Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-15-2017, 07:32 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Greensboro NC
Posts: 1,140
campgrounds Myth vs reality

Anyone else who reviews the campgrounds on this site use the sat images on google maps? I have seen many highly rated campgrounds based on reviews, I go to the site and see pretty campground pictures etc, get interested, and then go to a sat image on google earth of the site and instantly check it off my list because its basically a parking lot.. Frustrating. Wish the websites would be a little more accurate, But I guess thats the trend.. Hotels, beach rentals all do the same thing I suppose.
ronheater70 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 07:36 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Life is great's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 643
I always Google the grounds before i go, if not before i book it. Its nice to know if you'll be dealing with tight areas while pulling in or out as well along with know what it really does look like before you get there.
__________________
2012 Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite 8312SS riding on Gladiator rubber.
2004 Ford F350 (Black Beauty) CC, SB, 6sp, 6L work horse.

Camped
2016 - 21 nights
2017 - 42 + scheduled....
Life is great is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 07:47 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Minnesota ( wishing we were boondocking in the New York Catskills )
Posts: 567
Absolutely, we "reality check" what we can with the satellite imaging. Doesn't always work best when the sites are buried in dense trees ... but, guess that still proves that "shade" means there might be shade.

Can't speak for all states and counties, but the State park system here in Minnesota, and several of the counties, have nice online reservation systems, where you can actually drill / click down to the individual camp sites and see an image of exactly what that slot looks like before you commit your buxx and lock the deal.
__________________

Jeff and Abby
Fur Babies - Xandra Sophia (GSD) and Neo (Min-Pin Mutt who thinks he is a cat)
2015 Tracer Air 235 (previous 1994 Veri-Lite 1130 TC)
1998 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab - 360 - 46RE (Built)
Jeff_and_Abby is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 07:48 AM   #4
Broken Toe
 
Cowracer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Imperial (St. Louis) MO
Posts: 3,745
Most of the time I book a campsite, they provide a picture of the site. First time I went to Lincoln State Park in Indiana, I spent probably 2 hours looking at the site pictures to find the one I wanted.

Tim
__________________
FROG Member MO-0008-571 Since 20124444444444My Project Blog: https://cowracer.blogspot.com/

"Camper" 2016
Rockwood Signature Ultralite 8329ss
"Casper" 2017 Ram 2500 Laramie Diesel
..ProPride 3P Hitch - "Yeah. It's worth it."
Cowracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 07:49 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 168
I use GE religiously. A couple of things I've noticed is that it doesn't give you a really good idea of tree coverage, and another is that local elevation is difficult to determine. I've seen roads on GE that look like superhighways, turns out they are actually two-track adventures. So, I view the images with a skewed eye. Checking out campgrounds, though, it is a great tool.
seagrace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 07:50 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Oakman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Jefferson County, MO
Posts: 5,449
I take all reviews with a grain of salt. The first distinction I look at when reading reviews is whether the campground is a commercial enterprise or a publicly funded campground. Commercial campgrounds almost always have sites closer together, they have to make a profit so I don’t hold that against them. I just have a better idea of what to expect.

Any yes, Google Earth is wonderful.
__________________


Bob and Joyce
2013 CC Silverback 29RL
2010 Ford F250 XL Crew Cab 6.4 liter diesel
ATU Local 788
Oakman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 08:04 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Saint Louis
Posts: 1,458
irony is that the worst picture of the campsite I can see on Google earth, the better its probably going to be.
__________________
2015 Ram 2500 4x4 6.4l with 2015 Sandpiper 25RLS
Wife, myself and 2 furry kids
Mountndream is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 08:13 AM   #8
(Dry Huunday)
 
DreiHunde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 2,298
Yep always use Google Earth, not only for the campground but the route as well. I also check tripadvisor...not so much for the reviews but sometimes people post pics of the place. Another good tool is campsitephotos.com . Pretty good website to use as a reference tool. Not all campgrounds are on there but the pics they do have are pretty good.
__________________

Beau & Sue
FurKid Express
2015 Coachmen Catalina 303RLS
2016 Chevy Silverado LT 2500HD Duramax
The more people I meet, the more I like my dogs!
DreiHunde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 08:28 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
A32Deuce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Posts: 9,230
Use GE for the CG and the route. Now that they have ground view, even better for looking at routes!
__________________
2012 SunSeeker 3100SS Toad-1962 Futura Average 100 + days camping
A32Deuce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 08:51 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Evereddie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Pfafftown NC
Posts: 2,353
This helps sometimes if your campground is listed there.

Campsite Photos, Camping Pictures, and Campground Reviews - campsitephotos.com
__________________
There are 10 types of people in the world.
Those that know binary, and those that don't.

2013:31 / 2014:51 / 2015:58 / 2016:37 / 2017:46
2018:16
Total 239
Evereddie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 12:52 PM   #11
Site Team
 
bikendan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,600
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evereddie View Post
This helps sometimes if your campground is listed there.

Campsite Photos, Camping Pictures, and Campground Reviews - campsitephotos.com
We've used this website extensively.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
bikendan is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 12:57 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
rsdata's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Northern KY
Posts: 5,724
a photo of a campsite or a picture from space NEVER shows the reality of the site.

Just got back from a campsite that looked great in pictures but after a wet spring/early summer the low ground surrounding the parking pad was wet enough that the state park campground staff found it wise to leave 1/2 bale of hay to help sop up the mud surrounding the firepit and camp table.

Every NEW camp that I go to, I find myself walking the loops and making smartphone notes of sites to NOT rent on future visits.
__________________
"nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle."
Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell pg. 2, June 11, 1807

2014 Shamrock 183
2014 RAM 1500 Bighorn Crew Cab, HEMI, 3.21 gears, 8 Spd, 4X4 TST TPMS
rsdata is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 01:07 PM   #13
(Dry Huunday)
 
DreiHunde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 2,298
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsdata View Post
a photo of a campsite or a picture from space NEVER shows the reality of the site.

Just got back from a campsite that looked great in pictures but after a wet spring/early summer the low ground surrounding the parking pad was wet enough that the state park campground staff found it wise to leave 1/2 bale of hay to help sop up the mud surrounding the firepit and camp table.

Every NEW camp that I go to, I find myself walking the loops and making smartphone notes of sites to NOT rent on future visits.
Nothing will ever replace actually being there, but different research tools sure do help narrow the search!!
__________________

Beau & Sue
FurKid Express
2015 Coachmen Catalina 303RLS
2016 Chevy Silverado LT 2500HD Duramax
The more people I meet, the more I like my dogs!
DreiHunde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 01:25 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
A32Deuce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Posts: 9,230
But even the picture you take today that a site looks good, come back a month after a lot of rain and it could be a swamp. We visit our CG monthly and its different almost each visit.
__________________
2012 SunSeeker 3100SS Toad-1962 Futura Average 100 + days camping
A32Deuce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 01:36 PM   #15
jkoenig24
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Box Elder, SD (formerly NY)
Posts: 953
I look for TRAIN TRACKS near a CG. Some CGs back right up to RR tracks. Doesn't bode well for a quiet night's sleep.
jkoenig24 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 01:39 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
A32Deuce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Posts: 9,230
I camp at one where the freight tracks are a couple hundred feet away! Reminds me when I was a small boy growing up. No horns, just the sound of the train!
__________________
2012 SunSeeker 3100SS Toad-1962 Futura Average 100 + days camping
A32Deuce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 01:52 PM   #17
Site Team
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Northen IL
Posts: 8,288
Quote:
Originally Posted by A32Deuce View Post
I camp at one where the freight tracks are a couple hundred feet away! Reminds me when I was a small boy growing up. No horns, just the sound of the train!
Like this?

From the tracks to the fence it's maybe 20 feet. This pic was taken from my in-law's deck.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	0608131056.jpg
Views:	265
Size:	394.1 KB
ID:	141545  
Iwritecode is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 02:10 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
A32Deuce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Posts: 9,230
Only difference where I camp, the tracks are lined with big trees. Anvil Camp Ground in Williamsburg, Va. Very nice CG and excellent staff.
__________________
2012 SunSeeker 3100SS Toad-1962 Futura Average 100 + days camping
A32Deuce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 02:15 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Oakman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Jefferson County, MO
Posts: 5,449
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkoenig24 View Post
I look for TRAIN TRACKS near a CG. Some CGs back right up to RR tracks. Doesn't bode well for a quiet night's sleep.
What do you say? I can't hear you for the train going by.

Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_7994_1.jpg
Views:	269
Size:	1.46 MB
ID:	141547

As an added bonus there was a grade crossing just 100 yards from the campsite so we got to hear horns too.
__________________


Bob and Joyce
2013 CC Silverback 29RL
2010 Ford F250 XL Crew Cab 6.4 liter diesel
ATU Local 788
Oakman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2017, 02:29 PM   #20
Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 49
I agree this is a nice feature and all the state campgrounds in PA, DE, MD and NJ do this. They subscribe to ReserveAmerica. However, it is not a sure thing. For example our first outing this year with our new TT we picked a loop that had full hookups that we haven't camped before with our pop up. The pics were completely off sap McElroy the loop recently was reopened after a major overhaul. Many of The mature trees were gone, nice packed gravel pads were now rocky sites that weren't packed yet, etc. it was still a great weekend but as always, nothing is always as it appears. Keep an open mind.
mmmartin33 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
mpg

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:36 PM.