# State Campgrounds



## Four4RVing

Hi, everyone!

We are new RV'ers and haven't been to many campgrounds yet. In reading all the posts, it seems that many of you really like the state campgrounds over regular RV parks? If so, can you give us the reasons why? Also, are state campground bathroom facilities very clean? I know that the facilities will be different depending on the state. We are mostly looking at Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Colorado. 
Thank you very much for your input!


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## Not Yet

Four4RVing said:


> Hi, everyone!
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> We are new RV'ers and haven't been to many campgrounds yet. In reading all the posts, it seems that many of you really like the state campgrounds over regular RV parks? If so, can you give us the reasons why? Also, are state campground bathroom facilities very clean? I know that the facilities will be different depending on the state. We are mostly looking at Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Colorado.
> Thank you very much for your input!
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We generally try to stay in parks - state or national - because of the more natural settings. It is true that you may sacrifice some ammenities but that is why I tow my hotel behind me. The parks are normally cheaper and the campers are more social. We have found that in the parks people are there to camp outside - not live in their camper. On long trips we plan a stop at a full service private park to do laundry and take long hot showers.

Jared


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## PDX_Doug

What Jared said.

In Oregon, the State Parks are very clean and well maintained. That is not the case everywhere though.

I think my primary attraction is the ability to reserve spaces in advance. Now that we have kids, I like knowing where we are going to be sleeping, before we leave home.

As Oregon_Camper will chime in, there is a lot to be said for dry camping as well!









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## hatcityhosehauler

Until we got our Outback, my DW thought camping was staying at the Motel 6 instead of the JW Marriott, so we usually stay were we can get full hookups. I haven't been able to wean her off those yet, except for maybe a short weekend, but she wants electric and water while we are there.

Tim


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## HootBob

hatcityhosehauler said:


> Until we got our Outback, my DW thought camping was staying at the Motel 6 instead of the JW Marriott, so we usually stay were we can get full hookups. I haven't been able to wean her off those yet, except for maybe a short weekend, but she wants electric and water while we are there.
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Same here Tim
Maybe one Peg will give in









Don


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## j1mfrog

Again, I echo what Jared said.

Additionally we like to stay at our destinations, which happen to be places like Yellowstone National Park, Starved Rock State Park etc. We really like to experience the places we stay at. In my opinion, you can't do that from a KOA. At Yellowstone we woke up to Moose behind our camper. At Grand Canyon North Rim we got a spot on the edge, at the South Rim we just about tripped over an elk. At Michigan State Parks around the lake, you walk to the beach.

When we went to Disney, we did stay at Fort wilderness which really helped us get the full disney experience. Later we stayed at a few Florida state parks which really helped us experience Florida.

Another thing the State and National Parks have are rangers. The ranger programs are great for the kids. My daughter who is into bugs can learn all about the bugs at a certain place. There are ranger led hikes which can be very fun and informative. You can get into the ranger programs without camping there but like I said before, it adds to the experience. There are campfire programs at the campgrounds too, these can be like bedtime stories.


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## W4DRR

As was previously stated, parks usually have a more natural setting. Another difference is private CG's are there for the money only...parks are for public use. Consequently, parks tend to have more space, but private CG's are packed in like sardines to get the most return on their real estate investment.

Bob


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## j1mfrog

One more thing. Some state parks have great and extensive amenities, and some stink, some have great showers and some have bad or no showers. Few National parks have showers and the ones that do are pay showers, some are pretty expensive (like Yellowstone). Most state Parks have Electric hookups, a few have water. Last year we even stayed in one Colorado State Park with Full hookups, very nice. A few National Parks have electric hookups, but not many. I haven't seen any with water or sewer hookups. Still I'd rather stay at a National Park with no hookups and experience the destination, than a KOA where I can play pinball.

I generally am very pleased with state parks. The showers are usually pretty clean and have hot water. I'm looking forward to my stay at Indiana Dunes State Park in June. They just rebuilt the entire campground and put in new showers.

And like Bob said, one of the best reasons to stay at state and national parks is the normally HUGE campsites.


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## shake1969

The other thing is state parks don't have full-timers in skirted "recreational vehicles" that suspiciously resemble mobile homes, dogs running loose, trash running loose, small sites, etc.

I like state parks because of all the other above reasons listed above.


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## Pastor John

We're big fans of state parks for the same reasons others have mentioned:
- natural surroundings
- generally spacious sites
- less "city-fied" atmosphere
- friendly neighbors

Here in Georgia, we are blessed with well managed and maintained state parks whose campgrounds usually have water and electricity and are reservable through a great website.

When traveling, we're like others who will sometimes stay at a commercial campground for the convenience, but it's usually only because there wasn't a state park nearby or in some cases because we will be staying for more than three nights, when sewer hookups would be convenient.

We've also had similar great experiences in Florida and South Carolina state parks. North Carolina parks typically do not have hook-ups of any kind, and are not our favorites.

We sometimes travel to conferences and seminars and will gravitate towards a commercial campground because we are using our trailer as a "mobile hotel". So we like sewer, internet, and sometimes cable TV.


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## CamperAndy

Space, natural setting and everyone there is camping not living.

With the Outback I do not care what the campground pit toilets look like.


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## LarryTheOutback

Not Yet said:


> The (State) parks are normally cheaper and the campers are more social. We have found that in the (State) parks people are there to camp outside - not live in their camper. [snapback]93293[/snapback]​


Try this experiment. After dark, take a walk around your average State Park and your average Commercial Campground. Count how many people are outside talking, walking the dog, sitting by a fire, roasting marshmellows by a fire, etc.

My guess is that the numbers of "outside" people at a State park is 10 times or more than that of a commercial establishment.

Ed

P.S. It's also hard to beat the free hot showers at Oregon State Parks, not to mention the clean campgrounds, clean restrooms and lack of "permanent residents".


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## Lady Di

We stay mostly at National Park Campgrounds because they ARE our destination. On the way we may stay at a private CG, but those are usually only one night stands. We have dry camping pretty much down, but have only done it in the popup. This may be somewhat different, but also quite a bit like we are used to.

Rita


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## 7heaven

Four4, Go to www.mostateparks.com and check out what the state has to offer. I have yet to have a bad experience at any of our state parks. You can go on-line and see what amenities each park has and actually see photos of each campsite at many parks. Some are more focused toward ATV's or horses, most of them are just great settings for camping. I am most familiar with the ones in eastern MO, but I'm sure the ones in western MO are just as nice (although maybe fewer trees etc?). Check out the web site and try one out!


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## 4CHACS

We really enjoy Missouri State parks. Big sites, clean facilities, friendly people, etc. Go to www.mostateparks.com to check them out. When you get to the campground map of the state park of your choice, click on the site you would like to see and there is a photo for each one. Really helps in picking the best site for you.


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## Oregon_Camper

If it has power and water...it's not for my family. The only time we ever have power/water/sewers is during the PNW Outbackers Rally.

We camp at sites where everyone is enjoying being outdoors and without any normal life stuff (TV/Electric/Internet/etc...). You'll hear people chopping wood, kids laughing and wild life actaully walks through camp.

This is the way my parents took our family camping and I really enjoy this time with my family.

I am NOT putting down State Park or RV Parks...they fill a need that a lot of people like, we just tend to go the other route.


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## SurferZ

The State Parks in Calif have the close to nature feeling so they are almost all "dry " camping spots. This is why we are atttracted to them. The next best thing is "boondocking" like Oregon Camper described -even better.

Z


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## W4DRR

4CHACS said:


> We really enjoy Missouri State parks. Big sites, clean facilities, friendly people, etc. Go to www.mostateparks.com to check them out. When you get to the campground map of the state park of your choice, click on the site you would like to see and there is a photo for each one. Really helps in picking the best site for you.
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Unfortunately, our favorite one is closed, thanks to Ameren UE's leaky dam.









Bob


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## mjatalley

Most of the state parks in Tennessee do not take reservations, the sites are first come first serve. We have really enjoyed the U.S. Corp of Engineer campgrounds. The sites are spacious and the ones we have stayed at are all on a lake. You can see these campgrounds at this website.

ReserveUSA

Happy Camping!!!


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## tdvffjohn

This has made for some interesting reading. I have never stayed at a state park campground. Sounds like when I make my plans for next summer I will be looking for suggestions. People outside their campers in a campground...what a concept.

John


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## nascarcamper

We ran the Blueridge Parkway into Va from NC last summer and I decided to wean the DW and kids away from the commercial side of camping by spending one night in a NPS campground. Of course there are no hook ups of any kind just a dump station and water fill. We pulled in well before dark but the campground was heavily wooded so as I proceeded to dump the holding tanks and fill the fresh water tank for the night it was quite dark. DW sat in the truck with that deer in the headlight look as I went about the business of getting ready for the evening. We had dinner planned and I was looking forward to a quiet evening in the woods. There were about 8 other campers in the entire campground including the tenters. When I completed my task I got back into the truck to find our perfect spot to set up and was quickly overruled by the group. There was no convincing them that we'd be perfectly safe at this campground so I finally gave up and broke out the campground book to find a close by place that was less remote. Nothing was listed so we proceeded up the parkway until we ran across a lodge which DW insisted we check for availability. They had one room available so she paid for it while I found a spot to park my rig. As we were getting our clothes etc out for the evening I began preparing our dinner. Droves of deer were within 30 feet of me as I cooked on the outside stove. We ate and went inside to check out our accomidations for the evening. The building had to be at least 30 years old and they hadn't updated it on the inside since it was built. DW went to hang her clothes up in the closet and noticed a large piece of cardboard propped against the wall. When she pulled it out the whole wall was black with mold behind it. I think the beds were made out of rolled up newspaper as I tossed and turned all night. I tried to get everyone to sleep in the camper with no success. I didn't want to leave them in there alone so I stayed as well. The moral of the story behind this long post.....We paid over a hundred dollars to stay in that dump with a practically brand new tt sitting 300 feet away with all the comforts of home. I couldn't help but grin on the way home the next day as all three of them sniffled from the mold and god only knows what else was growing in that place. I was aggravated to say the least as I had to stop and dump some of the fresh water I had taken on the night before so we could all enjoy a quick shower. Motel room- over $100 Campground-$14 lesson learned to DW and kids-Priceless!!!


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## Thor

We like them as well. Generally we prefer the dry camping or close to dry camping. The more natural the site, the better for us.

Now if we could find a private site in the middle of nowhere on a lake with full hooks


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## Four4RVing

Thank you everyone for your great responses! It sounds like we might have to try a park close to home to see if I can "hack it"!







I guess we would have to buy one of those wagons to dump the black water? I will let my husband do that wonderful job!!!








Okay, say you are going to Moraine Park in RMNP, which has no electric or water, only a dump station. What do you all do for electricity to run the microwave, or light at night for reading, etc? Do you have a generator? Or is electricity for rookies?









Thanks for the great suggestions too!


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## Not Yet

Four4RVing said:


> Thank you everyone for your great responses! It sounds like we might have to try a park close to home to see if I can "hack it"!
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You can run the lights on battery and the fridge/heater/ and water heater on propane. You won't have the A/C or the microwave without external power , but then again it is camping. I do use a generator but only for extended stays.

Jared


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## Castle Rock Outbackers

Some of our absolute best trips were at dry sites. I call ahead to see if water is available somewhere in the campground. If not, I fill before we leave home. The Outback is so comfortable, dry camping becomes that much more enjoyable.

Here are some of our favorite dry camping trips in Colorado:

Riverside









Silver Dollar









Kelsey









Painted Rocks


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## henmunoz

We love state parks and fedaral as well because they are in some of the greates placess in the country.


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## Oregon_Camper

Castle Rock Outbackers said:


> Some of our absolute best trips were at dry sites. I call ahead to see if water is available somewhere in the campground. If not, I fill before we leave home. The Outback is so comfortable, dry camping becomes that much more enjoyable.
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Now those are some SWEEEEEET spots! Right up my alley..


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## HootBob

Castle Rock Outbackers said:


> Some of our absolute best trips were at dry sites. I call ahead to see if water is available somewhere in the campground. If not, I fill before we leave home. The Outback is so comfortable, dry camping becomes that much more enjoyable.
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Now thats the kinda camping I want to do, Just can't get the rest of the family interested just yet









Don


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