If you had the chance to sit down with the person in charge of all National Forest campgrounds, what changes would you like to see that would benefit those of us in RV's?

I know that we would like to see some of the campsites go a little farther back so I can get my RV and truck in with room to spare.

What would you like??

Yes, bigger pads for us bigger campers would be nice. Most of the national parks, state parks and NFS campgrounds were built when pick up campers, tents and pop-ups were the norm. It is expensive to rebuild those campgrounds and money for that is hard to come by. I would like to see some audits of the management policies on reservations. I suspect they would make more money if they cut back on the reservations and opened more sites to the 7-14 day campers that are passing through. Too many sites are locked down each weekend by locals and sit empty there rest of the week. Reserve America makes its money from reservations and has a strong incentive to keep feeding the weekend locals. But that horse has been beaten before.

At a more philosophical level, I would like to see NFS land use managers meet for a couple days annually to compare programs and practices. Each NF is a fiefdom and does its very own thing. It is amazing.

Trim the trees...both in the roadway and in the sites!!!

Good ideas but how about flatting the curves on the interior campground roads, table and grille on the awning side of the parking apron, and a RVs only section? A list on the fee board of available RV dump location would be great. Keep the ideas coming. Suzi

What LindaH said.....trim the trees so we can get around without tearing vent covers, etc off the top of our RV's.

dont cut the trees for a few big rigs, the way things are going economicly theres more and more smaller rvs now. i understand the problem but just make better access for the larger on a couple sites. the trees are what camping is all about.

I didn't mean cut the trees DOWN! They just need to be trimmed so that they don't scrape the roof as you're driving down the road or trying to get into a site. Just trimming the trees in a couple of sites isn't going to do any good if the branches getting to the site tear off an A/C shroud or tear a hole in a rubber roof.

There are still those of us who travel (and fulltime) in larger rigs who enjoy staying in forest service campground. Trimming the trees so these larger rigs can navigate inside the campground isn't going to affect anyone else.

no i still dont think chopping any part of the trees is right. why RUIN the forest for a few? if you need something that huge maybe you should stay in the parking lot.

Spoken like a person who has never RV'd (and the original question WAS posted under the "RV Camping" forum).

And for your information, we don't have a "huge" RV...our fifth wheel is only 32' long and is lower in profile than many...11'10" compared to 12'8" or more for many fifth wheels.

And, again, I'm not talking about CHOPPING or BUTCHERING trees...just do some trimming. Done properly, you'd never know that it was done.

There have been a few forest service campgrounds we've been in...or tried to get into...where the trees were so overgrown, you'd have difficulty getting a CAR through it!

Donnyonee sounds to me like a person who uses a smaller RV and resents the fact that other people prefer/need to use a larger one and would like to bar them from the campgrounds. While we are not full timers, we travel a few months at a time with a 31 ft. 5th wheel and we like the NFS campgrounds. I think that we should be able to get in with our rigs the same as someone who chooses to travel with a smaller one.
Different strokes for different folks, you know.

yes i do have about the smallest ry possible. and in reality im not interested in camping next to a giant shoebox. i think the parks might be better off having designated rv spots for the giants and leave the natural setting for anyone else who can get in and out without distroying the park or their rig.
my friend was camping at doheny recently, which is designated rv and complained how it sucked.. generators, partying, noise 24/7, stuck between 2 giants, sure sounds like "camp" fun dont it?
i wouldnt pull into a trailer park and call it camping. maybe their should be more rv sites for the 30' and more but dont be triming the forest for anyone for whatever reason. imho

donnyonee,
Do you really consider the trimming of overhanging branches & limbs to be "hacking the forest" or are you just trying to agitate??
You do realize, don't you, that those who travel in the medium and large sized rigs pay taxes to support the NFS the same as you?

triming , chopping , hacking whatever you want to call it, leave the forest alone. find a place where the larger rv will fit, not making the forest fit the rv.
and now you want more triming for medium sized. no thank you.

OK, one more attempt to reason with you. My question to you is this...if the NFS stops "hacking" (your word) the forests, how long do you think you will be able to access the campsites with your rig, no matter how small it may be??
Am I correct in thinking that you feel that the forest should be "hacked" just enough for your use but not for anyone who would like to or needs to have a larger rig??

oh no, dont stop maintaining the campgrounds, i just dont want to see any more trees or parts of removed unless because of or for a natural reason. what if the parks were to post a recommended height limit on their broschures? and entrances, (which would be too late).
thats a nice thought, "only for me". thanks.
but i dont think thats fair.