Campground Rules? Or really just suggestions to be ignored?

[Susan Premo]

I had an incident last weekend where I asked the campground host to turn off his giant sound system (I can't emphasize enough the word giant) at 12:30 am. He started swearing at me and put his fist in my face saying I was now banned for life. Later that week, people who had reserved for the week were also told to leave. The campground is affiliated with the Lions Club of Alberta. I sent an incident report to all of the clubs executive but have not been told what their actions will be. The campground was called Castle River rodeo grounds campground.

Wow what a jack ass! Drinker?

 

[nancylc]

Lately I've noticed a number of threads across several forums where members discuss the campground rules they just ignore. Comments like "if the campground's owners don't know" or "better to beg forgiveness than ask permission".

So what are the rules that get followed and which ones are ignored?

For example it seems like total length or height restrictions can't be ignored.

One of the resort camp ground here on our tri “dogs can NOT bark or you will be asked to leave “ …and it’s a premier park according to Co…2Co.

 

[Marlene60]

I could tell you some good stories about the bears and raccoons of Grundy..
1- the bears are smart.. there were two who hung out at the garbage bins in the evening.. they climbed on top of them and waited for unsuspecting campers to drop off garbage.. they only made noise, trying to scare people into dropping their garbage.. Staff actually had names for the pair and would go down and shoo them away if someone reported the bears..

2- the raccoons are even smarter.. had a whole family one night start cutting across my site to get into the tent campers dinning tent behind me (those people kept all t

Bringing firewood and alcoholic beverages are the ones I ignore. Actually, firewood is moot as we have switched to a gas firepit.

heir food in coolers and boxes in that tent).. short list of what I know was stolen that night.. marshmallows, bacon, fudge, at least 1 loaf of bread, sausages, bag of chips and an attempted theft of their Tim's donuts ... Park rangers on foot patrol heard all the yelling as the raccoons attacked the dinning tent... lol campers we

I have only ever found it at Sandbanks Provincial Campground but it sounds like the original poster may have found it more often. I have camped across all of Canada ~ except for NFL. It was the only park I saw for it but in fairness, I didn't specifically look for it at the other campgrounds.

There are lots of radio free zones in our Provincial Parks. As ive heard "if you need a radio in the wllderness, you are missing the point"

 

[Marlene60]

Nearly any noise, except nature, is annoying at 6 am when the only barrier between you and the noise is a thin layer of cloth at most or a piece of window screen in the least.

I hear you- we have to be so careful as we are early risers. Im talking 4 a.m.
We try and get the coffee pot ready to roll the night before so we are not banging around with the pot and pouring water. We try hard but when the sun is up, so are we.

 

[Marlene60]

Bringing fire wood

Not a good rule to break. The risk of bringing insects that can destry entire forests is frightening. Selfish and ignorant.

 

[Tonya Harding]

60 years ago, I could ping the wing off a gnat's azz at 20 meters w/ a wrist rocket; w/ today's technology, probably squeeze double that or more...just a thought...

 

[rob.mwpropane]

We went camping out in western MD. Quiet hours were 11pm. At 10 we were all laughing and joking hysterically, like that belly hurting tears running kind. Ranger comes out of nowhere and starts asking my buddy (who's 6'5" and pushing 300#) "what's so funny... what was the joke". He was very insistent in knowing what the joke was... buddy refused to tell him, said it was none if his business. He was looking for drugs and alcohol. Inspected under chairs with flashlights and made a real big point about saying no alcohol (which, joke was on him, we weren't drinking, lol). Just a couple people in the woods laughing. And of course we were quiet @ 11... no issues. Strange situation... the guy was acting like he wanted a fight. Same feeling you get when a cop pulls you over and you can tell he was mad before he ever got there and no matter what you do he'll be mad.

The lights that beam from under someone's camper like a rock show is about to start is uncalled for. Would be nice if there was a "bright lights out" time. I will never say anything though.. that's your right I suppose.

Last trip our very loud very drunk neighbors let their dogs loose.. next morning there was a MASSIVE pile of dog waste in our driveway. I said something to the guy and he cleaned it up without issue but didn't seem happy about it. Kind of acted like it wasn't his dog, lol... no one else had 2 huge dogs do not on a leash??

P.S.- I love dogs. I'm also a firm believer in "camp and let camp". As long as you're not too overbearing I can tolerate a lot.

I really, really prefer boondocking away from everyone so I don't have to deal with any of it.

 

[jeepster04]

your question reminds of a state park i was checking into. They required that i sign a statement that yes i will back in to my site (a site that was booked as a back-in site). i had never been asked that before and was incredulous - but they said that yes, it was a problem and that there were usually two or three people a year that take the AC unit off their camper by a tree branch because they decided to pull across the grassy area into the site instead of backing in.

Local campground has this same policy but people still manage to pull in when it appears to be an impossible situation. Ive seen people do very strange things, like park their vehicle on the camping pad then put their tent where they should have their vehicle parked. They blocked their vehicle in with the tent.

 

[tfischer]

#3 is interesting ~ it seems like common sense not to keep your hose and your sewer hose in the same place??? I guess there are a lot of simpletons out there.

I missed that. Are they essentially saying "never use water hook-ups"?

 

[Chris I]

Diesel was much louder. Late model diesel pickup trucks are very quiet and much more odor free.

Except for the roughly 10-15% of them that are modified by the owner to be significantly louder and dirtier on purpose.

 

[Susan Premo]

Except for the roughly 10-15% of them that are modified by the owner to be significantly louder and dirtier on purpose.

They stink and are still.loud, they look newer, but they're still noisy.

 

[Bullfrog Bheer]

There is always one whose dog won't stop barking. If your dog can't be trained to be quiet, don't take it camping.

And there's always one who thinks the whole campground wants to hear their music. That really gets me irate. I always have music on, but I make sure the volume is such that you can't hear it beyond my site.

And who care about the CG rules if they don't enforce them anyway. We used to camp at a private CG all the time and they were really strict on golf carts...on paper. All drivers had to be at least 16 and licensed and proof of insurance and prudent speed and no carts FULL of riders. What a joke. I don't know how many times we almost got run over by golf carts full of young kids. And it was always the permanent sites kids so nothing was ever done. We don't go there anymore.

 

[1380ken]

Not a good rule to break. The risk of bringing insects that can destry entire forests is frightening. Selfish and ignorant.

I bring lumber scraps from a shed company. No insects

 

[Sjm9911]

There is always one whose dog won't stop barking. If your dog can't be trained to be quiet, don't take it camping.

And there's always one who thinks the whole campground wants to hear their music. That really gets me irate. I always have music on, but I make sure the volume is such that you can't hear it beyond my site.

And who care about the CG rules if they don't enforce them anyway. We used to camp at a private CG all the time and they were really strict on golf carts...on paper. All drivers had to be at least 16 and licensed and proof of insurance and prudent speed and no carts FULL of riders. What a joke. I don't know how many times we almost got run over by golf carts full of young kids. And it was always the permanent sites kids so nothing was ever done. We don't go there anymore.

Thats us now, anytime anyone walks by the guys campsite the dog goes nuts. That includes me on my site by my camper. Kicker is they have like a 100 foot leash so the dog can go around there camper and on my site. Hate to say it, but bear spray is in my future take on all trips list.

 

[J Starsky]

I bring lumber scraps from a shed company. No insects

I take good, clean pallets and cut off the thin stringer boards with the circular saw. I lay those boards in the rear of the burban, like a fake floor in two layers. Cover with Hobo Freight blankets, and I have dry fire starters, bug safe, to travel with anywhere. I've never had a issue with folks around the campgrounds. No Nails in the waste, the way I do it.

 

[p]

I had an incident last weekend where I asked the campground host to turn off his giant sound system (I can't emphasize enough the word giant) at 12:30 am. He started swearing at me and put his fist in my face saying I was now banned for life. Later that week, people who had reserved for the week were also told to leave. The campground is affiliated with the Lions Club of Alberta. I sent an incident report to all of the clubs executive but have not been told what their actions will be. The campground was called Castle River rodeo grounds campground.

Follow-up...two months later the host and his wife were let go.

 

[neighbormike]

Too bad it took two months, but glad it got resolved…. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get you or anyone else their vacations back….

 

[BillOh]

I can't think of too many rules you just "ignore" or "ask forgiveness" on but I'm looking forward to what other's say.

I can only think of one that I have done this knowingly. Most campgrounds tell you up front about visitor rules and charges. Most of the time it is because of activities and facilities such as swimming pools. Last year we visited a campground near my old home town. They asked, are you planning on having any visitors? We truely said No we weren't. That day I ran into an old friend and invited him up. He couldn't make it till after the store was closed. I directed him to our site, we sat quietly at our campfire and enjoyed catching up. He left, nobody was the wiser.

 

[tfischer]

I can only think of one that I have done this knowingly. Most campgrounds tell you up front about visitor rules and charges. Most of the time it is because of activities and facilities such as swimming pools. Last year we visited a campground near my old home town. They asked, are you planning on having any visitors? We truely said No we weren't. That day I ran into an old friend and invited him up. He couldn't make it till after the store was closed. I directed him to our site, we sat quietly at our campfire and enjoyed catching up. He left, nobody was the wiser.

I did the same last summer. We were at a "resort" campground where visitors were supposed to check in and pay $10 each. It was my son's birthday, and we met my brother and his wife for dinner at a nearby town. We decided to go back to our campsite for cake and conversation afterword. All the activities were already closed, as was the main office. It would be ridiculous to have them pay $20 so they could sit by our fire (which was made up of wood already purchased from the campground). One would have to be insane to go to the office the next day and pay up.

 

[Canoe2fish]

Lately I've noticed a number of threads across several forums where members discuss the campground rules they just ignore. Comments like "if the campground's owners don't know" or "better to beg forgiveness than ask permission".

So what are the rules that get followed and which ones are ignored?

For example it seems like total length or height restrictions can't be ignored.

I’m rules driven. I follow them all. Especially if it affects neighbours, fire safety, wildlife, ecosystems/enviro etc.

If there’s an alcohol ban I might cheat by having beer in a drink cup (I never get blitzed just a few on my site so I don’t see it as a rule that’s horrible to break)