I have noticed many posts made by folks in the Eastern states about using back country campgrounds with no hookups, and using the Blue Totes for a trip to the dump station when the gray tank gets full, using the campground bath house and toilets, etc.
I find it interesting that so many state/federal campgrounds have such facilities back there.
Out here, in U.S. Forest Service campgrounds and State Parks, there usually are no such amenities. More often than not, there isn't even a garbage dumpster! In a fifty site campground, there might be 5 to 10 water faucets, 5 to 10 vault toilets, and that is all. No dump station. It is against the rules to dump RV waste water in the vault toilets or on the ground.
Water conservation is an absolute MUST! A daily shower for everyone in the family? No, sorry, can't do it. A sponge bath in half a gallon of water in the bathroom sink will have to do! Even a Navy shower uses too much water. You may be able to fill the fresh water tank from the faucets (they normally are not threaded), but when the waste tanks are full, it will require a trip to town to dump. IF there is a dump station in the nearest town.
Wash dishes? No, use paper plates, then burn them in the fire pit. If you don't burn them, you will have to take them home with you! You may NOT bag your garbage and leave it on the picnic table for pickup. There is nobody to pick it up! "Pack It In, Pack It OUT" is the name of the game! By the way, in many towns the business owners are VERY protective of their dumpsters. You may NOT stop to dispose of your garbage on the way through town!
We are improving, though. there is talk of installing electric hookups, water hookups, and dump stations in some State Parks. A few Forest Service Campgrounds have dumpsters now (usually ones close to a town).
But, if you want a bath house, best bet is to stop at an RV park along the highway!
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My favorite National Forest Service campground in Florida has FULL hook ups. Talk about living! A number of our state parks also now have FHU's with more planned for the upgrade. Most state parks in Florida still only offer W&E services.
I think you're right on, regarding the kind of environment dictating what is available as an amenity. It has a lot to do with availability of resources, both environmentally and funding-wise.
In my limited experience, and speaking in grand generalities (there are always exceptions), I've camped in quite a few states that are lush and green and had full services available, as you attribute to the east coast. Really, it's like that in a number of places east of the Mississippi and some west.
But you get to arid parts of the country and it is a different ballgame.
One notable except for me was camping on The Apostle Islands in Lake Superior just off of Wisconsin, we were surrounded by some of the most beautiful boreal forests, miles of beachfront, etc. Of course, since ferry is the only way to get there, you pack out what you pack in, very limited bathroom facilities and the like.
Mowermech, you are right about conserving resources. But there are many state parks in the west with amenities, even including hookups. Some even have sewer hookups! IMHO, this is unnecessary and returning to dry camping might be a better way to reduce costs than closing parks altogether. Why have a self-contained RV if you need to have it hooked up every night?
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fla-gypsy wrote: My favorite National Forest Service campground in Florida has FULL hook ups. Talk about living! A number of our state parks also now have FHU's with more planned for the upgrade. Most state parks in Florida still only offer W&E services.
Thank you for proving my point!
Here in Montana, very few of the State Parks have ANY hookups! In fact, some don't even have defined "sites", just get off the road and park wherever you want.
I don't know of any Forest Service Campgrounds that have any hookups, and none that have dump stations. I can think of only ONE that I have been to that has a dumpster for garbage (it is near Red Lodge, MT). I'm sure there are others, though, just not ones that I often go to.
Again, thanks for proving my point. I think those from the East and Midwest who expect to find such campgrounds should be aware that out here they might not find them, and should be prepared. Just a word to the wise, is all.
I have seen campers from eastern & midwestern states leave their bags of garbage at the front of their campsites as if someone was going to pick it up. The bears and raccoons love it.
In NY we have two state park systems. DEC is department of conservation, most will have no facilties. possibly a vault toilet or two and a water hydrant. Most DEC camping is dispersed camping so there is nothing. The other system is Parks Rec and Historic preservation. These can run the gamut from the whole enchilada to nothing. Most will have water and electric. Dumpsters are usually provided although some are carry in carry out.
Here in TX, a lot of SPs have sewer/water/electricity, and tend to be in a good state of repair. Texas has changed a lot -- used to be in the past that if someone wanted to empty a waste tank, they were told to find some bushes downwind from everyone and let loose. Grey water was welcomed due to the drought conditions.
Now with all the people incoming to the state who want to turn everywhere they go into their personal garbage pit, the state troopers will not hesitate to write up a multi-thousand dollar fine or pull out the handcuffs.
You still sometimes see the old parts of Texas. There used to be a rest stop near Johnson City that had a ladder going over a fence, so people could do their business away from the road.
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