Campground Etiquette

If you are staying in a developed campground, private or public, there will usually be posted rules. But what if you are boondocking or staying in and open caming areas or a primitive BLM or Forest Service campground? Does that mean there are NO RULES? NO! Each agency has its own guidelines you must follow, many of which are specific to a particular area, and there are a number of unwritten rules you should ALWAYS observe, no matter where you are camped. Let the "Golden Rule" be your basic guide. Think about how you would like your camping neighbors to behave, and behave accordingly. Perhaps more importantly, think about how they would like YOU to behave!  Most campers are pretty gregarious and but some do like their privacy and I'm sure there are times when everyone needs -- or wants --a little privacy.

Here are some general rules you should always follow.   Doesn't matter if you're in a fancy campground or camped out in the boonies.

Never, ever allow raw sewage to drain from your RV onto the ground. If you are in campground with hookups or using an external sewage tank, make sure your connections are secure to avoid spills. Drain black water tanks ONLY into an approved, closed sewage tank or dump station and not into an open bucket. In some places draining gray water into an open bucket is allowed, but you will still find it more convenient, pleasant, and sanitary to drain gray water into a closed container. Camping stores sell special tanks made just for this purpose. The larger ones even have wheels to make them easier to transport to the dump station. It helps contain any foul odors and reduces the chances of spillage when you transport the container to be dumped in an approved location. I have seen campers attach a garden hose to a specially designed cap on their gray water drain valves when boondocking to allow gray water to drain out away from the vehicle into the desert or forest. This practice is unsanitary and in most places is illegal but it helps keep the gray water tank from filling as quickly, which is sometimes a  major advantage when boondocking in the desert for several days.  If you choose to use this method, first check the local regulations, then ensure you will not be contaminating waterways or flooding roads or trails or other campsites.  Try to route it downwind so breezes don't bring the odors from your waste water back into your camp or any one else's.  The cap with a hose connection is also a convenient way to drain off a bucket of gray water to use to douse your campfire without having to deal with a flood from the 3" drain.  If you install an inline shut off valve on the hose before you connect it to the cap, you can easily turn the flow on and off without overfilling your bucket and spilling dirty water on the ground. Spills can create unpleasant odors near your RV, so be careful.  Odors are usually not a problem when the gray water is dumped on a campfire unless the water is particularly foul to begin with.  Usually the heat from the fire and/or coals will burn off any odor-producing products.  Never dump black water on a campfire!  If the unpleasant smell of draining it and transporting it doesn't disuade you, the stench of burning it will and it may cause strong, perhaps even violent reactions among nearby campers!

Generator usage. Developed campgrounds will usually post approved hours for running your generator. Lacking posted hours, common sense will dictate what is appropriate. Generally speaking, don't run your generator before 6:00 am (7:00 am is even better) or after 10:00 pm. However, observe the habits of your fellow campers and, if everyone has retired and shut down their generators by 8:00 pm, do the same. Running a generator too early reminds me of a tongue-in-cheek rule for suburbia: "anyone who runs a power lawnmower before noon on Saturday should have to shave with it!"  Running your generator during quiet hours is a really good way to alienate yourself from your fellow campers and you may really not like the actions they may take in response to you lack of consideration.

Other noise pollution. There are other sources of noise that are obnoxious to your neighbors besides your generators. Some people don't so much listen to music as absorb it and have tendency to turn the volume up until it approaches the threshold of pain. A group of teenagers rolled into an OHV camp about 3:00 am and proceeded to blast their in-car stereos at full volume with all he doors open while they unloaded and began setting up their camp.  The bass notes seemed capable of doing CPR on anyone within audio range.  After enduring their unwanted "concert" for as long as I could stand it, I politely approached them and asked them to tone it down. They were surprisingly cooperative and I got applause from several other nearby campers on my way back to my RV. If you MUST have your music blasting in your ears, wear headphones! Same with your TV, especially if it is outside your RV. Kids and pets can be a source of irritation to fellow campers. Many RVers travel with their kids or grandkids and many with pets. Kids and pets have a kind of natural energy that needs room for expression. There are usually playgrounds in developed campgrounds and open areas away from camp when you are boondocking where your young folks and pets can safely play without annoying your fellow campers. There is NO NEED for them to be running and screaming in your camp and absolutely no excuse for them to encroach into other camp sites or common areas or to pester fellow campers.

Other nuisances. Cooking odors and even campfire smoke can be annoying to your fellow campers. Some people are even allergic to smoke and may become ill if exposed to it. Avoid cooking foods that produce strong odors and use only good, dry, seasoned firewood on your campfire. Never burn green wood or wood that is painted or has been treated with chemicals as green wood produces excessive smoke and treated wood can produce toxic fumes. If the smoke from your campfire is steadily blowing into someone else's RV or tent or camp site, douse the fire until the wind shifts. If you smoke, either restrict your smoking to inside your vehicle or approved Smoker's Areas or try to avoid letting your smoke intrude into another camp site or vehicle. BTW, during fire restrictions, smoking is limited to inside vehicles or other structures.   If your campfire fire is upwind from someone else, it might be a good idea to put it out until the wind changes direction rather than subject them to smoke and embers blowing from your fire.  If common courtesy doesn't convince you, perhaps your wallet will:  should the breeze pick up embers and catch something on fire, you could find yourself liable.

Arrival and Departure times. Since the noise of driving in or starting our RVs and driving off may wake other campers, try to schedule your arrival and departure times at reasonable hours, outside of "quiet time". If you MUST arrive or depart during quiet time, minimize your impact on your fellow campers. Dim your headlights or use just your parking lights while maneuvering in your site at night and try to get in your spot as quickly as possible. Don't have someone stand outside your RV and shout instructions. If you need an outside guide to enter or leave your site, use walkie-talkies or hand signals or flashlights to communicate quietly.

OHVs. It should go without saying that you should never start your OHVs in camp during quiet time. If you must get an early start, push your OHV away from camp before you start it up. Even bikers from an outlaw motorcycle club staying at a resort where I worked extended that courtesy to the other guests, pushing their bikes some distance down the road before firing up the big "hogs". Always be considerate of your fellow campers as you ride in or out of camp. Avoid excessive noise, speed, and dust. You may be camping with other OHVers, but that is still no excuse to subject them to unnecessary noise or dust or the dangers of excessive speed. Even though they are fellow riders that may be more tolerant than non-riders, it can still be quite annoying.  There is plenty of time and plenty of places to go fast once you're in an open riding area or out on the trails.

Lighting. Illuminating your campsite is often essential for late evening and night time activities. However, take care to aim your lights so they illuminate YOUR activities and not your neighbor's camp or bedroom windows. Don't leave your porch lights on all night or when you are away from your vehicle for an extending time. Some folks like to leave the porch light on so they can find their keys and see the lock when they return after dark. If you need light for these functions, carry a flashlight. Leaving your lights on will deplete your batteries and annoy your neighbors. Some exterior RV lights have switches that allow them to be turned on and off from the outside so they can be used briefly when needed. If yours does not, you may be able to replace the fixture with one that does or wire in a separate external switch so you can conveniently turn your light on and off as needed.  Motion sensor lights may be another easy solution, turning on when you approach and off again when activity has ceased. I have found this to be an ideal solution and enjoy the friendly "greeeting" from my RV when returning after dark.  Motion sensor lights may also provide a bit of security by exposing the presence of would be thieves and discouraging them before they strike.

Encroachment. Do not encroach on your neighbor's camp site or into the roadways or common areas. That means keep your vehicles, your equipment, your kids, your pets, your noise etc in your camp site. If your vehicle is too big for the your site, check with park management about getting a larger site. Never park on the landscaped areas -- not even your bicycles! And keep your trash under control. Wind can wreak havoc with paper plates, cups, and napkins so keep them weighted down or under control and quickly retrieve them if they do escape. Never usurp another's camp site. If there are chairs, coolers, or other equipment in a site, consider it taken and find another site unless you were specifically assigned that space by park management.  If you do find someone in your assigned space, report it to the campground manager or host immediately and let them deal with the offenders.

Trash. Keep all your trash in secure trash bags or containers with lids to avoid wind or critters from spreading it all over the place. Discarded food scraps are attractive to local fauna, who will quickly destroy unattended plastic bags and scatter garbage like mini tornadoes. Most developed campgrounds will have dumpsters where you can safely dispose of your trash. If you are boondocking, you'll have to follow the backpackers rule: "Pack it in, pack it out". If your stay exceeds a day or two you may need to double bag your garbage to contain the nasty odors that tend to develop in fermenting garbage. Sometimes you can incinerate some of your trash in your campfire, but consider whether it will create obnoxious or toxic fumes and odors. Paper plates and cups are usually safe to burn, even with some food residue on them. Styrofoam and other plastic containers can generate toxic fumes and perhaps should not be burned in a campfire. NEVER put pressurized containers, such as whipped cream or cooking sprays, in a campfire. Even if the contents are not flammable, the heat can cause the container to explode, sending dangerous shrapnel flying in all directions and potentially inflicting serious damage on bystanders, vehicles, and equipment.

Firearms and fireworks. Discharging firearms or setting off fireworks is prohibited in most camp grounds, including many primitive sites on BLM or Forest Service land. In some remote locations, shooting may be allowed, but even in these situations, never discharge a firearm near other vehicles, equipment, or people. Many people enjoy sport shooting, but it should only done on a safe "range". If you are in a remote area that allows shooting, identify a safe area with a suitable backstop to set up targets and carefully mark off the area so fellow campers, hikers, or riders won't wander into danger. Remember that many firearms can shoot over great distances and make sure the area behind your targets and even behind your backstop is clear.   It is always a good idea to designate a "range master" to keep an eye on both the shooters to ensure safe practices and to watch for anyone who might wander into the line of fire.  The use of fireworks is governed by state and local laws and by agency regulations so be sure to know the rules for your location. Even the use of legal "safe and sane" fireworks is prohibited in most Forest Service and BLM camping areas. And just because you see others flaunting the law and setting off fireworks, doesn't mean it is OK. Fireworks present a danger of igniting unwanted fires in grass, bushes, trees, tents, and vehicles.  I know of someone who had the roof of their car caved in when the casing from a large ariel "mortar" landed on it and I've seen errant fireworks shoot under vehicles where they could cause serious damage.  I've also seen them burn deep holes in green lawns.

Pets. Many people like to bring their furry friends along when they go camping. Some private campgrounds allow pets and provide pet areas, some do not -- so check ahead so you don't get turned away when you are ready to turn in. Even when boondocking in remote areas you will need to control your pets, for their safety as well as out of respect for your fellow campers. Not everyone shares your love of your pets -- and some people may even  have serious allergies.  Keep in mind your pets may feel insecure in a strange environment, which may result in whining or other annoying behaviors. It may also affect their digestive systems and create really unpleasant problems if not properly addressed. If you are in a campground with a designated pet area, only let your pets "do their business" in the pet area and not in your camp site or any other part of the park. If you are boondocking, walk your pets out away from all vehicles. If they leave a mess where it will be a hazard to fellow campers, clean it up! Pets may become attractive prey for local predators in remote forest or desert campgrounds. Coyotes, wolves, bears, and cougars are common through much of North America and any small animal, like a cat or dog, can quickly become a tasty snack for them if left unprotected. Most domesticated animals lack the experience and their instincts may have been dulled that protect themselves from wild animals.

Reserved spaces. This is a double-edged sword. If someone has already staked out a camp site they may place camp chairs in the parking area or leave an ice chest on the picnic table. Sometimes they may even have little signs with their name designating their claims. As a courtesy, we should respect such claims and look for another site -- unless someone is trespassing on your ASSIGNED camp site. If you encounter trespassers in an assigned space, report them to the ranger or camp host rather than confronting them. It will be a lot more pleasant for everyone. The other side of this situation calls for us to be thoughtful and considerate when claiming camp sites. Check with rangers or camp hosts regarding their policy before "reserving" camp sites unofficially for your friends and family. Try to get everyone to arrive about the same time so you can all stake out your territories simultaneously. Don't "claim" a site while you tour the campground to see if there is one you like better. Try to do all of your exploring before you stake any claims.  A careful review of the map when you check is usually sufficient to avoid choosing a site that wouldn't be appropriate for your needs.

Proximity to other campers will dictate some of your options and behaviors. Basically, the closer you are to someone else's RV, tent, picnic table, or campfire, the more you need to limit your impact on them. If you're camping way out in the boonies with no one else around, you'll have quite a bit of freedom. But if you're in a developed campground or camping together with a group, you'll need to take care. Being a good neighbor will usually ensure you have good neighbors.

Respect shared resources. Many times you will be sharing resources with other campers. You need to be considerate of their needs. Even when boondocking you will probably be camping in a group and may share a common campfire. Pay attention to where the smoke is blowing and avoid burning anything that creates excessive smoke or foul odors. Some places, like forest service campgrounds, have common water faucets to supply multiple camp sites. Don't monopolize the faucet filling a hundred gallon fresh water tank if there are other people waiting to use it. Common restrooms and showers in campgrounds are a major convenience for tent campers and give RVers an opportunity to enjoy more room than they typically have in their RV showers or enable more than one person to shower at the same time. A pet peeve of RV park owners is RVers who take the spare toilet paper roll from the bathrooms. That is a particularly bad idea for at least two reasons. First of all, it is stealing, plain and simple. Secondly, it is extremely inconsiderate of other users. How would YOU like to find all the toilet paper is gone when you need it? Lastly, the quality of toilet paper used in regular bathrooms isn't compatible with the holding tanks on RVs. RV toilet paper is specially made to break down in holding tanks. Regular household and commercial toilet paper doesn't break down so it can clog drain hoses and valves or accumulate inside holding tanks, contributing to inaccurate or non-existent sensor readings.   In a way people who snag the spare toilet paper from the park restrooms deserve the problems it may create in their holding tanks.  Speaking of toilet paper, don't you find it odd that businesses that claim their employees are their most important asset put them in open cubicles yet keep the toilet paper in locked steel boxes?

Recreational facilities are among the amenities found at many campgrounds. Keep in mind these are designed for the benefit of ALL campers and not intended for your exclusive use. Volleyball courts, tennis courts, basketball hoops, horseshoe pits, pavilions, etc must be considered community property and everyone given equitable access. It is particularly annoying when someone ties up a resource for other than its intended use for extended periods of time, like parking vehicles or putting picnic tables on the basketball court or using the horseshoe pit for a doggy toilet!

Campground reservations.  Reservations are required at many campgrounds.  Don't expect them to "make room" for you if you show up without one.  You will usually be required to make a deposit when you make a reservation.  Typically you will forfeit the deposit if you cancel the reservation.  If you simply fail to show up, you will be liable for the full amount of the full time you reserved.  If something comes up and you have to cancel or change a reservation, notify the campground as early as possible.  Typically, any cancellation will forfeit the deposit (usually the first night's fee) and anything less than 7 days notice of cancellation may be charged the full amount. If you encounter these kinds of cancellation policies, the facility is not trying to rip you off.  When they take your reservation they remove your site from their inventory and often turn away other requests.  It is only reasonable that you pay for the site since you have prevented them from renting it to anyone else.

Camping etiquette is more about behaving responsibly and showing consideration for your fellow campers than it is about adhering to definitive and restrictive rules. To begin with,  be sure to obey all posted rules. Then observe and copy good behavior by your fellow campers and avoid copying offensive or questionable actions.  Oppressive rules and regulations develop as a result of repeated abuse.

Mind your manners!