Voluteering, if you don't mind little bit of mild labor, is a hoot. We have been doing it over four years now, for several states parks and two different federal agencies, and are having a ball. Gives us a place to park for free, in exchange for a minimal amount of labor (one state we have worked for only reguired 14 hours a week, for both of us! We gave lots more than that, but 7 each was the requirement). When we are not dragging our home on wheels around we actually get semi-decent fuel mileage, and our only real expenses are food, which we would have anyway, and entertainment. And we entertain pretty cheaply. We meet lots of intersting people, get to see parts of the country we could not afford any other way, a win win situation for us...

Ya gotta keep in mind that, if some of what I have read is correct, ancient civilizations seemed to have a lot of "crap" left laying around in their living areas. Throwing bones to the dogs under the table, pieces of broken junk laying around, etc. Maybe people have always been slobs...

I am pretty sure the 'pre-penicillin, pre-germ theory, pre-antibiotics days' weren't all that fun.

I don't think the world today is significantly worse than it was 50 years ago, its just that today we have much faster communications. What was once little known outside the neighborhood is now headline news, live and in color while you are eating dinner.

We had a similar experience about 13 years ago in Colorado. We vowed to never again camp in a National Forest Campground. Now we get waaaaay back into the forest, and seldom see anyone else. I don't have patience for the slobs...

Sorry to go off topic, how do you get access to the Internet?

"... how do you get access to the Internet?..."

We have an aircard thru Verizon, our cell service...

Anymore when I go camping (even at elk camp), I bring at least a good camera, preferably a good video recorder. I get pics/video of all the campsites, and as they fill up I get pics of the occupants, their license plates, and faces if possible. If they leave a mess, I get that too. Then I send a copy of all of it to the local sheriff. After a while the campsites don't get so crapped up anymore. I imagine it would be similar to catch the nuggets doing other illegal activity as well. Imagine what CPS would do with a film of the guy yelling profanity at his kids in a public place.

Yeah, some folks won't care, but they will pay the fine(s) anyways.

As I write this, I am sitting in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest on the rim (a high plateau) in N.E. Arizona. We are camp hosts at a primitive dispursed camping area. I won't say the place is spotless, but it is close. There are no formal campsites here. One just picks a spot in the forest and sets up. Last year we had a few problems, but not many and not very bad.

Folks that come here are usually hunters, nature lovers and those who enjoy the forest. There are no facilities of any kind. No trash service, no water, no dump, no nothing but trees, elk and grand vistas.

For many, it is an undesirable spot to camp. They have to bring in everything and pack it out. We take their name and the plate number of the vehicle used. I spend about 10 minutes telling them the proper forest etiquette. We inspect the area with them telling them that we will photograph any trash found so that they will not be fined if we discover it after they leave. Seems like they get the idea.

If they ride ATV's in a dangerous way, we call "Ranger Bob", a 30 year veteran of the Forest Service. He lays tickets on 'em like snow in December.

It is sad to see so many folks that have not a clue about camping. They expect it to be disneyland. Usually they leave here after one night and I try to be on-hand with my camera as they pack up. I wave a cheery good-by and hang around to check out the area. Almost always it is spotless. I find an occasional kids toy in a bush, or a small piece of trash that was overlooked. Seems they are so used to trash that they can't see some of the little pieces.

For the most part it is a wonderful place to be. For the campers and for us. We will be here until fall. Come on up and enjoy it with us.
We are at N34d 16.392m W110d 51.247m on FR 9512.

Sounds nice.

Myself and DW, Hondo(nickname) my son(3) and DD(11) just got back from Turner Falls in OK. I have to say...I didn't have as bad an experience.

We arrived on Friday evening waited at the front gate for 10 minutes behind some RV waiting to get in...got the park map and immediately determined that staying anywhere labeled "Main Camp" was going to be crowded. It's an interesting commentary on life after the ballon goes up...everyone seems to gravitate to stuff...bathrooms, snowcone stands, water...we actually camped on the farthest loop back in the butterfield..or was it butterfly campground. Port a john close walk was cleaned every morning between 8 -8:15.

We arrived at camp...some others camped 100 yards to either side. Had to move a few sticks, but the only trash I found was a few bottle tops and some broken glass...I took this opportunity to lecture on the value of always wearing shoes in camp...DW rolls eyes..but concurs.

Set up the tent, luckily, I brought some firewood with me..not a stitch anywhere..lots of small twigs, but nothing with any staying power. I suspected that after the holiday it would be picked clean. Ran off the very large racoon from camp several times and then listened to two of them fight over our left over hot dog buns at around 3:00 am...that was the only noise we heard.

Awoke refreshed..put on the swim trunks, had breakfast and headed out. That's one benefit of the three year old..no late sleeping. We got a great parking space for the trek to the actual falls swimming area. We toured the remains of the castle like home built by a Dr. around the 1930's..interesting, spent the rest of the day swimming in the butt cold water...but the kids were of course obvilivious to the temperature.

That night, more of the same, cooked burgers built another fire, marshmellows of course. Little louder on Saturday night more folks had moved in...but still no one closer than 75 yards. Some loud Mexican music playing...but after 10:00 that died off as well. Chased off the Racoon again.

I will say that I never went longer than 1 hour without seeing a Davis police officer driving around and I did notice that the closer you got to "Main Camp" the worse it got. Sorry for your experience, it was my first time to Camp there as well. Try Robbers Cave...it's cheaper, they have a really neat hiking trail, primitive camping. That's where we usually go.