Campsite Etiquette

[Bill-N-Donna]

I know this subject has been hashed out before but this is ridicules. I have never seen such disrespect for campgrounds as what I’ve seen this year. Not only in how the site is left but kids staying up real late and running around other people's campers. I like kids and try to be tolerating of things but I don’t think they should be staying up real late and especially be running around other people's campers.

We’ve been out twice this year and both times this has happened. I even picked up a cookie wrapper where it appeared to be just thrown on our site after someone finished with it. Not only kids but one weekend we had adults cutting through our lot just to save a few steps.

This photo is what one site looked like after someone left. This wasn’t our fire pit but I also had to clean a few cans out of ours before it was used.

I only hope it’s not like this everywhere.

View Photo Here!

I placed a link because
I'm having trouble sizeing it properly with Photo Bucket.

[washley1]

It seems there is a whole new generation of campers that have no clue how to control their kids, and unfortunately themselves! Especially obnoxious are the weekenders who pull on late on a Friday afternoon. I think the scenario is they took off after work, drove a couple of hundred miles, and when they got into camp, they were so relived to be there they let the kids go blow off steam on their own while Mom and Dad set up camp. Once finished, they only want to relax so they fire up the grill AND the outdoor TV AND the outdoor stereo system and let the kids run amuck. At least the kids are out of the campsite and out of THEIR hair. If and when our own kids take up camping with their kids at least they were trained from a young age to be respectful of everyone else. Sorry for this bad experience you have had. Sorry for the bad experience we ALL have had!

[mazboy]

just a reflection of our society........we're heading downward in our society.

[DQDick]

Parents spend little or no time interacting with their children these days so it's no surprise camping isn't any different. Since we work for government entities at least once a year we've seen this sort of behavior for the last few years. As budgets decrease and ranger staff is cut it isn't going to get any better. My only question is who told folks that beer cans and bottles burn?

[BB_TX]

We were at a COE park a few weeks ago at a nearby lake. About sundown two girls, one maybe 12 the other maybe 8, came to our site. The oldest asked to use my phone. She was trying to get in touch with her parents as she did not know where there were. Called her mother, no answer. Called her father, no answer. They went back to their popup about a hundred yards away. Very few sites were occupied so I could see their site easily. I watched that way off and on until I saw a car finally pull up at just about dark.
Incredible stupidity.

[Virginia Young]

They went off and left their 12 and 8 year old daughters in a pop-up at a campground!!! Sadly, we may be hearing about these girls on the news some day . . .

[cdaniels]

On our fl trip last year we where across from the tenting sites. In came a family and for 4 days straight at least 4x a day they cut through our site as if it was a walk way to the bath house. We finally moved our truck across the front of our site. Problem solved for us. They then walked through the neighbors. Funny thing we where an end site. Only a few extra steps to walk around. Lazy and rude. Fortunately they are usually the minority. Most campers are a great group of people.

[pineranch]

Campground owners or host are often negligent in enforcing rules. Why post rules then look the other way. Saw it numerous times this spring. Agree with previous post, manners in decline. I will speak up when I see rude behavior.
Mike

[CORattler]

Last time we were camping, I had to ask the state park rangers to speak with the obnoxious people that were camping next to us that were "party central" , playing their music way too loud and playing bocci ball within 15 feet of our rig when we were sitting outside, invading our privacy. Their kids were running amok unsupervised after dark, one as young as 3. I could go on...
These inconsiderate, self centered scum were oblivious to other campers and campsites. They succeeded in ruining our trip.
Here's hoping our next trip goes much better.

[JandC]

Bill-n-Donna, if I was assigned a site and found the fire pit in that shape, I would be going back to the office the first chance I got and tell them to come clean it out. Maybe if more folks did that they would start watching closer and make some of their campers clean up after themselves. We have been soooooo lucky so far not to have bad neighbors but I know our day is coming. CG managers are going to have to start monitoring their customers better instead of just taking the money and giving them the WiFi code.

[Art-n-Marge]

Now you know why I don't like camping close to the restroom any more. With the Monty having all the facilities we don't have to become the thruway and we park as far as we can. In the past I have been known to suggest they walk around if they cut through. You'd be surprised how many actually apologize and go around after being told. It's amazing how many don't think about it even when it's written in paperwork they receive (but I don't read paperwork either). Fortunately, I have always been more considerate than most and have never had to be corrected by anyone, and I also remove my hat (or cap) when entering a building like my daddy taught me back in the 50's and stand up when there are no seats and women or children are standing, and when we take walks, the wife is always on the "inside".

I've been known to leave wood remnants but if it can't be burnt, then the fireplace should be cleared. I'm also a big fan of leaving any site better looking than when I got there. That's been easy to do with bread wrapper ties, cigarette butts, bottle caps or tabs, etc. I have not run into a completely clean site, yet, but it's real clean when I leave.

Bill-n-Donna, one of these days, I hope you set up where I've just left, and then you'll gain that some people still give a darn. I'm guessing I'll feel the same way when I arrive where you've just left.

[paulinbaja]

Manners do seem to be on the decline. What a shame. I remember camping in tents and leaving everything unattended all day long and all was well. What a shame the concept of respect has alluded us so.

As consumers we control the environment. If we accept poor manners and stay in campgrounds with poor mannered campers we are supporting this behavior. We NEED to let the management know of the quality of our stay every time we camp. If it is a private campground or Forest service location a sincere and frank comment card is needed.

Campground hosts are often volunteers and those that are paid are paid minimum wage and then asked to work very hard for their little pay. They also have to live in the campground and sometimes the inconsiderate campers are more than inconsiderate, they are evil. The hosts have to protect all the campers and themselves from harm. They are often far from law enforcement support and sometimes even outside of cell service.

Some campgrounds are noted for their "party" atmosphere. Near college towns it is hard to control the groups.

Choose carefully the campground, always give feedback to the management, and more that anything use your consumerism--that is take your dollars to the campgrounds that meet your needs.

[CORattler]

I was in scouting for many years and was taught to "leave no trace behind" and "pack it in - pack it out".
I also still live by the scout motto - "be prepared". Good ideals then and still good now.
It's always nice to associate with those of similar values.

[richfaa]

Been staying in Campground for over 25 years and see little difference .For years we were weekend campers and stayed in many local campgrounds with our local group. Camping is one of the few activities that is affordable for families and they were always having fun. We still go to a couple of those campground with that same local group and see little difference in kids, manners, etc. Perhaps the biggest difference is that we are now much older and many of the things that we and our kids did is annoying to us????

There have always been inconsiderate and rude campers. We have not had anything taken from our campsite over the years

[old turbo]

Most campgrounds have a rules sheet but no one takes the time to read the sheet. I love camping on beer bottle caps,cigarette filters,floss pics,pull tabs and a fire pit full of trash. New rules at one park states that trash bags should be set out at 10 am till 11 am for pickup so the critters including sea gulls do not tear them open if put out the night before or early in the morning. Most follow the rules but a few still put it out early. I still love my camping and will clean up a dirty site.

[PackerFan]

Being a Camp Host at a COE Park we have seen a lot of the things mentioned here and it is so sad. We try our best to keep up on things and stop it when we can. So many times we are just given the vacant stare while we are talking with the offenders and we know we are just wasting our breath. One camper even told me once to go and f**k off. The next visitor he got was the Ranger I called and he was told to pack up his stuff and get out immediately! We do have to do a balancing act sometimes as "paulinbaja" mentioned earlier. Most of the issues do seem to come from the younger campers though. But we must say though that a majority of the campers are great and really try to follow the rules.

[Overlord]

"Where are we going? ....and why are we in this hand-basket?!"

[Slink]

I can't have my grandkids to visit because I disaplin them if they are out of line, new times cause my girls were not raised that way'
sad folks don't take time with kids today

[Montana4two]

This is the problem with parents now. As long as the kids are not bugging them, everything is fine. Never mind that they are disturbing someone else. Also, the parents have not learned (probably can't be bothered) camping etiquette. As long as they are having a good time, someone else will clean up their mess. I don't k ow what the solution is. No matter how many rules are printed and given to people when they check in, there is no way to make them read the rules and follow them. Here at the LTVA at Imperial Dam, some think that the rules are a mere "suggestion" and don't really apply to them

[Happycamperscolorado]

sad fact of the matter is i have seen this to much lately from parents. some parents done care what their kids do. i have neighbors that let their kids run outside screaming at the top of their lungs for NO reason. have i yelled at them? darn right. am i good with those neighbors? NO don't speak to me at all. not like when i grew up were a back hand was a good thing and so was the belt. I am no worse for it but BETTER. things are changing for the worse if you ask me. when we boondock, i make sure i am far enough away from others and that is not so hard to do in colorado. i have to admit that camping at Canon Bonito RV park and fly fisherman club for the last 2 years at we have not had to deal with a lot of that
those issues. not a lot of kids to speak so. to far away from things i guess.