Where to get firewood? (while staying at RV parks)

**ependydad** · 04-12-2013, 12:52 PM

So, this has bad me confuddled for quite a while. In fact, since we got our pop-up camper! We, almost exclusively, stay at private campgrounds and RV parks. There just isn't downed-wood for collection like there was in the state parks that I grew up with.

I've thought about getting a cord of wood delivered to the house here and taking a bit on each camping trip. The problem is, I almost never camp within an hour of my house and all of the concerns over the emerald ash borer have rules (or if not rules- strong suggestions) against taking wood across state lines (live in MD, most commonly camp in PA, NJ and VA).

To buy wood at the campground is prohibitively expensive (for a night around the fire, we'd easily spend $40 or so via $6/packs of wood. I've not had good luck sourcing wood from Craigslist around the areas that we camp at. And driving the surrounding area looking for signs of people selling wood has been hit or miss and still pretty expensive.

So- what to do? Do I just suck it up, get a cord and break the rules? Can I do anything to not spread emerald ash borers or the moth-thing if I do?

force · 04-12-2013, 01:02 PM

I'm in MA, but camp in NH quite a bit, which has a ban on bringing in wood due to concerns over emerald ash borer and/or asian longhorned beetles.

Because of that, I would never ever hide well seasoned white pine in my truck bed under a shipping blanket and a dark tinted truck cap, because that would be wrong.

**ependydad** · 04-12-2013, 01:05 PM

That non-existent white pine, just for sack of conversation- would it be de-barked or anything?

force · 04-12-2013, 01:14 PM

Circumstantially, yes. I took down 30+ trees in my yard a few years ago, (80% being pine). I haven't been able to burn through it that fast in my home fire pit , so what I have left basically debarks itself as soon as I pick it up lol.

Twisty · 04-12-2013, 01:15 PM

I bought a heaping full pickup truck load of lumber scraps for $50 off CL.
Lumber is not firewood and can be taken anywhere. It is bark free and clean.

MtnGuy · 04-12-2013, 01:17 PM

We have the same dilemma. A 1/2 dozen years ago, I was cutting up downed trees around here to get my firewood inventory up. Now, Shenandoah National Park won't let me carry firewood into the park.......even though I live less than 20 miles from the boundary. If the ash borer were here, it would be in the park also. Plus, I only burn wood that is a couple of years old (the borer can't live long on dead wood), and the wood I have is apple, oak, and sycamore.....not ash. Of course, the Park can't just say it is OK for me because I live close......I can't prove where my wood came from. And I seriously wonder exactly where the "certified" wood comes from that the buy for purchase ......I betcha it is further away than 20 miles.

The Park does allow cutting dead and down limbs in certain sections of the Park with with hand saws for campground firewood only. I take along my battery powered reciprocating saw, and park along the road or at an overlook, and there is still plenty of wood within a short walk. 1 time a Ranger stopped and asked to see what I was using to cut with, but didn't give me any grief about the battery powered saw.

I have noticed that many campgrounds have people that have firewood for sale on the way to the public campgrounds.....those vendors might be an option if not camping in state or federal campgrounds where the outside firewood is forbidden.

Sigh.....even with my surplus of wood at home, I abide by the rules and buy wood at the state or federal campgrounds. I got a couple of years worth of wood for my home fire-pit.

MtnGuy · 04-12-2013, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twisty

I bought a heaping full pickup truck load of lumber scraps for $50 off CL.
Lumber is not firewood and can be taken anywhere. It is bark free and clean.

A couple of years ago I asked a Shenandoah National Park ranger about burning lumber scraps.........the don't want any wood brought into the Park.

mshell56118 · 04-12-2013, 01:25 PM

I get skids and cut them up. Sometime oak usually pine. I also have a place by home that is a lumber producer I can buy a truckload of de barked oak in approx 4x4x6 or 8 inch pieces for around 30 bucks. And the parks here in Indiana allow hardwood with no bark to be brought in.

**ependydad** · 04-12-2013, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mshell56118

I get skids and cut them up. Sometime oak usually pine. I also have a place by home that is a lumber producer I can buy a truckload of de barked oak in approx 4x4x6 or 8 inch pieces for around 30 bucks. And the parks here in Indiana allow hardwood with no bark to be brought in.

I've thought about pallets before. Do the skids have nails or staples or anything?

mshell56118 · 04-12-2013, 01:31 PM

I usually try to clean up the nails. I found the small staples. Just melt quickly

ken0042 · 04-12-2013, 01:35 PM

Myself I usually camp in my own province, so I would typically buy firewood from our local gravel supplier. (Burnco) However this past winter I bought a cord of wood and now just take that with us. I have plastic storage containers dedicated for firewood.

When I go into BC I will get lumber and chop it up into 18" long pieces. Because it is technically lumber there is no risk of transporting a disease or insect. Sometimes Lowes or Home Depot will have scrap to give away; other times I can grab some warped 2x4s for 50¢ each.

NiteNoise · 04-12-2013, 01:37 PM

Look for firewood on some of the backroads near your campground.

I just spent the weekend at Spring Gulch, PA and an Amish house was selling a half pickup truck load for $25. I could name 2 private farms in Gettysburg, PA to get firewood. I don't like to haul all the extra weight from my house to the campsite.

Lynkage · 04-12-2013, 01:38 PM

I also collect pallets and scrap lumber from different jobsites. all 2X and 4X material is kiln dried so you eliminate that problem.

I just chop it up on the chop saw into the right sized pieces and put it in big rubbermaid containers and it is ready for the trip.

**ependydad** · 04-12-2013, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiteNoise

Look for firewood on some of the backroads near your campground.

I just spent the weekend at Spring Gulch, PA and an Amish house was selling a half pickup truck load for $25. I could name 2 private farms in Gettysburg, PA to get firewood. I don't like to haul all the extra weight from my house to the campsite.

I've had hit or miss luck with this, unfortunately. I don't mind hauling the weight for the most part, I just haven't had consistent luck finding campwood. And, especially not that cheap. Up at Pine Grove Furnace, I found a guy selling wood for $15 a "box" which wasn't much at all. (Worse yet, it was unattended, so no way to get change and I only had a $20.

) I knew of another place that used to sell some wood for $10, but he was sold out when I drove past.

RPAspey · 04-13-2013, 10:15 AM

ependydad, did that place there at Pine Grove kind of creep you out? It did my boy and I. Can't say why, just did....bad vibes.

Chewie · 04-13-2013, 10:24 AM

I'm no expert, but I doubt the ash borer can survive being in a campfire. I've never tried hauling wood out of state, but I do burn the hell out of what I bring camping.

bodzcampers · 04-13-2013, 10:52 AM

Can you buy wood delivered to your house that is not Ash? If it's not Ash, won't have ash borers. We buy in bulk oak, cherry, etc.

f5moab · 04-13-2013, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mshell56118

I usually try to clean up the nails. I found the small staples. Just melt quickly

"TRY?"
Two years ago in CO, we were camping and a friend's lab walked next to a fire ring and got a nail in his paw. It was obvious due to unburned parts of wood, someone had been burning pallets.

And I might add, if Camping in lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, and the Ranger comes by and notices you burning pallets...expect to receive a Federal citation for up to $1000.00.

From the Moab Field Office regulations....
"No burning of wood pallets on public lands within the Moab Field Office."

I would guess, but cannot confirm, this would be the same for all National Parks.

bodzcampers · 04-13-2013, 11:33 AM

[QUOTE=f5moab;348570]"TRY?"
Two years ago in CO, we were camping and a friend's lab walked next to a fire ring and got a nail in his paw.

Once I was walking in slippers (my bad) and got a pork chop bone (shaped like a T) jammed into the arch of my foot like a dagger. Ouch!!!!!!!!!!! On crutches for a few weeks. Please leave only footprints.

**ependydad** · 04-13-2013, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPAspey

ependydad, did that place there at Pine Grove kind of creep you out? It did my boy and I. Can't say why, just did....bad vibes.

Ha! I know what you mean. There were 2 places selling it by the box, but I didn't have any issues. Though, they didn't answer the door looking for change when I went up and rang the bell. I just wish the guy on Goodyear Road hasn't been sold out. He was a good ole boy when I last dealt with him.

As for the nails and skids/pallets- I camp at RV parks where it's common to move the firering (still is very strange to me to do it/see it). I wouldn't feel right about myself if what I burnt had nails because of it. Too much of a chance that I'd miss something and something bad would happen.

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