Visiting camgrounds

For public or private just go in the office and ask. In every case public and private I've been given OK to look around without charge. I've had public campgrounds say 15 minutes or something like that. No harm in asking. A no answer, courteously drive away.

Here in Washington you do have to pay a day use fee of $5 or $10 to enter a State Park. They also offer an annual Discover Pass for $30 or $35 (I'm old & can't remember) which gives you a mirror hanger that gives you 12 month access to any State Park. Of course camping fees are extra and if you are paying camping fees, you don't need a pass to enter. I'm surprised other states don't offer this as an option.

With private parks, I can see a reluctance to let anyone and everyone to just come in and drive around. With the daring of today's thieves, it is a risk I wouldn't want to assume.

We have always been allowed to drive through any private campground just by stopping at the office and explaining that we'd like to look around. If the staff is unfriendly about our request, we take that into account when we decide to stay or not. Usually private owners are very receptive to visits.

At MANY of the state parks, when we explain ourselves, we have been allowed to pass through for free. Occasionally we have been charged the day entry fee, but that happens rarely so we don't complain, figuring that we are way ahead in the long run!

The ONLY campground where our request has been denied is Davidson River Campground in NC. Owned by the Cradle of Forestry, it is a very nice, popular, and busy campground, although most of the sites are large and private. When we asked to drive in to look, the attendant pointed to a "No Drive Throughs" sign at the gate. Luckily we had our truck with us with bicycles in the back, and were allowed to bike through the campground. We stayed there the following week and enjoyed our stay, but the heavy traffic we observed on the narrow core road through the CG made the drive-through policy understandable.

Good luck!

jarata1 wrote:
Is it ok to visit campgrounds your intrested in staying in for the future. If so what do you tell the people at the main office?

Not more than eight hours ago, we had planned to fish Belle Fourche Reservoir for the afternoon. On our way, we decided the weather felt too hot for fishing, but would be perfect for site seeing. Upon our arrival at the entrance gate, we discovered the place also has electric hookups - rather than exclusive 'dry camping' as we had previously believed. With a backseat full of tackle boxes, fishing rods, bait buckets and a cooler, we approached the gatekeeper and told our story.

We explained how we really did plan on fishing when we left the house, but now that we see you have electric hookups, we'd really like to scope out a spot for next month.

The woman asked how long we thought the process might take.

"Twenty, Thirty minutes tops!"

She asked that we stop back at the gate as we exited to let her know we had left the facility, and allowed us to enter without paying the $4.00 per person day use fee.

Twenty-five minutes later, we exited the park - complete with a plan to stay for two weeks in August. We never exited the vehicle (except to inform the gatekeeper of our plans to depart).

Governmental Campgrounds can be tricky - depending on who sits at the front door (and how much traffic the facility sees in a year). In our experience, we have never once had to pay. However, we've never asked to 'tour Yellowstone' in order to 'see' if we liked the camp sites either.

Private parks always say, "Yes! Come right on in, and here is a map!" One (highly secure campground) location did request we exit our vehicle and hop into a golf cart while they drove us around.

Of course, we've always been in the toad when requesting access.

Good travels to you all.

Todd

GizmosMom wrote:
We have asked for permission to drive through and look at many public campgrounds (State Parks, COE, NFS, etc.) We have never been asked for a fee and have always been made to feel welcome.

THIS^^^

This has been the case for us, for the past 30 years of camping.
NEVER have been asked to pay a fee.

CWDoc115 wrote:
Tell them just that. Why make it more difficult??? :h

x3 (or 4 or whatever)....

Also, there is a difference between driving through a campground to see the campsites and doing a walk-through of a campground/park to see all the amenities, etc.

With public campgrounds, I have found the following to be fairly decent guidelines:

If there are multiple campgrounds in close proximity (all owned by the same public entity), then they usually do not charge you a fee to drive through the campground and leave. If you park your vehicle within the campground (whether at a campsite or overflow parking), you are expected to pay the day use fee at minimum. That means if all you do is drive around and look at campsites and leave, no fee expected; if you drive in, stop, get out and check out the beach, restrooms, etc., then fee expected.

If there is a day use area that is accessed through the same manned gate as the campground, then you will most likely be expected to pay the day use fee regardless of whether you are just driving through or not. As mentioned above, this is because the staff doesn't have time to follow you around and make sure you're telling the truth and not trying to get in free. The larger the park, the more likely they'll require the day use fee (as the more likely folks will suddenly "decide to stop and get out for a moment" that lasts all day).

If there is no manned gate (self-registration, etc.), then it is more up to your conscience and sensibilities. Personally, if all I'm doing is driving around once to see how close the campsites are, I won't pay the fee; if I'm going to stop and check out the facilities, measure levelness of parking spurs, and so on, I'll pay the fee. Logic being as soon as I park the vehicle and get out, I'm not just doing a drive through, I'm visiting the campground.

For RV Parks and private campgrounds, it is less standardized - however, it is pretty much given that you need to check in first before driving through. Some will let you drive through for free, some will charge you a lower "day use" fee, some will charge you the full fee - but all expect you to check in and tell them why you're there.

we do it frequently. no one, to date, has said no. we just tell the truth...want to take a look for a future visit.

We always check in at the gate. If there's an entrance fee, that's fine if we're really interested in adding the park to our future itinerary, if just out of curiosity and cost more than a couple of bucks - probably not. We stopped at a park in Florida and because it was full the gate keeper said absolutely NO!
If there's a day use fee don't expect them to just let you go in and have to spend the time/resources chasing you down in an hour or so if you don't return. Just doesn't add up.

3oaks wrote:

GizmosMom wrote:
We have asked for permission to drive through and look at many public campgrounds (State Parks, COE, NFS, etc.) We have never been asked for a fee and have always been made to feel welcome.

We have. We wanted to see the campground before committing ourselves to camp for a couple a days while passing through the area. We weren't allowed past the entrance without paying the entrance fee first. Needless to say, we made a "U" turn and never been back. That was at Indiana Dunes State Park.

Do they really think we were trying to sneak in and set up our camp without paying? :S

You have GOT to be kidding me.

This had NOTHING to do about you setting up camp for free. It has everything to do with paying the required entrance fee to access the park.

This is the 3rd busiest park in the entire Indiana park system. Just 30 miles from Chicago and they get THOUSANDS of people every day. Almost all of them are day-use users who go to the beach for the day. There is only one entry in and out of the park. Did you really think they would let you in and then think they could follow you to see if you were just going to look at the campsite or if you'd spend all day at the beach for free? They get 1.25 million visitors each year. Do you think they haven't heard a few stories like yours a time or two?

Honestly, some folks here have absolutely NO concept about running a park. Rules are rules. If they make an exception for you, how do they deny the next person's sob story.

I don't know who the slap on the head imoji is intended for...perhaps it will wake you up to reality.

SoundGuy wrote:

3oaks wrote:
Do they really think we were trying to sneak in and set up our camp without paying? :S

An overreaction. :S Fact is, many public parks have day use fees and anyone entering for the day, for whatever reason, is required to pay that fee. What you do while you're there is your business ... once you've paid the fee. ;)

Exactly. In most state parks there are daily use fees. Doesn't matter if you are camping or not. So, you turn around, never to return, just because you're asked to pay a $5 or so daily use fee that goes to help maintain the state park. Good grief.

Mike