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KOA
I’m not much of a KOA fan because most of them were built for
trailers and small RV’s, but on this trip we have found two pretty
good ones. The power has been real good at both and no issues. The
1st one was at Monroe, MI, easy off and on and good pull through. The
2nd and where we are now is Port Huron, MI and we’re on a super site
pull through that’s 70′.My criteria usually revolves around good power, ease of access and
not getting tangled up in tree’s while scraping the roof with low
hanging branches. Both of the these KOA’s were trouble free in the
tree department.The only downside here is the sewer hook up, you know, it sticks out of the ground about a foot and the only way to completely empty the tanks is by using the slinky method. I’ll never understand why they do that, it just makes it easier for the trailer crowd to run over the pipe sticking out of the ground.
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18 Replies
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Tom Could it be so rain water doesn’t run into the sewer pipe?
I hope the KOA in the Keys is good. We are staying for 2 weeks the end of Jan. through the first of
Feb. Have you stayed there? With out looking I think their in Marathon. Rick -
Nice but tight!
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The worst KOA we have ever stayed at was the one on the west side of West Yellowstone. Trees that needed MAJOR trimming, sites on a side hill that were not level, narrow roads, and a bad attitude. I had to go to the office 4 times to get them to come and trim the trees in front of our site so we could get out without damage. Everyone that drove up that road hit low hanging branches and one snagged his rear ladder and bent it. They were less than happy to do the trimming and complained that the tree would probably die since they had to cut so much off.
They advertise as big rig friendly, but after looking around, there were not that many sites that were.
We have also had the sewer issues at several places. Makes you wonder what they were thinking when they put them in that high. Then you get the ones that put the sewer flush to the ground, but put it way at the back of the site and you need about 30 feet of hose to reach it. We had that problem in Salt Lake last year at the Pony Express campground. One of the managers told me they were going to move them to the center of the sites this year because of all the complaints.
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I never stayed at that one in the Key’s, but Im sure someone on the site has.Ed and Sandy live in the Key’s so maybe they can jump in here.
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Rick,
The KOA in the lower keys is on the North End of Sugarloaf Key. It is a busy park and from what I remember it is “tight”. Although, there are alot of big rigs that park there in the winter time. It will be crowded. I haven’t been there in a while but always look over there when we are leaving out of Key West. When I lived in Sugarloaf, I would go there to get my propane tank filled for the Bar-B. I think that you will be fine with a larger site.
If we can help out with any further questions, just ask and I will find your answers if needed.
Sandy
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When you run up on a high sewer pipe, instead of your gravity drain, give the old mascerator a go it needs to be used just like our gen sets, try to use mine aleast three or four times a year, if you don’t use them they can clog.
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“The worst KOA we have ever stayed at was the one on the west side of West Yellowstone.”
We pulled in there and I enquired as to the rates (we seldom do a reservation in advance thing) and the guy told me. I paid for three days and what was left of that day, and was given a site.
The tree’s are what you say they are, but at that time we were not in a bus, so it was not a problem.
The next morning, the owner pulls up and says to me, “Funny thing. We are going to have to move you.” Now take into consideration I am all broke down and hooked up for the four days.
So I say, “Yeah? Why is that?” and he says “Oh we have a couple that come up here every year and they stay in this spot and they are coming in today so we have to move you.”
So then I say, “Oh I understand, what are you going to do for me?” and he looks at me kind of funny and then says, “What do you mean? What am I going to do for you?”
I reply, “Well neighbor, you want something from me, look around I am all set up and you want me to move? What are you going to do for me?”
I just figured “if one hand washes the other, then he should do something for me” but he didn’t see it that way. I didn’t move for four days and we left when we were scheduled to leave.
Don’t know what his favorite couple did for a spot.
Don’t figure to go back there either.
BCO
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Gary,
Us poor non Liberty owner’s have two tanks, so the macerator only works the black tank and yes, does a great job. I think I would have pissed them off dumping my grey water in the grass, what do you think?
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“The worst KOA we have ever stayed at was the one on the west side of West Yellowstone.”
We were just there, two weeks ago. We needed an overnight spot to split our trip from Utah to Red Lodge Mt. Decided to stay at the KOA because they are consistently meadocre and we know what to expect.
We didn’t expect the attitude .. from the staff or the campers.
We called ahead gave them the size of the vehicle, requirements etc.. Paid the deposit over the phone etc. When we got there they were “out of big rig sites” “out of 50a” sites and we could take this tiny pad site crowded into the trees if we wanted to stay .. Given it was already almost dark, and after walking it I figured I could get in we just took it and hooked up to the 30a plug and shut off the ACs.
The next morning we couldn’t get out .. while our site was alledgedly a pull though, the number of accumulated toads and other stuff which showed up after dark pretty much blocked the road for a rig our size.. Backing out wasn’t really an option for the same reasons as the spot we’d have to back through now had someones ford 4×4 sitting on it blocking the way.
We figured out that removing one tree-stump would let us make the turn vs hitting someones vehicle, but the KOA folks wouldn’t even hear of such a think .. and knocking on peoples doors to get them to move their toads resulted in more “f—offs” than I’ve ever encountered, even though we waited until after 10a to start the knocking (most people who park their vehicle on the side of the path vs their site will generally move their stuff to help a fellow rv’er out)
In the end, we scratched the side of the bus with the tree stump trying to get out .. Just the lower door panels on the basement, but still quite irritating .. When we got to the front we were met by one of the staffers who proceeded to yell at us for hitting one of his trees ..
Makes me wish more and more for that remote blackwater dump on the dashboard cluster.
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Maybe we need a place on our site for “Never Stay Here” so we can let the bus driving public know just how bad some of these so called big rig friendly campgrounds can be. It’s amazing how some of the KOA’s like the one I just posted went out of their way to be sure we were happy with a super site and then others such as Yellowstone are arrogant and could care less.
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Sounds like a good idea to me … Add Sam’s Town in Las Vegas to the list if you ever get it in place.
Strange, I have less problems in WalMart or Truck-stops, but the swimming pool and the playground set always seem to have some kind of axe to grind.
BCO
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Wyle……next time you get blocked in and want to leave remember you have a roof full of air horns.
I admit we are bigger than average, but as long as folks keep their toads and rigs where they belong we can either drive out or back out. But when the campground folks get stupid it is time to take matters into your own hands.
Nothing like a full set of air horns and a bus up to pressure to get the job done.
The one time I got zero cooperation from the campground and the site owners I chose to flatten one of the campground signs. I rested the rear bumper up against it, and backed up the needed distance to make my turn. No muss, no fuss. The sign posts snapped like a match. Got my wife a little nervous because she was outside trying to guide me so I could clear the little fishing boats and multiple cars at each site that the dummies didn’t seem to want to move.
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WOW Jon, I never considerd you a wild and crazy guy. Indy is going to be fun.
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This was an unusual and extreme event. The campground people gave us explicit instructions regarding how to get to the site which turned out to put us in the situation of having to make a turn where everyone seemed to have these little aluminum fishing boats on trailers. None of them were completely clear of the road and a couple made it impossible to make a normal turn.
Add to the equation some very large trees and low lying rocks. A perfect combination of obstacles that lead to damage.
Then all the campers had to come out to see the big bus. Unknown to me a couple of them were the boat owners and all they had to do was push their boats a lttle and I could have made the turn. But noooooo. They didn’t want to put down their beer and cigarettes so they just watched. Di’s focus was at the base of a tree on the front driver’s corner that would have wrinkled some metal so she was concentrating on making sure I didn’t hit that. So out of frustration and to get the room needed to complete the turn I watched in the camera as I backed to the sign and since it was perfectly centered and the hitch was going to bear the brunt of it I just let the coach brake off and at idle that post (a 2 post sign) snapped. I completed the event by snapping the second post. Boy did that feel good.
As if I was being punished the site we were assigned had no electric and we had to move anyway.
But for all our travels that was the first and only time I couldn’t readily get around in the campground. It took about 5 minutes of see sawing to finally make the turn.
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Tom, you old pirate, you got that coach looking great! looks new! I did not mean run mazerator in park unscrew the cap and run while driving down the road in a rain storm, other than the occasional nutty buddy no one is the wiser! Where are you now?
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