienced them I am not impressed. Many do not allow campfires and the sites are so close together. We have to buy park stickers that are $28. a year for one vehicle and if you need more they are half price. We usually end up buying four. Which I don’t mind at all because I know the state parks are self supporting and if I want to use them and have them maintained it’s the price we have to pay. I’m not sure if someone doesn’t have a yearly park sticker and they’re camping if they have to purchase a day user fee or not. Campsites at the parks range from $14.00-$20.00 per night and the vast majority only have electrical hook-ups. Although they are starting to put in some full hook-ups in some of the most popular campgrounds. The one that we like won’t be one of them.

I don’t mind the noise from children at all, unless it’s constant crying. Kids aren’t quiet, that’s a fact of life and if they’re outside playing it means that they’re not sitting in a camper watching TV or playing a video game. It’s always fun to watch the new friendships among children develop at a campground and some of the unique ways they find to entertain themselves! I don’t even mind a dog barking occasionally. I do mind when people don’t clean up after them.

I will say that the park rangers and campground hosts do a very good job of maintaining order. In fact there have been a couple times that they might have been a little over zealous. We had the host and hostess from hell several years ago. Found out that there were so many complaints about them that they were not considered a position at any campground the next year.