camping policy at national parks

[anutami]

We just got totally denied at Lodgepole campground in sequoia national park. Drove all the way from San Diego with our friends whom I just talked into getting a Six Pac camper.

Booked site 56 six months ago, which lists as an RV nonelectric, max number of vehicles 2. I told our friends to join us....



One would think this would be okay right?
Especially when we have done this the last 2 years at yosemite


The ranger came around and said we were only allowed to have 1 RV in the site and they would have to move. Does anyone know what the rules actually are? I can't find anything and I guess I should call from now on. Are they different at each park? It seems people are thrown off by truck campers, and don't know how to react to them. I tried to argue but they would not budge.

They also stated we were blocking egress which I was confused.


Has anyone else experienced this?

[Buzzcut1]

wait what was that about Sequoia NP Campsites?

must be mistaken

[RickW]

We love our parks almost to destruction. The custodians of our great outdoors have to limit the impact of our visits so it will still be the great outdoors when we return. One RV per site is a "bright line" rule that limits impact, is easily interpreted by guests and can be enforced by the host.

Campgrounds sometimes have limits on vehicles or campers specified in the operating permit, zoning permit, sewer permit or by the fire marshal. Those denied entry are not necessarily entitled to the history of the rule.

Every rule starts with an experience that those in charge do not want to repeat. Now we have rules limiting camping at many beaches, BLM lands and Walmart because of the behavior of those before us.

I also tried to double up on a site with my TC once-with no success.

[Kayteg1]

Somewhere on this forum post a couple who drive DP and use ClassC as toad, that is convenient on some Mexican roads.
I wounder how the hosts mentioned in this dispute would classify them?
There is only 2 people.

[toedtoes]

2RVNuts wrote:

toedtoes wrote:
At the one campground that wouldn't let my 21ft C and my friend's toyota chinook stay in a single site, the host said the rule was "if you can sleep in it, it's not an allowable second vehicle". As people can sleep in any vehicle and do, that seemed like a silly rule. When I've asked around at other campgrounds, they've all said it's no problem because the chinook fit into the site and it was no bigger than a mini-pickup with a shell and there were only 2 people in total.

Yes, there are a multitude of justifications, just as there are a multitude of reasons. My logic is: be prepared.

For me, at campgrounds I go to regularly and that have allowed it, I don't worry about it. Same with campgrounds in off-season. If I'm told no upon arrival, we just get a second campsite. At unknown campgrounds in high season, I just reserve 2 campsites or a double campsite and play it safe.

Both of your vehicles are considered campers, (Dah)

In all but one campground, they have been considered an RV and a second vehicle - so not quite that simple. Again, it's at the discretion of the host/ranger to decide if it fits in the rules or not. If they let you do it, be grateful and enjoy. If not, be polite and pay for the 2nd site.

[jimh406]

anutami wrote:
If you can please point me in the direction where these rules are stated would be greatly appreciated.

Back to the thread topic. 🙂

[wnjj]

Lantley wrote:
At some point the rules are in place to establish and maintain order.
The inmates cannot run the asylum.
The Why's can always be applied:
Why is quite time 10:00 instead of 11? Why are no campfires allowed?
Why do you charge extra for visitors? Why can't I have 10 on a site?
Why is the can't I make the rules as I see fit?
We all know 2 TC's parked together today will lead to 2 diesel pusher trying to squeeze together tomorrow.
If the rules are stated I commend the ranger for enforcing them.
Letting the inmates make the rules always leads to chaos.

The thing is, rules aren't always absolute. Think why we have courts and case law when the "rules" are written as statutes.

I'd much rather have a society of leaders who make decisions and judgement calls using "rules" as needed to back them up. Police officers exercise this discretion every day when they choose if to stop someone. Two campers fitting in a spot? No issue for me. Two diesel pushers that don't? Tell them to move. Or why can't the "rule" just be fit in your spot?

Unfortunately we are becoming more and more a society of rules and procedures. I see it in schools and my workplace alike. Unfortunately the fear of discrimination lawsuits has driven decision making to the flowchart.

If rules are so absolute, would you enforce quiet time if only one campsite in the campground were occupied? hmmm...

[anutami]

Lantley wrote:
At some point the rules are in place to establish and maintain order.
The inmates cannot run the asylum.
The Why's can always be applied:
Why is quite time 10:00 instead of 11? Why are no campfires allowed?
Why do you charge extra for visitors? Why can't I have 10 on a site?
Why is the can't I make the rules as I see fit?
We all know 2 TC's parked together today will lead to 2 diesel pusher trying to squeeze together tomorrow.
If the rules are stated I commend the ranger for enforcing them.
Letting the inmates make the rules always leads to chaos.

If you can please point me in the direction where these rules are stated would be greatly appreciated.

[rexlion]

Lantley wrote:
At some point the rules are in place to establish and maintain order.
The inmates cannot run the asylum.
The Why's can always be applied:
Why is quite time 10:00 instead of 11? Why are no campfires allowed?
Why do you charge extra for visitors? Why can't I have 10 on a site?
Why is the can't I make the rules as I see fit?
We all know 2 TC's parked together today will lead to 2 diesel pusher trying to squeeze together tomorrow.
If the rules are stated I commend the ranger for enforcing them.
Letting the inmates make the rules always leads to chaos.

You are so right! I found that out last year, teaching 7th grade math. Give them an inch and they take a mile.

[jimh406]

Actually, TCs are sometimes considered RVs and sometimes not. Sometimes allowed in Tent spots and sometimes not. I understand that some of you fivers that are visiting this forum like the rule and that's ok, but it doesn't make the rules any less arbitrary.

[2RVNuts]

toedtoes wrote:
At the one campground that wouldn't let my 21ft C and my friend's toyota chinook stay in a single site, the host said the rule was "if you can sleep in it, it's not an allowable second vehicle". As people can sleep in any vehicle and do, that seemed like a silly rule. When I've asked around at other campgrounds, they've all said it's no problem because the chinook fit into the site and it was no bigger than a mini-pickup with a shell and there were only 2 people in total.

Yes, there are a multitude of justifications, just as there are a multitude of reasons. My logic is: be prepared.

For me, at campgrounds I go to regularly and that have allowed it, I don't worry about it. Same with campgrounds in off-season. If I'm told no upon arrival, we just get a second campsite. At unknown campgrounds in high season, I just reserve 2 campsites or a double campsite and play it safe.

Both of your vehicles are considered campers, (Dah)

[2RVNuts]

Most campgrounds we have stayed in, private, state, or National Parks all says one RV per sight. Some say two vehicles which they are meaning a toad or separate car or truck. Your two truck campers is considered a camper (RV) just as two class B or camper vans would be. This goes back to common sense. Now I will say a lot of state parks have double camping sights for families or friends traveling together. They can camp side by side, but each of you have to pay for a separate sight even though they are together because thy are separate sights and hookups. Campers get no specials on tent sights weather you pay for a hookup or not. Some do let a RV and a tent stay on the same sights. Just my 2 cents.

[Lantley]

At some point the rules are in place to establish and maintain order.
The inmates cannot run the asylum.
The Why's can always be applied:
Why is quite time 10:00 instead of 11? Why are no campfires allowed?
Why do you charge extra for visitors? Why can't I have 10 on a site?
Why is the can't I make the rules as I see fit?
We all know 2 TC's parked together today will lead to 2 diesel pusher trying to squeeze together tomorrow.
If the rules are stated I commend the ranger for enforcing them.
Letting the inmates make the rules always leads to chaos.

[Reddog1]

Freep wrote:

Reddog1 wrote:
I have had a similar experience. Camp ground was full, my buddy and I easily had room to park end to end in one space without sticking out of the space. I ask if we could pay for two spaces, although we only needed the one. The answer was no. A different time, we had the same experience at a privately owned Campground.

Did you ask why paying for two spaces while using one was not acceptable? Paying for two spaces seems like a win-win. What could possibly be the issue?

I did ask why could we not pay for two and only using one was not acceptable. Both times the response was because it was the rules. No other explanation.

[toedtoes]

At the one campground that wouldn't let my 21ft C and my friend's toyota chinook stay in a single site, the host said the rule was "if you can sleep in it, it's not an allowable second vehicle". As people can sleep in any vehicle and do, that seemed like a silly rule. When I've asked around at other campgrounds, they've all said it's no problem because the chinook fit into the site and it was no bigger than a mini-pickup with a shell and there were only 2 people in total.

Yes, there are a multitude of justifications, just as there are a multitude of reasons. My logic is: be prepared.

For me, at campgrounds I go to regularly and that have allowed it, I don't worry about it. Same with campgrounds in off-season. If I'm told no upon arrival, we just get a second campsite. At unknown campgrounds in high season, I just reserve 2 campsites or a double campsite and play it safe.

[Kayteg1]

For 20 years I was camping at the same lake that had several campgrounds.
I prefer the one who was under construction and for couple of seasons free of charge.
Driving 40' conversion at the time I had a favorite spot and knew about 6 more spots where I could fit.
Then another season come and they made the campground fees, put host at the gate and made "max 32' rule"
I went there and the host informed me about the rule, but after hearing that I've been parking my bus there for years, he "let me try"
Obviously I could not make the 1-way loop and had to go 50' against the traffic, but as always my bus fit with lot of space to spare.
But I was doing that in mid-week when only few sites were occupy. Don't try to do it Friday night.