Opening of National Parks, Forests & State Parks

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
What's the "intolerable" hot season months for Arizona camping? Can't the a/c handle it?

Sorry, been camping so far in high mountains. Although the valley heat in Yosemite is also oppressive in summer but a high noon stay inside the RV makes it pleasant.

I don't know specifics about Arizona, but 100+ at 10 am til 7 pm, and 80+ the coolest at night near Dallas for 80-90 days per summer, the AC can 'almost' handle that (50-Amp, both running near constant 24 hours per day). The humidity is low.

I find 95 day and 80 night temps near Houston or New Orleans with 80%+ humidity worse. The humidity at times limits the AC to about a max cool of 84 degrees inside.

As we say in Texas - the best place for a Texan to camp in the summer is Colorado.

We get to experience the Phoenix area this July, if the travel opens up. A granddaughter lives there, her mother has custody. I'll let you know how it compares.

And if you want to know why a full-timer would put up with that - family, many older and in ill health.

Thanks for the info.

Yeah, I have to avoid them in summer. I was in Gilroy, CA with temperate in the mid 90s and high humidity and I nearly passed out.

Same in Havasu where I have to run to my car and had a blast of the a/c for relief.

Temp of 84 inside the stuffy RV may not altogether be tolerable. Back to my high mountains and dense forests, lol.

Would time them though late spring or fall.

Looking at situations in Like Tahoe. Nevada side has no lockdown, but national forest campsites are federal and therefore closed even if it's on the Nevada side.

GDS-3950BH wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:
I'm really interested in the Delaware State Park Campgrounds.... As of now, the parks themselves are open for certain things, while camping has been delayed till May 15.... for now....

FWIW, I received an email this morning from your PA DCNR that they have extended their closure of State Park Campgrounds from April 30 until May 8th. We have sites we booked 11 months out from May 17 through May 31 in PA at 3 different PA parks, so hoping that it doesn't move again, but from what I read your PA Governor is a flakejob also like the Gov in VA, and is very vague with any dates or timelines but lots of talk about regions and counties, testing and tracing, etc. Since the reservations are all on the Eastern Side of the state where it appears most of the cases are, we're not getting two excited about actually being able to use them. Good luck with DE.

Our Gov is in fact a wack job.... unfortunate for us... Since day #1 he has had everything in a "grey" area... all the stations here on the east side have been complaining...

He DID release some of the work force starting next week... then May 8th... According to him, WE here in the Philly suburbs will be the last to be free....

May 8th seams to be the key date for a good part of the state... state parks, I ASSUME out near Harrisburg ? If thats the case, they are a different place on the chart then us.... better for them

ford truck guy wrote:
I'm really interested in the Delaware State Park Campgrounds.... As of now, the parks themselves are open for certain things, while camping has been delayed till May 15.... for now....

FWIW, I received an email this morning from your PA DCNR that they have extended their closure of State Park Campgrounds from April 30 until May 8th. We have sites we booked 11 months out from May 17 through May 31 in PA at 3 different PA parks, so hoping that it doesn't move again, but from what I read your PA Governor is a flakejob also like the Gov in VA, and is very vague with any dates or timelines but lots of talk about regions and counties, testing and tracing, etc. Since the reservations are all on the Eastern Side of the state where it appears most of the cases are, we're not getting two excited about actually being able to use them. Good luck with DE.

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
What's the "intolerable" hot season months for Arizona camping? Can't the a/c handle it?

Sorry, been camping so far in high mountains. Although the valley heat in Yosemite is also oppressive in summer but a high noon stay inside the RV makes it pleasant.

I don't know specifics about Arizona, but 100+ at 10 am til 7 pm, and 80+ the coolest at night near Dallas for 80-90 days per summer, the AC can 'almost' handle that (50-Amp, both running near constant 24 hours per day). The humidity is low.

I find 95 day and 80 night temps near Houston or New Orleans with 80%+ humidity worse. The humidity at times limits the AC to about a max cool of 84 degrees inside.

As we say in Texas - the best place for a Texan to camp in the summer is Colorado.

We get to experience the Phoenix area this July, if the travel opens up. A granddaughter lives there, her mother has custody. I'll let you know how it compares.

And if you want to know why a full-timer would put up with that - family, many older and in ill health.

azdryheat wrote:

crcr wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
The Coronado National Forest in southern AZ was never closed for the beer bug. We've been boondock camping and riding our RZR in the forest this whole time. None of the AZ state parks closed but some will soon close not for the virus but for the heat.

Are you sure about that last statement? Lost Dutchman State Park is probably the hottest of the AZ state parks in summer, and they do NOT close for summer. I talked to a host there about it.

Perhaps that is why I said 'some will soon close'. Mine and another family are headed to Alamo Lake State Park next week and it's expected to be in the high 90's. We might switch and check out boondocking in Kaibab Nat Forest up north near Williams, in cooler country.

What's the "intolerable" hot season months for Arizona camping? Can't the a/c handle it?

Sorry, been camping so far in high mountains. Although the valley heat in Yosemite is also oppressive in summer but a high noon stay inside the RV makes it pleasant.

I'm really interested in the Delaware State Park Campgrounds.... As of now, the parks themselves are open for certain things, while camping has been delayed till May 15.... for now....

My error on the AZ state parks. In the recent past, Catalina State Park was closed Jun 1 to Sept 1. Same for Picacho Peak. Why would anyone want to camp in triple digit heat? I've done it at the lake for boating purposes but it was miserable otherwise. In summer we head for higher, cooler ground to camp.

crcr wrote:

azdryheat wrote:

crcr wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
The Coronado National Forest in southern AZ was never closed for the beer bug. We've been boondock camping and riding our RZR in the forest this whole time. None of the AZ state parks closed but some will soon close not for the virus but for the heat.

Are you sure about that last statement? Lost Dutchman State Park is probably the hottest of the AZ state parks in summer, and they do NOT close for summer. I talked to a host there about it.

Perhaps that is why I said 'some will soon close'. Mine and another family are headed to Alamo Lake State Park next week and it's expected to be in the high 90's. We might switch and check out boondocking in Kaibab Nat Forest up north near Williams, in cooler country.

https://azstateparks.com/summer-camping

On the AZ State Parks Summer Camping site, they do not state that any of the AZ State Parks are closed in summer, including the High Desert and the Sonoran Desert sites, the hottest sites in summer. They all appear to be open throughout the summer.

Even though they are technically open all year and take reservations, they start to close when the fire danger gets too high. Unfortunately, that affects at least some of the parks every summer.

azdryheat wrote:

crcr wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
The Coronado National Forest in southern AZ was never closed for the beer bug. We've been boondock camping and riding our RZR in the forest this whole time. None of the AZ state parks closed but some will soon close not for the virus but for the heat.

Are you sure about that last statement? Lost Dutchman State Park is probably the hottest of the AZ state parks in summer, and they do NOT close for summer. I talked to a host there about it.

Perhaps that is why I said 'some will soon close'. Mine and another family are headed to Alamo Lake State Park next week and it's expected to be in the high 90's. We might switch and check out boondocking in Kaibab Nat Forest up north near Williams, in cooler country.

https://azstateparks.com/summer-camping

On the AZ State Parks Summer Camping site, they do not state that any of the AZ State Parks are closed in summer, including the High Desert and the Sonoran Desert sites, the hottest sites in summer. They all appear to be open throughout the summer.

crcr wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
The Coronado National Forest in southern AZ was never closed for the beer bug. We've been boondock camping and riding our RZR in the forest this whole time. None of the AZ state parks closed but some will soon close not for the virus but for the heat.

Are you sure about that last statement? Lost Dutchman State Park is probably the hottest of the AZ state parks in summer, and they do NOT close for summer. I talked to a host there about it.

Perhaps that is why I said 'some will soon close'. Mine and another family are headed to Alamo Lake State Park next week and it's expected to be in the high 90's. We might switch and check out boondocking in Kaibab Nat Forest up north near Williams, in cooler country.