Later and Later Check-in times
I have just noticed as I plan for a trip that the COE parks (and some others) are having a later check-in time: many at 4:00 pm and one, at least, with 6:00 pm. These are all in Arkansas, but I think ...
Forum Discussion
GDS-3950BH wrote:
The vast majority of state parks we were used to operated mostly on the honor system with no full time monitoring of who comes in or out. The camp hosts have limited duties and authority, none of which have anything to do with check ins or check outs. You might see a ranger drive thru once per day.
PA is a good example. Some of the large really popular parks near urban centers may be manned full-time from Memorial day to Labor day, but most are not and those are not manned in the shoulder seasons, and both check in and check out is 3 PM. Been that way for 50 years or longer and works well.
Off season, it doesn't matter much as you can usually get in early anyway.
Most of our experience is in Michigan but we've been to state parks in several other states and usually, you have to check in before going to your site.
In Michigan, most are fully staffed like any other campground. It's only some of the ones in the remote areas where they use the honor system. And literally for decades, there have been games with getting sites because they are popular and fill up on weekends...and the parks counter with rules.
