I'm going camping close to home as a shake down before our bigger camp trip.
We never go to private campgrounds except a select few. Reason is that many are just garbage with unkept campsites, run down permanent campsites, and/or lack of nice trails and fishing. Some are just mobile-home parks with campers.
Now there are some fair private parks out there made mainly for socializing and parties, and a select few that offer rustic forest campsites. The 3 I know of that offer rustic camping have gone for the worst. One just shut down because of family issues. The other was sold to a younger yuppie couple who changed it into a Jellystone look a like based more on an amusement park theme than a rustic/nature theme. Add insult to injury they raised prices out of this world. Not much cheaper than a hotel stay. The third is rustic but raised their prices so high it's cheaper to rent a hotel room for overnight, then go to the state park on day trips where you can have a fire, fish, or hike for the day.
Now I know why the State Parks are so filled, with private campgrounds not being as nice and/or being much more expensive. Can't see how anyone with a tent would want to go to a private campground anymore.
Prices never were so high just 5 years ago. Boy have they escalated up. Surprised they get any business but obviously people are willing to pay.
With the expensive price of a trailer, it's upkeep, and it's licensing, the addition of expensive campgrounds would likely kill the hobby if it weren't for the State Parks more reasonable campsite pricing and beautiful offerings.
Just disappointing that's there is so few State Parks.
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