Camp host right or wrong?

[PaisleyDale]

Only site open was disabled site (Oregon State Park). I am a disabled VET so the camp host said I could have the disabled site. I registered and placed registration slip on site post and we drove to town for dinner.

Upon returning our site was taken by another disabled VET and our registration slip was gone. I talked to the camp host and he said he did not know this other person had taken my spot, but he would not do anything about it.

I decided to just shake it off and went to Home Depot and spent the night, we were going to pick-up supplies there anyway.

I had forgot all about this till reading about people securing sites and not using them. It's not good for my blood pressure, I need to let it go again - sorry for the rant.

[Deleted_per_op]

dewey02
Thanks for the clarification. I was using "vague recall" on the state park rules since I didn't have them in front of me. I knew there was language in the rules about occupying the site but did not remember exactly what they said.

[wa8yxm]

Sadly the camp host gets a lot of blame but has little real power in many campgrounds, His/Her job is mostly registration and perhaps some janitorial work. They can not enforce rules, but they can call the management to have them enforced.. Again, this is in MANY not all campgrounds.

So I'm not going to comment on the camp host save to say that the host should have told the 2nd Vet that the site was already taken by a disabled Vet.

I will comment on how you handeled it (going to Home Depot for the night)

If you have such an option, it's always better than getting in an argument. You already did your argument service (Thank you very much). and as you know the fight avoided is always better than the one you fight. Wish more people understood that.

[enblethen]

Oregon State Parks fall under 736 but has same language.

[rhagfo]

donn0128 wrote:
Not saying that. And I know this is no consolation, but you could have taken the yellow one night only sign and flipped it to reserved. Or left a chair or something so people would know the site was occupied. Sadly the host seems to have not done his job either. He should have got ahold of the ranger on duty. But at the very least he should have put you in one of their overflow sites for the night and let the rangers sort it out in the morning. At least thats what I would have done.

OP stated it was the last site available,this is when communications between the Host and Rangers become critical.
I think there was a lost communication between the Host and Ranger running the booth. In the park I have worked in when we are near capacity there is strong radio communication between host and rangers as to what is available and what has been sold.
If the host was aware that the camper was going to town, they should have hung a reserved tonight tag on the site.

The host also has the option of contacting the ranger.

[dewey02]

TooManyTents wrote:
PaisleyDale,
I can't find the Oregon State Parks regs online, but I'm fairly sure the regs say you must occupy a site once you pay for it. That's the reason for folks leaving some camp chairs, etc. If you leave the site with your only vehicle, it still needs to look "occupied".

Well here they are.

Division 25 Forest Park and Recreation Areas 629-025-0060(2)(e)(C)
The registered camper must physically occupy the campsite the first night after any belongings are left in the site OR fees are paid. A camper must occupy the campsite each night during the entire length of stay unless other arrangements have been made with the Forester. If a Person has failed to pay the Camping fee for two consecutive days or has exceeded the length of stay time limit the Department may remove all possessions consistent with OAR 629-025-0080.

And here's the link to the web page with the rules: Link here

Since the OP did pay his fees for the site, the campsite was his. His requirement was not to occupy the site immediately (as you infer) but to occupy the site on the first night. He clearly intended to do that.

I give much credit to the OP who essentially took all of this in stride. And while it is certainly a good idea to leave some type of camping equipment to readily demonstrate the site was occupied, the tag on the post was enough to show all but an unscrupulous person that the site was reserved and paid for that day.

I realize that Campground Hosts have a difficult job, but he should have called the Ranger or LEO (or Sheriff) and served as a witness to them that you in fact had paid and reserved the site and another person had taken it illegally.

[Deleted_per_op]

PaisleyDale,
I can't find the Oregon State Parks regs online, but I'm fairly sure the regs say you must occupy a site once you pay for it. That's the reason for folks leaving some camp chairs, etc. If you leave the site with your only vehicle, it still needs to look "occupied".

[mockturtle]

Yes, the host or ranger should have done something. They didn't. Next time, leave a chair.

[CavemanCharlie]

Most of the places I frequent around here require you to leave something in the site to keep it.

I either drop the TT quickly and set it up later or, I put a tent and some chairs in the middle of the parking spot. A grill on the table and a bundle of firewood left behind help too. It makes it look like you are just out for a walk.

[doxiemom11]

As hosts, we would have gone and talked to the people who moved in and notified them they would have to move. If they were not cooperative, we would then have called a ranger or the LEO. In the places we have been, they would have made them leave so that the person who "first" paid for the site and left their tag on the post was allowed to occupy the site. We have never been someplace where no action would be taken. You did take the high road, but I sure would have been ticked. We do often see people with no toad or a b or c class rv leave a chair or something on the site when they leave. There usually is not a problem though.

[TyroneandGladys]

We carry two small orange cones and 20 feet of bright yellow plastic chain. If we leave our site we put a cone on each side and loop the chain between the two with a reserved sign hanging on the chain.
If we have problems with people walking across our site we do the use the cones and chain across where they are walking.

[Fiesta]

I got to my reserved and paid for site and 2 pickup were in my spot. COE office and Rangers came over. 2 pickups were ticketed before they were told get out. Rangers went after them on the lake. Still wasted 2 hours of our time. There was 30 parking spots they could have used.

[DutchmenSport]

For those of you with MHs why not pitch a small pup tent or a pop up tent which shows the site is occupied when you are not there?

[Lynnmor]

The taking of the permit on the post was theft and I would have reported it as such.

[PaisleyDale]

Thanks all for your responses and great suggestions. Next time I will leave something that shows this site is taken.

Thanks again - Dale

[2gypsies1]

kknowlton wrote:
If the OP left his tag on the site, then the usurper is to blame as well. When you remove someone else's tag to put yours up, you usually look at the old one - at least we do. If the dates are the same as the one you are coming in on, wouldn't you check?

Correct.

The OP left his paid tag on the post. He isn't required to leave anything else on the site if he leaves. That site is his for the day/night.

As campground hosts, we know there are empty sites all the time but if there's a tag on it, it's not available to anyone else.

The host should have gotten the ranger to solve this.

For the future though, many parks have a orange cone that's available to borrow if you leave but again, it's not necessary.