[Chris Kinlaw]

I recently started car camping again. What I'm noticing is that campgrounds don't seem to be as peaceful as they were in the past. This weekend, there was a group at one of the sites playing terrible R&B music - not my style. It wasn't super loud, but it was annoying and hard to tune out. I've also noticed groups of young adults using the campgrounds as a cheap place to party which leads to long loud nights of talking and laughing around a huge fire. Throw in an older couple with a generator reeving up and down all night and sleep can get difficult. I've always liked camping to get away from noise and back to nature but that is starting to seem more elusive. Anyway, has anyone else noticed campgrounds becoming less peaceful.

 

[Happy Joe]

Welcome to the forum!

... years ago I tried a campground; once, and ended up leaving early for the reasons that you mentioned; now you say its gotten worse and I believe you!
I subsequently took up four wheeling and managed to leave so called "civilization" behind...Mostly...
I have heard that there are a few campgrounds that try to contain their clientele; they are relatively hard to find. Personally I go farther afield into a national forest and do remote primitive camping, only rarely with an extremely low noise generator, judiciously/intermittently used; only when needed. I would rather use solar but desert camping (Utah mostly) is way down on my list.

No reservations, no utilities, no hookups or public facilities (bring your own).
no neighbors (if you pick the right spots)... sometimes bears and other wildlife... especially after the weekenders leave.
Fewer partiers (because they need a pretty well set up four wheel drive just to get close)
Virtually no mobile homes, occasionally a modified pop-up, due to the unmaintained roads (difficult to get a 4wd vehicle into sometimes near impossible to get a 2 wheel drive or travel trailer in or out.
The off camber roads & trails make high center of gravity RVs and trailers a tip over hazard.. (I have actually seen drivers and passengers bail out).
The narrow snake like jeep trails rapidly.weed out fifth wheels, huge pickups and toy haulers.
The low hanging branches will forcefully remove air conditioners solar panels, roof vents etc...

The best campsites are precious; keep them secret, keep them pristine!

Edit; occasionally I like to group camp but NOT in campgrounds (often with folks that cannot reach the best spots); there is normally a wide selection of easy to get to (higher chances of noisy partiers) spots that most vehicles, many RVs and travel trailers can get to;
These can be suggested to folks and I usually try to get to them a couple of days before a weekend or stay several days after since the party type folks tend to be weekend campers, on holidays I regularly leave before the crowd get there or arrive after they leave..

Enjoy!

 

[travis.farmer]

Welcome Chris ,

i can see your struggle, even though i have a 5th wheel camper. campgrounds just are not what they used to be.
my hope for the future, is to eventually buy my own plot of land to park my 5th wheel on, where i can camp as i will, without bothering others. but until then, i will have to make use of campgrounds, and just try to do my part to keep my annoying camping traits to a minimum, for the benefit of others.

Like Joe said, find yourself a secluded section of woods, where it is permitted to camp freely, and keep it a secret from the party folks (i don't like the party folks much either, but some may). once a location is known, it only remains special when no trace is left behind. I like the Appalachian Trail saying, "Pack in, Pack out".

 

[Denni2]

It really depends on where you camp and what type of campgrounds you choose. We prefer quiet primitive campgrounds. We stay at National Forests when possible. We travel all over the country and most of the campgrounds have been quiet. We stay away from RV parks or KOA type campgrounds. I know West Virginia State Parks rules that music and tv’s are not to be heard in the next site. We read the rules and reviews before booking.

 

[ppine]

People are somewhat less considerate than they used to be. Working people have always shown up in public campgrounds on Fri and Sat nights and stayed up partying.
Boondocking is appealing to me as are river trips. I avoid camping in public campgrounds in the summer. Too much commotion. Now I camp in spring and fall. In the winter I head for remote places in the desert.

 

[Greywuff]

People are somewhat less considerate than they used to be. Working people have always shown up in public campgrounds on Fri and Sat nights and stayed up partying.
Boondocking is appealing to me as are river trips. I avoid camping in public campgrounds in the summer. Too much commotion. Now I camp in spring and fall. In the winter I head for remote places in the desert.

People are more rude EVERYWHERE, not just in campgrounds. I'm leaning toward the fact that covid retrictions forced many people into camping that would have had no part of it in previous years. Maybe things will open up and people will be able to get back to whatever makes them happy, and us campers can get back to camping.