Washington State Parks - beware - RV-Dreams Community Forum

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Washington State Parks - beware

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

I can understand the penalty fees as there are way to many people who book up all of the weekends and then decide whether to go or not depending upon the weather.

We gave up on state parks years ago because of the reservation problems and the fact that they are now as expensive as private RV Parks.

Barb

Dave Buck · RV-Dreams Family Member

I agree with Barb. State parks are getting as expensive as private parks and I lot of them charge extra if not a resident or they charge an entrance fee. Also many of them are not kept up very well.

WestWardHo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gosh, we've not seen any of those experiences that any of you have mentioned in the state parks we've been in but that's really sad!

Back to the Arizona State and Regional Parks!

Sherry

DebbieM · RV-Dreams Family Member

We are in Dash Point State Park right now. (I just PMd you Ruth). Steve is getting 3 bars of 4G Verizon right now, without a booster. We are quite surprised as this is a heavily treed campground. We are in site B36. So far the signal has not fluctuated either.

We are paying almost $40 a night for full hookups. Agreed, this is high. Highest we've ever paid for a state park. But we still prefer state parks. This park is much more private and lush. We don't like parking lot style campgrounds. We'd rather have a natural setting vs resort amenities. I can't remember the exact breakdown, but I remember they charge a higher rate for the weekend nights.

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

Speaking strictly as an interested bystander, while the previous posters may agree that the state parks may have gotten rundown, lets not forget that a really bad recession has also occured over the past 5 years and the funds may not have been there to do the upkeep. I know this to be true in IL as they closed a number of them and I can only guess that to be true elsewhere as well. It's also possible that RV park operators have successfully lobbied for funding cuts just so they could draw those customers to their parks. Mike, pass the tin foil confuse All I'm saying is we as users need to press our elected officials to increase funding or the end result will be park closures nationwide. They are a national treasure and should not be despoiled by negligent tax payers or RV park lobbyist or any other means of turning them into decrepitude.

FWIW, Brian

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Every state seems to be different and honestly, if the price is close to the same as an RV park but it's a more natural setting, we'll generally choose the state park. Usually I check out the fine print so I understand if there's a use fee for non-residents, cancellation fees, change fees, campfire fees, weekend night rate hikes, etc. Seems like WA state has applied all of the above fees and in a more punitive manner than most of the other states we've been in since we hit the road FT, we've camped in state parks in 9 states over the past year and this by far has been our most expensive average camping fee, even higher than California.

I'm willing to pay the use fees as a user of the park, I don't even mind when the weekend fees are a bit higher, understanding it's a supply and demand economic decision. I just object to very onerous penalties, plus a cancellation fee, willing to pay a small penalty understanding that the park system has to bear the credit card fees for cancellations, etc.