Rob_E

https://www.vabike.org/guaranteed-cam...a-state-parks/

Got it from the Path Less Pedaled folks. Virginia state parks will not turn you away even if the campground is full. Something that might happen at any campground, but it's nice to have an official policy. California has a similar policy, I believe.

Official policy

gpsblake

Does this policy include the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive??

prathmann

Looks like a very nice policy to have for bike tourists who frequently aren't able to make reservations well in advance since weather conditions can have a big impact on the mileage that can be covered in a day.

California doesn't have a policy that's so definitive. Some (but by no means all) of the CA state parks have 'Hike&Bike' areas set aside for the use of non-motorized travelers. These sites have a reasonable per-person rate and don't require or accept reservations. Frequently the stay is limited to a couple nights. The official policy is that if this site is full then later travelers can be turned away, but in my experience most parks will try to find some place to accommodate cyclists and hikers even if the site is full. They might be asked to camp in an area that's normally day-use only (picnic area/etc.) in which case tents shouldn't be set up until the evening and should be taken down fairly early in the morning. I've also found rangers to be willing to bend the rules a bit at parks without Hike&Bike sites and allow camping by a cyclist when all regular sites were full - but there's no official policy that requires this.

wahoonc

I think those maybe federal parks rather than state, but I don't know for sure.

Aaron

B. Carfree

Nice policy. I suppose the attitude of the folks implementing the policies are more important than the policies themselves.

About a year and a half ago I was on my way down the OR coast. At the end of a 180-mile day, I came to a state campground that was unexpectedly closed for repair work. It was getting close to nightfall and I was too beat to try to ride back to the nearest campground, so I rode on in hoping to stealth camp. A young woman had arrived a few nights before with the same problem just as the campground host was arguing with the district parks manager that the campground needed to stay open for cyclists, who would have no way of knowing that it was closed. The manager took one look at that woman and decided the host was right. They left one restroom/shower open and the campground was open to cyclists only while the work went forward. (The host went back to the nearest town and posted signs in the laundromat and at the store so that cyclists would know they had a place to stay.)

I met up with and thanked the woman who saved the day for the rest of us four days later in Gualala. By that time she had a large host of young men traveling with her.

CCrew

It's also a Corp of Engineers policy

Skyline Drive is NPS. Blue Ridge Parkway depends on where you are but is predominately national and not state

CoMotionRider

No those are Federal Gov. parks, not Va State parks

BigAura

I've seen this policy in other places too. I make my policy, when in a campground office, to mention that I'm on a bicycle. It turns out, they don't always see your bike or recognize "helmet hair". If a full campground still wants to turn me away, I scout around for another solo traveler who might want to share ($) a site.

Sadly more and more public parks are catering to RV's. Most camp sites are large parking spots. It's nice when hiker/bikers get some consideration.

Trek_geek

I love VA State Parks.
I am in the planning stages of riding the relatively new High Bridge Trail that runs through Farmville, VA. It’s 31 miles long and at the eastern end is about 5-7 miles away from Twin Lakes State Park. HBT doesn’t have any camping as it is just the trail. BUT the HBT superintendent has answered every email question so far as to the availability of overnight parking.
I live about 2.5 hours away so the plan would be to start on a Saturday morning, dropping my truck at the western end in Pamplin City, ride the trail and camp at Twin Lakes. Return on Sunday. The guy has been very helpful, passing me several email address for Pamplin town mayor and county Sheriff. He said all I had to do is notifiy him the day before and I could park my truck at the western terminus parking lot.

Cyclebum

A state park in Texas tried the 'we're full' bit with me once. I bought a day pass, rode around a bit, found a site with just one guy occuping it, made my pitch, and shared his site. Interestingly, his tent was a well crafted, homemade teepee. This will work, but you gotta use your intuition and be able to handle rejection.