NY State Parks - interesting info

[pasusan]

After all of our earlier reservations were cancelled and refunded - we still have one open reservation at a NY SP.

Got a letter yesterday and we are sure to cancel this reservation and have to pay the fee. Check this out...


Dear Camper:

We are happy to welcome you for your upcoming 2020 reservation. We want to provide you some very important information prior to your visit.

In order to provide the safest environment for our patrons and staff, we have developed the following guidelines to begin our re-opening. Please read carefully;

As part of the Covid-19 guidelines, and for the courtesy of other visitors and our staff, face masks must be worn when outside of your campsite area and all patrons shall practice social distancing.

Only registered campers will be allowed in the campground areas, no day visitors will be permitted.

In order to practice social distancing, we may need to move you to an alternate site in certain areas/loops.

Cabin, Cottage and Yurt stays that are between 7 - 14 days will be reduced by 2 days in order to sufficiently clean between reservations. You will receive a refund for unused days. Bring your own linens, cookware and silverware.

In order to assist us with enhanced cleaning of the accommodations, Check-in time is now 5 p.m. and Check-out time is 10 a.m.

There may be limited shower and/or restroom facilities and they may be closed periodically to allow for enhanced cleaning. We ask that all campers be patient while our staff makes your stay as pleasant and safe as possible.

Certain amenities may not be available. Playgrounds remain closed.

If you can, PLEASE pre-register to save time at check-in. Make sure your occupants are all listed!

State Park Police and operations staff will be patrolling campgrounds to ensure compliance with social distancing and crowd control measures. Anyone who does not adhere to this guidance will be requested to leave the facility, and will not receive a refund.

[Bill1374]

Not sure about the Parks and Rec campsites but the DC operated campgrounds will not be opened before June 7 at the earliest.

[lbrjet]

I would expect bathrooms to be closed and be replaced by Porta Pottys. You can't shower and shave with a mask on.

[SpeakEasy]

rexlion wrote:
Never thought I could go to a campground and see a three ring circus.....

You're kidding, right?

Sitting in any typical campsite you can watch:

(1) arrivals ('nuf said)

(2) the guy trying to get green wood to burn

(3) the guy trying to split firewood with a hatchet

etc.

The entertainment is half the fun of camping 😉

-Speak

[rexlion]

Never thought I could go to a campground and see a three ring circus.....

[Dutch_12078]

From the NYSP web site:

"COVID-19 UPDATE:"

"Existing 2020 reservations: New York State Park campsites, cabins and cottages will open to those with existing reservations beginning June 1st. You must already have a reservation to camp."

"New 2020 reservations: A limited number of full-service cottages and full hook-up RV sites will be available to reserve starting June 1st. New reservations for full-service cottages and RV sites are expected to fill quickly. Reservations can be made in advance by calling toll free 1-800-456-CAMP or http://newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com. The availability of additional new reservations will be reviewed as the summer proceeds."

Camping - NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

[Geo_Boy]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
I don't see anything particularly unacceptable in those conditions either, and we will be happily using our 4th of July and Labor Day week NYSP reservations. While hiking, I think I would just lower my mask when alone, pulling it up as others approached. That would certainly fall within the state rule on masking when social distancing may be difficult.

Exactly. People should stop overreacting and follow the simple requests to help stop the spread of COVID-19, or just stay home.:)

[GDS-3950BH]

SpeakEasy wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:

WNYBob wrote:
Even though the governor of NYS has proclaimed that SP Campgrounds will be open I still can't make a new reservation this Year!

WNYBob

I wonder what would happen if you made a confirmed reservation for next year, and then tried to change it to this year... 😉

May or may not "work," but one thing would be certain: ReserveAmerica would ding you for your reservation fee and for a cancellation fee.

-Speak

No doubt they will. PA was canceling your entire reservation if the arrival fell on a date prior to their reopening, even if the end date fell after the reopening with all fees waived. When they announced updated dates I was able to cancel myself and re reserve the site starting on the opening date last weekend (22nd which we had reservations starting the 17th) for which I was dinged $16 by RA for canceling along with another $8 for the new reservation but at least we salvaged 1/2 of a long planned trip we have done for over 10 years.

[mbopp]

I thought NY said you could cancel reservations w/o a penalty fee. The only thing I object to is the 5:00 check-in, you now waste a day. But I'm keeping our August reservation since we cancelled our planned 6-week Western loop.

[SpeakEasy]

Dutch_12078 wrote:

WNYBob wrote:
Even though the governor of NYS has proclaimed that SP Campgrounds will be open I still can't make a new reservation this Year!

WNYBob

I wonder what would happen if you made a confirmed reservation for next year, and then tried to change it to this year... 😉

May or may not "work," but one thing would be certain: ReserveAmerica would ding you for your reservation fee and for a cancellation fee.

-Speak

[SpeakEasy]

pasusan wrote:

WNYBob wrote:
Even though the governor of NYS has proclaimed that SP Campgrounds will be open I still can't make a new reservation this Year!

WNYBob

Yeah - they're not taking new reservations for this year - you can reserve for next year though...

This is particularly, oddly, frustrating given that one of their new "rules" is that you should "pre-register." (SpeakEasy hits forehead with palm of hand.)

-Speak

[RobWNY]

We got that letter too. We'll also be canceling the reservations we have in June and October at NY State Parks. We camp with another couple and book two sites next to each other. When we booked our site, we did so because we knew we could fit our fifth wheel on it. There aren't many sites at the campground we have booked that will accommodate our rig. If we have to travel 4 hours only to learn that they're moving us to a different site because the 20-30 feet of space between us and the site next to us isn't enough social distancing in their opinion, that becomes unacceptable. What if the site they move us to is difficult to get in or isn't level or is muddy or whatever? To demand everyone wear a mask anywhere off your campsite is absurd. On a hiking trail even when we have plenty of distance between us? On the roadway in front of your camp site when no one else is remotely close to you? What happened to wearing a mask when you can't maintain a social distance of 6 feet? I understand the need to be responsible and to take additional precautions to prevent myself and those around me from getting sick, and I take those precautions, but I draw the line when the Police are going to be watching me to make sure I adhere to all of the States rules. That's getting dangerously close to Martial Law in my opinion. It makes better sense to just keep the campgrounds closed and then the Park Police can do something more constructive rather than babysit campers.

[Dutch_12078]

WNYBob wrote:
Even though the governor of NYS has proclaimed that SP Campgrounds will be open I still can't make a new reservation this Year!

WNYBob

I wonder what would happen if you made a confirmed reservation for next year, and then tried to change it to this year... 😉

[Dutch_12078]

I don't see anything particularly unacceptable in those conditions either, and we will be happily using our 4th of July and Labor Day week NYSP reservations. While hiking, I think I would just lower my mask when alone, pulling it up as others approached. That would certainly fall within the state rule on masking when social distancing may be difficult.

[pasusan]

WNYBob wrote:
Even though the governor of NYS has proclaimed that SP Campgrounds will be open I still can't make a new reservation this Year!

WNYBob

Yeah - they're not taking new reservations for this year - you can reserve for next year though...