Just remember--they have to pay those Rangers to work there. That doesn't mean they are smarter than you, or better educated than you, nor do they recognize any kind of flag.
My cousin's boy was dumber than a box of rocks, but he got a good job with the state parks group, and milked that into a life-time of employment, and a nice pension when he retires! So, go figure!
Just think--you spend much moola to send yer off-spring to college, so they can get good paying jobs, but another kid, who takes advantage of the "No kid left behind" act can get the same job, even with the box of rocks!

Sorry, I thought my user fees paid for ranger salaries. What did you expect, I attended NJ public schools! Thank God least they taught us what US flags look like. And I am glad that those folks can find employment - I met a few of them at Dos Picos. And I promise to give the gate ranger a can of bug spray next time I'm there. :>)

I wouldn't have liked that experience at all, maybe since its so crowded they really need to take control like that. Or it may have been destroyed without the supervision? I don't know.

Well, if you folks went in there looking like hippies, or weren't very quiet with your music listening by the kids, or let the kids run rough-shod all over, i could understand why they were sort of grumpy about things.
Not everybody likes hard rock or teen music(sic.) played at full decibel, all day and night. I always called it puke music, because 8 hours of it made me that way! And, music played over and over gets to ya, too!
I can understand about the strings on the trees. If it doesn't grow on the trees--don't install it!
they have probably, in the past, had some ruffians come in, and maybe they trashed things, or made trouble, so that might have been the straw that broke the camels' back.
If that was your first time there, they didn't know how you'd take the rules, so were more careful. Tieing strings onto the trees is a sure way to get their attention.
As for the spiders---well, just tip the pot and dump them out! Then step on them! Remember--that camp ground is the spider's home--you are trespassing on their property!
And, if the "EEEK" Factor gets to you--then go buy a travel or tent trailer, and sleep off the ground!

tplife, there's a state park in PA where I won't go back to because of the same type of behavior. I am even more quiet in that I don't even listen to a radio or music at all when camping. However, both times I've been there it's been like camping in a police state. I am not anti-police at all-- but, camping? You're right! This place was over the top and the rangers were not at all friendly. They told us in one situation (group camp with kids) that we could only shower during certain hours and tried to charge us $2 per shower!!!! So, we were defiant and snuck into the showers for free after 10 pm.

Rusty, you're right too that many of these places have had bad experiences. But, if they harass good campers then they can expect to not have them come back. Also, this is a state place. They don't really care if you come back. They get paid no matter what. Not like a privately owned place that wants you to be happy and keep coming back!

And they know you are a good camping steward by????? Until you have had to deal with what they deal with (multiple times a day)you have no clue. To you, you are out enjoying a camping trip. To them they have to look at every person in the SAME light, treat them in the SAME manner and are mandated to follow the rules, because if they don't they answer to someone higher than you. In our campgrounds there have been people killed, dogs menacing, horrible parties, and the list goes on. Now just how do they know you don't fall into that catagory? No one wheres a sign and if people have issues (anger, anger, drug, idiot and domestic issues etc.) at home, doesn't mean they leave them at home just because they go camping. Those same issues follow them wherever they go. I would be glad you have them there, thank them and maybe show your kindness to them also not just your neighbors. Remember they are there for a reason and sometime it might be to help you...

Echoes, I grew up next door to the largest campground in NJ, so from 11 to 16 I had a job every season, personally with the owner, from spring to fall, among those duties were meeting, greeting, helping, and cleaning up after tons of other campers, including girl scout groups who camped upriver and left bags of trash in a wilderness area. If anybody fits the bill of a considerate, model camper, and a good steward of the land, it would be me (and I think to some measure my three children). The land is God given and there for us to enjoy, within limits. I think I could even spin some Bob Wills or Saddle Pals for Rusty. If folks can't tolerate my choice of music and the reasonable volumes I play it at (and I always meet my neighbors and let them know to give a wave if need be) they should stay the h*ll home or at least out of campgrounds.

I take my own music in the form of my banjo, but i don't play it loudly!
One place we camped, my son and i played a lot of music one evening, not too loud, and not hard rock, just good old country and bluegrass.
Next day, i heard the same music wafting from a camper parked nearby, and found out the resident had recorded our music, and was replaying it next day.

Tp life, if other people can hear your music outside of your campsite its too loud. period.

Most people dont go camping to play music, they go to have a family time and enjoy nature. They should not need to wave to tell you its too loud, you should restrain yourself.

As for rules, there are 100s of square miles of land in SD coutny where you can camp without neighbors to bother. WT heck are you to impose any muscial choice on any other camper?

All the rules are there for good reason, given how dense the CGs are in most of SoCal. The fire and quiet hours and dog rules for example are all legit.

You may be the greatest person in the world, and the staff may have been complete poo-poos. I fully concede that one story in one forum, and only one side of it at that makes your true nature indiscernable. But given the fact that you object to the mere existence of the rules, and the existence of site checks, you come across as a whiner who just doesnt like rules.

And if you want to feel smug or better than others because your camp flag is an obscure banner from a county militia from the 1770s, so be it. I thinks its pedantic and incorrectly presumptuous of you to put others down for not recognizing it.

Dave, 15 year park volunteer.

BTW

That is why I find my own camp sites is national forest boundaries. The camping is tougher but I like that and you only very rarely run into other people. I find the most remote places and it's like I have the whole forest to myself.

Dave, glad to see you "volunteer" to help ensure camping is only permitted within the limits of your own beliefs. Only the San Diego County Parks & Rec. Dept. campgrounds have the ridiculous restrictions I've encountered, and if you knew anything about San Diego county, you'd know how just how little government land is available for camping, and how much if it is restricted for anything other than licensed, permitted and fee-paid bird-watching. Not to mention the number of campgrounds that have been closed over the past ten years. And the fire rules are there because illegal aliens camp without permission, trash the land and start camp fires in heavy brush during dry conditions that everyone else is blamed for because we have an ultra-liberal media and state government. As a volunteer you should know this stuff. As an American citizen, IMHO there is no excuse for not knowing my Culpepper flag is a recognized symbol of our nation. But I know you're a decent guy at heart and I understand your disagreement.

Not everyong is going to feel comfortable telling you that your music is too loud. Just because your neighbors are smiling and waving at you does not mean that they like your music.

Spend a weekend with a park ranger in a busy campground and you might have an inkling as to why they treated you as they did. They have the unfortunate role of protecting people from their own stupidity, usually without any gratitude from said people. Parks are popular places for drug deals, suicides, and other crimes that you would not want to think about. Hopefully your "nosy, meddling rangers" can continue to do their job safely. If you don't want to be bothered by rules, stay at home and pitch a tent in your backyard.

Well, maybe next spring, gasoline prices will be affordable again! And i'll be able to use my coach for camping. I'm still able and in good shape to drive it!
Although, if i could trade it for a small tent camper, i'd do it. I don't go much further from home than 75-100 miles. Our bluegrass campgrounds and weekend shindigs are fairly close.
I bought a newer pickup, because the old one was disintegrating as i drove it! And, it had 200,000 miles on it. So now, i'll not worry about going away for a weekend.
Any way here's wishing all of the campers happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and may the new year be better than the last one!
Rusty Jones

Thanks for your advice Lisa! When I wasn't attending NJ public schools, I was working part-time in high and low season at the biggest campground in the state! Now that doesn't make me an expert on rangers, but I sure as heck know how to keep a campground running for the safety and enjoyment of everyone. My neighbors here in Cali weren't waving and smiling at me, they were joking with me about the rangers because I had talked with them when we arrived, so they knew we weren't there to disturb them.
But you knew that because you read my post anyway.
Rusty, glad to hear about your new rig! Now that gas prices are down, I can see the banjos coming out of their cases and can almost hear the grass growing!!! :-)

Yes, the snow is s'posed to melt by Saturday, the sun is shining today, (well it was a half hour ago)and temp is going up to 50 degrees! This in W. Pa.!
Must be warming up--the snow lady Hula girl across the street is melting and leaning to one side! Her Terrible Towel is drooping, too! too much celebrating after the Steelers victory!
This thing about nosy, meddling Ramgers reminds me of the time we camped at a State Park in Eastern Pa.
The shower rooms, and the terlet areas were a mess! Vandals (probably unwatched campers kids! I say that because those kids on their bikes almost ran me down, on the paved walkways, and roadways! They rode thru the bathrooms, and on the grass, and in other campers areas, with nary a care for other folks property! Some vandal had broken off the knobs of the sink faucets and shower controls! The outside water faucets couldn't be used for the same reason. I watched the vandals on their fancy bicycles, riding thru flower beds, on newly planted grass areas, and into the little store! Yes--into the store! And defied anyone who told hem to get out! And, with todays thinking, if anybody had dared to stop them--that person would have either been beaten on by their parents, or had their own camper trashed!
And, what were the parents doing while all that was going on?? Yep--sitting at their campsite, playing cards and having some cool ones, with no one watching the kids!
So you complain about nosy, meddling, Rangers spoiling your fun!
by: Rusty Jones