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UTTransplant · 06-06-2022, 02:27 PM

I remember being pretty frustrated with a private campground d that did the almost opposite of what the OP is complaining about. I had a little Casita travel trailer, and I wanted full hookups. With a wet bath and a tiny tank, I was looking forward to a lovely shower in my own rig. The campground refused me a FHU site! Said I could go with the pop up trailers in an electric only site, even though I had called to reserve FHU. Never went back for sure!

As for tent campers in big spots, well that’s just what happens in FCFS campgrounds. I have seen a few places marked “RV only”, but not many.

AveryF · 06-06-2022, 02:40 PM

There's an extremely popular city-owned campground on a lake near our home that is first come-first served with no reservations available. One popular tactic for a number of the locals to ensure a spot during high-volume weeks/weekends is to show up mid-week when the campground opens at 6:00 am as they're on the way to work, pick a spot and throw up a tent to "mark their territory", then come after work to take down the tent and park their RV. It seems a little underhanded to me but it's apparently totally within the rules.

varmonter · 06-06-2022, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AveryF

There's an extremely popular city-owned campground on a lake near our home that is first come-first served with no reservations available. One popular tactic for a number of the locals to ensure a spot during high-volume weeks/weekends is to show up mid-week when the campground opens at 6:00 am as they're on the way to work, pick a spot and throw up a tent to "mark their territory", then come after work to take down the tent and park their RV. It seems a little underhanded to me but it's apparently totally within the rules.

Yes its underhanded and is not allowed in any of the FCFS parks I've worked at..its always the locals that cause these issues in the parks.
Yes you can leave a site for the day but you have to sleep there at night otherwise you got a fine...So pitching a tent on wed and showing up on Friday in the parks I've worked at would get you a citation....your state and parks may be different..

crb478 · 06-06-2022, 06:13 PM

You are renting a site, a piece of land. It does not matter if you are in a tent, a pop up, a class B, a class C, Super C, or a class A. You are paying the same amount for the site in any of these. If someone in a tent beats me to the site with reservations, or fcfs then they got there first and I am fine with that. There are some RV parks that have excellent views or access for what one would think of as class A parking. I am sure the views or access is just as good or even better for the tent campers since they tend to stay in the campground more.

I drive a Class A, I am no better than those in tents, class B's, or Class C's. All of us want pretty much the same thing a nice place to stay for a night, a few days or a few months.

twogypsies · 06-06-2022, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AveryF

There's an extremely popular city-owned campground on a lake near our home that is first come-first served with no reservations available. One popular tactic for a number of the locals to ensure a spot during high-volume weeks/weekends is to show up mid-week when the campground opens at 6:00 am as they're on the way to work, pick a spot and throw up a tent to "mark their territory", then come after work to take down the tent and park their RV. It seems a little underhanded to me but it's apparently totally within the rules.

That's horrible that it is allowed to happen. Another case of me, me, me. When we volunteered in parks the site had to be occupied on the first night.

TXiceman · 06-07-2022, 07:57 AM

A number of years ago at a Texas State Park which was first come basis, we arrived and picked a site at the office. We arrived at the site to find two lawn chairs in the driveway. We made the trip back to the office to make sure we had the right site and sure enough, no one else had paid for it. We were told it was ours. We went back down, and a park ranger folded the chairs and laid them at the edge of the road. After we were set up, the people next to us came over screaming that he had reserved that site for his buddy that would be there later, and we needed to leave. We had to call the office back and they sent someone down to investigate. Nope it was our site. Park staff told him they were first come first served and if he had wanted that site for his buddy, he should have paid for it when he checked in. They had a site reserved for his buddy to come in and claim when he arrived and paid for it.

Another time with the first come, we had reservations for our 35 FT 5er and when they sent us back to the last open site, it was too small for our trailer and all the larger sites were occupied by tents and pop-up trailers. We finally did get our money back and we had to go down the road and find a private campground that we could fit into. The complaint here was that I had to list the RV size on the online form, but they did not bother to hold open a site for my reserved length.

With the current RV and travel market, all I can add is good luck unless you plan a year out.

Ken

Marine359 · 06-07-2022, 08:20 AM

Camped earlier this year at Lake Mead Natl Rec Area. It’s 1st come 1st serve. We called ahead, and were told campground was full so we lot docked the night at the Lake Mead Casino. Next morning, we drove around the cg in our tv, and noted that people were camping in designated handicap spaces (there are 3 of them) that did not have handicap placards or tags. Went to the Ranger who followed us over and asked a camper for proof of handicap status. He couldn’t produce any, so Ranger forced him to move out immediately. That camper was none too happy, and had some choice words for us as he packed up to leave.
So: At a 1st come campground, please do not be tempted to grab one of the handicap sites unless you’re actually disabled and have proof of your status.

carybosse · 06-07-2022, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman

A number of years ago at a Texas State Park which was first come basis, we arrived and picked a site at the office. We arrived at the site to find two lawn chairs in the driveway. We made the trip back to the office to make sure we had the right site and sure enough, no one else had paid for it. We were told it was ours. We went back down, and a park ranger folded the chairs and laid them at the edge of the road. After we were set up, the people next to us came over screaming that he had reserved that site for his buddy that would be there later, and we needed to leave. We had to call the office back and they sent someone down to investigate. Nope it was our site. Park staff told him they were first come first served and if he had wanted that site for his buddy, he should have paid for it when he checked in. They had a site reserved for his buddy to come in and claim when he arrived and paid for it.

Another time with the first come, we had reservations for our 35 FT 5er and when they sent us back to the last open site, it was too small for our trailer and all the larger sites were occupied by tents and pop-up trailers. We finally did get our money back and we had to go down the road and find a private campground that we could fit into. The complaint here was that I had to list the RV size on the online form, but they did not bother to hold open a site for my reserved length.

With the current RV and travel market, all I can add is good luck unless you plan a year out.

Ken

Only good news is that Texas State Parks now reserve specific sites. I think you have to confirm at least 24 hours before arrival, but you should have the site you reserved.

I think that change occurred either right before or during COVID.

catmandoo62 · 06-07-2022, 08:42 AM

campgrounds close to us also let people pitch a tent on the site 3 or 4 days before the busy weekends.which we have actually done.all they require is that it's up and you pay for the spot.kindof a pain as i'm paying for 5 days when i only use 2 but if we want in thats what we have to do.

GrumpyVet · 06-12-2022, 03:08 PM

BLUF: Not illegal and courtesy is a long forgotten value. Kinda like a Class B taking up the only 75ft site in a park when others are available. Sucks but is what it is.

retiredin93 · 06-12-2022, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AveryF

There's an extremely popular city-owned campground on a lake near our home that is first come-first served with no reservations available. One popular tactic for a number of the locals to ensure a spot during high-volume weeks/weekends is to show up mid-week when the campground opens at 6:00 am as they're on the way to work, pick a spot and throw up a tent to "mark their territory", then come after work to take down the tent and park their RV. It seems a little underhanded to me but it's apparently totally within the rules.

This happens at the COE in Dandridge, TN. Arrived there once and there was a very little Princess tent in a site large enough for a 40 MH. It was still there after a week later. People reserved it for 2 weeks, and never stayed there the 1st week.

Bedlam · 06-12-2022, 03:33 PM

I chose a shorter RV so I have more spot choices. I despise paying the same as larger RV's and being shoe horned into a tight spot just because can fit.

picker · 06-12-2022, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

Most tent sites don't have water and power and aren't to level.

With the new powered coolers and electric cook tops, phone chargers,..... tenters want power.

At a first come first serve site, with the same or a small extra cost, why not.

No problem...........as long as I can park my 24ft Axis at a tent site.

Datura · 06-12-2022, 03:51 PM

We used to pay more for a site when we were still tenting, but it was to be adjacent to friends that had a trailer. We always took a water and electric site in any case, but when our kids were young, we weren’t going to leave them in the camper or tent to sleep alone while parents socialized in a site far away. If we couldn’t book that way moved on to next campground or possible date.

Everyone’s kids are older now, everyone has campers, and for the first time in years, we have two sites adjacent to each other. All nine of us have been remarking about how much better this is.

I don’t have an answer for anyone. We never raised a fuss if a cg wouldn’t accommodate back then. We just went elsewhere. I think that’s just what anyone has to do.