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Topic ClosedUrgent Petition To Keep RV Campgrounds Open

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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Urgent Petition To Keep RV Campgrounds Open
    Posted: 18 Mar 2020 at 11:53am

The Immediate Consequences of Campground Closures

State campground closures are forcing thousands of RVers out of their campgrounds to find other accommodations.  Exasperating the issue, we are in the middle of Spring Break (now through early April depending on the school) and the busy snowbird season.  It could be extremely difficult to find alternate campsites at local, federal and private campgrounds.

This sets up a situation where RVers will have some difficult choices – right now.  If they are unable to drive home, drive to a friend or family’s home, or secure an alternate campsite, they could be stranded.

This doesn’t take into account the 1-million RVers who live full-time in an RV.  The concept of living full-time in an RV (living in an RV and not owning or renting a house or apartment) may be unfamiliar to the very authorities making the decision to close campgrounds.

In the event of mass campground closures, full-time RVers are the most likely to be stranded.  These citizens cannot go “home” to self-quarantine if you kick them out of campgrounds.

Stranded RVers need to park somewhere overnight.  Without campground reservations, many will park at commercial establishments that welcome RVers including Walmart, Cabela’s, Cracker Barrel and casinos.  For overnight RV parking options, check out our article, “Free and Safe Places to Park Overnight In An RV”.

https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/news/urgent-petition-to-keep-rv-campgrounds-open/

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2020 at 12:42pm
Its a quandary. The problem I think is going to be the bathrooms. Shared bathroom facilities put both the campground workers and campground users at risk of infection. So, it becomes a liability problem as well as a health problem. Closing the bathrooms while leaving the campgrounds open probably isn't an option either. 

College campuses have a similar problem. The schools would like to close the campuses entirely but can't because there are students (foreign and domestic) that don't have alternative places to go. The difference from campgrounds is that the schools have school year commitments to these students while the campgrounds are short stays so they can just shut down and throw in the towel. 

The entire Outer Banks were shut down to visitors yesterday. My wife works in rental real estate on Hatteras Island. Its ridiculous. Everyone wants to have assurance that their reservations will still be good, even ones way out in July and August. I suggested she have them call the CDC.  Embarrassed

The disruption is going to get worse before it gets better, and will take months to get sorted. I wouldn't count on returning to anything like a normal camping season anytime soon. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2020 at 12:42pm
What state is closing their campgrounds?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2020 at 12:46pm
Originally posted by Woodmiester

What state is closing their campgrounds?

From the linked article:

Florida is joining IllinoisNew MexicoPennsylvaniaNew Jersey and North Carolina in closing all state campgrounds.  It’s not a great leap to foresee the remaining states following suit in the coming days.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2020 at 12:51pm
California is also closing.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2020 at 1:05pm
Also county/city owned campgrounds in Florida. I was supposed to be at Huguenot Park for 11 days (this would be about the middle). Two days packing and then one day half-unpacking when they came around and told us we had to be out by noon the next day because they were were closing. Was glad I was close enough to get home but many in the park were not.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2020 at 2:01pm
Originally posted by EchoGale

Also county/city owned campgrounds in Florida. I was supposed to be at Huguenot Park for 11 days (this would be about the middle). Two days packing and then one day half-unpacking when they came around and told us we had to be out by noon the next day because they were were closing. Was glad I was close enough to get home but many in the park were not.

Perfect.  Puts a lot of the most at-risk people on the road at a really bad time.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2020 at 3:23pm
Originally posted by Pod_Geek

The Immediate Consequences of Campground Closures

State campground closures are forcing thousands of RVers out of their campgrounds to find other accommodations.  Exasperating the issue, we are in the middle of Spring Break (now through early April depending on the school) and the busy snowbird season.  It could be extremely difficult to find alternate campsites at local, federal and private campgrounds.

This sets up a situation where RVers will have some difficult choices – right now.  If they are unable to drive home, drive to a friend or family’s home, or secure an alternate campsite, they could be stranded.

This doesn’t take into account the 1-million RVers who live full-time in an RV.  The concept of living full-time in an RV (living in an RV and not owning or renting a house or apartment) may be unfamiliar to the very authorities making the decision to close campgrounds.

In the event of mass campground closures, full-time RVers are the most likely to be stranded.  These citizens cannot go “home” to self-quarantine if you kick them out of campgrounds.

Stranded RVers need to park somewhere overnight.  Without campground reservations, many will park at commercial establishments that welcome RVers including Walmart, Cabela’s, Cracker Barrel and casinos.  For overnight RV parking options, check out our article, “Free and Safe Places to Park Overnight In An RV”.

https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/news/urgent-petition-to-keep-rv-campgrounds-open/


The concern is real, yet I'm leary to sign this petition with stipulations required. 

I'd suggest instead is a campaign of each contacting not only local representatives, but federal as well. I am in agreement that this closing of camping areas is just wrong in direction and basically a panic move. Closing the Visitor Centers, Rec Halls and such I can see. 

I am open to being convinced that being in the outdoors, exercising and Social distancing (new term) on a campsite (dispersed or not) is dangerous...


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2020 at 3:39pm
Its primarily the bathrooms in the campgrounds that pose the potential danger both to guests and cleaning staff. Possibly those could be closed and the parks kept open only for fully self contained RV's, but that would create enforcement issues and likely result in lots of nasty sanitation problems like happened in many of the federal parks during the gov't shutdown. There really isn't a good solution here for camping any more than there is for restaurants, group gatherings, schools, etc etc. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Mar 2020 at 3:45pm
Originally posted by offgrid

Its primarily the bathrooms in the campgrounds that pose the potential danger both to guests and cleaning staff. Possibly those could be closed and the parks kept open only for fully self contained RV's, but that would create enforcement issues and likely result in lots of nasty sanitation problems like happened in many of the federal parks during the gov't shutdown. There really isn't a good solution here for camping any more than there is for restaurants, group gatherings, schools, etc etc. 

I would think that full-hookup sites would be relatively safe and sanitary.  Other types of sites...not so much.

We are hoping to go to a very small RV park in norther NM (full hookups) next weekend, thinking that such a place would afford us a respite from the self-isolation without endangering ourselves or anyone else.  Hoping it stays open...
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