Camping Inflation

[honda03842]

Myrtle Beach State Park has broken a magical price level, full hook up sites are now $50 and electric/water sites are $32. Yikes.

[mary and bob]

Huntington Beach State Park has had increases recently also. Campsite price depends on what day you are there, especially around a holiday. We were told that each park sets their own prices, and they have to be self supporting. Over this past Thanksgiving weekend we paid two different prices for the same site.

[Dick & Joanne]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Myrtle Beach State Park has broken a magical price level, full hook up sites are now $50 and electric/water sites are $32. Yikes.

I was thinking of that when the $50 Wisconsin rates came up a couple months ago.
We were just left there last Wednesday. Sorry we missed you.

[Raz]

The campgrounds in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore are suppose to go to $28 from $20 - $23. No hook ups. You can now make reservations for an additional fee. Note that reservations are not site specific and the campgrounds only fill on the summer holiday weekends. Raz

[WDavidG]

Just checked on fees for the Maine state park campgrounds (Cobscook is a favorite) and they also have substantial increases: for 2016 they are $30 + $5 reservation fee (per day, not one time) + an increased state lodging tax of 9% for a total of over $38/day. This is for a non-serviced site. Maine residents do get a $10 reduction.

[Byron Kinnaman]

National Park administered place aren't immune drastic price increases. Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Fees for 2015:
Entry fee $10.00
Camping fee $10.00
For 2016 (as of Jan 1, 2016
Entry fee $20.00
Camping fee $20.00

Exactly double over night.

[RogerDat]

Wow! Used to be the saying was "one paycheck away from being homeless and in the camper" Now it should be "one two week camping trip away from...." wait where was I going with this?"

[Raz]

Originally Posted by WDavidG

......an increased state lodging tax of 9% for a total of over $38/day.

Maine has a short camping season so I understand they need to pay for the facilities when they can but a 9% lodging tax to stay in your own trailer just rubs me the wrong way. Raz

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

National Park administered place aren't immune drastic price increases. Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Fees for 2015:
Entry fee $10.00
Camping fee $10.00
For 2016 (as of Jan 1, 2016
Entry fee $20.00
Camping fee $20.00

Exactly double over night.

Wasn't camping only $5 rather recently. Going to $20 is a 100% inflation over $10. oops there's no inflation.....

[RogerDat]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

National Park administered place aren't immune drastic price increases. Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Fees for 2015:
Entry fee $10.00
Camping fee $10.00
For 2016 (as of Jan 1, 2016
Entry fee $20.00
Camping fee $20.00

Exactly double over night.

How long has the price been at the $10 level it was in 2015? I can recall when it used to be $6 but that was a lot of years back. Most of my National land use has been forest service road access and that costs nothing.

Michigan was sort of smart about the state park entry fee, buy it with you license plate and it is at a reduced cost. The parks get that money "up front" and year round. The other thing is the residents of Mich. don't complain nearly as much when price of entry sticker at the campground goes up since that is most often paid by out of state tourist. Locals still feel like we be getting a deal since ours is cheaper with the license plate.

[Byron Kinnaman]

The prices I quoted are standard fees, no senior discounts.
Senior discounts make the jump from $5.00 per night to $10.00 per night. Senior Pass holders still have NO entry fee.
The last few years I typically stayed between 20 and 30, at 30 day that was $150 Today that same 30 days is $300. (I spent $60 at Lake Mead this year and moved on to Death Valley where it was $6 per night.)

One more thing the Lake is almost gone. In a few more years there wont' be a Lake Mead except in somebody memory. The water lever was down about 150' from 1940s high water mark.