NFS campgrounds

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.