Camping fees compared to this place

Number 4 · 07-11-2018, 08:01 AM

Last weekend we camped for two nights at Collins Lake campground in California’s Central Valley. Actually the DW and I went retro and pitched a borrowed tent in our friend’s full hookup campsite. It’s July at 1,200 ft elevation so it was very hot, but I was prepared for that. However, I was shocked at how tightly packed the campsites were along both sides of the crushed gravel road. Saturday was like a freeway with cars and trucks kicking up dust as they passed close by. Decent bathrooms, clean coin operated showers ($1.00/minute), a nice general store with good ice cream, stocked fishing lake, but overall I wasn’t impressed because of how crammed it feels in the dusty campground.

This place makes serious money in prime camping months with 500+ campsites and their (high?) fees. I’m curious how these fees stack up against other large camping facilities around the country. Is this normal?
Basic dry camping $32/night
Water and power $46/night
Water, power, sewer $64/night
$14/day for a second vehicle and $10/day to launch a boat

I’m feeling mighty thankful for my favorite 7,200 ft elevation dry camping spot at $23/night and no second vehicle or boat launch fee.

LuvsPalmTrees · 07-11-2018, 08:26 AM

I know that some of the private campgrounds around Michigan are close to the same prices and crammed in. Sometimes you do not have enough room to put out your bump out without being over the line of your site. We camp with my in-laws in October just before we winterize our trailer and the campsites are so close together. If we want to face each other one of us has to face the wrong direction so our doors face each other and then we have to stagger so our awnings don't hit together. In the peak of the season a "deluxe" campsite can be up to $92.00 per night and that same site in the "off season" is $80.00 per night. My in-laws like the full hook up, me as long as I have electricity I am okay. I will take my state campground over this one any day.

Bisjoe · 07-11-2018, 09:16 AM

My last trip to a local lake two hours away was $45/night with 50 or 30 amps, water and sewer hookups. Our site had lots of room, a picnic table and fire ring, short walk to the fishing pier. With trees on both sides and behind, our site was totally private, some were more so than others. There was no boat launch, only non-motorized car-toppers (kayaks, canoes) allowed so very peaceful and quiet. This was a private resort, with wifi only at the clubhouse, but onsite propane filling, coin laundry, & free showers. Without hookups it would be $40, and for just tents $35.

SummitPond · 07-11-2018, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Number 4

Basic dry camping $32/night
Water and power $46/night
Water, power, sewer $64/night
$14/day for a second vehicle and $10/day to launch a boat.

I am surprised at the premium between water/electric and water/electric/sewer.

We've paid all over the map, from as little as $10/night (full hookup and right on a little pond) to $65+/night with only water/electric.

While recently investigating campgrounds in the Shenandoah Valley area, one quoted a max price of $175/night (no, I did not look further into this; maybe I should have - it would have to be some site).

Number 4 · 07-11-2018, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SummitPond

I am surprised at the premium between water/electric and water/electric/sewer.

We've paid all over the map, from as little as $10/night (full hookup and right on a little pond) to $65+/night with only water/electric.

While recently investigating campgrounds in the Shenandoah Valley area, one quoted a max price of $175/night (no, I did not look further into this; maybe I should have - it would have to be some site).

Collins Lake offers a "Honey Wagon" for $20 at the non-sewer sites. As for that $175 rate they should include washing and waxing your TT and TV!

wiredgeorge · 07-11-2018, 09:48 AM

A buck a minit showers? Bwhahahaha How did they think that one up? Unbelieveable....

Bisjoe · 07-12-2018, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SummitPond

I am surprised at the premium between water/electric and water/electric/sewer.

We've paid all over the map, from as little as $10/night (full hookup and right on a little pond) to $65+/night with only water/electric.

While recently investigating campgrounds in the Shenandoah Valley area, one quoted a max price of $175/night (no, I did not look further into this; maybe I should have - it would have to be some site).

If they are on city sewers that might make sense. In Seattle water is $6.59/CCF, but sewer is $13.46/CCF. I would expect that most RV parks are on septic systems, however.

B-O-B'03 · 07-12-2018, 08:09 AM

We went to a COE park, on lake Texoma, for our last camp out.

With my Golden Eagle pass it was $11/night, for water and electric.

There was a, brand new, public restroom down the road that was broken into 4 sections, each with a shower and the dump station was across the road, between our site and the shower.

We tend to camp in federal/state campgrounds, usually nice big sites at a reasonable cost.

-Brian

Old Mustanger · 07-14-2018, 06:53 AM

[QUOTE=B-O-B'03;296436]We went to a COE park, on lake Texoma, for our last camp out.

With my Golden Eagle pass it was $11/night, for water and electric.

There was a, brand new, public restroom down the road that was broken into 4 sections, each with a shower and the dump station was across the road, between our site and the shower.

What is the name of the COE park? Didn't realize there is one on Lake Texoma.

RK1978 · 07-14-2018, 07:08 AM

We have paid around $65 for full service sites at Vineyards on Grapevine Lake in Texas, and a fancy place on the large reservoir NE of Nashville TN. These are the highest and are both very nice and located near relatively high income urban areas. The lowest was between 10 and 20 dollars at various small town sites that were not very close to tourist attractions. We will be staying at Spruce LAke CG near Estes Park later next week and they are charging about 65 also. That is another location of high demand, several other places we talked to were filled for the time we needed. It is still better to pay those prices and stay in our own place than paying higher prices for someone else's hotel room.

pikespeakviewer · 07-15-2018, 01:22 PM

Our favourite is on Vancouver Island. We pay $40/night for full service and this is our fav site:

66joej · 07-15-2018, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pikespeakviewer

Our favourite is on Vancouver Island. We pay $40/night for full service and this is our fav site:

We are going over for the month of Sept. Where is this park?
By the way your pictures are sideways but the spot looks nice.

FlyingAroundRV · 07-15-2018, 01:33 PM

We've found from the little RVing that we've done, that the private parks tend to be expensive and crowded. They are set up to make money... We avoid private parks when we can.

pikespeakviewer · 07-15-2018, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 66joej

We are going over for the month of Sept. Where is this park?
By the way your pictures are sideways but the spot looks nice.

The pictures were the right way up when they were uploaded!

Qualicum Bay Resort. They are a member of Passport America.

The provincial campgrounds are generally more private and are quite shady in the tall Douglas Fir trees (but unserviced).

If you have any questions about BC, campgrounds or other questions, don't hesitate to ask! I love sharing info about this lovely place!

66joej · 07-15-2018, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pikespeakviewer

The pictures were the right way up when they were uploaded!

Qualicum Bay Resort. They are a member of Passport America.

The provincial campgrounds are generally more private and are quite shady in the tall Douglas Fir trees (but unserviced).

If you have any questions about BC, campgrounds or other questions, don't hesitate to ask! I love sharing info about this lovely place!

Hi Sent you a PM.

gearhead · 07-15-2018, 03:58 PM

^^What does "unserviced" mean??

pikespeakviewer · 07-15-2018, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gearhead

^^What does "unserviced" mean??

no water/elec/sewer hookups. Sorry, dry camping would have been easier to write, I couldn't think of it at the time.

roadglide · 07-15-2018, 05:23 PM

I stay at horse tooth county park ft Collins co 25 $ along the resvor and spend the days riding.. Some folks do pay extorted camping fees not I.

Canonman · 07-15-2018, 05:50 PM

We recently paid "extorted camping fees". Our kids are members of Thousand Trails and we all camped together over the 4th at the Bend, Sunriver Campground. We paid the guest rate and I guarantee you that will never happen again.
This place will forever be known as "One Thousand Nasty Dusty Trails". Premium $$$ for camping in Beirut. Overused, overcrowded and under-maintained. Only thing missing was the mortar fire.

Give me a State Park or Forest Service campground any time!
Photo is Bully Creek county park. $15 a night

**JRTJH** · 07-15-2018, 06:20 PM

When our grand daughter got married we stayed in the Thousand Trails "resort" (all in small letters) near Wilmington, OH. Expensive, dirt sites, antiquated sewer system with broken fittings, leaking water faucets (mud all around them), dirt roads (fun in the rainy season) and no TV, no cable, no WIFI, no clubhouse, no 50 amp service, all for the meager sum of $75 a night, no weekly rate and no refunds.....

Not quite Beirut, but definitely "third world environment with a world class price"..... We won't be back there.

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