Poor campground mangement/Rude inconsiderate campers

[neveser]

Just thought I'd share something with you so you can possibly avoid this situation in the future...

We had reservations for Friday through Monday this weekend at Red Bluff Campgrounds here in Missouri. We left about 6:30 that evening (I get home about 5pm). We had about a 1 hour 45 minute drive so I figured we’d arrive with some light left. We got near the campground (about 15 miles) and ran into a detour. We took the detour and it went too far around. We ended up on the wrong side of the bridge that was out. We had to double back. This took about an hour. We stopped for gas and asked for directions to make sure we could get to the campground on the road we were on and that the bridge being out wouldn’t stop us from getting there. We ended up arriving at the campground after 10pm. It was pitch black. I drove to our site and someone was in it!!! Our name wasn’t even on the post! I thought something had happened to my reservation and it had not gone through. Thing is, I did receive a confirmation email. I didn’t know if the host was on site, I didn’t see any signs. The campground looked full so there was no place for me to pull in for the night. Needless to say, I was furious and confused. I pulled up to the campground entrance and sat there thinking in less than 2 hours I can be back home, in the AC, and finally eating dinner. My wife was so upset she was nearly in tears.

I drove home. Almost 5 hours on the road that night and there I was back in my own drive way with a fully loaded ready to camp trailer. I immediately went to my computer to look up my reservation and… everything was fine! My reservation was there and it was correct! That spot should have been ours!!!
I called the campground the next morning to see what happened. Turns out the people who had the space before us just decided to stay. The host never came around and told them they site was reserved. Our weekend was ruined because of some rude, completely inconsiderate campers and a lazy campground host. Check out time was 2pm, they should have been long gone by 10pm! How can anyone assume that a space in not going to be reserved on a Friday for the weekend??!!??!!

This was a reservation made through Reserve America. We normally stay at state parks. This is the last time we will try and stay at a federally run park. The state parks are run so much better here in Missouri.

The moral of my tale… always call the park on the day you leave to make sure all is well (and no one is squatting in your reserved spot). Had I called to check, this whole mess could have been avoided.

I’m glad I don’t have any more reservations at federally run parks this year, only state parks. No more Reserve America for us!!!

[xrated]

I'm not sure how I might have reacted, but I think i might have knocked on their door and told them to move along......you're in our spot.

[JRTJH]

Sorry to hear about your ruined weekend. To be honest, we've never had any problems with reservations made through the Reserve America system. I'd suspect that the campground host knew about the site being reserved, when he rode by, saw someone in the site, he probably thought "all is good"... I wouldn't suppose a host would verify license plate numbers or names (unless there was a complaint), rather just knowing it's a "reserved site" and there's someone in it, so no problem....

Unfortunately, it looks like a "storm of events" led to your getting in late, not knowing how to contact the campground host and a JERK (I can't call him what I would like on the forum) who is the one who "screwed up your weekend".

I know you're frustrated, but don't blame Reserve America or the federal campground system, it's that single JERK that screwed things up for you.

[heiserk0410]

I'm with Xrated. Someone would have been moving...and fast! :mad:

:camping:

[Outback 325BH]

Just thought I'd share something with you so you can possibly avoid this situation in the future...



We had reservations for Friday through Monday this weekend at Red Bluff Campgrounds here in Missouri. We left about 6:30 that evening (I get home about 5pm). We had about a 1 hour 45 minute drive so I figured we’d arrive with some light left. We got near the campground (about 15 miles) and ran into a detour. We took the detour and it went too far around. We ended up on the wrong side of the bridge that was out. We had to double back. This took about an hour. We stopped for gas and asked for directions to make sure we could get to the campground on the road we were on and that the bridge being out wouldn’t stop us from getting there. We ended up arriving at the campground after 10pm. It was pitch black. I drove to our site and someone was in it!!! Our name wasn’t even on the post! I thought something had happened to my reservation and it had not gone through. Thing is, I did receive a confirmation email. I didn’t know if the host was on site, I didn’t see any signs. The campground looked full so there was no place for me to pull in for the night. Needless to say, I was furious and confused. I pulled up to the campground entrance and sat there thinking in less than 2 hours I can be back home, in the AC, and finally eating dinner. My wife was so upset she was nearly in tears.



I drove home. Almost 5 hours on the road that night and there I was back in my own drive way with a fully loaded ready to camp trailer. I immediately went to my computer to look up my reservation and… everything was fine! My reservation was there and it was correct! That spot should have been ours!!!

I called the campground the next morning to see what happened. Turns out the people who had the space before us just decided to stay. The host never came around and told them they site was reserved. Our weekend was ruined because of some rude, completely inconsiderate campers and a lazy campground host. Check out time was 2pm, they should have been long gone by 10pm! How can anyone assume that a space in not going to be reserved on a Friday for the weekend??!!??!!



This was a reservation made through Reserve America. We normally stay at state parks. This is the last time we will try and stay at a federally run park. The state parks are run so much better here in Missouri.



The moral of my tale… always call the park on the day you leave to make sure all is well (and no one is squatting in your reserved spot). Had I called to check, this whole mess could have been avoided.



I’m glad I don’t have any more reservations at federally run parks this year, only state parks. No more Reserve America for us!!!



You left without even trying to resolve the issue. That is funny right there.

I would have asked the guy to move/leave and/or contacted the host.

Not sure how Reserve America is to blame. It worked fine. Gotta contact the host.


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[sourdough]

I hate that your weekend was ruined, but I have to say, with my weekend and the work I put into getting ready, the folks in my slot would have had to leave.

Plus, I always, always call ahead at least once, usually twice to verify with the camp operator that all is will and prepared for my arrival. I'm a very particular person so I generally have several criteria I like in a camp spot so I communicate that, a couple of times, before arrival.

If the person just decided to stay and didn't have a reservation they were jerks and deserved to be kicked out by you or the park host. They may have mentioned something to the host, or did something online that made them think they had the site...who knows. That's where a face to face would have cleared up the problem and more than likely saved a drive back home and a camping week end. Sorry you had those problems after heading out for a highly anticipated week end.

[Eastham]

I would have tried to resolve it but with the stand your ground laws kicking someone off a site that management might have screwed up and authorize another night stay.might not be a smart thing to do.

[sourdough]

I would have tried to resolve it but with the stand your ground laws kicking someone off a site that management might have screwed up and authorize another night stay.might not be a smart thing to do.


I understand some reluctance to bang on anyone's door at 10pm. If/when doing so you just want to keep the circumstances in mind and address the individually accordingly. I think if you cordially found out the circumstances you go from there. If they had reason to think they could stay you would have to figure out a game plan. If they said they just decided to "hang out" then you could be more forceful in your wording including going to get the camp host and have them removed. Stand your ground couldn't/shouldn't come into play unless you physically threatened or took aggressive actions toward the tenant (make him feel in fear for his life). It should never escalate to anything like that.

[canesfan]

Sorry your weekend was ruined, but I don't see in any way, shape or form how this is Reserve America's fault. It sounds like the CG host wasn't doing their job, and some "wonderful" camper took advantage of it. I visit a local SP often, and it is all through Reserve America. The CG hosts make routine trips through the park and take note of the departure date on the tag on the post and write down the license number of any vehicle that has stayed past the departure date/time and give it to the ranger. The ranger will then take care of the situation. If you didn't want to bother the host at 10 at night, even though that's what he is there for, but at that hour it might be touchy, I would have found or called a ranger to deal with the problem. I certainly wouldn't have left.

[Eastham]

It could get out of hand at that hour if he did decide to leave it would probably be midnight before you even pulled in and started to set up.might as well park in the parking lot until morning then straighten it out.

[gearhead]

I think that's what the host is being paid the big money for. Wake the host up and let him do his job.

[Canonman]

We have used Reserve America many times over the years without any problem. Often we would arrive well after dark Friday night and always found our site without incident. Let's look for a moment at the issue of a camper, (probably a lot like ourselves) who likes the spot/campground and asks extend their stay. If the host is doing their job, and I've not been to one fed campground yet where they didn't, they check tags every day as part of their routine. Camper asks to extend their stay, host looks up the site number on the res sheet and allows the extension. Maybe looked at the wrong site# or what ever but I'm going with an error on the host's part not the camper.
I would have absolutely found the host and got to the bottom of it. Depending on the outcome, it may be a better idea for me drive home rather than spend the night in the county hooscow angel:
With your reservation,you are basically guaranteed the spot you selected. I would have at addressed the issue regardless of the hour with the thought in mind that some mistake had been made and sought some redress.
We have reservations coming up next week at a National Forest Campground 860 miles from home. You can bet I'm making a phone call after reading about your misfortune. Thanks for this post!

[Mandolin]

If I am going to be late, particularly for one of the packed campgrounds like the ones on the coast, I call ahead and let them know. Not that you can always get someone at the actual campground, but in some you still can. In theory, if you reserve a site on a particular day you have until 9 or 10 am the next day to show up and after that the reservation is canceled.

Reserve America is simply a reservation operation, they have no connection with running the actual campground, so this unfortunate incident had nothing to do with them. Here they book all the state parks that accept reservations, so you have no choice but to use them.

[notanlines]

We have used Reserve America many times and never had the first problem. Let's look at the offender first. He and family have had a good time during the week, decide it would be good to stay another couple days so they pay for their site. Somebody took his/her money. I say look towards whoever took their money. They probably didn't stay knowing that someone else had the site reserved. I would start with the camp host, I don't care what time it is. And Eastham had the idea to stay in the parking lot until morning and then settle things probably had the best idea.

[Barbell]

I understand that the reason you were late was no fault of your own but a call to the campground when you first hit the detour may have avoided the problem. We have been half-timers (on the road about six months of the year) for several years, traveling from coast to coast. Never had a problem because we aways call ahead even if we know we will be there on time. Pulling into most any campground after 10:00 pm without giving someone a heads-up that you will be late is asking for a problem. I agree that the folks who decided to stay over caused the problem, but a call ahead would have had it resolved before you got there. Sorry but this is poor planning on your part rather than blaming Reserve America.

[Javi]

https://www.recreation.gov/

[CaptnJohn]

I print confirmations and take them with me...

[Pull Toy]

Plus 1 for Eastham's "Stand your ground"... As a former LEO... Cold day in H*ll, before I'd be bangin' on someone's door at 10 pm without a S.W.A.T team and a warrant whether they belonged there or not.

It could probably have been resolved in the a.m. Was there a contact number posted for management? A phone call could probably have resolved the issue, and it was his job to get shot thru the door, not yours!

Sorry your trip was a bust! Ask for compensation points, you were in the right!

Good Luck,

[RLM5150]

I would have tried to resolve it but with the stand your ground laws kicking someone off a site that management might have screwed up and authorize another night stay.might not be a smart thing to do.

I would say you have a grave misunderstanding of what Stand Your Ground laws are.

[Dave W]

If I couldn't raise the host, I would have 'dry' camped in front of the office/kiosk. Next morning would have been interesting to say the least. As far as banging on the other camper's door at O-Dark-Thirty, these days you might have come face to face with a large bore firearm - and no camping experience is worth that much fun. This is one of the reasons we have a 'seasonal' site, doing our traveling before and after school close/open schedules, seldom having any problem making reservations.

[Javi]

Only thing I got to say... every federal park that I've ever stayed at has had a check-out, check-in and office hours... I seriously can't lay all of the blame on the campground office if the camper couldn't bother to call when it became apparent that they would not be checking in during business hours...

Over the years I've had several instances where we were delayed and would arrive after closing... I've always called ahead as soon as I knew I would be late

[flipazn]

Higm km


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[Ken / Claudia]

Whats not listed is the rules regarding late arrival. Just me but, 1st I would have read the late check in rules. 2nd I would have gladly woke up the camp host. Usually at the marked camp host spot or listed at the check in office, also many have phone numbers listed there to use when the office is closed. 3nd stay parked at the office until they open and get a refund. Last year at a state park, I arrived at check in time 1pm, there was still a RV in the site and no one there. Check out time was 11am. I drove to camp host and we arrived back at site the folks showed up. They had a mentally challenged son and the short walk turned into a long day for them. What can you say, life is to short to be mad about it. I got into the site an hour later.

[Canonman]

Whats not listed is the rules regarding late arrival. Just me but, 1st I would have read the late check in rules. 2nd I would have gladly woke up the camp host. Usually at the marked camp host spot or listed at the check in office, also many have phone numbers listed there to use when the office is closed. 3nd stay parked at the office until they open and get a refund. Last year at a state park, I arrived at check in time 1pm, there was still a RV in the site and no one there. Check out time was 11am. I drove to camp host and we arrived back at site the folks showed up. They had a mentally challenged son and the short walk turned into a long day for them. What can you say, life is to short to be mad about it. I got into the site an hour later.

In the end we're all just here camping until the Big Guy gives us the final check out notice. I'm sure they appreciated your consideration:)

[Cheryl]

Good information to call ahead a few times to check on the reservation even if you're not late. Ill sure do that next trip. Thanks.

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