Campground Damage Deposit

[wxtoad]

I've been camping for many years, but I have never come across a Damage Deposit required at a public campground. Cypress Black Bayou
Recreation and Water Conservation District in Louisiana, however, does have such a policy:

"We require a reservation deposit to be paid at the time of booking. The total amount of the reservation deposit will equal the total amount of stay and a $100 damage deposit. The amount of stay will be applied at check-in. The $100 damage deposit will be refunded after your site has been checked and cleared."

I could maybe understand this requirement at a high-end commercial RV resort or similar, but at a public CG?

WxToad

[Sprink-Fitter]

cyntdon2010 wrote:
Milk the campers for money. they have unlimited cash flow.

It does not cost any more money, you get the $100.00 back when you leave.

[3oaks]

mockturtle wrote:
Is this a long-term stay public campground? I can't imagine paying a $100 damage deposit for one or two nights. :h

I can see it and I think it's a sign of the times and a good policy. I'd like to see it catch on with more public campgrounds.

The only problem I see with it is, sometimes we vacate a campground right at dawn and I doubt the campground hosts would want to check out our site and refund our damage deposit at that time of day.

[bgum]

Have stayed at this park several times and never been charged a deposit. I do know it is heavily used by the young boating segment. The lake is very nice and the campground is also. The lake and CG is owned by the Parish (County) gov and operated by them. They may be having a short term problem that they are trying to address.

[2gypsies1]

I've never heard of this either and we love public campgrounds. However, only irresponsible campers would pay the fee - and they definitely should, not someone who really cares for public property. I see no issue with this if it's a place you really want to go.

Having volunteered in public parks we know exactly the kinds of damage some folks do. Public parks don't have the funds to keep repairing things.

[Jim_Shoe]

I suspect that the residents of Louisiana that are paying for this public CG are tired of paying to clean up after both in and out of state slobs and/or drunks. If you clean up after yourself and don't tear things up to begin with, you get your money back. In private CGs, the cleanup cost is included in the higher prices whether you're a drunken slob or not.
And once again, if you don't like the policy, your rig has wheels.

[BB_TX]

Have never seen it. Can only guess it is due to previous incidents of vandalism, likely resulting ftom excess alcohol and/or simple stupidity. If that is the case and only way to stop it, more power to them. The majority pay from the acts of the few.

[Bumpyroad]

is it just damage or perhaps clean up if left "messy".
bumpy

[cyntdon2010]

Milk the campers for money. they have unlimited cash flow.

[Dog_Folks]

The more slobs that go camping, the more we will see this in the future.

[Johno02]

Take lots of good pictures of campsite, before, during, and after you use it.

[buta4]

I can see it now. At checkout, one is told to wait until someone is available to inspect the campsite after he/she inspects the ones on the back forty! :C

[monkey44]

My bet is - keeping out the riff-raff ... some campgrounds I've seen (only a few, mostly town or city owned) need some kind of control on the messy and damaging displays ...

I'd agree with it ONLY if refund was immediate after camping, not one of these "file a form and you get it back on CC in a few months" deals.

[Old-Biscuit]

Never came across that 'policy' during our travels......but would pay it if CG required it.

I'm not going to intentionally cause damage and if I did, would cooperate with filing ins. claim.

No damage I get deposit back. Sounds fair.

[mockturtle]

Is this a long-term stay public campground? I can't imagine paying a $100 damage deposit for one or two nights. :h

[agesilaus]

A CG we stayed at Marathon Key required a damage deposit which is the only time I've ever seen one.