NFS campgrounds

The one we have stayed in often, Cedar Point CG in Croatan National Forest, NC, has always had a camp host on site - very visible and hard-working last June when we spent a week there. The gate is locked at night for security after a certain hour.

Great location with kayaking and nature trail boardwalk over the marsh, quiet and wooded, but close to Emerald Isle beach, stores, restaurants, etc.

It will vary by CG, some NFS campgrounds are very small. I doubt those have a CG Host.

Location, location, location.

Campgrounds with utility hookups, over 50 sites, accept reservations will almost certainly have a camp host. (The USFS uses contractor companies to manage many campgrounds across the country. You won't know the host is a contractor employee unless you happen to see a corporate logo. They are the same type person as regular NPS and COE volunteer hosts and COE contract gate attendants. On the Details tab of the recreation.gov web site you might see something like "Managed by: " that is the name of the contractor company and strongly indicates there will be a host on site.)

Small dry camping campgrounds likely won't have a host.

Most of the more popular campgrounds have hosts, particularly during the peak season, in our neck of the woods. Haven't seen Ranger Dick in years. In 40 years of campin' in Forest Service Campgrounds, I have never had a reason or need to call on him.

Can't address ALL NFS, but here in Colorado, and specifically the Roosevelt and Arapaho NF that I camp in, nearly all of them have a campground host, and sometimes 2 hosts. Holds true for locations w/no hookups as well as with electric available, and for reservation CG as well as first come/first served campgrounds. All of the ones that I go to regularly have hosts. There's one very remote CG that didn't have a host at the time I went there, but that was many years ago and it may have changed. Most of the CG in this area of Colorado have become very popular and they fill up every weekend during the season.

Regarding Rangers, again with the popular CGs I have seen Rangers, and in addition, the local Sheriff's Department also regularly patrols the campgrounds. This is true even for the CG that are a great distance from any town/city.

As mentioned by a previous post, many of the CG have hosts that work for a vendor that manages multiple CGs. In this area of Colorado, it's American Land and Leisure that provides the hosts. All of the hosts I've talked to love their jobs and return year after year. And most of them have a means to communicate with Rangers and/or law enforcement if needed.

Braces wrote:
Have not tried NFS cgs but think that would be something I would like as I have enjoyed NP and COE sites. My question is do NFS cgs have camp hosts or any on-site rangers or security?

Some do, some don't. It also may vary from year to year and with time of the year. Check with the NFS district where the campground is located.

We've stayed in hundreds over our 16 years of full-timing and can't recall any of them not having a host - even small ones and dry camping.

I think most of the ones I've been to have a host, however the host has often been off-site during my stay (weekdays). I know sometimes out here, one person/couple will host a mid-size campground and go on daily visits to a small first come-first serve campground nearby.

I like the no reservation USGS CGs and most do NOT have a host... you put your money in a metal post and your receipt on a post at the site. Most that do take reservation will have a host... mainly to mark the sites and when they are reserved.

Ivylog wrote:
...I like the no reservation USGS CGs....

Do you really mean USFS (United States Forest Service)? USGS is the United States Geological Survey. I have never heard of them having campgrounds.

Two other federal agencies that have campgrounds are the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Bureau of Reclamation. BLM has lots of small campgrounds without hosts. Have only pasted by Bureau of Reclamation sites so not sure what their situation is.