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Camping in a tent only site

skidrue
Explorer
Explorer
Sorry if this has been covered or beat to death but my search results come up with nothing.

Is this a discouraged practice or not allowed? In my thought process it would be fine, it is still a single vehicle and our CO is not required to be registered. Tent sites are just more readily available too.
67 REPLIES 67

Naio
Explorer
Explorer
Variation on the theme:

I often travel with a friend who is sleeping in a tent, while I sleep in the camper van. On some routes, it's hard to find a campground that works for this!

Most RV parks don't allow tents, and many private tent campgrounds are walk in and don't allow sleeping in the parking lot.

On other routes, there are forest service and BLM campgrounds, and they never care, even if they do have a camp host.
3/4 timing in a DIY van conversion. Backroads, mountains, boondocking, sometimes big cities for a change of pace.

mountainkowboy
Explorer
Explorer
^^^yup
Chuck & Ruth with 4-legged Molly
2007 Tiffin Allegro 30DA
2011 Ford Ranger
1987 HD FLHTP

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
Sometimes, tent campers diminish my camping experience. :D.

'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.

NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member

ticki2
Explorer
Explorer
DutchmenSport wrote:
mkirsch wrote:
...but that's how we've been taught. Always grab the biggest piece of cake even if you don't really need it, because if you don't someone else will.


No, not being rude, it's called "Capitalism" ... The American Way! :B

And be thankful we can still do it!
Even for a Capitalists there is still a difference between what one can do and what one should do . Going back to the OP question , for a tent camper to be surrounded by RV' s diminishes their camping experience . Sometimes it's necessary , but if it's not , take the high road .
'68 Avion C-11
'02 GMC DRW D/A flatbed

mountainkowboy
Explorer
Explorer
^^^^ Hahahahaha
Chuck & Ruth with 4-legged Molly
2007 Tiffin Allegro 30DA
2011 Ford Ranger
1987 HD FLHTP

stevenal
Nomad
Nomad
I did it again Friday. Armed with a tent site reservation from Reserve America, I engaged my cloaking device and pulled up to the campground booth. They never even asked to see my tent. They gave me a tag, and I proceeded to the tent loop and claimed my spot. There were a few tents there, but many more trailers and motor homes. The nerve of some people.
'18 Bigfoot 1500 Torklifts and Fastguns
'17 F350 Powerstroke Supercab SRW LB 4X4

toedtoes
Explorer II
Explorer II
jaycocreek wrote:
While I don't think a smaller rig should refrain from taking a larger site if it suits them better, I don't think we need to get rude about the frustrations of folks with larger rigs.


The folks with these monster rigs have to understand the limits of there length...I did and they should...Buying an RV and choosing a length, should be should be well thought out before the purchase,not after!

That's what a toad is for,scouting out before committing to a site.And there is the internet nowadays for a phone call or spots available.

If 'ya snooze 'ya lose...


I don't disagree. But if the site is "first come first serve" (as the snowflake post suggests) then there is no ability to plan ahead for that big rig. So, when they get there and see that the few sites able to hold their rig are being used by teardrops, etc., it can be frustrating. Doesn't make it wrong for those small rigs to be in those sites, but I can see how it could be frustrating for the big rigs. It's called empathy.
1975 American Clipper RV with Dodge 360 (photo in profile)
1998 American Clipper Fold n Roll Folding Trailer
Both born in Morgan Hill, CA to Irv Perch (Daddy of the Aristocrat trailers)

TCBob
Explorer
Explorer
I am in the "It Depends" camp. Have seen it both ways, but then I see a lot of Oregon or PNW folks that seem to have the same experience. If I stay in a formal campground it is usually a county, state, or federal campground. I have rarely had a problem with a "Tent" site if the TC could fit in the Paved (or gravel) parking for that individual site. I would never try a walk up tent site parking, unless the camp host or management offer. AND ALWAYS ask is my rule. I am self contained....and rarely worry about "hook ups" unless like my most recent trip - I forget to charge my AUX batteries (that I carry in Truck bed for my AC inverter) AND leave the Generator home, because I was just going for a quick weekend get away....(dummy me)
2004 S&S 8.5 SC Ponderosa
1999 Ford F-350 4X4 7.3-PSD DRW

mountainkowboy
Explorer
Explorer
Americamper wrote:
I have yet to see two campgrounds that have all the same rules. I never know what to expect.


Aint that the truth......
Chuck & Ruth with 4-legged Molly
2007 Tiffin Allegro 30DA
2011 Ford Ranger
1987 HD FLHTP

Americamper
Explorer
Explorer
I have yet to see two campgrounds that have all the same rules. I never know what to expect.
2000 F250 Superduty 7.3 SB SRW, E rated Michelins, Torklifts, fastguns,2004 Northstar Laredo, , Ducati Hypermotard 1100, KTM 250XC

jaycocreek
Explorer
Explorer
While I don't think a smaller rig should refrain from taking a larger site if it suits them better, I don't think we need to get rude about the frustrations of folks with larger rigs.


The folks with these monster rigs have to understand the limits of there length...I did and they should...Buying an RV and choosing a length, should be should be well thought out before the purchase,not after!

That's what a toad is for,scouting out before committing to a site.And there is the internet nowadays for a phone call or spots available.

If 'ya snooze 'ya lose...
Lance 9.6
400 watts solar mounted/200 watts portable
500ah Lifep04

joeshmoe
Explorer
Explorer
Lwiddis wrote:
Not hard. “Tents only” means only tents. Just follow the rules.


Never know. Camp host might be okay with it.
2014 Northwood Wolf Creek 850
2005 Ford F350 SRW SuperCab/LongBed 6.0 Powerstroke
QuickTrick's Towing Tune
Torklift Tie Downs/Fastguns/Upper/Lower Stableloads
Rancho 9000's

mountainkowboy wrote:
toedtoes wrote:
mountainkowboy wrote:

When it's first come first serve I drive the CG looking for the best site for us. If it's a giant pull-thru with an awesome view and available I take it. If the bus driver wanted it that bad they should have reserved it...and if they come up and say anything to me I'll tell them to learn how to reserve a site and quit whining like a snowflake.


How exactly is the "bus driver" supposed to reserve that site you took when you just stated it's "first come first serve"?

While I don't think a smaller rig should refrain from taking a larger site if it suits them better, I don't think we need to get rude about the frustrations of folks with larger rigs. We certainly don't need to start throwing out the snowflake accusations.


ANY CG that a 40' bus can fit in has some kind of reservation system, believe me I know, we had a 36' Moho and you had to plan ahead as to wear your going to stay, and most ruralish "FCFS" CG's can't take a rig over 30'. So then we're talking privately owned CG's...if they didn't plan ahead then it's solely there fault. Then to walk up to someone, who already paid for that site, and blame them for there decision not to reserve a certain space ahead of time IS being a snowflake...sorry if you don't agree.


Going to have to go with this ^^^

Camp sites are not the same as 'handicap' issues. I know most of the places we camp, if you fit, you can camp there. Tent or not.

You want a good spot? You didn't reserve? Get your azz up earlier. Nonsense to try and solve everyone's 'problems'..and it has nothing to do with being rude. I've seen tents in big RV spots...they paid for it, good for them.
'16 F550 CC, 4x4 with Link Ultraride air suspension, '18 AF 1150. Just so we can play with our snowmobiles, dirt bikes and fishing boat. And new 20' tag along...kayaks, bikes, mc's and extra water and food!!

mountainkowboy
Explorer
Explorer
toedtoes wrote:
mountainkowboy wrote:

When it's first come first serve I drive the CG looking for the best site for us. If it's a giant pull-thru with an awesome view and available I take it. If the bus driver wanted it that bad they should have reserved it...and if they come up and say anything to me I'll tell them to learn how to reserve a site and quit whining like a snowflake.


How exactly is the "bus driver" supposed to reserve that site you took when you just stated it's "first come first serve"?

While I don't think a smaller rig should refrain from taking a larger site if it suits them better, I don't think we need to get rude about the frustrations of folks with larger rigs. We certainly don't need to start throwing out the snowflake accusations.


ANY CG that a 40' bus can fit in has some kind of reservation system, believe me I know, we had a 36' Moho and you had to plan ahead as to wear your going to stay, and most ruralish "FCFS" CG's can't take a rig over 30'. So then we're talking privately owned CG's...if they didn't plan ahead then it's solely there fault. Then to walk up to someone, who already paid for that site, and blame them for there decision not to reserve a certain space ahead of time IS being a snowflake...sorry if you don't agree.
Chuck & Ruth with 4-legged Molly
2007 Tiffin Allegro 30DA
2011 Ford Ranger
1987 HD FLHTP