Do you guys have problems finding a dump station that is open to non-guests?

[TheFreedomMobile]

I've been looking for the past couple of days for a dump station that will allow me access though I am not staying at the camp ground.

I thought I had found the easy solutions as sanidumps reports Amicalola State Park, GA. ($3.00 fee) - which is just a few miles down the road from where I am.
However, I stopped by there on Friday, and the lady at the registration says that they don't allow dumping unless you're staying at the park.

Unsure of this, I got my girlfriend to call them yesterday. Two people on the other end of the phone told her they don't even have a dump station! I saw it for myself the other day.

Oh well, I called a local camp ground, but was told they don't allow people to come in off the road and use it (even for a fee). I called my local Camping World, but they don't have a dump station.

It seems I am going to have to go and stay in a camp ground for a night just to use the dump station.

What do you think of the state park's response? The $3.00 fee cited on sanidumps is the regular fee for park entrance. I wonder if they mean to just go into the park, and use the dump station.

 

[Bob Buchanan]

Everyone would have their own experiences with parks, but in my travels I don't recall ever being told I couldn't dump at an RV park or campground. Some parks that don't have a separate dump station have told me to pull through a site just to dump.

Most parks consider this an excellent source of added income - especially if they are on the path from favorite vacation spots for RVers. There is only one RV park in Mojave, CA. Each time I stay there I notice the line of RVer's not staying in the park dumping at their dump station - for $7.00 each. Just off the 80 freeway in Roseville, CA there is a Chevron station w/propane sales and a dump station. Their fee is $8.00, or free with a 20 gallon gas purchase.

The most I've had to pay is $10. Currently here in NCal I am dry camping - and pay $8.00 at a local RV park. That includes a dumpster to get rid of extra trash.

 

[Alfa38User]

Many places like Flying J truck stops have them (for a fee, of course).

Have you tried google?? Here for example:http://www.sanidumps.com/sanidumps_usa.php?id=24

 

[Larry N.]

The city of Westminster, CO has a rather nice dump station at a sewage treatment plant, but it's only open to city residents, and you must register at city hall and pay a fee, but that's good for a year.

There are rest areas in some places that have dumps, and a number of truck stops will have dumps. Good luck.

 

[Frizlefrak]

Never had trouble finding a campground that will let me dump for a fee.  I can't see why they wouldn't....excellent source of extra income.  Some towns have them too.....city of Alamogordo NM has a free dump station in the middle of town near the zoo.  There's a donation kitty that I always stuff a couple of dollars in to.  They do it to attract RV'ers to spend money in the town. 

 

[1joester2]

RVDumps.com is my friend when it come to dealing with that subject and planning trips.


I've never found a campground with a dump station that refused to take a few dollars for use of the dump station.

 

[kenb1023]

Not sure what your set up at home is but I have a honey pot that I dump into then go to the clean out pipe for my sewer line and dump into it.  It is a bit of work but better than looking for a place to dump.  When we were in WI there was a gas station that would let you dump.  It didn't have enough room for my 5th wheel but they would let me dump a honey pot if I wanted.

 

[1joester2]

I had a pipe collapse on my sewer line at home and somehow it ended up being closer to the driveway. Funny how my RV hose reaches the clean out now...

 

[FastEagle]

Here is a reference to ponder.

http://travelinwithus.com/traveling-maps/rest-areas-with-rv-dump-stations.html

FastEagle

 

[TheFreedomMobile]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I'm on my second week of full-timing, and I'm currently stationed on a friend's land. I was hoping to find a dump station nearby that allows non-campers to use.

I'm sure I'll find somewhere in the end. I think I'll just have to spend a night in a camp site for now as my tanks are reading full.
I'd really like a definitive answer from the state parks as to whether I can dump there. I'm within easy driving distance of a few.

 

[dustym]

A lot of our highways rest areas have free dumping.

 

[Ned]

A lot of our highways rest areas have free dumping.

Also, many of the states that had free dump stations have closed them do to either budgetary constraints or abuse.

 

[Billy Bob]

In Texas State Parks you can pay the entry fee then use their dump station. Entry fee ranges fm $3 to $7

 

[1joester2]

Another possible source...


Sanidumps


They show several as "should be available" but there is no date associated with that statement.

 

[M1894]

Almost all Corps of Engineers parks have Dump Stations, and have a reasonable fee for it's use. Here it is a $5.00 fee for each dump, so check for Corps parks in your area. Also when leaving any campground where you are staying, it is a good idea to dump before leaving. Unless you are winterizing, it is a good idea to leave liquid in your tanks. [Black, Gray, and Fresh.]


Lee

 

[tonyandkaren]

We've run into this problem a few times and sometimes it pays to just spend the night at a campground especially when you figure in the cost of gas if you have to drive a long way to find another dump station.

 

[Jeff]

I don't remember which one but one of the campgrounds in Maine charges 1 night's rental to dump. I think it might have been around Freeport where the city allows you to boondock in one of their parking lots.

 

[TheFreedomMobile]

That's exactly what I set off to do today, Tony/Karen. I was on my way to a state park to stay for the night.

As luck would have it, I stopped at an eatery right next to a camp ground. While ordering, I mentioned it to the people there, and they called next door to the camp ground for me.

Initially, they said that they don't do it for people who aren't staying, but then they called back a few minutes later, and someone came out from the camp ground for me to follow them in to the dump station!

Five dollars, and half an hour later - while they wrestled with the cap to the dump station, I had empty tanks. I even seemed like I knew what I was doing. 

 

[tonyandkaren]

That's great! It never hurts to ask.

We've had very good success using the sanidump site. Usually the the information is correct but if you do find an error please report it on the site. The man who owns it is very responsive to any new information that's submitted and tries to keep it as up to date as possible.

 

[TheFreedomMobile]

Will do. What I'd really like to resolve is this issue of dumping at state parks if you're not camping there. Sanidumps reports $3 all year round for the parks in my area, but the people at the parks seem to either not know they even have a dump station, of fall back to the usual default of saying no, you can't do that.

My usual default is to ask forgiveness, not permission, so I think I'll scout out the location, and just go use it. I'll try that next time.