Make up the rules as you go?

[Murff]

Seven days to go on 8/29! Are your leaving Sunday? Can't wait to hear the outcome of your week with Mr. & Mrs. Gladys Kravitts! (Or was that Mr. & Mrs Adolph Hitler?)

Murff

[wags999]

I Know of no campground that allows anything to be attached to trees. It is amazing how easy it is to harm a tree to the point it dies. Besides being a potential hazard to others.

From the sound of some of the comments, wanting to cause damage because they had to follow rules, I think there should be a campground guest black list. Having worked in a number of campgrounds it's amazing how little people respect nature or facilities. Besides no respect to their neighbors. And yes I have left campgrounds I was working at because I didn't agree with how they ran the place. But I have seen the nasty side of campers and there are far more of them than mean campground owners.

I too will await the naming of the campground.

[Murff]

Murff

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by wags999

I Know of no campground that allows anything to be attached to trees.

Disney's FT. Wilderness does. Hammocks are between trees all the time as well as clothes lines.

[Camping Couple]

***UPDATED***

So, I will start out by saying the members here who guessed the campground being Custer’s Gulch RV Park in Custer South Dakota are 100% correct. We spent 13 days there with my mother and her significant other John. 7 of those days were with my nieces ages 12 & 20 who flew in from Vancouver, Canada.

I will say that the park is very nice and neatly maintained. The grass is kept cut however, they could care less where they blow the clippings. All over your rig, the outdoor carpet and chairs etc.

The couple of issues I stated in my original and subsequent posts before that really angered me was the Hammock and TIKI Torch thing and the way they went about telling me about it. I told the owner when he approached me about the Hammock I would take it down without an argument. But he continued to lecture me about people like me ruining trees. I walked away. He has my money. I am not an idiot. I purchased this hammock recently and purchased the suspension system for it that was safe for trees and would not scar the bark. I used it but up in the woods off campground property.

The TIKI Torch issue was absurd. The owner wife racing up into our site during dinner time with her golf cart saying we couldn’t have Tiki Torches in such a rude demeanor because they had to be “state inspected”? We couldn’t even use table top Tiki’s. But we were allowed to have fires in the designated pit 10 feet away. Again, the way she went about it treating me like a child. Again, without argument I put them out and stored them. They have my money. Tiki Torches I believe would be safer than a campfire.

The continual 3 times a day drive by inspection was becoming a PITA. After talking to a few of our neighbors, the general consensus is the owners will do anything to find a reason to evict you or make it so uncomfortable to stay, hopefully you will leave and there are absolutely no refunds for early departures. There is a BIG sign in the office reflecting that along with the sign that reads “We have the right to refuse service to ANYONE”. In fact, the elderly couple staying next to us said they made reservations in January and requested a few sites to choose from. When they arrived a few days before us and asked what site they were on, the same lady owner who approached me with the TIKI’s, rudely told them they would not be told what site they were on until they paid in full first. Does that sound like a scam or what? They were staying for a month. So if they weren’t happy with the choice of site, they would be refused service without refund.

Bottom line, Check reviews before you make reservations at any campground. I didn’t at first, and when I made reservations for this trip in October 2014, I made the reservations for 2 sites (Mom & Me). Their web page states reservations are charged a “non-refundable” deposit equal to 1 nights stay for each site. I understand that, but when it is $34.00 per night and my credit card is charged $100.00 for the 2 sites in February, I figured I wouldn’t contest it, we are going anyway. At this point I started to become uneasy and began reading reviews about Custer’s Gulch. Mostly positive, some regarding unfriendly owners and their son. I figured there are 2 sides to those stories. Unfortunately, the negative comments about them were somewhat accurate. I did interact with the son for a brief moment but he was just unfriendly. We were NEVER asked how everything was during our visit nor were we thanked when we paid our bill upon check in.

I would never return to this campground solely on my experience with the owners. You cannot relax because it seemed they were making up the rules as we went along. The one page of rules need to be updated. It’s too bad because the campground is beautiful.

I will have a thread started shortly highlighting our trip.....Stay tuned.

[Camping Couple]

Originally Posted by wags999

I Know of no campground that allows anything to be attached to trees. It is amazing how easy it is to harm a tree to the point it dies. Besides being a potential hazard to others.

From the sound of some of the comments, wanting to cause damage because they had to follow rules, I think there should be a campground guest black list. Having worked in a number of campgrounds it's amazing how little people respect nature or facilities. Besides no respect to their neighbors. And yes I have left campgrounds I was working at because I didn't agree with how they ran the place. But I have seen the nasty side of campers and there are far more of them than mean campground owners.

I too will await the naming of the campground.

Hi wags,

I understand where your coming from. The trees I was hanging the hammock from were 12-14 in diameter. Again, I purchased a suspension system for that hammock with the intention of not harming the trees. It was designed for that purpose. I was not putting any nails, screws etc. into the trees.

[Murff]

Thanks for the update. Sounds like a great place to avoid!

Murff

[Camping Couple]

If you don't have to interact with the owners other than checking in, it's ok. Just follow the rules. ;-)

[bedrck46]

While you were there did you observe this kind of behavior of the owners towards any other campers or did you feel you were singled out?

[Camping Couple]

Originally Posted by bedrck46

While you were there did you observe this kind of behavior of the owners towards any other campers or did you feel you were singled out?

As for the rules, it was the way they approached me about them, In a rude and unfriendly manner. If I were approached and spoken to with respect, things would have been different. I'm not sure about rules with the other campers. As for the general rudeness and unfriendly demeanor, everyone we spoke to had the same experience.

This is a business of hospitality, if customers are treated like this, why would they?

[Plowtoy]

and the wife wants to go to SD again someday...Ill have to remember that CG. We were just talking about walking the bridge labor day (in case you didn't know, the Mackinac bridge between upper and lower MI is open to be walked every labor day only) next year. First CG that comes to mind is a very large private CG with nice views of the lake and bridge. Being we have camped there years ago, I thought I would check into it. After reading the rules and procedures, Im not so sure im willing to spend my money with them again. Although they have many FHU sites, I may just be willing to stay at a nearby state park and empty the old honey wagon a few times...

[Camping Couple]

Hey Plowtoy, I noticed you are not far from me. Funny thing, my wife and I were talking about staying up north next year to walk the bridge over Labor Day as well!! I'm starting to do my research now. So far, I am leaning towards a state park too. Looking at Wilderness SP. it's right on lake michgan.

[Plowtoy]

Originally Posted by Camping Couple

Hey Plowtoy, I noticed you are not far from me. Funny thing, my wife and I were talking about staying up north next year to walk the bridge over Labor Day as well!! I'm starting to do my research now. So far, I am leaning towards a state park too. Looking at Wilderness SP. it's right on lake michgan.

wilderness is a nice state park. Its been a few years since we've been there. Its about 11 miles from the bridge, but no bridge view from the campsites if I remember correctly. Straights State park is what I was thinking. Its just to the east of the bridge on the St ignace side. I just set my reminder to make reservations 6mo in advance, if I cant find anything else. There are a handful of private waterfront parks in the area with full Hook ups, just not sure im ready to give them a try.

[Camper_bob]

I've been following this thread, and I'm glad it was updated.

I just have to say that if you're going to enforce a rule that's not written down, you better be polite about it. The way I look at it, those rules lists are a contract between the guest and the owner/purveyor of the park. We both know what to expect and there are no uncertainties; I know what I'm supposed to do and you know what you're supposed to do. If it's not in the "contract" then the only way to ask you to abide by it is "nicely".

I get it, I worked with the "general public" for many years, and you tend to get jaded pretty bad. It only takes one or two "bad" customers to ruin your day if you let it. But that's what makes the difference; the ability to be polite and respectful until given a reason NOT to do so. In my old age, I'm realizing that you "attract more bees with honey..."

[Camping Couple]

So now I'm really confused. What is the point of a review if you can't be honest? I posted a couple of reviews online about this campground. One of the sites I posted on sent an email back to me saying they could not post my review. I would have to edit my review because it was "aggressively negative". It was to the point and factual. My other review was on trip advisor. With the exact same wording.

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by Camping Couple

So now I'm really confused. What is the point of a review if you can't be honest? I posted a couple of reviews online about this campground. One of the sites I posted on sent an email back to me saying they could not post my review. I would have to edit my review because it was "aggressively negative". It was to the point and factual. My other review was on trip advisor. With the exact same wording.

Was the site that kicked back your review trying to be impartial? Or do they take money from the service providers?

Back in school, we were taught about "Yellow Journalism". The problem of the reporter having his own point of view leaking into the story.

Today we call it "Spin". And it is an accepted part of the process.

That site has an agenda to promote the hospitality industry. Not to allow consumers the unbiased information needed to make good choices. Double check who's advertising on each site. You'll be amused or annoyed.

[DocBrown]

campgroundreviews.com? This CG has an excellent rating there, but the few negative reviews sound exactly like what the OP describes.

Reviews on Trip Advisor are not quite as glowing.

rvparkreviews does NOT refuse negative reviews, otherwise their rating system would be useless. In fact, if you have an established account reviews are posted instantly now. I have not had negative reviews refused there, ever.

[RUSSELL5000]

I study the various review sites carefully when selecting a campground that we have never been to, and have often noticed contradictory reviews from one site to the next.

I also like to use the mapping tools to look at pictures of the campground.

My wife makes fun of me for studying the reviews, but I think it is really important, because a picture can never tell you what the behavior of the owners is like.

To OP, sorry you have a bad experience and THANK YOU for passing along the information.

[MrScary]

Camping Couple/PlowToy,
I am a Michigander too...I just spend a few days in a private campground, in site of the bridge. I'm fairly positive Plowtoy is referring to a campground that sounds like "Bill Streak". I was somewhat reluctant to book this campground based on people saying how tightly squeezed together the sites are. But on their website, they touted new larger sites. Of course there weren't any pictures, my first red flag.

Anyway, the only thing really impressive about this CG is the sheer size. I think it's like 600+ sites. Huge. Although, there are a lot of trees and foliage around it would be impossible to see them all standing in one spot. Our 'large site' was basically a corner lot with a little bit more room than the other 'normal' sites. Some of the sites I saw would barely leave enough room for me to put my awning out all the way before hitting the camper next door!

I had other issues, but we spent most of our time seeing the sites in and around Mackinac Island. Didn't spend a lot of time at the CG. I don't think I would go back there. Some of the smaller CG we saw looked more inviting....less cramped.

Camping Couple...next time, head to Tennessee at stay at Anchor Down...trust me!