What is a first Run, State campground worth to you

[winnietrey]

Lot's of discussion, about excess charges etc, on state campgrounds or the reserve America thing.

Seems like the average price is about $35 a night, all things considered.

Now each of us have different wants and needs, and I respect that.

But I feel given all that these CG's have to offer (for me, and what I and Family like to do)

And given what it would cost me to buy my own propery, maintain it pay taxes on it. Or to rent a cabin, or motel.

I think fair market price, would be north of $100 per night. For me at least to obtain similar accomodations

So in my opinion $35 per is a screaming deal.

Your thoughts?

[path1]

Ok I live in Kent, Not known as a high class area, but even we Path1 do not haul our own Sewer, How does one do that? And avoid poo stains

Surely I hope you meant garabge?

No I mean the POO tank. You've already paid to dump fees on the RV extra fees on license tap for dump sites on fwy's.
"Recreational Vehicles (RV) Sanitary Dump Stations are provided at select Safety Rest Areas (SRA) for use by private RV owners, and not to be used by commercial vehicles. Construction and Maintenance of the RV Dump Stations is funded through RV licensing taxes. RV Dump Stations at SRAs are open all year long west of the Cascades. An update to the current RV Dump Station design is underway which will ensure stations are open all year long east of the Cascades as well."
So why not use them and not pay for state park dumpsites, unless you're going to overflow. This last couple of years the gov has hit us up for fees that were not there before. Not much. But add them all up and for us about it equals about $450.00 a year. Kent is better than us living under the planes. Some friends of ours moved out of this area and just love it at Ocean Shores. But have owned lot for many years.
Last couple of years I've turned anti-gov, tired of getting lied to and hosed.
(edited part: We don't use dump site along I-5 north of tide flats in summer. Sometimes lines is crazy long.

[winnietrey]

travelnutz wrote:
winnietrey, I know you understand but I do have a question for some?

Ocean front lot for 150K??? That's incredibly cheap! Lake Michigan waterfront property around here, if you can even find any for sale, goes for a min of $10K per front foot on the water's edge. That's One Million Dollars for a one hundred foot width of bare waterfront property! Much of the Lake Michigan waterfront property even goes for over $20K per front foot.

SO!

Where are all the Michigan State parks on Lake Michigan? Right on this very expensive pristene prime land that costs $10K to $20K+ per front foot and any camper staying there gets to put their RV right on this very land for $22-$29 per day or $33 for full hookups. It includes ALL the free 50 amp electric usage while there, free unlimited pure water, unlimited hot showers for all, toilets they don't even have to clean but please do flush, a place to dump their holding tanks and all trash as many times as they want to, ZERO maintenance ever, never have to cut one blade of grass or water it, trim any trees or rake any leaves, ZERO property taxes ever, and comes with the biggest clean freshwater pool they've ever seen and a big pure clean sand beach. Even has a free wave making machine and scenery beyond compare with spectacular sunsets. To leave is difficult to be sure. Simply unhook the creature comfort umbilical cords, start the vehicle engine and drive away and never receive any bills from your landlord!

So far beyond cheap that it's almost embarrassing plus! AND yet some have the gall to complain about the measily few bucks it had cost them! Unbelievable! Since no one made them go there in the first place so why are they complaining about their own decisions anyway. Do all of us real people a favor and PLEASE stay away so others who realize the actual facts and value received can have a site for the families amd them to enjoy to their hearts content and not want to ever leave!

X2, that is a postion, and thought, I will argue, forever, and a hill (as they say ) I am willing to die on

[winnietrey]

Travelnutz,

Grayland Sp is about 30 miles south of Aberdeen wa. You can google it. Many of the Campsites, back right up to the beach. And if memory serves the state park ocean beach is something like 11 miles long..

Grayland and the Tokeland area ( which is a little south) never really took off. So property is sort of cheap. Although I guestimated the the price, could be much higher. But Higher or lower it changes nothing about my post

[winnietrey]

path1 wrote:

Did they also come with a staff to maintain them, Built in campsites and improvements over the years, And the Rangers to run them?

The above is what I'm more than happy to pay for! And I think the park staff on site (not in Oly) should get more.

We have little if any diagreement. However Oly, is beyond my power to change. And I would bet yours also.

But all that aside, that was not the point of my post. My point was, and is, State parks, are a great deal. For those of use who want what they offer. And again not everyone wants what they offer. So to them they are over priced. It's just the whinning I have a hard time with. Esp when the roll up in a 150K MH

[travelnutz]

winnietrey, I know you understand but I do have a question for some?

Ocean front lot for 150K??? That's incredibly cheap! Lake Michigan waterfront property around here, if you can even find any for sale, goes for a min of $10K per front foot on the water's edge. That's One Million Dollars for a one hundred foot width of bare waterfront property! Much of the Lake Michigan waterfront property even goes for over $20K per front foot.

SO!

Where are all the Michigan State parks on Lake Michigan? Right on this very expensive pristene prime land that costs $10K to $20K+ per front foot and any camper staying there gets to put their RV right on this very land for $22-$29 per day or $33 for full hookups. It includes ALL the free 50 amp electric usage while there, free unlimited pure water, unlimited hot showers for all, toilets they don't even have to clean but please do flush, a place to dump their holding tanks and all trash as many times as they want to, ZERO maintenance ever, never have to cut one blade of grass or water it, trim any trees or rake any leaves, ZERO property taxes ever, and comes with the biggest clean freshwater pool they've ever seen and a big pure clean sand beach. Even has a free wave making machine and scenery beyond compare with spectacular sunsets. To leave is difficult to be sure. Simply unhook the creature comfort umbilical cords, start the vehicle engine and drive away and never receive any bills from your landlord!

So far beyond cheap that it's almost embarrassing plus! AND yet some have the gall to complain about the measily few bucks it had cost them! Unbelievable! Since no one made them go there in the first place so why are they complaining about their own decisions anyway. Do all of us real people a favor and PLEASE stay away so others who realize the actual facts and value received can have a site for the families amd them to enjoy to their hearts content and not want to ever leave!

[path1]

ocean front lot In Grayland, What do you think 150K?

To much sand. Leave it to the sun worshipers at sunset glazing thru the campfire smoke.

As far as the sewer goes, the state should give rebates or fee reduction for hauling your own and not using theirs. Why not, I'm paying the Metro congestion reduction fee. Why not a reduction for me hauling my black tank and not using theirs?

[path1]

Did they also come with a staff to maintain them, Built in campsites and improvements over the years, And the Rangers to run them?

The above is what I'm more than happy to pay for! And I think the park staff on site (not in Oly) should get more.

[path1]

And given what it would cost me to buy my own propery, maintain it pay taxes on it. Or to rent a cabin, or motel.

I think fair market price, would be north of $100 per night. For me at least to obtain similar accomodations

Your bringing your own shelter, and you already paid taxes on it and bought with your money (that was taxed before you even got it)!!!. Add that into your "north of $100.00 per night with your RV purchase and see what your nightly cost truly is! We don't use WA State parks anymore other than the off season senior pass and pay $10.00 a night for elec. This state like many others have outsourced reservations system. They have upgraded computers to become more efficient? The state doesn't pay property taxes. Most of the parks they got free via fed or presents from estates. The number of employees has only grown in Oly. And as reported in Seattle times article (I think was the newspaper) the state is going to enlarge their presence on the web to attract more tourists. So plan on prices to go up even more. I am glad you like the state parks, leaves more room for us at BLM, DNR and other boondocking places that are plenty of in this state. Ok fire away

[AtomicChicken]

Our state parks here in Louisiana had price increases of $2 per night that went into effect on July 1st. We frequently make weekend trips to one that is within 20 minutes of our house. What used to be a $20/night stay is now a $22/night stay. There are also what they deem as 'premium' sites that went from $26/night to $28/night. They consider premium sites as those along the water front of a lake (none at our local state park).

I still do not find these prices bad. That's during the regular season. During the off season the prices drop for both regular and premium sites. I was disappointed to hear of the increase but made up my mind right away that it was a necessary evil. I would rather a reasonable price increase than the state shutting it's gate at one or more of it's parks.

[travelnutz]

Something most people don't realize is that the more land a state owned and run park or CG has, the more it costs for employees to maintain the park, the roads, or the CG. States can't get away with mickey mouse plumbing or electrical wiring like privately owned property owners can. Not going to mention the pig pen bath houses we usually have experienced in more tha half the private CG's we've stayed at and they weren't cheap. Very few private CG's are larger than 10 acres in size and the CG's almost lack nature/hiking trails and usually have small campsites close together along with being surrounded by homes/residential or commercial operations etc or roads/highways often quite or very noisey. Several other factors also.

On the other hand, most state run parks/CG's are much larger in land area and usually found in more remote areas or on land with one side bordering on large lakes or useful rivers that fishing, boating, canoeing, kyaking, swimming, hiking, being in real nature, etc you name it are very popular daily activities. State parks/CG's certainly are more of a total self-contained area for and of the more desired activities for most families and active adults. Why pay so much for anything an RV offers as most families could actually stay right at home if a pool or near by pool or concentrated town or city living is their bag? They'll save a lot of money and won't even need an RV or a tow vehicle!

Private CG's counter with swimming pools and more of a structured location for those simply staying at your campsite a lot more or driving your vehicle etc out of the campground to find things to do in the local area. Private CG's are usually more expensive to stay at as someone has to pay for the most expensive amenity a CG can have, a properly maintained POOL.

I was on the board of directors of a large CG resort for nine years and nearly half of the entire yearly operating costs were associated with the POOL. Such as: Cost to build, constant daily chemicals and filters required for paying customer's usage - it's a business!, heating of the pool - required in most states, ongoing repairs to the pumps, pipes, and the electrical comsumption for running them constantly, pool deck and and fencing repairs and deck furniture purchase/repairs, cost of water itself if on a public water supply or treating if from a well, supervision personel mandated by state laws, property tax increase for having an in-ground pool, and a real biggie - Liability Insurance! Yes, there are even more! The costs are there regardless if one person a day uses to pool or if 200 a day use the pool. The costs associated with have a pool being used by the campers etc is staggering and guess who pays this cost?

RV'er and campers have different likes/dislikes and wants AND there's NO free lunch. You'll pay for it one way or the other! Our State's parks/CG's are head and shoulders above most private CG's! Sme states do not have nice parks and CGs and some have excellent state parks and CG's and in reality, they are a real bargin in fees charged!

[winnietrey]

rockhillmanor wrote:
When I went full time after not having RV'd for awhile I was a little surprised at where CG and State Park camping fees had risen to.

That is until I broke down and had to stay in a motel waiting for parts for my MH. I drove the toad to one of the well known economy chain motels that years ago before the RV I stayed at a lot. Didn't want frills just a place to sleep for the night.

Well......what used to be $65.00 per night now was $85.00 per night PLUS 4 different taxes adding up to $100 per night, PLUS $38.00 extra PER dog AND the place was a dump! :E

Soooo, I guess all things considered my answer would be no, $35.00 a night in ANY CG in the 'comfort of my clean MH' is a sweet deal in my book. :W

YES YES AND YES, and it was on a major highway I would bet.

Not on a beach or forest with miles of trails fishing, swimming, views etc.

Not to to you RH, But be a little bit gratefull, folks, and realize what you are getting, for so little money.

And yes, you as a taxpayer payed for that. As does 90% of the folks that never go camping. And Your parents and Grand Parents Who are long dead in my case, also payed for those parks

So that IMHO is a bogus arguement on why anyone of us, Just becuase we pay taxes, deserve such a sweet deal, as we have.

[rockhillmanor]

When I went full time after not having RV'd for awhile I was a little surprised at where CG and State Park camping fees had risen to.

That is until I broke down and had to stay in a motel waiting for parts for my MH. I drove the toad to one of the well known economy chain motels that years ago before the RV I stayed at a lot. Didn't want frills just a place to sleep for the night.

Well......what used to be $65.00 per night now was $85.00 per night PLUS 4 different taxes adding up to $100 per night, PLUS $38.00 extra PER dog AND the place was a dump! :E

Soooo, I guess all things considered my answer would be no, $35.00 a night in ANY CG in the 'comfort of my clean MH' is a sweet deal in my book. :W

[NCWriter]

The oceanfront sites in the FL Keys state parks are a big bargain around $40. IF you can book one in the winter, not easy. Can't imagine what an oceanfront cottage would cost there.

Most of the state parks I book seem to run about $25. Some have great locations, exhibits and ranger activities. I like them a lot, and frequently choose them along with NPs, NFs and COEs....but the taxes and reservation fees can really add up. For CO parks, there's a whopping $10 fee to reserve online.

I don't care about pools and playgrounds, but a commercial park may have good laundry facilities, wifi and cable at the site for less cost than a state park.

[mlts22]

I get what you mean. There are many other ways to make more money per square unit of land than an RV park, be it just a passive solar farm, or renting the land out to a nearby farmer so they can have more range for their cows.

The problem is that RV parks are already on a razor's edge when it comes to profit. When states and areas start demanding retrofits/permits/code changes, etc., it can push a lot of parks over the edge, so they become empty lots that banks own.

RV parks are also vulnerable to recessions. Hotels may be in use due to work/business related items, but an RV park either gets people on vacations or people staying for the season. When times get tight, there are few people who will be staying.

Even at $40 a night, it is a bargain compared to hotel fare which is easily upwards of $120 a night, although the bedbugs are a free gift.