Camping in Closed Campsites

[fable]

Hey All,

When a campsite is closed for the season, are people still able to camp there? I am assuming that they close the campgrounds due to the season (low volume of registrations). If someone were to camp at a closed campsite, clean up after themselves, and not use the bathrooms (assuming they won't be serviced), is that acceptable?

Just curious what your experiences were.

Thanks.

fable....

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Camping in Closed Campsites

You would either need to contact the owner of the campground or whomever is in charge of running it. If it were a National Forest Campground, that would be the local ranger district office. No one here will help you pay the fine if you get one, so its best to contact the owner/operator with that question.

[SpitzoMT]

Re: Camping in Closed Campsites

The campgrounds here that close for the winter cannot be accessed while closed. They have steel gates at the entrances that they close & lock up. They typically close 1-2 weeks after Labor Day weekend & reopen 1-2 weeks before Memorial Day weekend. The ones that don't close can be used year round if you can get through the snow to access them.

Sent via iPad2

[terasec]

Re: Camping in Closed Campsites

would check with agency that runs/manages the campground
in NY
generally sites with amneties such as showers and bathrooms are closed for the season,
they do have sites near parking area/trails without amneties which are just sites with possibly a fire pit and maybe a bench that may be open year round

[Mike]

Re: Camping in Closed Campsites

The campgrounds here that close for the winter cannot be accessed while closed. They have steel gates at the entrances that they close & lock up. They typically close 1-2 weeks after Labor Day weekend & reopen 1-2 weeks before Memorial Day weekend. The ones that don't close can be used year round if you can get through the snow to access them.

Sent via iPad2

Same here. The state and federal campgrounds that are open are specific about what is open and what is not open. It is hard to goof because the closed campgrounds either have a gate or a chain across the entrance.

In winter, I have stealth camped at closed campsites, but I had to hike into them. Knowing that the fines are greater than the fees, I always pay the self-registration fee, so if a ranger just happens to come by, I can tell him that I hiked in and didn't see the closed gate/sign and that I did pay the registration fee.

[Bigdog57]

Re: Camping in Closed Campsites

I find that family owned campgrounds will do this, especially if you have a decent sized group. It brings them much needed funds during their 'slow season'. We have a local family campground we have used for a few years now for our annual motorcycling camp&ride meet. Has a boat ramp for canoeing, and good fishing.
For some years prior to that, we had a deal with the local YMCA camp that closed for the winter - one of our riders was their "Operations Manager", and we got to use the full facilites - had the run of the place just for US! Man, that was great! And, we did maintenance on their ATV's for the kid's use during the summer, and generally left the place in better shape than when we came. Sadly, they closed for a couple years, and got sold. The new owners didn't know us, so we changed to our current place. Miss Linda, the owner, has taken a shine to us and enjoys our company. But it pays to check around! The little 'out of the way' places are often quite charming, and usually near some locations of interest.
I know some campgrounds up in the Blue Ridge area close for the winter, due to extreme cold and heavy snows - I would not want to try camping there then. I know my limits.

[tplife]

Re: Camping in Closed Campsites

Fable, it all depends...Here in the USA, we assume our "public" lands are ours to enjoy, but we may soon discover that "it just ain't so"! In the wilderness of my youth, you could always pull up a stool with any of us on our own (Wading River, NJ) waters of our pinelands, and be welcome as "one of us". In our "spare time", we cleaned up after such famous groups (canoeing down) like the Girl Scouts Of America, and we took it as a badge of pride (we're too few to have enough members). I am sure my buddy would validate that statement, as he still owns the largest private campground in the state! As time rolled on and I explored other grassy meadows (with my trophy girlfriend) beyond the outlands of NJ in our tent, we met many flatlanders who claim everything the could see for their own, and yet would poke and point to raise a ruckus! That said, I encourage your to keep asking the right questions for your locale, to find what the limits of your own discovery are - here in California, the flatlanders seem to have recently moved in and taken over, we do wish them well as we show them the exit!

Here's me and a friend, the late Lou (Porterville) Porter, who ran the "packs" over HWY 190 with horses and mules back when the paved roads were still trails. Just when I thought I knew how to skin a deer and gut a squirrel, here was a master- in his own time - who paused for all to pass on his own tales!

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Camping in Closed Campsites

..... .......

[fable]

Re: Camping in Closed Campsites

Thanks everyone for your insight. Big thanks to tplife for your experience and the photo!

I camp in California... I will let you all know if I discover something. There is enough dispersed camping around here that I think I will pursue that instead!