I know a number of states do not allow overnight parking at the state-run rest areas along the interstates. Has anyone been asked to leave one of these locations during the night? We've stayed in them a number of times, and we've never had anyone ask us to move. But maybe we've just been lucky? How about you?

If they say "No Overnight Camping" I wouldn't stay to find out. Some states allow it and I don't know anyone that has been asked to leave.

I like Wyoming's approach. Their website used to say (and may still) something to the effect:"Overnighting is permitted; we'd rather you sleep at our rest stops than take back to the road if you are too tired to drive. Safety First.". Goobermint sanity.

Many also state, no overnight camping, max limit is 8 hours.....It seems to me, if you can get a reasonable amount of sleep in that 8 hours or so, you are in good shape. Marty

"Camping" and getting a few hours sleep are two different things. I have never had a problem sleeping overnight (5-7 hours) at a number of rest areas when in a hurry to get from one place to another.

I have often seen, especially during bad weather, dozens of trucks lined up in No Parking Zones on the entrance/exit ramps of interstate rest stops.Sometimes common sense is the best option.

No Overnight Parking at Interstate Rest Areas | Good Sam Community

MrWizard
Moderator
Feb 22, 2019
I can attest to that
Traveling I-10 to Az 1/2 to 2/3 of the rest stops are always closed
I have never seen all of them open or even most of them
Better take the first open one, because the next one is going to be closed
ParkCountry
Explorer
Feb 22, 2019
bpounds wrote:
CA is the joke of the entire nation, and deserving of every bit of it. Other than weather, there is little to like about CA, and this is coming from a life-long resident, born and raised. If I'm lucky, I will retire elsewhere.

But I was surprised that someone thought we didn't have enough rest stops. I don't think that is true at all, I use them often (don't normally choose to sleep there), and I don't think I have ever not found a parking spot, even while towing. Normally not even close to full, unless during a major holiday.

I think we probably spend too much on them, when we could co-locate with business, but CA is so anti-business that our leaders would never go for that.

I have spent 40 years driving to/from California on I-15 dozens of times. There are 2 Rest Areas between Las Vegas and Los Angeles in each direction. Okay. That's plenty enough for the 295 mile One-Way trip. However, I can count on ONE hand the number of times that BOTH have been in service at the SAME time. And CalTrans doesn't have the common sense God gave a piss ant, nor the common decency, to post a sign telling you if the next RA is open or not.
MrWizard
Moderator
Feb 22, 2019
This for another discussion
But I won't have an RV that I can't use the bed or facilities with slide/slides in
I won't have an RV that is unusable with slides in
apr67
Explorer
Feb 22, 2019
SidecarFlip wrote:

EXACTLY. It's not a campground, it's a rest area. Amy and I have used rest areas for years.
but no slides, no bbq and no generator.

I'm with you on the no BBQ. No awning. No lawn chairs or pink flamingos. However we have had RV's that we had to put the slides out just to get to a bed. And in the south, sleeping isn't possible without AC most of the year. However if I do have to put out a slide (don't have that RV anymore) I try to get an end or something where it won't cause me to take two spaces.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Feb 20, 2019
"Other than weather, there is little to like about CA, and this is coming from a life-long resident, born and raised."

Actually the only thing not to like about California is the people who live there. There's just too many of them. I think living in California: beach one day mountains the next, would be pretty nice. But there's waaaaaay too many people for me.
bpounds
Nomad
Feb 20, 2019
CA is the joke of the entire nation, and deserving of every bit of it. Other than weather, there is little to like about CA, and this is coming from a life-long resident, born and raised. If I'm lucky, I will retire elsewhere.

But I was surprised that someone thought we didn't have enough rest stops. I don't think that is true at all, I use them often (don't normally choose to sleep there), and I don't think I have ever not found a parking spot, even while towing. Normally not even close to full, unless during a major holiday.

I think we probably spend too much on them, when we could co-locate with business, but CA is so anti-business that our leaders would never go for that.
Durb
Explorer
Feb 20, 2019
fj12ryder wrote:
packnrat wrote:
seeing as if you pick up something, they step in front of you and hold out a can for putting money into.
to me that is a want, not a ask. i say just post prices.
Your experiences are much different than mine. Besides, asking prices means getting a license, charging sales tax, etc. And it's usually for a good cause.

I am the poster that has worked the rest stop kiosk. We offer coffee, tea, hot chocolate and cookies for free. There is a donation can and it is marked that all donations go to charity. Most drop in something, some don't, some leave something and don't take any coffee. I find working the kiosk to be uplifting as virtually everyone that drops by is friendly, even those that use the rest stops as their permanent overnighters. We don't step in front of anyone, all we do is say "thank you" and engage in light conversation.
D_E_Bishop
Explorer
Feb 20, 2019
There must be a reason California has more than 27 million residents, if you feel bashing is so easy because we have a bullseye on the state, why not do something civil and constructive about it. You could even go to a political forum and bash there.

As I stated, CalTrans may not post, camp here but it is a rest area, and they do allow resting. When folks start using rest areas out here as camp grounds, they will start policing Cars and RVs before truckers and maybe like Walmart and others, they will prohibit it again.

With the amount of truck traffic we have here and the fact that the FEDs require truckers to rest and almost all truck stops out here allow truckers to rest but what I see you guys saying is, I'll sleep here instead of getting a campsite and that way I can drive late and leave early and not have to pay anything, then you complain about our high gasoline taxes.

Yeah, I need to lighten up. Why? The folks posting this garbage aren't.
ParkCountry
Explorer
Feb 20, 2019
KD4UPL wrote:
I know of a VA State Trooper who ran all the sleeping truckers out of the rest area. The signs in VA say no sleeping at the rest area.

And how, pray tell, does that serve the Safety and Interests of truckers AND the motoring public? If DOT mandates these compulsory Rest periods then they had better give truckers the tools to comply with the rules that they themselves instituted in the first place. And a POX on that VA trooper. It's that kind of blind and unyielding adherence to asinine rules that breeds disrespect for law enforcement.
Ralph_Cramden
Explorer II
Feb 19, 2019
D.E.Bishop wrote:
Ralph Cramden wrote:
bpounds wrote:
Haven't seen anything like that in a long time. CA probably made it illegal or at best inadvisable.

knowing CA they probably required the volunteer group to get a local and state business license, buy Organic coffee beans,sugar, and hormone free cream, Use recycled paper instead of styrofoam cups and then charge a deposit for them, and have the whole operation inspected and certified by the board of health with some astronomical fee LOL..

Actually, if you hand read this entire post you might have learned something. On 12-29 in this thread I posted a reply to this question regarding California. See the quote below.

"Back a decade or so, the CHP(CA Hwy Patrol) cruised the Interstate rest areas on each patrol of their area. If they saw a vehicle two or three times they would stop and rouse the offender. Someone got a ticket because he argued with the Chippy and he went to court and got the ticket thrown out on the grounds that he was resting and better there than in a ditch. Now the CHP patrols the rest areas and look for hinky goings on but don't bother people parked legally and resting. There are lots of areas near on and off ramps where big rigs park for their required rest time, but not on the asphalt shoulder usually on the dirt."

And by the way, a large variety of groups do provide small snacks, coffee and water for travelers. Donations are accepted and due to folks who make untoward comments about where the snacks come from, I'm sure those 53C organizations will eventually have to buy all the cookies they give away instead of serving homemade.

Try picking on some other State for awhile.