RE: What do you think about YOUR state parks?

[hbfc6]

 CampG
I would rate Indiana State parks as only fair. I been to a lot of better States parks.

[Starryart]

 CampG
Ditto on " Love My Texas State parks!"  We much prefer them over commercial campgrounds.
 The SPs do the best they can on a shoestring budget.(Shame on the legislature for their lack of support to the TPWD.)
 Some of our parks are from the old CCC days but we like them anyway.
 Our favorite park was going to upgrade the childrens play area, so the rangers dismantled the old playground equipment and before they could order the new one their budget got yanked out from under them. Now no playground. That is so sad and it s not the Park s fault.
 We will support our parks the best we can.

[Campaholics]

 CampG
First, we are dyed in the wool State Park campers.
 
 Illinois has reservations at selected parks, and that changes every year.  Maintenance is reasonable given the dollars.  With one expection, Kankakee SP (OK, my one and only time there was in 86, and a lot can change), they are clean.  
 
 Most of our camping is in the Wisconsin SPs.  Even with budget cuts, still a class act. The shower buildings are almost always clean.  One of the most stupid budget cuts was removing trash cans from the bathrooms.  The workings of the bureaucratic mind passeth all understanding.   A lot of the buildings go back to CCC, but that adds character if they are kept up (they are).  The staff is consistently friendly and helpful.  Where the budget cuts have hit the hardest is the Ranger led programs.  When we started camping in 84, there would be two or three events on weekdays.  Now, if you are lucky, one or two on a major holiday weekend.  I see the online reservation system as a big step forwar.  I ll happily pay Reserve America to click on a CG map, select a site, find out that it s available, and a couple more clicks and it s mine.
 
 Our limited experience with Michigan parks has been favorable.  If they passed out Oscars for state parks, in the catagory of showers, Porkypine Mountains Wilderness SP, for unlimited Hot Showers, not warm, hot to soothe aches and pains.
 
 All this talking, I just gotta plan a trip...to a Wisconsin State Park for the first weekend in October.

[forestwalker]

 CampG
We love our California State Park System.Most parks are well kept;the employees are very courteous(especially considering some of the jerks they have to deal with);the interpretative services they provide are far superior to most found in the private sector.Law enforcement is usually handled well.We like both the rustic old buildings that can be found at many parks,and the newer state of the art interpretative centers that can be found at others. In our opinion,the public service oriented California State Park System is unmatched for excellance by any private,for profit,operation that we ve seen.

[vjm1639]

 CampG
Two thumbs up for Virginia State Parks! They re beautiful, well maintained, and every employee I ve ever delt with has been terrific.    
 
 
 

[angelsmom10]

 CampG
In OHio we ve only been to a few to stay.  We did so road trips to several.  We love East Fork Lake.  Many sites are shaded and go back into the woods for your fire ring and picnic table.  The do have a group site and reservable, however there really isn t any shade at all and for a group to reserve the site are higher.  I feel they are taking advantage of groups by charging higher - they already require that you reserve 10 spots at least.  They only have 2 full hookup sites
 
 Indian Lake has great sites, but they have too many primitive along the lake/channel for camping.  They really need more electric and/or full hookups (they have about 13 full).  They do have a lot of electric only, but not on lake and many are not shaded.  They do need to add more shower houses there is only about 3-4 of them for the whole park -- for the primitive campers, there isn t even 1 in their area -- you have to drive to get to one.
 
 They others, we were not as impressed with.
 
 I do wish they would have a better reservation system.  Their current policy is you can reserve a site, but you start paying from the day to make the reservation and also, you have no choice.  Now once you get there, you can change your site to another one that is still open.

[slowpez]

 angelsmom10
We spend lots of time in state parks, specifically those in GA, NC, and our home state of SC.  All three states have great parks but overall, we like GA the best.  SC has just reduced the senior discount at its parks from 50% to 15% without changing the camping fees for anyone else.  While we agree the prices need to go up to keep the parks maintained, it seems unfair to penalize just the seniors.  By the way, all entrance fees to the SP have been increased for everyone, these increases are higher on the coast so be prepared.  It is hard to judge a SP on cleanliness since park capacity and weather seem to play an important role on how clean the bathrooms are.  Hard to keep the place clean with muddy feet coming in and out all day and with people who feel it is all right to throw toilet paper on the floor and never flush a toilet.  However, the three states above do make a concerted effort at keeping the park and the bathrooms clean and we will continue to use them.

[Trlrboy]

 angelsmom10
I ve camped 20 state parks around Texas and applaud them.  Most of them have a history going back to the CCC and most are in excellent condition.  Even though there have been cutbacks to budgets the park system down in our part of the country seems to do well keeping things clean and updated.  There are a few parks we ve been to that have left much to be desired but for the most part I would recommend a Texas SP to anyone.

[Jeffrey]

 angelsmom10
MN does a pretty good job. They are pretty consistant as far as being clean and kept up.
 
 The only complaint is sometimes the mosquitos at the state parks can be unbearable. The first thing they cut is the mosquito control. There are a couple parks we won t go back to for that reason.
 
 The former wrestler Governor would always threaten to close all the parks, if he didn t get his way. Luckily he is gone now[]. But, I hear they have been closing down some less profitable ones, or limiting the time they are open.

[madrone]

 forestwalker

 

ORIGINAL:  forestwalker
 
 We love our California State Park System.Most parks are well kept;the employees are very courteous(especially considering some of the jerks they have to deal with);the interpretative services they provide are far superior to most found in the private sector.Law enforcemrnt is usually handeled well.We like both the rustic old buildings that can be found at many parks,and the newer state of the art interpretative centers that can be found at others. In our opinion,the public service oriented California State Park System is unmatched for excellance by any private,for profit,operation that we ve seen.
 

 I ve lived in California all my life, and I have to agree that the California state parks are excellent, and a real bargain for the California camper.  The only problem I have with the state parks is that the best ones book up months in advance. I can t quite wrap my brain around the idea that I need to book now at my local state park if I want to camp there on a March weekend. It didn t used to be this way, but the population in California keeps growing.
 
 The best campgrounds I ve ever seen, though, are the campgrounds in Hawaii. They have all the facilities, hot and cold running water, real toilets, and lots of extras. Beach campgrounds usually had pavilions with big barbecues. Koke e State Park had individual camp sites carved out of the jungle, planted with grass,
 and mowed regularly.
 

[Papaso]

 CampG
I think our State parks are wonderful, I have yet to run into any negative situation other than what is caused by careless campers. I have only camped at one private campground and that was Ft. Wilderness at Disney World. We ve been to 18 of the Florida State Parks, some more than once. Although there are some we like better than others everyone of the parks has had excellent amenities from nice size sites to great restroom /shower facilities. The rangers we have dealt with have all tried to do their best to make our stay nice. The front plate on my TV is a Florida State Park plate and I m proud to display it. I have camped at many State and National Parks across the U.S. over the last 38 years and Floridas Parks are among the best, so COME ON DOWN.

[Tim5055]

 angelsmom10
Maryland has some very nice state parks.  As a matter of fact our favorite quick trip is a state park about 40 minutes form home.
 
 Generally large wooded sites with clean bath houses.  Prices are reasonable and many of the parks allow pets.
 
 We have also visited several Virginia state parks and have nothing put positive experiences in them also.
 
 [link=http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/pfwma2.html]Maryland State Park Web Site[/link]

[tlhdoc]

 angelsmom10
Over all I like the PA state parks.  You have to call a toll free number to make a reservation.  I wish they would go on line so that you can check the campgrounds and see what is open, along with a description of the campsite.  They don t add any type of service charge to the reservation which I do like.

[jawilson]

 angelsmom10
I pretty much agree with all that DiW said about NJ, NY and PA.
 
 We ve been to all three states, and by far NJ is the worst. They appear to do little, if any, maintenance. The reservation system is archaic at best. The sites, at least the ones in Warren and Sussex county, are deplorable. Just a dreadful experience all around. Embarrassing, to be honest with you.
 
 NY is better, at least those in the Catskills are (haven t been to any others). The sites are better maintained, the facilities are at least somewhat clean -- although not terribly modern -- and most of the employees seem reasonable enough. They allow pets and drinking, which isn t always a good thing as far as we re concerned, but for the most part they re pretty good. 11am checkout is a joke though.
 
 But nothing beats PA! Those guys know state parks. They re well maintained, clean, modern and spacious. Hot water in the bathrooms. Shower houses all over the place. Even have deep sinks outside at the bathrooms specifically for washing your dishes! Checkin is 3pm, which is a little on the late side, but better then NY s 11am. The Rangers are all over the place, constantly, making certain no lunkheads get out of hand. The reservations system allow you to get sites up to 11 months in advance, which is too long IMHO, but it works well (heck, they even send you a confirmation letter with your reservation number). For the tri-state area nothing beats PA; they care, and it shows.

[DiW]

 angelsmom10
jawilson,
 Have you stayed at Stokes? I drove through the section with flush toilets/showers and was surprised at how nice the bathhouse seemed. Haven t actually stayed there though. Had originally crossed it off my list because I was told it only had pit toilets... Have you tried Mahlon Dickerson Park? We ve biked there but never camped. I would stay in the trailer section (w/e sites) but Mahlon doesn t allow wood fires there - yet you can have them in the tent section [:@] Just doesn t seem like camping without a fire.
 Di