campground listings - This isn't rocket science - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 08-06-2013, 10:06 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Name: asdf
Trailer: asdf
Alabama
Posts: 346
campground listings - This isn't rocket science

I am going up to get my Scamp 16 this coming weekend. I am not a fan of the paid campground experience so I start looking for national / state campgrounds. The feds have their system, each state has their own system. None of them work very well. Given the small size of the states in the northeast the state by state is a royal PITA.

I am looking at PA I think. It shows a hundred different campgrounds (state parks). It asks me the details of what I want, the size of my trailer, the type of my trailer, do I want electricity etc. Then it filters the results. I start clicking on each one in turn and am told that park doesn't meet my criteria.

HELLO!!! Why is it showing up in the map if it doesn't meet my criteria.

I spent hours last night looking (poking) futilely at campground after campground, state after state only to find this one has only tent sites, this one has no sites, this one is booked solid.

I assume that if I am a hiker I can expect to back little one man tent into any of these and set up camp, but what about us? Are we unwanted? Is this active obstructionism?

Or is it just me?

As a programmer / database guy this whole thing makes me cringe. Maryland's web system looks like a toy by some web designer selling suits. Some flash looking thingie, broken into districts. Excuse me, the whole damned state isn't as big as the county I grew up in. They need to break it into north / south / east / west? Then you pick one and poke and prod and ... move on to Virginia because MD isn't going to help me. LOTS of crap about tourist stuff, all about the battles fought and so forth. What about CAMP SITES AND RESERVATIONS?

To say I am disgusted is an understatement. Poke your finger at a park, show up and hope like hell you can camp there?

And so I turn to the infinite expertise of our members, their soothing and calm rational voices explaining how it all really works quite well... and just do...

So what do I do? I want a state or federal campground, somewhere between Hershey PA and Washington DC which will let me make a reservation. I have given up on electricity, just a spot to park the TT. Quiet, no pool, no general store, just a campsite. Water and sewer would be nice. Lacking that a hose and a dump station at the entrance?

Whaddayasay people. Caaaallllmmm meeeee dowwwwwnnnn and help me out.
jwcolby54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-06-2013, 10:17 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Byron Kinnaman's Avatar
 
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
Registry
I actually have 2 suggestions. One--National Forest Service.
Two -- National Parks

Generally Federal campgrounds are a lot cheaper than State Parks.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
Byron Kinnaman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-06-2013, 10:39 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
carlkeigley's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2013 Lil Snoozy #161 (SOLD)/2010 Tacoma
NE Oklahoma
Posts: 2,358
"I feel your pain," as Billy Bob Clinton would say.

Will this help?

Find a Park Using Our Campground Search | GoCampingAmerica.com
carlkeigley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-06-2013, 10:42 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
carlkeigley's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2013 Lil Snoozy #161 (SOLD)/2010 Tacoma
NE Oklahoma
Posts: 2,358
Or, this?

PA DCNR - Camping
carlkeigley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-06-2013, 10:45 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
carlkeigley's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2013 Lil Snoozy #161 (SOLD)/2010 Tacoma
NE Oklahoma
Posts: 2,358
COE (Corps of Engineers)

http://www.recreation.gov/campground...tByAgencyID.do
carlkeigley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-06-2013, 10:47 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
carlkeigley's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2013 Lil Snoozy #161 (SOLD)/2010 Tacoma
NE Oklahoma
Posts: 2,358
One more........

National Park Campgrounds and Camping - ReserveAmerica
carlkeigley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2013, 02:26 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
rabbit's Avatar
 
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
We were in Susquehana State Pk. week before last. Back in w/ 30 amp; water bib off site; single dump station for two loops but rationally arranged with an overhead swinging boom for rinse hose. Internet reservation for three nites beginning Sunday evening. Not weekend prime time (nature walk/gong show/bingo hall experience) certainly but the location satisfies your geographical criterion, John. I watched a few of those tense moments at Mission Control and suspect that even rocket science has it's share of aggro.

Incidentally, I MD.

jack
rabbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2013, 02:58 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
rabbit's Avatar
 
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
Once you've got the trailer and are headed home from (Backus MN? Hershey PA?) I recommend a look in at either Owens Creek Nat'l. Campground or Cunningham Falls State Park, both near Thurmont MD. If too far off the flight plan this time, maybe another.

jack
rabbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2013, 04:26 AM   #9
Member
 
AM Moats's Avatar
 
Name: Michelle
Trailer: 13' Scamp
Pennsylvania
Posts: 76
I live in that area in Pa. Try Pine Grove Furnace State Park or Caledonia State Park. Some sites have electricity. There's no sewer, but there is a dump station. Caledonia is larger, but I like Pine Grove a little better. You can google them or use the DCNR.state.pa.us link that others have provided above. Perhaps I'll get to see your FGRV traveling the area. I don't see them too often.
AM Moats is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2013, 06:19 AM   #10
Raz
Senior Member
 
Raz's Avatar
 
Trailer: Trillium 2010
Posts: 5,185
You might find what you want here.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...nds-58605.html

Since we bring an iPad, the Campwhere ap is the one we use. Raz
Raz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2013, 08:16 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Bobbie Mayer's Avatar
 
Trailer: Trails West Campster 1970
Posts: 3,366
Registry
This is the absolute worst time of year to find an open campground. You may be able to find Sunday-Tuesday nights but not weekends (not on a reservation system, anyway.) So all the above suggestions are a good idea.

Many campgrounds do have sites that are held for first come-first served, but it is hard to count on finding one of those when you are traveling.
Bobbie Mayer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2013, 09:34 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Bob Miller's Avatar
 
Trailer: Class A Motorhome
Posts: 7,912
I am afraid that short term planning is your downfall.

As Bobbie mentioned, looking for a site one week in advance in the month of August is sure to be a death march in most areas..... Those sites were all booked up months ago by those who were making their own vacation plans.

As an example, all the sites in the Yosemite Valley often book up within hours of the booking period opening, and that's months in advance. It's just the way it's done in 2013.

Best bet might be to just show up (no later than about 3PM) and try to get an available space due to cancellations.

And no, it's not a conspiracy against RVer's

And don't overlook <<<recreation.gov>>>



Bob Miller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2013, 10:25 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Byron Kinnaman's Avatar
 
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
Registry
There's two type of campgrounds one that requires reservation and one that doesn't. Many of Federal campgrounds are first come first serve. Because so many people feel they need a reservation the first come first serve campgrounds almost always have empty sites. When we're traveling we never have reservations, with very few exceptions. I know I can always find a place to sleep and move on.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
Byron Kinnaman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2013, 10:30 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Name: asdf
Trailer: asdf
Alabama
Posts: 346
Not so much short term planning as finally getting a possible date. I was goinhg to get the TT two weekends ago and got sent out of town on business at the last minute.

I booked into the Pine Grove state park (recommended by Michelle) this morning. Lots of open spaces still.
jwcolby54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2013, 10:45 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
rabbit's Avatar
 
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
Well there's Walmart; they'll keep the lights on for ya. As Bob reminds, planning one week out is not optimum. We reserved for our "week beginning" visit about three weeks out. Had a choice of five sites with electric and two loops of dry trailer/tent sites. At closer range time wise, sites with juice were unavailable Sun/Thurs. as well.

That's a time share at the old watering hole: the herds and hordes tied to school and work are going to go for the magic three day holidays; folks with a bit more lenient schedule can consider themselves kings of the campgrounds if they choose to wait until the wildebeasts have come and gone.

Impromptu x-country trips composed of one-niters probably isn't anyone's ideal camping trip. The model for that is long haul trucking and your beautifully-appointed parking space is most likely at Flying J.

jack
rabbit is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Priming a Coleman Rocket Pump amanda r Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 3 04-29-2010 07:03 PM
Science exam Legacy Posts Jokes, Stories & Tall Tales 2 02-16-2008 11:53 AM
Well, this isn't the way I planned it... Bobbie Mayer General Chat 3 08-15-2007 04:34 PM

» Trailer Showcase

2013

Daniel A.

Tiny

Pat Stipe
» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:10 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.