Bad Camping Neighbors

3ringer

Senior Member
Anybody ever had any obnoxious, rude or bad camping neighbors ? I have heard of stories where people were partying after hours , loud music, constant complainers, walking through your site , dogs barking constantly or even theft. Luckily we have had decent camping neighbors. We try to get a site with space or a buffer between the next campsite. I have seen some campsites where your awning would be almost touching the next camper. That's too close for me. I guess the worse neighbors we had was at Trackrock campground where our neighbors slept in their cars and ran their engines all night long. I always try to be a good neighbor and not be that guy.
 

Tank1202

Senior Member
We have had our share of bad neighbors. Most have just partied a little to long after quite time. I have found over the years, this usually happens on the big holidays over the summer. Also have seen and heard some real funny stuff. We try to stay away from the big privately owned campgrounds. They seem to be the one that will stack you on top of each other. I goggle map the campground and try to get a feel of how tight the sites are packed.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
That is just par for the course in a public, official campground.
 

Milkman

Deer Farmer Moderator
Staff member
Regarding theft, as we all know most of us leave all sorts of stuff lying about the campsite and many times dont even bother with locking the camper.

A couple of years ago while camping several camps and some boats tied at the dock had fishing rods that went missing over one day and night. Later the next day a camper was noticed to have about 15-20 rods propped against the picnic table and the camper. Some recogized their property and went and got it. Someone else called the sheriff. Turned out the young man staying there was mentally challenged. His family had brought him and set up the camp and left him a few days.
The sheriffs office contacted the family and got the young man home. I dont think he was charged.
 

greg_n_clayton

Senior Member
That is just par for the course in a public, official campground.

What I was thanking !! Sounds normal to me !!! I try to avoid campgrounds !! Woman likes em though, only reason we go, and they are close by. I ain't gona travel a long ways for the experience !!
 

Jack Ryan

Senior Member
Anybody ever had any obnoxious, rude or bad camping neighbors ? I have heard of stories where people were partying after hours , loud music, constant complainers, walking through your site , dogs barking constantly or even theft. Luckily we have had decent camping neighbors. We try to get a site with space or a buffer between the next campsite. I have seen some campsites where your awning would be almost touching the next camper. That's too close for me. I guess the worse neighbors we had was at Trackrock campground where our neighbors slept in their cars and ran their engines all night long. I always try to be a good neighbor and not be that guy.

Yep, ALL those.

I don't camp at camp grounds any more.
 

Oldstick

Senior Member
In all of 50 years from camping with our family as a kid up to today, I don't recall but one experience that I would consider as negative. And that was last year at Little Ocmulgee State Park near McCrae, GA, one our favorite destinations because we have family and grandkids nearby that usually visit us at the park.

We had reservations for 3 nights, but it happened to coincide with the storm evacuation for the GA coast that occurred last year. So we knew we had a space reserved but we also knew there might only be one available when we arrived. Turns out there were two left. One was obviously designed for two families together because the two tables were next to each other with the two campers very close and facing each other.

So the only other one was right in front of a screened-in group shelter that obviously had people inside. The site was kind of small for our 30 foot TrailManor but I started backing in. An older gentleman (well actually probably near my age) came out of the shelter presumably to help guide me. He was very nice, but when we started talking, he informed me everyone else already passed on this site. He was very friendly and said they were there with a large group of 10 to 20 families who reserved and met that same weekend every single year. Apparently there was one lady from their group who would ever use that site, since she had a small pop-up camper. But she had passed away. The picnic table and fire ring from this site was oddly located way back and near the group shelter.

Now there were several dozen RVs overflow parked in some of the large parking lots, due to the evacuation but we had reservations and wanted an actual camping site. I told the guy, no problem, we don't mind your group congregating nearby and there would be no noise complaints from us. We were hoping to have a family gathering too with kids running around.

So we got set up and next thing you know they had dozens of people walking right through the middle of our site, gathering around and sitting at our table and fire pit, parking bikes propped against our table, and this all continued until bed time and again the next morning. We had not even semi-private use of our table or fire ring without confronting them about it. Almost like they were intentionally trying to run us out, which they did.

We went to the office and they refunded all 3 nights, stating, "You should have said said something to them" but that is not us and they plus all appeared to be typical South GA families with kids, no roughnecks or gangs or anything.

We just assumed they would have the courtesy to allow us our little space and things would be fine. We had kids too and would probably have joined them around the fire, but it seemed so obvious as to their intentions. The only one who every even spoke to us was the one gentleman.
 

T-N-T

Senior Member
I have heard people sitting too late drinking too much being too loud a few times before.
I have also been in that group a few times.

It is part of any closer quarters neighborhood situation. And. I don't mind it. Because in the end, I'm only there a few nights and will soon be back home to the noise of frogs as I drift off to sleep
 
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transfixer

Senior Member
A few years ago I took the wife and kids to Coopers Creek during trout season, had to stay in the Mulky Gap campground as all of our other spots were taken, as it happened it poured rain a good portion of the night, but that didn't stop our neighbors from playing music, drinking and talking loud until 2 or 3 in the morning, 5 or 6 young guys in their 20's, didn't confront them during the night due to them being drunk and me being rather outnumbered, but at daylight got up cranked the truck, stopped at their campsite and told them I was going to have the local ranger summoned to report them, went to the camp host and did just that, Ranger came, told him the story, he went to their camp wrote each of them a ticket, told them they had to leave, don't know if they learned anything or not, but since they ruined our night, I made sure to ruin their weekend. I've had some things stolen before up there also, but have been going there for over 40 yrs, all in all seldom have a problem.
 

northgeorgiasportsman

Moderator
Staff member
Been camping my entire life, all over the southern Appalachians. 90% of the people you encounter are great folks. Something about camping just welcomes comradery between strangers. The other 10% usually just suffer from thoughtlessness.

Most of the "bad" neighbor problems fall under one or more of these categories:

-running generators too late or too early
-thinking I want to hear your music
-motorcycles with loud pipes coming into camp after midnight
-letting your dog bark endlessly
-People just ignoring campground rules/etiquette because they think it doesn't apply to them.


I know I've probably sat around a few fires with some guitars and sangin' that rubbed our neighbors the wrong way, but like the song says, "If you don't like Hank Williams....." well, you know the rest.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Do crows count as bad neighbors? They wake me up in the morning and still food off the picnic table.

I think the loudest campground I have ever stayed in was Huguenot Park near Jacksonville, Florida. The primitive Army Corp campgrounds are more spread out and not as crowded. I have been awakened by generators going on and off.

Recently we were at Bussey Point Army Corp. Campground and the lake was low. Because of this folks rode horses, four wheelers, pick-up trucks, and walked their dogs between our campsite and the lake. That was a bit loud at times.
 

sinclair1

Senior Member
We aquired a few too many dogs and we were becoming the bad camping neighbor, so we quit going to crowed sites for that reason.
It was getting were everyone had to have NASCAR blasting all day and then the bow fisherman ran generators all night with bright lights, but when we go it doesn't bother me as it's expected.:flag:

We are tent campers, so you can't really hide or drown it out.
 

T-N-T

Senior Member
90% of the people you encounter are great folks. Something about camping just welcomes comradery between strangers.

I would have to agree.
Met many a person in campgrounds and am still friends with some.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Been camping my entire life, all over the southern Appalachians. 90% of the people you encounter are great folks. Something about camping just welcomes comradery between strangers. The other 10% usually just suffer from thoughtlessness.

Most of the "bad" neighbor problems fall under one or more of these categories:

-running generators too late or too early
-thinking I want to hear your music
-motorcycles with loud pipes coming into camp after midnight
-letting your dog bark endlessly
-People just ignoring campground rules/etiquette because they think it doesn't apply to them.


I know I've probably sat around a few fires with some guitars and sangin' that rubbed our neighbors the wrong way, but like the song says, "If you don't like Hank Williams....." well, you know the rest.

Hey, nobody came and ran us off the last time.....:bounce:
 

northgeorgiasportsman

Moderator
Staff member
Hey, nobody came and ran us off the last time.....:bounce:

Who in their right mind would come to shush us, especially after your cousin was hanging around all afternoon. He doesn't look like a man you'd want to cross.
 

kmckinnie

BOT KILLER MODERATOR
Staff member
1st night we have folks camping around us. But for the life of me I can't figure why they leave the next morning.
 

Miguel Cervantes

Jedi Master
Way back in the day before Bill and Al ruined our woods by mandating crosstie and gravel campsites and roads a Mack truck could drive down we used to frequent Dicks creek a good bit. You could camp anywhere you could find a flat spot to pitch a tent. Had a group that came in late about 75 yards away and proceeded to get rowdy and stay that way even at 12:30 am.

I figured I'd ease on down the road a ways to let the Ranger know. Had talked with him before and he was good about keeping things in line up there. Met him only about 50 yards down the road easing up our way. He already heard the ruckus and said he'd handle it. Woke up the next morning and those folks were gone.

Those were the good ol days. Now their's garbage and all sorts of city folk that frequent the National Forest in their BMW's and such that have no idea what they're doing there.

Thanks Bill and Al. :rolleyes:
 

KDarsey

Senior Member
I work in a State Park campground as a volunteer & as someone said earlier 90% are good folks. I may even go higher on that.
But those few that think it is all about them & think the rules don't apply to them really makes it hard on everyone.
The sad thing is most of the rules are just plain common sense things.
We get lot of 'Regulars' in our park & they observe the rules & they expect everyone to also. And they WILL come to me & let me know if someone is 'acting up'.
There are those that come in & after just a couple of hours you can't wait for them to leave.
But on the other hand you usually have a lot that you are glad to see each time they come.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Who in their right mind would come to shush us, especially after your cousin was hanging around all afternoon. He doesn't look like a man you'd want to cross.

Aw, he's just a 6'5", 350 lb puddytat. :)
 
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