Paying it forward...no thanks.

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Geez. It starts with not throwing anything but clean wood in a fire pit. If stuff ends up in there - kids or unruly guests - ok, but they should at least make sure they douse the fire so the trash cools off, and then dispose of it before leaving so guests/rangers/volunteers don't have to deal with the mess!
 
Joezeppy said:
From the occupants before me. Green Lakes state park, NY. I love state parks but I also hate state parks. ☹️View attachment 167288
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I noticed when we've been at Green Lakes that there is little to no site cleaning or checking between guests. In contrast, we're currently at Robert Moses State Park near Massena, NY, and usually shortly after a guest pulls out, a worker pulls in on a cart and checks the electrical panel to make sure breakers are off, checks the fire pit and cleans it as needed, and gives the rest of the site a look to see if there's any litter to collect. In a few weeks we'll be at Gilbert Lake State Park for the second time this year, and they have the same process between guests. We'll be there after Labor Day though, so I expect much of the summer college student work camper force will have left. That may cut down on the level of service somewhat. We'll be there until the park closes for the season on Columbus Day.
 
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I have been to a few state parks and I don't recall a mess like that in a firepit when I got to any of them.
 
We don't see it that much, throw it away when we do. I've actually seen it more hiking and backpacking.. Garbage, hot/burning fires out in the woods and no one around..

We love our state and national parks; we're used to paying it forward by cleaning up after a handful of others in parks and elsewhere
 
Yup - we stayed in Georgia Mountain Fairground and State Park for July. Looked about the same as OP's photo. Some folks just don't care, like the folks that flick the beer caps "towards" the fire pit - but miss 80% of the time and can't be bothered to gather them up from underfoot.

Also have seen this along with trash laying all over national campgrounds. When I would walk my dog I'd bring a bag and pick up lots of trash on the walk (I can use the bending exercise). Then, as soon as I'd see any kids playing around other sites I'd speak up, show them the trash overflowing the bag and exclaim "Look what some people are doing to your national park!" Maybe some of them understood it's up to all of us.
 
some-cigarette-butts-and-empty-beer-bottle-thrown-on-the-walkway-in-park-focus-on-butts.jpg
 
SeilerBird said:
Well yes but some people perform open heart surgery, some fly to the moon, some give billions to charities, and some pitch for the Dodgers.
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Those people stay at the Hilton and cut their hair and throw it under the bed.
 
NY_Dutch said:
I noticed when we've been at Green Lakes that there is little to no site cleaning or checking between guests. In contrast, we're currently at Robert Moses State Park near Massena, NY, and usually shortly after a guest pulls out, a worker pulls in on a cart and checks the electrical panel to make sure breakers are off, checks the fire pit and cleans it as needed, and gives the rest of the site a look to see if there's any litter to collect. In a few weeks we'll be at Gilbert Lake State Park for the second time this year, and they have the same process between guests. We'll be there after Labor Day though, so I expect much of the summer college student work camper force will have left. That may cut down on the level of service somewhat. We'll be there until the park closes for the season on Columbus Day.
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Love Green Lakes but I think you are right - the site maintenance is a little lacking. A few years ago our fire pit was full of cigar butts and other trash.

The family next to us checked out this morning and left their fire smoldering. I doused it. A few minutes later a crew came by to clean out the fire pit. I told them about mine and they took care of it so all is forgiven, LOL.
 
We spent a year bouncing between Chester Frost (municipal CG) and Harrison Bay (SP) near Chattanooga TN when my kids were about 10yo. On Sundays and Mondays, they would walk thru the parks and throw trash away, turn off the water spigots, as well as put the fires out that were in the fire pits. If firewood was left behind, they would stack it up neatly near the fire pits. One fire was so big they had to flag down a park ranger to have it put out. It appeared that the campers had put all the remaining firewood into the pit to burn and then left. They often came home from their walks complaining about the mess people left. People would even leave tents behind. The girls would set the tent up to see if it was okay and then give it away to kids who were in the park (after asking the parents if it was okay). The burnt or tore up ones, they drug to the dumpsters or gave to the park rangers to put in the dumpsters.

I can understand why so many parks no longer allow fires. Between fire bans and trashy RVers/Campers it isn't worth it. I always figured if I had a deep need for a fire, I could just buy one of those "camp-fire-in-a-can" type things off Amazon. You can use one of those even during a fire ban. You don't have to worry about bugs in the firewood. And they don't leave a mess behind.
 
There was a county part we went to several times a year. One time we were in a big group area right after a 'church' group. The park provided chemical toilets but apparently they didn't like them. There was human excrement all over the place along with wads of toilet paper and even sanitary napkins. It was the most disgusting camp area I've ever seen.

They were barred from the park forever.
 
What ever happened to "Leave No Trace"? and if so many people are so concerned about the environment, why do they throw their trash around? Or doesn't littering count towards harming the environment?


Silly me, what am I saying, of course littering doesn't count. I live in a state that is essentially a statewide landfill and the unofficial state flower is discarded plastic bags.
 
I've been barking about this for years now. I just did a 2 month gig at a North Carolina State Park as a camp host. I was really surprised that the rangers actually, really do, fine the campsite holder when they leave their campsites in a mess, or throw trash in the fire pits and leave it. And that state park is pristine. Everyone works exceptionally hard to keep it that way too.

Here's some of my past gripes from different forum sites I've posted on about this same topic:

Whitewater State Park, Indiana, a few years ago. Since this photo was taken, they placed trash cans at the dump station to keep this from happing. Pigs.... pure and simple who did all this:

https://imgur.com/641XaES

Brown County State Park, 2 years ago on July 4 week.

https://imgur.com/VfGILz8

A state park in Kentucky, about 5 years ago. No, that is NOT chalk.

https://imgur.com/SwJKfee

State Park in North Carolina, August this year:

https://i.imgur.com/97YSaxG.jpg

Cigarette butts is another one of my gripes. If you smoke and throw your butts on the ground (anywhere), you ARE a pig!

If you throw trash in your fire pit at a campground and leave it for the next person, YOU ARE a PIG!

If you leave your trash anywhere and expect someone else to pick it up, you are a PIG!

If you land on a campsite and some other PIG has left his mark there, then so be it. You get what you deserve.

I just wish state DNR officials and park rangers WOULD enforce that fines! If they started doing that, a lot of this foolishness would stop!

Pigs, all of them and you too if you do this.

Now really..... every one of my photos came from a STATE PARK campground. So hey! Someone who is camping has done this, so don't cry "foul" for me calling YOU a pig if you have done this. If that hurts, than so be it. If that is politically incorrect, then so be it.


Pigs! Pigs! Pigs!

OK my rant is over!
 
I have to agree with everything that has been said.
I have a hard time understanding people who leave trash behind. But I draw the line at cigar butts!!!!!
They are for all intents and purposes leaves and just as burnable as left over wood for a fire. They dont even smell bad when burning.

How can people leave trash like cans and plastic, cigarette butts and diapers in a fire pit!!!
Cant imagine what their homes look like!!
 
I'm a smoker and we always have an ashtray within easy reach. If we walk the campground, I carry a small zip lock bag. The butts go in the bag and then the trash at the campsite.
It would be nice if people walking their fur babies would pick up after them though. Stepping in a pile of dog doo is disgusting.
 
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