resident or non resident camping fees

[Triker56]

usually staying three months at a time. These state parks have lost thousands of dollars of my business over the years,

I didn't know any state park in any state that would let you stay 3 months.
For that long of a period many privet campgrounds would probably be much cheaper by the month then any state campground resident or non resident daily fee.

In PA is the fee for out of state residents cheaper then the nearby privet campground?

Indiana charges $1 more entrance fee for non-residents, but camping fees are the same for both.

IN. charges $2 to $5 more depending on park, entrance fee for non-residents.
Ex Hoosier here.

Entrance Fees

$5.00 In-State Daily Entrance: noncommercial vehicles with Indiana license plates, every day including holidays. Admits driver and passengers. This applies to all State Parks and Reservoirs properties, excluding Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center and Prophetstown (see below).

$7.00 Out-of-State Daily Entrance: noncommercial vehicles with out-of-state license plates, every day including holidays. Admits driver and passengers. This applies to all State Parks and Reservoirs properties, excluding Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center, Indiana Dunes and Prophetstown State Parks (see below).

Prophetstown Gate Fee:
$6.00 - noncommercial vehicles with Indiana license plates, every day including holidays. Includes combined entrance into the park and Historic Prophetstown.
$8.00 - noncommercial vehicles with out-of-state license plates, every day including holidays. Includes combined entrance into the park and Historic Prophetstown.

Indiana Dunes Gate Fee:
$5.00 - noncommercial vehicles with Indiana license plates, every day including holidays.
$10.00 - noncommercial vehicles with out-of-state license plates, every day including holidays.
Do you think this $5 difference at this park is because it is so close to the Chicago, IL area??

$36.00 Annual entrance permit
Admits noncommercial vehicles, driver and passengers to DNR properties which charge a gate fee.* Good from January 1, until December 31, of the year issued. You can buy annual permits from The Mother Nature's Mercantile.
$46.00 Non-resident annual entrance permit
Admits non-Indiana resident noncommercial vehicles, driver and passengers to DNR properties which charge a gate fee.* Good from January 1, until December 31, of the year issued.
$18.00 Golden Hoosier Passport
For Indiana residents who are at least 65 years of age or a resident eligible for Social Security disability payments under 42 U.S. C. 401 (proof of eligibility must be presented at time of purchase and disabled individual must be present in the vehicle at time of use); admits noncommercial vehicle, driver, and passengers. Good from January 1 until December 31 of the year issued. Price is 1/2 the Resident Annual Entrance Permit.

[Bob and Inga]

In FL seniors (65+) get half price rates at state CG's, but only for FL residents. RI also charges extra, DE is another. LA used to accept Golden Age for all seniors, but they only take it for LA residents and DE and MD as well. DE and MD take the Golden Age pass for residents. It is the reservation fee that keeps us away from some places.

Bob

[melvonnar]

Originally Posted by H. Miller

What am I missing here?

nothing

[NLOVNIT]

Originally Posted by Triker56

In PA is the fee for out of state residents cheaper then the nearby private campground?

Sometimes. It depends on the price at the private CG. For example, we frequently stay at PA state parks. A non-resident price for an electric only site at Shawnee SP:
$17 base price
$ 5.50 for electricity
$ 4 for a Fri/Sat/Holiday/Special Event
$ 4 if the campground has showers (whether you use them or not)
$30.50 just for an electric only site

add $8/day if the site has water or add $13 if the site has w/s. add $2 if it's a pet site.

Compare a weekend day stay on a 50a fhu, pet site:
PA state park (if Shawnee had fhu sites - needs to be apples to apples comparison): $45.50
Nearby Friendship Village: $40.00 - & this includes cable TV.

Originally Posted by Triker56

Prophetstown Gate Fee:
$6.00 - noncommercial vehicles with Indiana license plates, every day including holidays. Includes combined entrance into the park and Historic Prophetstown.
$8.00 - noncommercial vehicles with out-of-state license plates, every day including holidays. Includes combined entrance into the park and Historic Prophetstown.

We stayed at Prophetstown in June 2010. For some reason, we didn't get charged the gate fee. We were there mid-week, rather than a weekend, & the place was pretty much deserted. I don't know if they just overlooked the charge or decided not to charge us. Either way, it was nice.

Lori-

[Ray,IN]

Hey, thanks for correcting my info Triker56. Since I always buy the golden hoosier passport, I was offering info from many years ago when I did pay single entrance fees.

[CarlGeo]

States that charge visiting tourists more than residents are myopic. They spend untold dollars to lure tourist and then 'stick it to them'. Everyone pays taxes and fees to their home state for construction and maintenance of parks and campgrounds. When some states start charging extra for visitors, they just start an excalating charge war, and the visitors are always the looser.
Government, at every level is overspending, and they will stop at nothing to try and cover their respective backsides. Charging non-residents higher fees is not right. The next step will be a toll booth at the state line to collect a visitors fee? Just wait!
CarlGeo

[dsbike]

Originally Posted by JimM68

I never ran into one that charged more for out of staters.
But I hate those who use reserveamerica... cause of their $10 fee.

We stayed at Pocahontas State Park in VA this past summer & made reservations through Reserve America. Paid the $10 fee & about a month later I got a post card in the mail saying our $10 fee had been applied to a subscription to Outdoor Magazine & if we did not want the subscription to send a letter explaining so along with a copy of our reciept for the state park for a $10 refund. Of coarse I sent it in & recieved a refund. I am still recieveing the magazine also. Go figure?????

[scenic route]

Originally Posted by dsbike

We stayed at Pocahontas State Park in VA this past summer & made reservations through Reserve America. Paid the $10 fee & about a month later I got a post card in the mail saying our $10 fee had been applied to a subscription to Outdoor Magazine & if we did not want the subscription to send a letter explaining so along with a copy of our reciept for the state park for a $10 refund. Of coarse I sent it in & recieved a refund. I am still recieveing the magazine also. Go figure?????

Gotta love those underhanded sales schemes. Bob

Edit: Forgot to add that last summer we ran across a few of the added fees for non-res. The fees were modest and I do not mind supporting state parks...within reason. In these tough times, some states are not supporting their parks like they used to... too bad.

[dieselclacker]

I don't mind paying a reasonable non resident fee for using state or county parks. I don't believe these are real money makers for the state, county, city or whichever. Doesn't seem quite right for the local population to pick up all the costs to keep and maintain them thru thier taxes.

Dieselclacker

[melvonnar]

Originally Posted by CarlGeo

States that charge visiting tourists more than residents are myopic. They spend untold dollars to lure tourist and then 'stick it to them'. Everyone pays taxes and fees to their home state for construction and maintenance of parks and campgrounds. When some states start charging extra for visitors, they just start an excalating charge war, and the visitors are always the looser.
Government, at every level is overspending, and they will stop at nothing to try and cover their respective backsides. Charging non-residents higher fees is not right. The next step will be a toll booth at the state line to collect a visitors fee? Just wait!
CarlGeo

I agree: have a hard time figureing this one out myself.

[daveshan]

Perhaps it would make it easier to look at it as a discount for people who pay taxes in the state instead of a "gouge" on non-residents.

As for me I'll just go camping and enjoy life and not worry about a few bucks here and there.

[CLIFFTALL]

Originally Posted by daveshan

Perhaps it would make it easier to look at it as a discount for people who pay taxes in the state instead of a "gouge" on non-residents.

As for me I'll just go camping and enjoy life and not worry about a few bucks here and there.

I agree. Too many states are being forced to close their parks due to budget shortfalls. I'm happy to pay a small surcharge rather than not being able to camp there. We always try to support the local economies where we camp.

[sdennislee]

Originally Posted by daveshan

Perhaps it would make it easier to look at it as a discount for people who pay taxes in the state instead of a "gouge" on non-residents.

As for me I'll just go camping and enjoy life and not worry about a few bucks here and there.

Ditto

[melvonnar]

Originally Posted by daveshan

Perhaps it would make it easier to look at it as a discount for people who pay taxes in the state instead of a "gouge" on non-residents.

As for me; I'll just go camping and enjoy life and not worry about a few bucks here and there.

A few bucks here and there???
If a person camped 3 to 4 months a year (90 to 120 days), thats my average, and I was charged $4.00 a night extra, for say 1/2 these days, thats 45 days =$180.00 for 45 days, or $240.00 for 90 days; not exactly pocket change I would say.
If I had deep pockets I guess I wouldn't worry about it either.
For all us poor folk, finding a resonable campground is harder and harder; even the forest campgrounds are increasing in their fees.