- Should I take the dog(s)? If pets are allowed, sure. But, because of irresponsible pet owners, many campground now impose weight limits and/or pet fees, ALL HAVE SOME FORM OF PET RULES. Check with the campground in advance as to what their particular pet policies are.
- If pets are allowed, clean up after your pet, even if no one is looking. Be a responsible pet owner.
- Please, please, please have your pet on a leash AT ALL TIMES! The friendliest dogs can change their behavior radically when confronted with an unfamiliar person, situation, or environment.
- Do not leave your pet tied up outside your unit overnight or when you are gone. It's not fair to the pet and may be disturbance to other campers.
- Irresponsible pet owners are what's causing many campgrounds to not allow pets.
- If your campground has designated quiet hours, abide by them. Stay out and enjoy the stars and the campfire, but remember, during quiet hours, if you can be heard at the next campsite, you are too loud!
- If there is a posted speed limit, abide by it! There are usually kids everywhere in a campground and they don't always expect cars in their path. What's your rush ... after all, didn't you come out to relax and get away from the rat race?
- Respect the "boundaries" of other campsites,
walk around, not through, someone else's
campsite. Also, show your children where they should and shouldn't walk.
- Speaking of children - acquaint yourself with the park amenities and the applicable rules. Make sure your children understand the rules. The park management is not there to babysit for you and the time you take might keep your kids safe and out of trouble!
- Use the proper trash receptacles for your garbage - recycle items in the recycle bin and garbage in the garbage container. Don't put your trash in the bath house trash cans or the fire rings.
- When walking around the campground with a beverage, throw your empty can or cup in the proper receptacle, not along side the road. These things are not part of the nature you or others have come to see.
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- Beer bottle tops need to go in the trash, not the fire pit or the ground. Beer bottle tops on the ground will cause injury and/or possible damage to someone's tent or feet. Plus, beer bottle tops are not a part of nature and don't belong on the ground.
- There are inexpensive hangers you can purchase to safely hang your lantern from trees without damaging them.
- Don't bring your own firewood without first checking with the campground, a lot of states/counties have laws prohibiting you from crossing state/county lines with cut wood, in the hopes of preventing the spread of insects and disease. Most campgrounds have firewood for sale (and it's a lot cheaper then a $1000 - $4000 fine).
- Don't chop, cut or damage live standing trees (large or small). It may be a little bit of a hassle and you may need to buy your wood at the campground - do what you've got to do, but please don't damage the trees. These trees provide the shade you expect to find when you go camping! Even the dead trees are home to many of natures animals. You may be destroying an animal's home and affecting a part of nature's balance.
- If you are a smoker, please put your cigarette butts and package wrappers in the fire pit. The fire pit is like a huge ashtray, and it won't take much effort on your part to put the butts in the fire pit. The next campers may not smoke and will very much appreciate the little effort it took to put your cigarette butts in the fire pit. Cigarette butts are not a part of nature and don't belong on campground roads, trails or all over the campsite. After a walk or hike, bring your cigarette butts back to your fire pit. I've met hundreds of campers who really do this! You can too!
- If it doesn't burn, don't put it in the fire pit! Aluminum and metal cans, foil, glass, wire and corn cobs don't burn, and should not be placed in the fire pit!
- Don't burn anything but paper or wood in your fire pit.
- Plastic only melts and puts bad fumes into our air - the air you left the city for!
- Treated Wood (green) gives off toxic fumes when burned.
- Leftover sparklers from the Fourth of July don't burn either and can damage mowing equipment, so please take a few minutes to toss these in the trash after cooling.
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This is not exactly "etiquette" but it will help you (and everyone else!) have more fun ... if there is any kind of a problem in your campground do not hesitate to contact the Rangers (or owners or workers) immediately. Rangers can usually be contacted at the check-in/registration area. If the Ranger is not available at the time you stop by to report the problem, leave a note with your site number. Please don't wait until the morning to report noisy campers from the night before. If campers are obnoxious they can and do get evicted! However, it is best if the Rangers witness their actions, so telling them the next day often won't help. If campers are too drunk to drive that night, local Law Enforcement usually gives them a ride. Don't worry about these obnoxious campers thinking it was "you" who told the Rangers. An obnoxious camper could have been reported by anyone!! AND SHOULD BE !
More indelicate, but necessary ... ladies, please properly dispose of your "feminine hygiene products", Please don't try flushing them down the toilet, it will clog the system, and then there's a real problem. Most bathrooms have receptacles for these products. Please use the containers! The next time you use the bathroom, which stall are you going to pick? The one where you know you left your used sanitary product on the back of the toilet or the next one???
Lastly, many campers have their favorite campsite. Think before you leave. The next time you come to this site, is this how you want it to look? Do you really want to walk into your favorite site with your beer bottles still heaped in the fire pit and trash left scattered around your site?
Wouldn't you prefer the campground staff spending their time making improvements at your campground rather than spending their time simply picking up after campers? Just take 15 minutes or so, and do a group effort to quickly pick up your campsite.
If we all follow this simple, common sense, camping etiquette the beautiful campgrounds we are enjoying now with our families will still be affordable and beautiful when our children have their families and want to take them camping! |
camping etiquette