Opinions on campground/camping on my property??

Great points and well taken but please elaborate on the church groups statement as I have difficulty in understanding that as in my area most scout groups make up part of the church youth groups - Thanks

As to my point that it is a different market all together for my proposed idea.

clearly a valid opinion, and I fully understand. In my case I tend to use fully serviced facilities because my wife is severely disabled and roughing it isn't an option. If the question is economic viability, well there simply isn't a dime to be made in providing a primitive camping experience on a for profit basis. The reasons are many, including the fact that our federal agencies, state parks and dozens of other organizations provide thousands of places to do so at little to no cost. The other issue is the fact that most folks gravitating toward a wilderness experience have no incentive and.or ability to be free spenders. If you find it absolutely horrifying that I pay $110 a night to camp in Disneyworld on Christmas eve, you probably are not going to be shelling out $20/night to sleep in a nice primitive site at somebody's homestead. To each his own.

As for the OP, yes I'm real clear as to your intent. My educated guess would be that you will probably fail to even turn a modest profit in your adventure, particularly IF you can obtain legitimate liability insurance, and can tolerate the ridiculous premiums. That said, if you decide that this is more about fellowship and doing the right thing for others who may enjoy sharing your place, it might be a great adventure. Have fun.

This speaks volumes as to my original post even before editing in that others often want to express or spew as if there is a prize to be claimed. That is my biggest problem with this whole forum but I really am only answering in rebuttal on behalf of Our Little Farm. First off my heart goes out to your wife and her disability and I understand her need for specific amenities in a camping experience and I don't think anyone would find it horrifying that you spend what is required to meet those needs. But your economic viability statement is easily defeated in debate if only by your own statements of to each his own (as my statements show I gain personal added use and enjoyment of my property with improvements), ability to be free spenders (simply speaking down to others) , federal agencies - state parks and - other organizations provide thousands of places to do so at little to no cost (I have already given examples of these costs in NC not just other places but specific to where I am located), nice primitive site at somebody's homestead (as opposed to a primitive site elsewhere?? primitive is simply terminology when in fact it is a location to specific amenities targeted to a specific audience exactly as your destinations provide the same for you and your wife). But finally fellowship and doing the right thing for others can certainly be a great adventure.

Having been involved in youth ministry for several years, I can back up the claims about church groups not being good customers. Not sure why it's that way, but I now refuse to go on most church youth group trips because I always end up spending most of the trip being embarrassed by my group and constantly apologizing for their behavior.

As for the campground idea, I like it. On that size property, I would probably go with only 10-15 sites, but that's just me. Your two major obstacles will probably be insurance and marketing. Talk to your agent and figure out if the insurance will sink your dream. If that part is feasible, learn everything you can about marketing. You have a good start in trying to appeal to a specific niche or two.

Thanks for the input Ryan you may be quite right on the number of sites and certainly on the obstacles and I know all to well that the bad rap youth groups can get from unruly youngsters regretfully I may have been one of those yrs ago. What part of NC are you from?? I ask because I know a Ryan Thomas from northern NC near VA...

Local constable built a 20 unit rv park, out here in the middle of nowhere... folks thought he had lost his mind. Five years ago... it's been full with folks on waiting lists, ever since. No special amenities... just the hookups, next to a shallow pond (not any fish to speak of in it, as it's only a couple feet deep...). Seems there are a lot of folks working the week here in this county and driving home on the weekends, and any flat spot with hookups is hard to find...

If there's a need for your services, if you build it, they'll come!

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

Thanks Texican - I was seriously just considering sending you and Cabin Fever a PM just to get you guys input because I really like reading both of your posts and respect your opinions very much from my many times of only 'lurking' and not contributing . How far are you from Van Horn?? I have 6 acres of desert scrub brush down there (on a silly impulse buy I guess) is why I ask.

I say go for it! If you don't like then shut it down!


Ok how about taking those timbers you have to cut down and building some simple cabins with them? Cabins bring in more $. Build in platforms or bunk beds and people can bring their own bedding.


Or a "family friendly" site with no alcohol? If you are comfy with kids and fence off your home side? Then you could take some of those timbers and make a playground and cool old western style town/fort with little jail and such. That would draw the families in as unique!



Make sure you build designated fire pits with the metal fire ring grates in them and specify that fires can ONLY be inside them... with a good ring of pebbles or sand around them. Should cut down on fire hazards.

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You are confined only by the walls you build yourself.

Freya awesome ideas, I had actually already considered the cabin thing to make use of the small pines but I would have never come up with the "cool old western style town/fort with little jail and such" great stuff!

I think it's a great idea! As Freya said, a couple small cabins would be awesome too.

The best camp site we've been to has each lot kind of secluded from the others... and then there are small groups of 2 or 3 lots for family or friends that want to camp together. When you're there, you feel like you're camping in the woods rather than moving into a new neighborhood.

I think it'd be a good idea to have firewood available for purchase. Maybe even make a deal with one of your neighbors that has more wooded land that they could sell wood to the campers.

Other things I would think about is whether or not you'll allow pets and the issues that could cause. Also, trash removal and cleaning up litter could take a lot of time... maybe hire a teenager for that?

Sounds like quite the adventure! Good luck with everything.

I got my place to get away from what you'd be inviting. I prefer to not deal with the noise, the trash, the inconsideration of others, the legal red tape, the smells, the cutting of live trees for the greenhorns who don't know to use dead wood, vanishing deer and turkeys, the risk of fire, the drunkiness, the complaints, etc. I have 15 acres. If my kids or some friends want to pitch a tent over the weekend and get away from it for a little while, that's fine...But 40 campsites on ten acres, IMO would be WAY TOO MANY. I wish you luck, but don't see how you would benefit from this, personally...

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"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow the fields of those who don't."-Thomas Jefferson

If you go through with it, call it "Usedtabfree"

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"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow the fields of those who don't."-Thomas Jefferson

More good points/ideas Thanks. BTW still just in the idea/decision stages??

I agree these are the reasons I have said I'm still unsure if I want to go thru with it and on further thought if I did I'm now thinking more along the lines of only 15-20 sites max and maybe even more likely only 8-12 sites as originally I was thinking as to how many sites actually could be done for tents on 5 acres but not fully considering the total occupancy of each individual site that's why this discussion can be helpful thanks to everyone's input...and your suggested name of usedtabfree is a good one lol

Theres a local guy that did that here, started out with a few friends, let them keep their campers there permanently, and pay a yearly fee. It worked out well enough for him that he was able to buy a lot more land and move to the other side of the the creek. Paying a yearly fee keeps out some of the idiots, you give them a little yard and they consider it home, not a place to trash. Come to think of it, we have quite a few campgrounds around here that are permanent sites, but I can only think of one that is by the day or week.

I like the cabin idea, but for me running water for at least washing up is critical. I don't need a shower everyday, but that will limit how long people want to stay.

I'm not sure why about the church groups, but they almost always left large messes in the bathhouse and trash around the campground, and were occasionally rowdy at night and caused complaints in the campground. I'm not sure if it is because these are often 'outreach' events and not all the youth belong to the church but that was our experience. The scouts are trained to camp and always cleaned up their sites and restrooms.

Dawn

I have a neighbor that is going to put a RV park for 20 sites. He will have to spend 40,000 before the state will allow it. When you open up to campers you must follow the State parks regulations. He will have to remove all the top soil put down gravel and pack it then put in a little dirt on top, Provide a shower house and bathrooms and a dump station and is not allowed to have water to each camp unless there are a municipal waste water (Sewer). That is the estimate not the full price. Check with the state and see what they can tell you about this.

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God must have loved stupid people because he made so many of them.

We have made serveral trips cross country. We've stayed at full hook up 'fancy' places and more humble ones as well. I want to tell you about one of my most favorite memories rv'ing.

We're heading into Montana from the east side and it was about 3pm. We start driving early in the day and like to stop about 3pm to relax, make dinner, and give our DS who was 4 years old some activity time, etc...

I checked the Woodalls book (this is a MUST for you to get your campground name, prices, etc... into. It's kinda like the AAA book for rv'ers. It's a listing by state, county, etc... of all camping places including private & commercial). If your campground doesn't show up in Woodalls, then I wouldn't stop because I wouldn't know about your campground. I digress.

We found a private campground outside of Glendive, MT. We pull in and it's a farmer's land. We paid him and he instructed us to follow him on is tractor, down a dirt road, past his cut wheat fields and into the little campground---maybe 10 spots---totally dry camping which we knew from reading the Woodalls. He chats with us as we're setting up. He told us he had a little stocked fishing pond---oh my gosh, it was a cold-water spring-fed trout pond!! What a fun time for our son; didn't even need to bait the hook, just throw in the line and get a fish. We must have stood there for 2 hours with barbless hooks catching & releasing fish.


Anyway, his campground was primitive, no hook ups, and we enjoyed it. He did have a good location as far as a stop -point for the evening, know what I mean? One of my most favorite camping memories.