Just wondering about paying for public campgrounds. I am thinking mostly about places like Forest Service and BLM campgrounds that may just have a pay box and not an office. Do you bring cash, pay with checks or credit card? I can see disadvantages to each of them.

Paying the iron ranger is the only thing I still use checks for. Not for any purpose, other than the amounts seldom total up to a convenient cash amount. Some may think, ah by paying check, if the ranger/manager claims to have not received payment I can void that check and write another one. Well, at least my bank charges quite a sum to void a check, and it's a process. Lost money either way.

We always have written a check. There are usually instructions on to whom it should be payable. This has two advantages. I does not deplete our supply of cash And If the box (or iron ranger) gets broken into (as happened once), the check is of no value to these cretins. Matt

We pay by check as we don't usually carry cash.

We always pay by check in an unattended iron ranger. Case in point, two years ago we camped at Wilderness Gateway along the Lochsa River in north central Idaho. A friend was a CG host at a nearby CG and let me know, after telling her that our check, written 6 months back, had not cleared. She said theives came through and busted into the iron ranger, ripping open all the envelopes and taking only the cash, leaving checks all torn up. Sadly that was a free night for us and at such a nice campground. I would gladly pay for that night if we ever went up that way and met with the ranger. FS has a small budget to keep their CGs nice.

Check...because I put a $20 bill in one once and never did give me any change back:)Seriously check... cuz we've seen kids trying to fish money out with coat hangers. And easier to reconstruct your travels at a later date.

Paying for public campgrounds | Good Sam Community

pnichols
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2019
Matt_Colie wrote:
Most checks are "wash proof" these days. Take a check and try it.
I know because it was tried with one of ours, the bank didn't even start to process it. They just called us and we cleared it up and that was that.

Matt

Thanks for that valuable information confirming what I would expect the situation to be nowadays regarding good old checks.

I have enough other things to be paranoid about ... i.e. like possible failure of our Ford E450 motorhome's in-tank fuel pump out in the middle of nowhere looking for rocks where tow tucks won't/can't come - even if I can contact them via our satellite communications device!
pnichols
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2019
Matt_Colie wrote:
Most checks are "wash proof" these days. Take a check and try it.
I know because it was tried with one of ours, the bank didn't even start to process it. They just called us and we cleared it up and that was that.

Matt

Thanks for that valuable information confirming what I would expect the situation to be nowadays regarding good old checks.

I have enough other things to be paranoid about ... i.e. like possible failure of our Ford E450 motorhome's in-tank fuel pump out in the middle of nowhere looking for rocks where tow tucks won't/can't come - even if I can contact them via our satellite communications device!
Matt_Colie
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2019
Most checks are "wash proof" these days. Take a check and try it.
I know because it was tried with one of ours, the bank didn't even start to process it. They just called us and we cleared it up and that was that.

Matt
Trekkar
Explorer
Jun 24, 2019
ppine wrote:
Carry cash and do not expect change.
A pay box was the norm for about 75 years.
A lot of resident managers are a pain in the butt. Those sites always cost more.
Forest Service and NPS campgrounds are out of date and do not accomodate RVers well at all.

RE: FS and NPS campgrounds: You're right, they aren't as accommodating to RV's. (Bless their hearts!:))

These are the places I like to camp, and I use cash.
CFerguson
Explorer
Jun 24, 2019
Cash. Mark the bills if you are worried that someone will claim you didnt pay. We've never had a problem.
I'd be uneasy about leaving a thief my name, address, and bank routing # with a check.
Tvov
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2019
Interesting about paying by check. I've gotten to the point that I write at most 3 checks a year... this year so far I've written one (to the state government for some fee, of course!).

My bank has actually changed names... but the tellers say my checks are still good, basically forever, as long as the routing and account numbers on them are correct.

Considering how long it has taken me to catch up with the high tech society, I'm surprised now when I run into something that still requires something like a check.
BillyBob_Jim
Explorer
Jun 24, 2019
Some of you all worry way too much about the small stuff.
Optimistic_Para
Explorer
Jun 24, 2019
More on check washing here:

http://www.ckfraud.org/washing.html

I use one of the special pens that resists check washing for writing all my checks, and I only mail outgoing mail directly at the post office, never through my home mail box.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Jun 24, 2019
pnichols wrote:
As much as possible we pay the host directly for our campsite. Otherwise we deposit checks in the iron ranger.

I've never heard of "washing checks" ... how does that work??

For what it's worth, I press hard with a black ink pen whenever I write a check. The writing is pressed deeply into the paper surface so that the writing is really black and embedded. Does this help prevent washing?
They use chemicals to take out the ink. Like I said earlier they make a pen Uni gel pen, quote (features uni super ink that helps protect against water, fading and fraud). Other pen makers might have a equivalent. It should say on the pkg helps prevent check fraud.
doxiemom11
Explorer II
Jun 24, 2019
We have done both, but usually a check.