jamawani 

Just ran across this beauty today -
Nickerson State Park on southern Cape Cod

Well, that tells me - a Wyoming resident - "Get lost!"
Which is probably the same attitude I will have towards any Massachusetts tourist in Wyoming.

Yes, I understand that there are state tax revenues used to support state parks.
But the differential used to be about $5. If there is no reciprocity,
then I simply don't want to have Massachusetts folks descend on Wyoming.
It's gotta be a two-street.

Rick

In 1980 I camped in camp grounds down the coast in California for $0.50 a night. I live in California and other than dispersed camping it is cheaper to fly to a foreign country to bicycle tour.

indyfabz

WTH?!?! That’s crazy! By comparison, NJ charges $5. PA charges $0. IIRC, MT is $10.

I’ll be staying at a KOA in MA with a tent pad and water and electricity on Friday for around $40 including tax.

bktourer1

This is Conn,

Connecticut State Parks

CAMPGROUND BASIC FEES (per night)

Park Site Type Camping In-State Fee Out-State Fee AMERICAN LEGION (SF) (Hawes) Cabin $50.00 $60.00 All Other Sites $17.00 $27.00
BLACK ROCK STATE PARK Cabin $50.00 $60.00 All Other Sites $17.00 $27.00
DEVIL'S HOPYARD All Sites $14.00 $24.00
HAMMONASSET BEACH STATE PARK Cabin $70.00 $80.00 Standard Electric $35.00 $45.00 All Other Sites $20.00 $30.00 HOPEVILLE POND STATE PARK All Sites $17.00 $27.00
HOUSATONIC MEADOWS STATE PARK Cabin $50.00 $60.00 All Other Sites $17.00 $27.00
KETTLETOWN STATE PARK Cabin $50.00 $60.00 All Other Sites $17.00 $27.00
LAKE WARAMAUG STATE PARK Cabin $50.00 $60.00 All Other Sites $17.00 $27.00
MACEDONIA BROOK STATE PARK All Sites $14.00 $24.00
MASHAMOQUET BROOK STATE PARK All Sites $14.00 $24.00
ROCKY NECK STATE PARK All Sites $20.00 $30.00
SALT ROCK CAMPGROUND Standard Electric With Water $37.00 $48.00 Standard Electric with Water & Sewer $40.00 $52.00 Standard Non Electric $33.00 $45.00 Pop-up/Tent $33.00 $45.00 MOUNT MISERY CAMPGROUND All Sites $17.00 $27.00
GREEN FALLS CAMPGROUND All Sites $17.00 $27.00

The amounts at the end of each site is the non res. fee

Prowler 

AFAIK Mass started this a bit over a year ago. Not just Nickerson but all state park campgrounds. It's like they say "business is so good, economy is booming, that we don't need nor want non-residents. Keep out." Bully for them. I have many other places to go and ride.

BTW, I have found that some commercial campgrounds in Mass are not so cocky. But not on Cape Cod. The Barnstablers have developed a pretty high opinion of themselves. But the cycling is not that much better than elsewhere, if at all.

staehpj1 

I don't get it, are they anti tourism? Do they not want to encourage folks to visit from out of state and spend their money in the state? I took a quick peek at the state website and indeed it seems to be lacking a tourism section. Most states generally have a prominent link to a section for "tourism" or "visitors", they don't seem to. Maybe that is the next closest thing to a "go away" sign. I'll make a note to avoid visitng there.

AeroGut

That is crazy. But having been involved with State Parks management in the past, I can say that in states where the legislature has control over park fees, when you're lobbying reps to increase your revenue, telling them to annoy out-of-staters who can't vote against them goes down a lot better than asking to raise state resident rates.

Ghazmh

Your not missing much. I’ve camped there in weekend overnight bike rides and there is nothing that can’t be had elsewhere. Unless you really enjoy heavy traffic and long lines at every restaurant.

KPREN

They don't jokingly call it Taxsachussetts. for nothing. Fitting for a state that started a war over the final straw of a 1% tea tax. The out of state fees are taxation without representation.

indyfabz

Stayed at a Vermont state park last night. Premium lean-to (water view) was $30 for residents, $32 for me.

rumrunn6

if I came to Wyoming I would be glad to contribute to their economy & I would not begrudge the discount for the locals who already do a lot to support it

here's hoping you change your mind & come visit. I'll buy you a beer ;-)

btw, my oversand jeep permit costs me more cuz I'm not a resident in Orleans (even tho I live in MA) but I don't mind. for the same reason stated above

pdlamb

Just out of curiosity, are you going to avoid Massachusetts on your way south?

boomhauer

Avoid!!!
Mass holes drive 2 feet from the car in front of them. If a car swerves to miss you the one behind might not see you.
Used to live there. Never again.

indyfabz

I’m a bit north of Brattleboro tonight. Heading to Westhampton, MA tomorrow via Old Deerfield, where I went to high school. Then to Copake, NY via Chester and Monterey, MA. Done much of this route before. It’s nice.

Bald Paul

It's simple, really.
Massachusetts doesn't want it's residents to go out of state. They can't tax them if they do, so they try to make it look like they are getting some kind of break by staying in state. MA politicians know that non residents won't be there all year to tax. so they get as much as they can as fast as they can.

There's a reason I moved out of that state.

John N

I get (but don't like) why states tax out of state people more than locals. A lot of places do, state & county. I just think the spread in Mass. is way too much. I would avoid Mass. based on this probably but then again, it is such a dinky state that you might be able to plan it so you do not need to spend the night in Mass. There is also the option of WarmShowers.

indyfabz

Note that we have figures for only one state park, and it’s in a popular vacation destination. The disparity may not be representative of most state parks.

Ouch. Just looked it up. It is. Inland is $17 for residents, $54 for non-residents.

John N

Did not say it was representative of most state parks but the charge for a non-resident is definitely a common occurrence nationwide in my 45+ years of touring. Most charge about $5-$10 difference which I can grudgingly swallow. Lots of county parks and state parks around the nation do this. But as I said, the specific case that John gave is just obscene to me.

indyfabz

I meant most MA state parks. I was thinking that maybe the disparity is so high at the park mentioned because of the particular location: Cape Cod. As I later noted, it’s not just that particular MA park.

I think the most extra I have ever paid has been in MT. A site is $10 more for non-residents. And as I think I mentioned above, PA does not charge extra.

KPREN

I will be on tour in Ohio starting on Friday and going through Sunday. In Ohio SP there are no day use fees for in state or out of state and the camping fees are the same. Exceptin if you are in state and old. Then the Golden Buckeye card gets you an electric site for $12.50. I will be spendin $25.00 to camp this weekend. I want the electric site to charge the bike and heat the tent a little. Dog does not like cold camping. 160 miles, 60% dirt and gravel and 9731 feet of climbing with a near equal amount of decent.

autonomy

Well, here's the thing - are you even able to find an available spot? Nickerson is usually booked solid, although probably not as much mid-week in the fall. If you had a vehicle, you'd also pay $30 vs. $8 for entrance.
Things are expensive here, we are also #5 in nation by population density neighboring #4 Rhode Island and #8 Connecticut.
I hear ya on the huge discrepancy, it's new, but I don't think it's fair for you to generalize all 6.8 million MA residents based on a camping fee in what is probably the most popular state park in NE.
Barnstable has a lesser-known primitive hike-in beach campground for a much more reasonable $20/night https://tobweb.town.barnstable.ma.us...mpinghome.aspx

jamawani 

You do know that Nickerson was donated to the state of Massachusetts.
And all those people should actually lower the unit cost of most services.
(But in Massachusetts, we know that ain't true.)
Not to mention the graft, corruption, cost overruns - see The Big Dig.

But really, it comes back to recipocity and a modicum of fairness.
If the good citizens of Massachusetts are satisfied with this arrangement - -
then, perhaps, they should simply camp there and not venture out to Wyoming.

indyfabz

Sounds like Cape Henlopen SP in DE, which in on the shore. The large campground is usually booked solid much of the time. I spent a couple of days there one Easter weekend and it was probably 95% full.

The land was also donated to the state by the federal government. It used to be a military base that guarded the mouth of the Delaware Bay from invasion during WWII. It was no longer needed after the war.