Self Check-in when the office is closed

Often there is a message board near the office with packets for late arrivals with reservations as well as a list of unreserved and available sites. Usually you can find after hour check in directions.

Often there is a message board near the office with packets for late arrivals with reservations as well as a list of unreserved and available sites. Usually you can find after hour check in directions.

I've done that a few times. Pull in, check at the office for their after hours routine, find a spot, and put money in the envelope. It has never been a problem.

Hopefully those sites that are already reserved has a sign of some sort. Have even seen DO NOT CROSS tape up haha...

Lots of sites around here are self check in. Money goes in a slot inside a HD round steel post in the ground...

Roy Ken

If I know I am checking in late, I’ll typically call ahead and find out what the process is.

We run into this a lot because of how and where we typically travel. We have left fees and donations in slots lots of places. The best was a little village campground somewhere in Nebraska that I think asked asked for a donation, but there was no means to leave it anywhere. Jeez folks, the nice shaded (but smallish) sites with a table, water and 30A (there was a dump available). I had to get on the web to look up the mailing address of the village office to mail them a check.

Matt

rv2go wrote:
I stayed at a self serve private CG once. Might have been in Alpine, TX or close by.
Also at Dessert View CG at Grand Canyon NP. We were there for a week and saw tent and car campers abuse the self serve several times. In after dark, and out early the next morning before the Host made his rounds.

I wouldn't be surprised if they got a ticket in the mail. We volunteered in national parks and the campsites are observed at all hours of the night by rangers and early morning by the host. The license plate is recorded and if they didn't pay they got a ticket.

Hi SDcampowneroperator,

As usual, you take the high ground. Kudos to you.

I arrived at my current location before the office was open. I went to register as soon as they were open (3 p.m.). I was asked THREE times if I had pulled in the night before. I did NOT like it--but they are "the only game in town". I stood my ground. They seem to be incredibly disorganized. If there were another location, I'd be in it.

SDcampowneroperator wrote:
Honor amongst campers is not a rare attribute. Whenever someone mistakenly is in a reserved site, I suspect the camp board was not clear on available sites for duration of visit.

We have had those who sneak in way late leave very early. Its very rare. Caught some. Their issues are usually just needing a safe place to sleep, did not use services. Legally, its theft of service, trespass. Morally if it did not impact our other guests, iability or cost to the property we treat it as a public service to the disadvantaged who seek safety amongst numbers.

Oregon SP make use of self registration during the fall, winter, and spring at many parks. Some parks have a non reservation loop where you can take a spot for as many as 14 days. In the reservation loops, if not reserved for that night you can have it for that night. This allows rangers to work on winter maintenance projects rather than sit in a booth waiting to check in campers. If you use Reserve America, about two weeks before your arrival you will receive an email with a link to a document that serves as your window hang tag.
The SRE (Self Registration Envelope) allows the use of Cash, check, or Credit Card.

Honor amongst campers is not a rare attribute. Whenever someone mistakenly is in a reserved site, I suspect the camp board was not clear on available sites for duration of visit.

We have had those who sneak in way late leave very early. Its very rare. Caught some. Their issues are usually just needing a safe place to sleep, did not use services. Legally, its theft of service, trespass. Morally if it did not impact our other guests, iability or cost to the property we treat it as a public service to the disadvantaged who seek safety amongst numbers.