Slow, the Forest Service is in a dammed if you do, dammed if you don't position. When they try to do controlled burns, and yes, there is a risk doing those, they are bombarded with complaints about the smoke. When they try to reduce fuels with machines--log it, they are faced with lawsuits. When they have a wildfire--like our Carlton Complex fire, they are accused of not fighting it aggressively enough and not getting it early enough.
What would you suggest? My suggestion would take a lot of planning and nicer roads. Anyplace where fuel loading was high, I'd put a campground in the middle of it and allow campers to gather campfire wood. You'll notice that areas around boondocking campsites are usually pretty devoid of deadwood.
It is easy to sit in the valley and armchair quarterback. And yes, I've worked on controlled burns, wildfires, timber sales and all of the above.
Now back to the topic. There are a lot of complaints about kids. Shouldn't we be driving in campgrounds extrememly slow so kids can survive letting their hair down and be kids?
One can add paying for showers to my list. I can see how it would encourage shorter showering times, but I still hate them. I like to use the state parks in Oregon, because their showers are free.
Things that bother me about Camp Grounds
Re: Things that bother me about Camp Grounds
by stumphugger » Fri Aug 01, 2014 8:44 am
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Re: Things that bother me about Camp Grounds
by JuneBug » Fri Aug 01, 2014 9:27 am
Can't agree with you more and I don't mind your rant at all; sadly, there are even calls for privatizing the national park system. I so miss the ranger-managed campgrounds of the past in national parks, and really glad I got to experience that as a child and as an adult. Campgrounds managed by concessioners are just a business. Showers by the minute, anyone?
I also recall a trip to Cloudcroft, NM about 10 years ago when we camped in the national forest. The campsites were spread out along a road (no close neighbors), but were awful. Even though these were car-camping sites, you could park, but had to step over a chain about two feet off the ground to carry your stuff over to the picnic table, which was about 60 ft or more away from the car. There were no openings in the chain, you had to step over it????? Almost all campsites were on a slope, so hard to pitch a tent. Just a horribly poor design for campers that would never have happened in "the old days" of competent professional foresters.
The camp area hosts were nice enough, but this isn't a place I'd go back to because of the horrible campsite planning.
I have had very positive experiences in state parks recently, though, especially New Mexico, Colorado, Utah.
My biggest annoyance? Loud, late night partiers/drinkers and anyone who thinks I want to listen to their music at any time of day.
A few years ago we went to a private campground called Paradise Canyon, on the Medina River just west of San Antonio, TX. Their rules? No glass, no radios (including car radios), no pets, no generators. Quiet time (no loud talking, no alcohol) begins at 11 pm. Family oriented. They just took the issues that caused the most problems and dealt with them in an appropriate way to make it a pleasant environment.
I also recall a trip to Cloudcroft, NM about 10 years ago when we camped in the national forest. The campsites were spread out along a road (no close neighbors), but were awful. Even though these were car-camping sites, you could park, but had to step over a chain about two feet off the ground to carry your stuff over to the picnic table, which was about 60 ft or more away from the car. There were no openings in the chain, you had to step over it????? Almost all campsites were on a slope, so hard to pitch a tent. Just a horribly poor design for campers that would never have happened in "the old days" of competent professional foresters.
The camp area hosts were nice enough, but this isn't a place I'd go back to because of the horrible campsite planning.
I have had very positive experiences in state parks recently, though, especially New Mexico, Colorado, Utah.
My biggest annoyance? Loud, late night partiers/drinkers and anyone who thinks I want to listen to their music at any time of day.
A few years ago we went to a private campground called Paradise Canyon, on the Medina River just west of San Antonio, TX. Their rules? No glass, no radios (including car radios), no pets, no generators. Quiet time (no loud talking, no alcohol) begins at 11 pm. Family oriented. They just took the issues that caused the most problems and dealt with them in an appropriate way to make it a pleasant environment.
Rainier70 wrote:I don't camp in campgrounds anymore, but I have in the past... A lot. I think the thing that bothers me the most about campgrounds now is the "privatization or selling" of our national forest campgrounds to concessions. It burns me to see a private business running OUR public land campgrounds for a huge profit.
I can think of one CG that I was last at in the Uintas a year or so ago. There are no hookups or special services provided, it is the same campground as before with the same pit toilets, no pads, no water etc. Where before it used to be free to park at the trailhead, and $5 to camp, now it is $15 to camp. There isn't even a campground host. No one is there. You also get to pay a day use fee if you park in the trailhead gravel lot. I paid $3 per day to Am L&L for the privilege of leaving my car in a National Forest Trailhead Parking lot that our tax money built. I might think differently if the lot was patrolled or had some kind of security. But again no change in anything there other than cost. So for a week of hiking you get to pay $21 to leave your car. And just exactly what service did they provide???
They haven't built anything, fixed anything, or improved anything. Instead of the Forest Service collecting the money out of the self pay pipes and the money going to improving the campground, it now goes to American Land and Leisure to improve their overhead. Sure it may cost them a little to empty the dumpster and pump out the pit toilets at the end of the year, but from what I have seen the cleaning and supplying of things like TP has gone down.
Rant over. I'll get back on my meds.
"The large print giveth; the small print taketh away" Tom Waits
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I tell my wife if the seat is up you can sit down with confidence knowing that it is clean and dry. 
In my office we have unisex bathroom and women complain when we leave the seat up because they don't like to touch it, but what about us guys having to touch it. Now I put down both the lid and the seat and haven't heard a complaint.
