State by State Campground Closures & Responses to COVID-19

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Thanks for the link. AZ is OPEN. Yay. Are people still at the HOWA caravans at Quartzsite?   -crofter
 
Caravans were disbanded IIRC from the live stream today. Some have broken off into informal groups if you know anyone that was in one.
 
Some counties such as San Juan and Kane in Utah are making camping by non residents illegal and requesting residents camp at least 100 feet apart. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area has closed most if not all campgrounds and one of it's boat ramps in Utah. Check before traveling the remote areas as medical facilities are limited and this is being done for public safety.
 
And with the closures go the park and hosting jobs?   -crofter (was taking this season off anyway).
 
I called the office at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, its still open, and I was told that as of now, (Monday 3/30) that the showers and restrooms are still open. The Alibates visitor center is closed but this does not affect the campgrounds in any way. 

The lady said it could change at any time...but for now, camping is permitted.

Lake Meredith is about an hour northeast of Amarillo, in the Texas Panhandle, so if anyone is traveling along I-40 and needs a place to hang out for free for awhile, this might be an option.

I did a review of Lake Meredith awhile back, I've camped there many times over the years.

https://www.nps.gov/lamr/planyourvisit/camping.htm
 
It is a little early yet to know who will have lost their camp ground host jobs for the whole of the season.

But I would say chances are that many of those jobs for the spring months are gone for this year in the states that have closed a lot of the areas.

The whole thing could end up as a toss up with some of the host choosing to not do any of the summer season so there could be some openings for areas that do not get filled. If you really need that camp hosting income and place to stay it might be worth getting on some waiting list here and there in case some of the jobs that are now thought to be filled will become open later on.

But wherever you host, or choose to stay as a camper, be very careful because some people are getting very cranky due to stress and uncertainty, much more so than normal.
 
Update for Lake Meredith in the Texas Panhandle: The campgrounds are now closed. Lots of people had to leave and find other accommodations.

Caprock Canyons is also closed. 

There is one public campground still open: Lake Mackenzie. I called the office and here is some info:

They have had to reduce the number of campers, and you must CALL to reserve either a full hookup spot OR a primitive spot. The cost for primitive (no hookup) camping, per camping unit is $5 per night, and $5 per person per 24 hour day. If you are over 65 or a veteran, the cost per person is $3.

As of now, the showers are open, but this might change. 

There are full hookups for RVs but they are booked up this weekend (Easter Weekend) so you would have to call and get the latest information. The lady told me that several overlanding rigs are there, dry camping, and have reserved their spots until sometime in June, so it is conceivable that most campers could stay there for awhile. The beaches are open, the boat ramps are open, and the small c-store is open, as of today.

Lake MacKenzie is about 1.5 hours southeast of Amarillo:

https://lakemackenzie.com/index.html

806-633-4335
 
Does it make it difficult for persons who want to do constant travel, staying here and there for a night or two? Yes of course it does and it is being deliberately made more difficult. That is because this whole situation has developed by people traveling from an infected area into an area with few infections. If no one moved around it would soon be over because it would not be getting spread around.

I know that goes against the grain and is very difficult to accept by the nomadic community. But it is fact and it can't be ignored because you wish it was not a factor in your life this spring and no doubt also for part of the summer. Try very hard to self isolate as much as possible and find a place to wait it out at least somewhat comfortably.
 
maki2 said:
....this whole situation has developed by people traveling from an infected area into an area with few infections. If no one moved around it would soon be over....
Click to expand...
Whoa! The article is talking about people in self contained RVs having a place to pull in and spend the night. The article also addresses having greater vehicle spacing than one would have at the Wmart parking lot.

It is not addressing airline travel and cruise ship tours with shared cabin ventilation systems. It is not advocating shopping in big box stores or other high contact experiences with shared ventilation systems. 

Reading links about China related travel: not one virus case from people who drove their RV from US to China and back.  If you want to quarantine in an RV it is possible and even recommended as a way to self isolate.    -crofter
 
crofter said:
Whoa! The article is talking about people in self contained RVs having a place to pull in and spend the night.

Reading links about China related travel: not one virus case from people who drove their RV from US to China and back.  If you want to quarantine in an RV it is possible and even recommended as a way to self isolate.
Click to expand...

But the virus is here now.
Someone coming from elsewhere (next block, next town, another state) could be a carrier.
At some point they must get fuel, get groceries, etc. - and spread the virus where it was not before.

People in RVs can spread the virus just as easily as anyone else.
Shelter-in-place   ->     place = a particular position or point in space.

An RV is an ok place to isolate, but they are small.
 
crofter said:
Reading links about China related travel: not one virus case from people who drove their RV from US to China and back. 
Click to expand...

LOL...
 
Spaceman Spiff said:
But the virus is here now.
Someone coming from elsewhere (next block, next town, another state) could be a carrier.
At some point they must get fuel, get groceries, etc....
Click to expand...
That is me.

I planned to travel by RV from Oregon to Quartzite in December, the trip plans slid to the first week in January. I can remember watching the storms and changing my route due to the bad storms in January. I made it over the pass before the roads all closed. 

Then I camped with caravanners in AZ  and attended WRTR/  RTR. People were there from all over. We had hand sanitizer at the gathering. Some of us wore dust masks for the dusty conditions. This all at the time this contagion was starting to spread. I also visited elderly family members, and we even had  a family reunion as late as the first week in March.

I live in my van. We are all still healthy. Just dumb luck? or maybe dwellers don't mingle their respiratory droplets enough to spread this?

I feel for those dwellers caught out on the road. I do not have S&B and planned to be travelling now in the van. I received an invitation that included driveway parking, or I would be on the road right now, with all the closed campgrounds. These days are a true test of your boondocking skills and stealth savvy  for those on the road.    -crofter
 
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