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Old 01-27-2019, 12:39 PM   #21
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Oregon figured out funding. Come to Oregon, camp... gamble and support our State Parks!

Florida supposedly uses its lottery revenue to fund education. But what it really does is transfer general fund money away from education and let the lottery fund the schools, with no net gain for education. Or so I've read.
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Old 01-27-2019, 01:24 PM   #22
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I see your point. Florida wants revenue from out of state; tourism is a big part of our economy. Even if a loop was not reserved for Floridians, I think there should be more unreserveable campsites, open to anyone. Since demand is so high I don't think there would be a risk of them staying empty.
At the same time , how many people would drive 2000 miles to Florida on the chance that there would be a campsite available
We Winter camped for several years in Georgia State Parks . We were amazed how many Floridians were camping at the Georgia Parks . We assumed it was because of the better weather conditions in Georgia but we came to learn that they were there because they couldn’t find campsites in Florida . I can see how this can be frustrating when you can’t get a site in your home state’s parks
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Old 01-27-2019, 01:28 PM   #23
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Florida supposedly uses its lottery revenue to fund education. But what it really does is transfer general fund money away from education and let the lottery fund the schools, with no net gain for education. Or so I've read.
Same up here, it's a shell game.

Stayed in Sebastian Inlet SP outside Vero Beach a few years ago. Folks were staying for 2 months by making 2 week reservations 3 days apart 11 months in advance. Stay for 2 weeks, head inland boondocking or some such for 3 nights, then start the next 2 week reservation.

Some tag teamed, spend 2 weeks in a nice park while your buddy did the same in another park, then swap. You knew the exact date a site would come up as available on the reservation system. Could spend 4 months between the 2 campgrounds if all worked out. Have seen this places other then FL too.
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Old 01-27-2019, 01:34 PM   #24
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One of the reasons we switched to Escape is the solar option. The state parks here in Penciltucky have a bias to family loops vs those with pets. It seems the hookups are reserved for non dog units. So I was determined to go camping with our dogs in the state parks and embarked on making the Escape a " free from hook ups" trailer so that we can camp far away from everyone but still have the experience.
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Old 01-27-2019, 01:48 PM   #25
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Hi: All... I don't like to "Gamble" on a winter site being avail. One park we like in the Fl. Panhandle on the way home is full due to the storm damage there. We will be Kamping on Asphalt at MEGA $$$"s as a result. The outdoor problem today is the water falling from the sky!!! Alf
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Old 01-27-2019, 02:09 PM   #26
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Overflow camping

We dry camp exclusively in our Escape 21 but are pleased that Arizona has some State and Regional Parks that have a first come, first served "overflow primitive" area that serves the needs of those without reservations. However, we do try to make reservations if we know our itinerary.
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Old 01-27-2019, 03:15 PM   #27
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One of the reasons we switched to Escape is the solar option. The state parks here in Penciltucky have a bias to family loops vs those with pets. It seems the hookups are reserved for non dog units. So I was determined to go camping with our dogs in the state parks and embarked on making the Escape a " free from hook ups" trailer so that we can camp far away from everyone but still have the experience.
I hear you. Made reservations at Codorus, for a nice site with the dog we'll be in no hookups. All the nice ones up at the top of the hill have hookups but no pets.
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Old 01-27-2019, 03:54 PM   #28
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Hi: All... I don't like to "Gamble" on a winter site being avail. One park we like in the Fl. Panhandle on the way home is full due to the storm damage there. We will be Kamping on Asphalt at MEGA $$$"s as a result. The outdoor problem today is the water falling from the sky!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie "Searchin' for my lost shaker of salt".
I know what you mean Alf. I was able to snag the last site at Big Lagoon SP near Pensacola for six nights beginning March 8, think we're bumping into ON and some states spring break.

As far as reserving goes I think the 50% rule should be in effect, as it is in one campground I was checking on yesterday.

At least most states and COE have a limited number of months ahead of when you can book unlike this province where reservations in past years opened at 7AM on first Monday in April for booking anytime in the year. The one time I booked that way I got on right at 7 to be something like 1500th in line. Fortunately the wait wasn't too long. I see this year they are splitting it into two days, the first for certain provincial parks (the popular ones) and the second for others.
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Old 01-27-2019, 04:26 PM   #29
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I know what you mean Alf. I was able to snag the last site at Big Lagoon SP near Pensacola for six nights beginning March 8, think we're bumping into ON and some states spring break.
Big Lagoon is a nice park with a relatively dark night sky for the area. In fact, my astronomy club holds "gazes" there. Maybe there will be one while you're there.
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Old 01-27-2019, 04:46 PM   #30
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You're in luck, Adrian. The Escambia Amateur Astronomy Association will hold a Winter Gaze at Big Lagoon on Saturday, March 9, weather permitting. Look for a group of nerds with telescopes. They'll be happy to show you the works.
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Old 01-27-2019, 05:00 PM   #31
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Another thought: Are there campsite scalpers out there yet? Because if there aren’t, there will be. They’ll use the same tricks to buy up choice campsites and dates the millisecond that they come online, the same way that concert tickets are gone in a flash, and then resold later for a tidy profit.
Yes. British Columbia has had a problem with tour operators booking sites which they have no intention of using, so they can provide them to customers as part of their paid "service". Well, I think it's a problem, even if those profiting from the system don't agree. This was an issue in the news in 2016 - Google "bc parks block reservations" for news coverage.
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Old 01-27-2019, 05:04 PM   #32
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In Washington we have folks gaming the system in both reservation-only parks and non-reservation parks.

Someone with a limited income pass can stay no-charge in any site during the off season. I was told by one camp host that sites are reserved by folks with this type of pass and then they often don't show up. Take this for what it's worth. I think the reservation system adds work to the host's job.

In parks not accepting reservations, someone with a limited income pass can stay for a couple of weeks or more. Lots of blue tarps in the non-reservation parks.

Note that this type of abuse(?) is possible only in the off-season.
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Old 01-27-2019, 09:28 PM   #33
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I have had the bad luck of getting to a first come, first serve early only to find that all sites were taken. Many were taken by a lawn chairs that the neighbor put out to reserve the site for their friends arriving late Friday. Camp host didn't want to get involved...


New Mexico state parks usually gets our business because we can reserve when we know it will be busy. The federal parks always get a reservation from us as they always fill up.



Don't think I'll make it back to Jack's Creek. Beautiful area but too risky.
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Old 01-28-2019, 05:55 AM   #34
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We are not fans of the reservation system model. I understand the reasons for it, and sympathize with those for whom it allows planning a trip on a tight schedule far in advance, but for us, the effect is that it makes it harder to fly loose and fancy free and just wing trips. I think an ideal compromise are campgrounds that offer both reservable and non-reservable sites. If it were up to me, I’d cap reservable sites at 50% of the total number of sites.
Our sentiments exactly. State park reservations can almost "penalize" out of staters just traveling through and needing a spot for maybe one or two nights. At the very least, parks should have a certain number of spots designated "not reserveable" and a two night stay maximum (strictly enforced) for travelers.
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Old 01-28-2019, 05:55 AM   #35
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I have to say I agree with having a reservation system, I just wish there was some consistency from state to state, Florida as mentioned is 11 months in advance, S. Carolina is 13 months in advance and Georgia is one year in advance (pretty sure of that) and until recently in GA that reservation just got you a site no guarantee of which one. I always thought that was unfair because I could make a reservation 6 months after you did and get there before you and take the site you may have wanted.
Last couple years have been record sales in the RV industry, next decent down turn in the economy the market will be flooded with used RV's so believe that will make it a little easier for some.
One of the negatives in both GA and Florida is not a whole lot of places to boondock like there are out west, yes campgrounds with no hookups but no true lets say BLM areas to pick from.

Enjoy the journey.

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