Originally Posted by
indyfabz
I’m surprised it ran an unsupported NT that late.
I think there are a lot of factors at play, including an older population looking to rough it less. Time. We’re busier than ever and have less free time. Availability of leaders who can make themselves available for 3 straight months to lead a cross country trip. Expense for reasons you might not consider. On that front…1/3 of our 1999 NT group had either just finished school or were going to. (One was about to start her final year of college.) With the current expense of a higher education and the pressure to get a good job right out of school, how many young folks are willing to and able to make the financial commitment required for a long trip and then have to start a job search? Camping costs have also increased, even pre-pandemic. I just looked at a federal place in MT that I last stayed at in 2019. It’s $32/night now. Don’t remember what it was in 2019, but it wasn’t nearly that high. I remember seeing a notice about proposed fee increases at recreation area posted on a board. Some of the proposed new fees were double the existing fees. A lot a private places are also now very expensive, which I do attribute to the pandemic. I looked at a KOA in NY for a 2021 tour that I had used in 2018. The price had nearly tripled to over $100 for a night on a weekday. Hard pass. Went off route a few miles that included a big hill and still paid $45 with a cash discount. I was maybe one of 3 occupied sites. Nice site, though.
I noticed the increased too, but not bad in Indiana just to tent camp in a primitive site at a state park will cost you here in Indiana $7 just to get into the entrance if your from Indiana and $10 if you're not, then the primitive site will cost $12, so if your out of state it will cost you $22.
One thing I did notice, maybe because of my age? or on a bike? or I'm a state resident, or all three??? is that every campground I went to so far in Indiana they waved the gate entrance fee. So far other states I've gone to did not wave that fee.
Don't forget, senior citizen pass holders (age 62 and older) receive free lifetime entrance to federal sites that charge Entrance and Standard Amenity fees (Day use fees). Pass holders also receive a 50% discount on fees at federal campgrounds. Pass valid for the lifetime of the pass holder. The lifetime pass will cost $80.
If you are younger but disabled,
you can qualify for lifetime pass available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability (does not have to be a 100% disability),that provides admittance to more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by six Federal agencies” is only $10. That pass is called the Access Pass.
There is also BLM land in some parts of America, m
ost campgrounds have use fees ranging from $4.00 to $10.00 per unit per night. Camping is allowed on Public Lands in California for no more than a period of 14 days within any period of 28 consecutive days. Not sure what other states charge or time limits are but anyone wanting to know can google it. In California you will have very strict fire rules, and it is critical to obey those rules or you will get a hefty fine which the cost of that fine could have bought you night at a very nice hotel.