Camping in a tent only site

Ralph Cramden wrote:

2oldman wrote:
I just left a CG where small cars and tents used big RV pullthroughs, so it's rude both ways.

And how is that rude? They paid the same price, or upcharge in price, over an undeveloped or tent site as the guy with the 40' Prevost who ..

It would be if it was YOU in the Prevost and there were plenty of tent sites unoccupied and no other pull throughs.

Most of the time with plenty of space it's not a big deal.

3 pages of replies but............
The experience or thoughts of others mean virtually NOTHING.

Each campground has it's own rules.
Don't assume anything.
ASK ahead of time and don't argue with the answer.

kohldad wrote:
Always check with the park staff as it depends and can vary even among different campgrounds in the same NP. As far if I will ask or not depends on availability more than cost (most places I stay it's the same cost anyhow). Availability will also depend on the same time of the year. Julian Price on the Blue Ridge Parkway is a good example. Certain times of the year the tent section is fuller than the RV section, so then I stay in the RV section. At other times, RV has very few spots available but the tent section is wide open so then I will ask for a tent site with no problem to leave an RV site open for someone that really needs it.

One thing I should mention is my TC is just as quiet as a tenter with the exception of my waterpump. I don't have a generator, tv, or radio so no noise pollution except for the waterpump which I try to limit as much as possible when I'm in a tent site. That means I won't take a shower or wash dishes while there. I do this out of respect to the tenters that have also come for quiet. May not seem like a lot of noise for a quiet item, but when it's the only thing making noise, it's extremely loud to one trying to listen to the crickets.

Agree. If someone has never camped at Julian Price, or Linville Falls. They have no idea how loud things can be. When you can hear a propane lantern burning 100' away. Do they really think there is any such thing as a "quiet" generator. Trust me. there is not.

"It depends"

Here in Oregon we have private for profit campgrounds, state parks, county parks, NF and BLM campgrounds.

I've yet to see the latter have any RV "hookups" as all sites are primitive. I do it all the time where the parking is part of the site. There are campgrounds where the tent folk have to "hike in" from a parking area and I suppose the parking area is off limits for camping (who would want to camp in a parking lot anyway?)

The only real difference (minus hookups) is that an RV site might be longer or wider or more level than a tent site.

2oldman wrote:
I just left a CG where small cars and tents used big RV pullthroughs, so it's rude both ways.

And how is that rude? They paid the same price, or upcharge in price, over an undeveloped or tent site as the guy with the 40' Prevost who wanted the pull through or FHU site did they not? They have just as much of a right to rent that site as the next guy no matter if it is a pull through or they use the hookups or not if the place has no official policy or reg preventing it. I know in a PA state park you can reserve a pull through if you're backpacking and sleeping under the stars or riding in on a bicycle.

I assume you could not get a pull through?

If that's rude so is out of state people using state campgrounds in another state and denying tax paying residents of said state a site when occupancy is high. How dare they. They should be immediatly tossed out when that situation occurs.

work2much wrote:
I actually had some blowhard come over and tell me I should move since my camper could fit elsewhere and his enormous class A towing an enclosed trailer required a long pull through. While we were enjoying dinner and the sunset.

Blowhard Indeed. That is the type of person I would have a hard time not having a few select words with. Not long ago we had a woman read the riot act to campground hosts and the park super because she could not get one of the dozen or so FHU sites in a state park of 270 or so sites. She had no reservation, just pulled in off the road one Friday evening to an almost full campground. I assume she was one of the RVing elite. She may have been the wife of the Blowhard?

2oldman wrote:
I just left a CG where small cars and tents used big RV pullthroughs, so it's rude both ways.

It's not rude to use any site that you chose at a first come first serve campground providing it doesn't break the rules. On our last trip we took a fantastic pull through spot overlooking an amazing view. There were very few spots like this, all pull throughs. Plenty of not so nice spots on the interior of the campground. I actually had some blowhard come over and tell me I should move since my camper could fit elsewhere and his enormous class A towing an enclosed trailer required a long pull through. While we were enjoying dinner and the sunset.

Seriously, the main reason we have a small rv is so that we can have a better selection of spots. If the smaller spot had the view we would have gladly taken it in the first place. Don't get agitated at people who don't have long rv's. They have the same right to use the campground.

wnjj wrote:
I’m with the “it depends” crowd. In many public campgrounds around here, “tent only” just means no hookups if it’s an otherwise similar sized spot.

How about this question for you literal interpretation types: Can you sleep in your car in a “tent only” spot?

It depends on the individual campground. Some are very strict about interpretations and some are lax. In addition, some tent only sections have a combined parking area and the actual sites are around the outside of the road loop - most of these specifically state no camping in your vehicle - TCs, etc., are not allowed in those sites.

I had one campground that was very specific about single sites. You couldn't have an RV and a van or 2 trucks with TCs, or 2 trucks with shells. Basically, if you could put an air mattress in it, the camphost considered it an RV and not an auto.

I've used both and check with the camp host as whether they care.

Thanks for the input, I guess it all depends on the host or location, no cut and dry answer. It seems that if I took my TC (CO, Cabover-my error) into a tent site and put a tent up it would be okay.

wnjj: I'm guessing for a few posters the answer would be no, tents mean tents.
But I am pretty confident that the tent arrived via a motorized vehicle.

I see no issue when I’ve been placed in a handicap CS, narco. Happened twice and neither was my request or choice.