Originally Posted by
Bekologist
I will admit to poaching "closed for the season" campgrounds on my bike.....
If I roll up to a primitive DNR campsite, that has the outhouses locked and the pump handle removed for the season, I might very well not pay the pipe. This may be bad form, but I feel justified being a fee scoflaw in this case and simply camping on public lands.
Previously developed campsites are favored over camping on undisturbed terrain under 'Leave no trace' low impact protocols. I think this legitimizes the use of a closed for the season campsite by bicyclists. IMO.
abandonded, left to fallow state campgrounds are different, soo cool to find, and a good map can lead you there!
and have never run into an issue.
Beko -
I'm with you on closed campgrounds. But - - - many national forests allow tent camping in closed campgrounds for free. They say so on their websites. Not so for state parks, etc.
I have a confession to make. I have an element of scofflaw in me, too. I came up in a time when the defining feature of a campground fee was whether on not there was drinking water available in the campground. I still use that as a rule of thumb. If the campground is dry - no moolah. (With the exception of certain desert national parks)
Public agencies are increasingly catering to larger and larger RVs and developing campgrounds accordingly. The Army Corps of Engineers is one of the worst offenders - really into activities that include massive internal combustion engines and taking the kitchen sink along with you. But I suspect I am wandering into another subject area. Rant, rant.