How to Choose a Good Campground for a T@B?

T@boose · June 2015

We just returned from our first big T@B adventure. Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. We love the T@B but were not happy with any of the campgrounds. We were usually surrounded by huge RVs (felt like a mouse among the elephants), in places that had too much asphalt, no privacy between spaces, not-very-clean bathrooms and showers, and iffy wifi. Any suggestions on choosing a good T@B-friendly campground?

jkjenn · June 2015

I know exactly what you mean!! Your state and national parks, forest service, and BLM campgrounds will give you more space and you will feel like you are "getting away from it all." However, no WiFi, generally and hook ups very by campground.

Verna · June 2015

Ahhh, try camping in a Silver Shadow teardrop! I was in one campground, a small one with full hookups, enjoying the warm sun and here comes 8 Class A RVs. You guessed it. No sun, but rather quiet, even though they did have a meeting with cheese and wine outside.

I just got used to "the big guys" last winter in AZ. Even state parks will have 5th wheels, and both classes of RV's.

As far as the asphalt, that seemed to be the norm in AZ. I guess you can't have gravel on a sandy base, so asphalt is the answer.

The unclean facilities should be reported to the managers, hosts or Rangers. No one should have to tolerate that.

I use the Allstays app on my iPhone and it does have some reviews from other campers. I try to look at a website, if available, while knowing pictures can hide a lot. Try to look at the size of the campsites. I saw one that said some full service sites had larger park-like settings. It did.

My best sites were state parks, non-electric sites, and BLM campgrounds. While these didn't have full hook-ups, most made up the difference in site size and sight seeing. KOA's are my "safe" sites when making one night stays. I know what to expect, I know they will be clean, I know I can fit in a tent site with water and electric, and I know they will be full of the big rigs, who are stopping for the same reasons as me (except they can't fit in tent sites!).

Lisa33 · June 2015

Ditto what Jenn said. I avoid private campgrounds and RV parks unless absolutely necessary. I enjoy the National Forest Service, BLM, ACOE and National Park campgrounds. Electrical hookups are infrequent though, so solar has become very important to me.

ironshadow · June 2015

I know what you mean about camp grounds. They are literally "all over the map"! LOL, when it comes what they offer. How about each one of us list our favorite (or two)? And maybe a brief reason why.

I will start. Our favorite happens to be a KOA. Located in Newton IA. Privately owned and operated by Wayne & Helen. Wonderful hosts. We have stayed there 4 times already. They are always ready help and work with you to get the best location for you that they can. Showers are always clean and modern. Also a 24 hour Walmart with a mile. With a very good camping/RV section. On owns trips east we always plan our first night there. It gives us a chance to get into our LG mode.

Nomad · June 2015

I'm with Lisa & Jenn - Federal sites. Have never stayed in a commercial campground or rv park. Next up for me are county parks, usually smaller and hardly ever anything really big. I've had a mixed bag with State Parks but they still are better than any commercial or rv park I've driven by.
As mentioned, a lot of federal sites don't have hookups but do have central water and bathrooms (some have showers). All the COE sites I've been at have had both hookup and non-hookup sites, bathrooms and showers. In fact, the best bathroom/showers I've found have been at COE campgrounds.

Kats · June 2015

Nickerson State Park on Cape Cod in MA, Molly Stark State Park in VT, and Camping on the Battenkill in VT were all just great.

jkjenn · June 2015

I will stay at a commercial campground for specific purposes, but I know what I am getting myself into.

Orygun · June 2015

If you really want/need wifi, showers, cable tv, etc...then a campground that offers these will also attract the large RVs. Among other sources, like RV Parky(app on phone), I use the book Tent Camping Oregon(there are others in the series, at least for California and Washington). Specifically these books state that they are for people who hate to camp with RVs, but many of the campgrounds are suitable for a Tab and, if not, it is specifically stated in the writeup that RVs aren't suitable for that particular campground. I just got back from one of them....Eel Creek CG, run by the USFS, right on the dunes on the Oregon coast south of Reedsport. Fantastic, quiet, secluded private sites, many of them large pull through, super clean restrooms. This was my fourth time there. Alas, no hookups or showers, but I'm a battery miser, don't need much power.

Lisa33 · June 2015

I know what you mean, Jenn. I stayed in one (kicking and screaming) in Anaheim to go to Disneyland. It was the only close option. It was fine because we only slept there, and it was very convenient with a shuttle to Disneyland.

Originally, I would stay at RV parks via Passport America while on long driving days. Now I've gotten comfortable with the overnight at Walmart scenario, and would rather do that. It's free and a convenient place to stock up on supplies, if needed. I also like to run in to grab a breakfast sandwich at the Subway that is usually inside. Enables us to get a quick and early start back on the road. Everyone has their preferences and needs when selecting where to camp. I put a huge priority on scenic, more private locations. As a result, boondocking on public lands has become my favorite alternative.

Michigan_Mike · June 2015

I prefer the federal, state and county parks as opposed to privately owned parks for the reasons noted above. I've stayed on BLM lands too and stealth camped along the trail too and have caught my WIFI at fast food places along the road to catch up on email/news, etc. As long as I have some water I can adapt, catch a quick shower and an occasional Navy bath as needed, brush my teeth, clean dishes, etc. and I am clean and ready for the day.

I'd rather camp in areas where I can enjoy some privacy/solitude as opposed to rubbing elbows with fellow campers who are noisy and sucking in smokey campfire from city slickers who are not courteous enough to keep it going properly or who tosses garbage in it because they are too lazy to dispose of their trash properly. You roll the dice in most campgrounds and need to factor in the wind when picking sites as smokey campfires can really wreck a trip and spoil an evening.

And when traveling in Texas you can expect to see the 40' trailers behind the large/beefed up 4-wheel drive trucks in most camping areas and state parks because this is what they pull. It's actually quite comical watching these families pull in with the big trailers, unload their gear, kids, dogs, bikes, etc., spend a weekend in a campsite, load up and leave.

If you want to find campgrounds that are reasonably priced, look for Don Wright's Guide to Free Campgrounds as it lists them state by state, as well as listing amenities, pricing, contact information, map location and driving directions to the camping areas.

Nomad · June 2015

Mike - Like you, I find it amusing watching people set up for a "weekend". Just amazing what all they carry with them for a "weekend". Takes them half a day to set up. Has never looked like much fun to me. Of course, I'm also amazed at what some tabbers carry along. I'm a quick setup/tear down type, carry just enough to be comfortable and flexible.

leenscottfl · June 2015

Cades Cove in Smokeys a couple spent 3 hours setting up. About 45 min. later the lady said it was too cold so they packed up and left! Oh well, they left a pile of store bought firewood for me.

Mouseketab · June 2015

That's what I like about my T@B, the flexibility on setting up. I can do as little or as much outside setup as I want. For one or two nights, I can just put up the visor or nothing at all, or on my two+week trip to Disney Fort Wilderness, we can set up 400 SF of living room and an outside fridge, microwave, etc.

SweetlyHome · June 2015

Picking a campsite is such a matter of personal taste and circumstances, just like how each of us equips our T@B.

Living here in Florida we have gotten used to being the small guy on the loop regardless of the type of campground. It has amazed us how a snowbird can cram a full size class A RV into a small state park campsite. And we are envious of those of you out west that have the BLM etc. to offer boondocking opportunities. These opportunities are very few and far between down here.

When picking a commercial campground one of our judgement criteria is will they accept tent camping. When they do it has generally indicated that the restrooms are more numerous and more friendly to use beyond the occasional quick pit stop. We once stayed in a RV park that said no tents and ended up passing through a pool enclosure and restaurant seating area to get to the restrooms. Seemed more than a little odd.

In the east it seems that to get more space, quiet, and a sense of being “camping” it’s necessary to pass up some of the conveniences. The flip side seems to be the big RVs don’t seem to be as willing to make that choice leaving campgrounds without onsite electricity and water partially empty and thus seemingly more spacious particularly during the week.

One of our favorite places to take advantage of this phenomenon are the camping areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Michigan_Mike · June 2015

I camped with Tom English (a fellow Little Guy owner) last year half way between Melbourne Beach and Venice in a Florida state park. We had nice spots and when the power outage happened via a tree down on the primary line, the generators came out. One guy in a smaller motor home began running a generator that sounded like the inside of an MRI chamber as it was hammering away like a jack hammer and we just shook our heads because it obviously couldn't have been fun "having electricity" inside the motor home, yet they continued on until the 8 PM shut-off time.

Along comes one of them 40 foot luxury coaches, they find a spot, unravel their electric canopy and they too start up their generator after the 8 PM cut-off time. Tom walked over after about a half hour, spoke to the people and asked them how long they intended to run their generator. The lady replied, "at least until 11 PM so we can catch the news and go to bed." He reminded them that the shut-down time was 8 PM and they did abide by the rule.

It's amazing what some people will do to have the conveniences of home if you will and I've seen the spectrum of it all from a couple who was over from the Netherlands, camping down in Sage Creek (free) campground out in Badlands NP, who slept together in a pup tent that was obviously made for one person (looked like a kid's pup tent!), to the guy set up next to me from Alabama out in Barstow, CA in a humongous/towering motor coach (in a Bate's Motel style campground - scary owners!) and me in my 4-wide (first) Little Guy! Have met some of the nicest people on the road, heard some great stories and enjoyed great camp sites therein.

SweetlyHome · June 2015

Mike, Our T@B is an up size from a from a Silver Shadow. We vividly remember the day we picked up the SS. She was parked right next to a luxury Class A motor coach and looked like it would fit right in one its underneath storage area from a distance. It was intimidating.

moniraq · June 2015

I think you get the best of both worlds at the state parks in Texas. Water, electric, and usually clean bathrooms. Summers in Texas mean you really need air conditioning so for me, electricity is a must...especially in the summer!

jkjenn · June 2015

I have only camped at one PA state park since I got my T@b, and it was delightful. It was Poe Valley State Park. About 18 miles up a rugged dirt road through Bald Eagle State Forest (one of the few legal free places to drive off road in the state.) The sites were very big, it felt very laid back, and the facilities were spotless. I was there on a September Penn State home football weekend and it was not busy. I had electric only, but I could stretch my water hose to fill up and the dump station was very convenient. There was a LG trailer there, too.

It's been a while since I camped at Ohiopyle and that was tent camping... and it always rains. Ohiopyle is a nice but the Laurel Highlands have too many rattlesnakes and worse, Copperheads for me, unless it's winter. Great snowshoeing there.

T@boose · June 2015

Thank you for all the suggestions. You have been really helpful!

R&DAndrews · June 2015

We have found that all of the places that we have gone to (state parks as well as private campgrounds) have had a dump station. I also was told that at Camping World you could use their dump station if you were a member. Unfortunately there is not one close to us.

Trum@n · June 2015

Many truck stops have rv dump stations for a fee. There are some Internet sites that list dump stations in searchable form.

Nomad · June 2015

About the only places I've found without dumps have been boondocking areas and small county/municipal campgrounds. It's not been a problem for me. If on the otherhand you were staying in one of those along enough nd filled your tank, you'd need to break camp and find a dump.

Verna · June 2015

Patti said:

What I am not sure of is where you dump your black water if you're not staying at a place with a dumping station, or if you don't get a site that includes sewer.

Patti, I just used my Allstays app and looked at state parks in Texas. All of them had dumps for your gray and black water. I know all of the state parks in Indiana (except the primitive ones) have dumps also. They may not have sewer at the sites, but dumps really aren't that hard to find. If you have a smart phone, there are apps that tell you about each campground you're considering. If no smart phone, then there are websites for campgrounds.

Love's Truck Stops have dumps. AMBest Truck Stops have dumps. Many of the Pilot Truck Stops have dumps. All of this information came from the Allstays iPhone app.

Nomad · June 2015

I used to rely on the Allstays app (and still do to find Walmarts, large truck stops, propane) but have switched to UltimateCG as my main campground app. Have found it shows way more campgrounds than Allstays.
For instance: I passed through the Valley City, ND area. North of town is a reservoir, Allstays shows 3 COEs there are actually 4 and doesn't even show the 5 state parks in the area (4 on the reservoir) nor most of the county/municipal campgrounds.
I've found this all along my routes, some more pronounced than others.

Rad · June 2015

Mmmmm, ya don't want to be around big RV's, but ya want Wifi. Good luck with that. I find that those two things tend to go together.

Nomad · June 2015

Rad - Yep, and it's usually spotty WiFi from the reports I've seen. The only campground I've been in with WiFi was Valley of Fire (NP) in New Mexico (west of Carrizozo). Very speedy WiFi and I had it mostly to myself after the first day.
If you need to be connected, I've had pretty good luck with my Verizon data plan but it's a little too spend your to stream YouTube or Netflix.

bgualtieri · June 2015

Patti - there's an app for that! Last weekend we were at Canyon Lake east of PHX and they had no dump station. We used the Sanidumps app (iOS) and found one right on the way home. The icon is cute - a trailer pooping in a hole.

bgualtieri · June 2015

Yep. We didn't use it the first couple times out either. It's ok to wait.

Rad · June 2015

Patti said:

Well, at this point we still have plastic wrap on our toilet. I consider that to be a $5,000 toilet, since it's the primary reason we got a T@B instead of a Silver Shadow. And we didn't even use it! I don't think either one of us was ready to tackle the whole dump station thing. For example, if we used it overnight, which means it wasn't used much, would we go ahead and do something to dump it before leaving the park? Or let it wait until we'd put more in it, which might be awhile? Too many questions and too many issues we don't understand yet!

Don't over think it, it's just a toilet. If you used it only a couple of times and you are heading back out in a few weeks, don't bother to dump it.

I think after you do the dump thing a few times you won't hesitate to use the toilet rather than the camp toilets.

We left our campground today, it had no dump station and we had almost full waste tanks. We just pulled into a state park 25 miles up the road on the way home and paid the fee for dump station use only. As always, it was an easy process even taking extra time to use the Flush King to back wash and clean the tank.

bgualtieri · June 2015

Hey Patti -- here's instructions on how to do the dump thing, from the Sanidump people:

http://www.sanidumps.com/howtoemptyyourtanks.php

Beth from AZ

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