Getting sick of campgrounds

[Mike_Up]

I love camping but it seems camping is so popular now that my area just doesn't have enough campgrounds to make weekend camping enjoyable anymore.

As it is right now, you can't go to the park without a reservation a month or two in advance. Gone are the days of getting off work, hooking up and going to the park to find a spot. There's no spots to be had.

And then when I can get a site, it's less than enjoyable any more.

State parks have really declined letting trash take over and break every rule on the books. It's to the point it's nothing but a party spot at Indiana State Parks. It's either the drunks or it's the neighbors with 15' dog leashes, with their animals in my site.

I was wanting to go camping but then I thought, WHY. Every time I go to an Indiana State park that I love, the DNR doesn't enforce any of the rules and it's a free for all for all the drunks and partiers. I want to enjoy being out in nature which is very hard to do any more with the screaming, yelling, and barking. I thought that was for the bars and nightclubs?

Then the private campgrounds in my area are not what they were either. They use to be rustic, affordable, woodsy sites. Now the older couples that use to own them, have sold out to foreigners or out of staters, who have turned them into RV parking lots charging twice what they use to and nickel and diming you for everything including A/C and dump station use.

It's a shame how the campgrounds have gotten trashy or more urban with little to do with nature any more.

I love my camper but it sees little use anymore and I just don't have the time to drive to the better rustic parks in the state that are less crowded, more civil, and quieter.

I hope this passes as I love my Jay Flight especially since the new models don't offer the features or build mine has from 2012. BUT I may be inclined to sell it next year because I'm losing the love for camping. I like seclusion and nature, I can socialize and party at the local pub. 😉

Am I alone if my observation?

[Mike_Up]

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments.

I guess it's just the area I live in. I have 3 state park campgrounds within 2 hours and either they are always filled up from reserves or have issues as I've spoken about. Yes, they are all close to Metropolitan areas and could be why. But for weekend camping, that's what I have.

I have about 10 or 11 private campgrounds but they are what I consider less than desirable.

Most play favorites to the Diesel pusher motor home crowd and are glorified parking lots with a picnic table and fire ring in a very VERY narrow site.

Others are amusing parks resembling trailer parks. Actually I've seen nicer local trailer parks.

Then the others are just not kept up or maintained, or are extension off of the owners home where they want you to unhook if you leave the the camper. Ridiculous.

I did find one that is very nice, kept up, clean but is right off of the expressway and next to truck stops with all the jake brake noise and such. I actually went here because it's the best offering right now for a short, unplanned trip. Not cheap at almost twice the cost of a state park but it's my only real option if I want to camp in a nice spot and not be right on top of my neighbor.

I agree, more and more people are buying campers and if any thing, campgrounds are getting worse, closing more campsites due to lack of maintenance, and no new campgrounds are being built.

I guess in my area, there really isn't the room for nice forest oriented campgrounds and perhaps as suggest, regulations are keeping private campgrounds from opening. I know one of my previous liked private campgrounds had to close sites because they didn't meet new state regulations. In fact, they now don't offer camping for none members. You must buy a yearly membership and site lease to camp there now.

[Mike_Up]

Passin Thru wrote:
GOSH! I go camping to get away from all that yelling, screaming, dog barking. but I take my wife anyway.

Don't let her see this post.:p

[Heavy_Metal_Doc]

I have my fingers crossed that our next weekend camping out is not ruined by the issues the OP brought up. We have reservations at a CG within and hour of DC / Baltimore metro area. We where going to have a group camping weekend farther out, but some of our group don't want to drive far for "just a short weekend". I have hopes that it won't be too bad since it is a small commercial CG with limited amenities and not much for kids activities to draw families (I love kids, just not the screaming through the CG type).

I usually prefer a minimum of 3 to 4 hours drive north and west , away from the city and / or the beach craziness, up into the mountains. My wife even gives me a slight hard time on the long drive after a work day issue, but I always remind her that I have more ambition to drive farther to escape the idiots than I do have tolorance for spending my off time being annoyed by them. I (and my siblings who also camp / RV ) even avoid the advertised "getaway" locations around our region - no beach, no Poconos, no Raystown lake -too crowded / crazy....IMO, people are like caged rats - too many in too small of and area and someone is gonna chew on someone else's tail....

One trip to a DE state park was the worst camping experience I have ever had - the loud drunken parties did not stop all night long. One camper was chopping firewood all night...looking back, I realized the fact that they had the largest quiet hours / rules sign I have ever seen should have been a clue.....

[dewey02]

JCR-1 wrote:
The RV industry has exploded in the past couple decades. The campgrounds are just not being built fast enough to accommodate the huge increases in demand. State and National parks are not expanding or building any new ones just like boat ramps are getting harder and harder to find. Ever go to a boat ramp on a weekend ..Forgetaboutit.!Same with camping. Unless more are built Walmart will be the future camping grounds..and when the drunks screw that up.. Then its over.. rest areas will be next.. Over population is a a serious concern .

X2
I've always thought the same thing. Thousands of RVs, 5ers, Travel trailers being sold each year. Thousands of baby boomers retiring each year and buying RVs. And very few new campgrounds being built or added to National Forests, National Parks, State Parks and Forests, etc.

[Passin_Thru]

GOSH! I go camping to get away from all that yelling, screaming, dog barking. but I take my wife anyway.

[Johno02]

Whatever you do, if you are not a Tennessee resident, do not stay in Tennessee State Parks! Go down to Mississippi, or Arkansas, or even Florida! That way, those of us in Tennessee can find a really nice campground for several days around and including weekends without having to drive across three states. However, a lot of us in Tennessee, even with senior and resident prices, are getting priced out of the Tennessee State parks. I know of several private campgrounds nearby that are a lot better value for the money than our state parks.

[JCR-1]

The RV industry has exploded in the past couple decades. The campgrounds are just not being built fast enough to accommodate the huge increases in demand. State and National parks are not expanding or building any new ones just like boat ramps are getting harder and harder to find. Ever go to a boat ramp on a weekend ..Forgetaboutit.!Same with camping. Unless more are built Walmart will be the future camping grounds..and when the drunks screw that up.. Then its over.. rest areas will be next.. Over population is a a serious concern .

[Jwall62]

Up here in the northeast there is no BLM land and any free camping you find its at your own risk of having some zealous unknowing city/town cop coming up and kicking you out at 2AM. Not too many of the Walmarts are RV friendly, there's no Flying J or pilots etc etc. we're stuck with the campgrounds and state parks (that have a 14 day total use limit for the season).

[PAAK]

That's the problem up here, when the salmon are running, everybody and their brothers are here and it gets really hard to get a site. The local campground closes on Sunday so I took my TT to the campground at lunch today and there were on 3 others there. I hope it stays that way. Although the sites are very wide with plenty of trees. It really is a great place to camp if you don't have much time to get far away.

[Jayco-noslide]

It's nice snowbirding because most of the campers are seniors who are quiet and pleasant. However, even when spring break hits we haven't had many problems. The teal partyiers don't camp. usually.

[IdaD]

Campgrounds are great when you're vacationing somewhere and want to save some bucks on a hotel. We really enjoyed the Anaheim RV Park next to Disneyland this summer, for example. Great place to sleep and get a shower, and maybe a midday nap some days. Oregon State parks on the coast would be another good example.

Beyond those types of scenarios I have no use for campgrounds. Happily we're loaded up with public land out west that's full of great free and secluded camping spots.

[Mark_and_Linda]

Sitting down here in the Middle of Tennessee, near numerous campgrounds, State and Army Corps with an hours drive. If you want a camping spot near a lake, you had better be ready at the stroke of Midnight when the date/range is available. We book in January and February for a spot in July at an Army Corps. Since the DW is now retired, we are more flexible...Sunday to Friday. Heading out tomorrow for a campground not 20 miles away, found one spot available that we like and have been too before. We have reservations made for next July at a Georgia State Park to be sure we get one for the week of July 4th. We have been lucky so far in our camping experiences, I guess. Most of our campgrounds have a sign up, No Alcoholic Beverages. I seen a ranger confront a camper because he was blatantly displaying a bottle of beer while sitting outside. There is a reason for the red Solo cups. I can't stand the rowdy campers either...no respect for others. Camping one time and a group was setting up their campsite across from us, we could tell it was not going to be a good night. A miracle happened from above..a lightning bolt hit about 50 yards away. In just a few minutes that camping spot was completely empty, the only drawback was it kicked off several power pedestals. Yes, the camping scene has changed so much, many state parks have not been updated for the growth. Many of our state parks here have been updated and many are in the process depending on the budget. On the original post...write an email to your parks commissioner and see what their response is, if they are doing their job they should see what the problem is and try to change things for the best. When I am at a state campground I try to talk to any ranger or campground host that I can...good comments or bad. On the charging for out of state campers, this is not to encouraging for the tourism.

[mike-s]

dewey02 wrote:
I would have a very difficult time complying with this permit requirement. You are supposed to post your name and address, when you arrived and when you departed and then leave it at the site after you've left.

Yea, I understand. There's a part on the bottom where a DNR officer can fill in the location. If that's not filled in when I leave I just take it with me. Otherwise I'd be littering (there are laws against that, you know). The only thing I want to leave is tire tracks. 😉

[Rburkes]

I wish more people would give it up.....
Just kidding. ...We now go during the week since
we both are retired...Really loving the COE parks in Alabama and Georgia...