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Old 07-03-2016, 01:10 PM   #1
electricflyer
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Default Good News for GA State Park Users

There was an article in the Atlanta Sunday paper about a change coming August 1st to 4 GA state parks. Beginning Aug 1 campers can reserve specific camp sites at the following state parks: Richard B. Russell state park near Elberton, GA, Laura E. Walker state park near Waycross, James H. (Sloppy) Floyd state park near Summerville, GA and Reed Bingham state park just west of Adel, GA. I've stayed at Reed Bingham several times and it is a nice quiet place next to a small lake. There are 2 loops in the park with one of the loops having full hookups, kind of rare for a state park. Like most states, the sites can be reserved but it is pick and choose after you get there so this is a step in the right direction. They are also gradually adding cable TV to some of the state parks. I may stay at Reed Bingham in September on my way to a rally in Williston, FL
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Old 07-03-2016, 01:58 PM   #2
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... the sites can be reserved but it is pick and choose after you get there ...
Huh? I don't understand.
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Old 07-03-2016, 07:36 PM   #3
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Huh? I don't understand.
You can make a reservation for "A" camp site but they will not let you pick a specific one in advance so for the best choice of sites you need to get there early, ahead of the rush thus when you arrive you can park in any empty spot you can find. I just got through making reservations for my upcoming trip back to SW Iowa and going out there I will be stopping at traditional RV parks but on the return trip I am taking the "scenic route" so I have made a reservation for a state park in MO, site specific and a state park in KY, site specific. I also plan to make a stop at a city park in north central MO but they do not take reservations. The big issue with northern camp sites is most are electric only due to freezing water pipes although they have water fill stations in the park just no water at every campsite, they do have dump stations though. I usually don't tote water around on the road except for drinking water in the gallon jugs (for coffee). I don't drink the water in the RV fresh water tank. Actually adult beverages are more suitable which some may say is rotgut.
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Old 07-03-2016, 09:11 PM   #4
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The CoE campground I was just in was site-specific reservations via recreation.gov. The downside to site-specific is that you're buying a "pig-in-a-poke" not really knowing what the site is like except what little you can see on Google Earth. If you arrive and find you don't like the site for some reason, well, you're just stuck.

But they usually give the length of the parking area so at least you have confidence you can get the rig in there.
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Old 07-04-2016, 08:45 AM   #5
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The CoE campground I was just in was site-specific reservations via recreation.gov. The downside to site-specific is that you're buying a "pig-in-a-poke" not really knowing what the site is like except what little you can see on Google Earth. If you arrive and find you don't like the site for some reason, well, you're just stuck.

But they usually give the length of the parking area so at least you have confidence you can get the rig in there.
Some of the COE campgrounds have a photo of the actual site on Recreation.gov. McKinney campground does that. I noticed when I made my reservations for my next trip that the state parks in MO and KY had site photos on Reserve America.com. The state parks I reserved also gave site slope in " per 10' and any side obstructions if you have slides. But, even the site photos can be deceiving if you don't know the surrounding area. I plan to go to Holiday and White Tail to check it out before I make a reservation.
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Old 07-04-2016, 12:59 PM   #6
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You can make a reservation for "A" camp site but they will not let you pick a specific one in advance
Ah, now I gotcha. Much nicer to know in advance which site is yours!

Sounds like you're going to have a really neat trip. Be safe!
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Old 07-05-2016, 05:49 AM   #7
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State campgrounds in New York are split into two groups: The Adirondack and Catskill Parks campgrounds are operated by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) while state campgrounds throughout the rest of the state are operated by NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPR&HP.)

Most the DEC campgrounds are "no hookups" but there is water available every few sites in all the loops. A few like those adjacent to the St Lawrence River have full hookups.

OPR&HP campgrounds generally have many sites with water and electric hookups. The electric may only be 15 or 20 amp in some campgrounds.

All NYS camp sites are reservable through reserveamerica.com. Additionally, there is a website called New York State Campsite Photo Guide. The webmaster has photo-documented 49 state campgrounds (so far) across the state. There are several photos of each site, data on the site, and more. It is an amazing project which started with just one campground several years ago. Folks asked him to do other campgrounds and it just exploded from there.
http://www.campadk.com/campsitephotos.php

There's also a Facebook page that's part of the same project:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nystatecampsitephotos
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Old 07-05-2016, 05:25 PM   #8
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Some of the COE campgrounds have a photo of the actual site on Recreation.gov.

I plan to go to Holiday and White Tail to check it out before I make a reservation.
You're right, some do.

I hear White Tail sites are not as "rolling" as Holiday. And Heard is the only one open year round. (at West Point Lake) I know Holiday closes on Labor Day. Other vary.

And I just learned you can have quiet, or water front, but not both. We chose quiet.
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Old 07-07-2016, 01:04 PM   #9
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I believe McKinney Campground is the only one open year around at Lake Allatoona. When I get back from Iowa I plan to drive down to West Point Lake and check out potential campsites. Radio, did you check OTA TV reception?
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Old 07-07-2016, 03:19 PM   #10
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Radio, did you check OTA TV reception


There is a PBS station that I was able to get part of the time.
Bring some DVDs.
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Old 07-07-2016, 04:22 PM   #11
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You guys go to a beautiful park to watch TV? Far out.
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Old 07-07-2016, 05:53 PM   #12
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Sweet Wife says she enjoyed this trip better than any other in the 8 years we have had the camper. Doesn't really know why.

But I think I know... there was no TV. No cable, no off air. So we got to do things together for entertainment. But we did watch a concert and a movie on DVD.
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Old 07-07-2016, 07:42 PM   #13
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You guys go to a beautiful park to watch TV? Far out.
DW stays up into early AM and TV is the only thing going on at 2am. I like to watch local news in the morning. I don't camp at many places that have cable so OTA is it. The COE I like best has 3 stations OTA but at McKinney Campground north of Atlanta depending the site location OTA channels may be about 45 or a few as 15. Where we like to camp when visiting DD on the NW side of Houston there is about 60 channels, but 5 may be Vietnamese, 5 Chinese, 10 Spanish and 20 televangelists.

I thought that perhaps you may be able to pick up Columbus, GA stations or Auburn, AL stations. I don't think Opelika would have a broadcast station, maybe a repeater. When I go down there I will check it out with the app on my phone, it will give direction and distance and signal strength.
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