Campgrounds are opening. Is it okay to go?

[Click_here]

Originally Posted by TxLoser

We’re camping now at a state park. Paid online. Zero contact with staff, full hookup. Only got out of the truck once on the way here and that was to use the restroom in the trailer. People are keeping their distance.

Attachment 57856

Surely you are not at a Texas State Park in this shot, as Abbot closed them all before our last confirmed trip two weeks ago. Had to head up to Lake Murray state park in Oklahoma instead, which was really nice by the way.

Hoping we get TX reopened as we typically have a weekend a month booked. Seems counter intuitive to close them as spots are far enough apart to impost social distancing anyway. Keeping the restrooms and park stores closed makes sense as well.

It is interesting to see the change in social behavior now with people you meet at the parks stopping to chat or visit but staying 6+ feet away while chatting. Wonder if we will keep that sort of modification going forward.

[Click_here]

Originally Posted by TxLoser

It was Robbers Cave State Park. Great for social distancing.

Tonight we’re at Lake Murray. Not good for social distancing. Lots of extended family groups here. People all over and tightly packed. We nearly left. Instead, we’re just staying in. And teenagers walking through our site to fish. One of my greatest irritants. Only one night thankfully.

Try Lake Murray at the Marietta Landing camp. Small, not too many sites and while not as far apart as those in Texas, there were not as many campers. More secluded. We drove over to look at two or 3 of the other campsites and agreed, they were way more full than where we had been all weekend.

[PhilC]

Originally Posted by Choppered

Are the LG campgrounds opening may 1?

We rarely go to a campground as the events we attend are in huge fields (rc planes) NY's "lockdown" goes until May 15, so i would say probably not

[dljs1941]

We were recently notified that our Memorial Day reservation at a VT campground was cancelled. They do not expect to open until June 15 at the earliest.

[Nature Ist]

what campground was that in VT?

[dljs1941]

Nature Ist - Actually it's all of the VT State Parks. They are not accepting changed or new reservations until after June 25.

[Shackrat]

This thread has turned into an excellent discussion.. Thanks to all who have participated. It's nice to learn others viewpoints, state and local restrictions and of course camping plans.

So while New York has not said that campgrounds are non-essential, I've learned here is that in Upstate New York, there's a patchwork of restrictions that are not consistent from county to county. Oneida County (home of Sylvan Beach) has ordered all campgrounds closed until further notice. The Oswego county executive, who is a clown, ordered all campgrounds in the county closed claiming Governor Cuomo declared them to be non-essential, even though the Governor did no such thing. The Ulster county health department has ordered their campgrounds closed too.

All state-run campgrounds remain closed but I have found that most private campgrounds outside of those counties are opening on or close to schedule, with restrictions. Although surprisingly some bigger ones like the KOA in Grand Island are delaying their opening by a few weeks.

So we are heading out this weekend to another KOA near Niagara Falls, effectively starting our season right on schedule. We were planning to head out last weekend but the weather wasn't good leading up to the weekend (it snowed) which kept me from finishing the de-winterizing and other prep work.

We're looking forward to some respnosble socially distant camping and some nice outdoor recreation on Saturday while the sun is out. This is actually going to be the first of a 2 weekend stay at that campground. We're leaving the camper for the week and returning next weekend.

I don't know about everyone else, I don't are if the weather isn't great. It's just the getting out that matters the most.

[DocBrown]

I read yesterday that the Door County WI Public Health dept changed their rules on private CGs. Evidently some of the CG owners got together and came up with their own restrictions, closed public bathrooms, closed public areas like rec rooms and pools, units must have bathrooms, showers, and cooking facilities. In other words fully self contained. So Public Health there is now allowing the CGs to open as of today.

So it looks like our May trip is still on though many things we like to do will be closed. Going out to eat a couple of times and getting a beer are part of the fun. But we'll make due. Many places are doing curbside pickup for food. And the bike trails and state parks there are still open for day use.

Unless this changes again...

[jloco]

Originally Posted by Nature Ist

Update on Connecticut: the current COVID-19 mandate considers campgrounds non-essential. The mandate is in effect until May 20th. That means campgrounds must remain closed, I can only assume the exception to that is permanent sites where people actually reside all year, I'm not sure about seasonal site users.
Massachusetts has now informed it's campground owners they are not permitted to open at all, even to seasonal members until the mandate is lifted or reduced.

Not sure if this is changed but our seasonal campground on Cape Cod just informed us (yesterday) that they are opening as scheduled on 5/15 to self contained units only as the bath houses will remain closed until further notice..

[Kahoneys]

We are camping now and it is great to get out of the house. Bathrooms, Jumping Pillow and Playground but all else is normal. Bingo and Trivia are virtual now instead of in the lodge but that is fine with me.

[RAurand]

PENNSYLVANIA:
Starting this Friday May 1st.
Permitted to reopen are golf courses, marinas, guided fishing trips and privately owned campgrounds statewide.
Marinas in state parks can open as early as May 8, providing the staffing is adequate.
Campgrounds in state parks will remain closed through May 14.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by RAurand

PENNSYLVANIA:
Starting this Friday May 1st.
Permitted to reopen are golf courses, marinas, guided fishing trips and privately owned campgrounds statewide.

Ahhhh, I was just coming here to ask that question, to see if anyone knew of any open campgrounds in NJ or Eastern PA? I need to go check that out.

[RVermont]

We just heard that Ocean Lakes in Myrtle Beach is opening friday. The state is allowing them to open with the exception of guests from CT, NY and NJ. They said they will be checking drivers license or at least have threatened to.

[notherone]

We went to Muddy Run this weekend in PA. Just keep your distance from others and you will be OK.

[ltnunes]

We have camped in private campgrounds when only self-contained units are allowed - it was great and people were very compliant. We've camped in some of our state campgrounds - the same...people were great. Our most recent trip was to 49er RV Resort in one of our counties that has the highest infection rate. The employees were not following their own rules and the campers acted like their rights were more important than the safety of others. Will not be going back there and have written to their parent company.

[PhilC]

We’ve been camping, dining in restaurants, shopping... living. We wear masks where required. We refuse to live in fear. We’re also mutants (we’re vaccinated) if you’re afraid, stay home.

[norty1]

We are back to camping as usual since March 2021.

[Kim Gass]

Hopefully all is back to normal. We went camping cross country from Maine to CA for 44 days starting Jan 27- ending Mar 12.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans was different but still glorious. We missed the lectures at Big Bend NP and Death Valley NP and the visitor centers were still closed.

Our camping interfered with vaccination.. We had to wait till we got home in March! We did eat out and if we peeked inside and saw it was crowded, went back to our TT and ate Cheerios. No big deal.

There is nothing as exhilarating as a successful tow across TX during a historic ice storm. West TX covered in ice was magnificent. And Death Valley.. loved it have to go back. I hear it can get hot. We had freezing and snow.

Loved loved old Rt 66!

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by PhilC

We’ve been camping, dining in restaurants, shopping... living. We wear masks where required. We refuse to live in fear. We’re also mutants (we’re vaccinated) if you’re afraid, stay home.

That's right we are vaccinated also and now the only people that need to fear are people that won't vaccinate and I don't feel sorry for them it's their choice whether they live or die it's not going to be me.

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by Bill Johnson

That's right we are vaccinated also and now the only people that need to fear are people that won't vaccinate and I don't feel sorry for them it's their choice whether they live or die it's not going to be me.

I felt the same way but... I feel bad for kids who CANT be vaccinated mixing with those who won't vaccinate. While kids don't want to be in stores generally, sometimes they have to. So no I don't quite agree, Bill.. In the last week we have seen kids admitted to the hospital with Covid.