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News
State
Parks Filling as Memorial Day Weekend Approaches
Posted 20 May 2009
Electrical campsites
will be filling to capacity by the middle of the week as Memorial Day
Weekend approaches. Campers without a site are encouraged to call the
park ahead of time to check on availability before they head out.
The Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial beginning to the summer
recreation season and Iowa state parks and lakes will be busy with
activity. "Our electric campsites on the reservation system were nearly
gone by the middle of March," said Kevin Szcodronski, chief of the
DNR's State Parks Bureau. "If someone is looking for a site with
electricity, my advice is to be flexible on your location, call ahead
and to go as early as you can to get the site because if you wait too
long, it will likely be filled."
For many campers, Memorial Day Weekend is the first outing of the year.
To help minimize problems, Szcodronski advised going through the
equipment to make sure it is in good working condition. He also said
campers should brush up on the campground rules.
"We are going to be busy so having patience and being respectful of
your neighbors will be important, especially this weekend," Szcodronski
said. "We want to remind campers to follow the quiet hours, to only
burn firewood in fire rings and to leave the fireworks at home. It only
takes one loud campsite to ruin the experience for a lot of campers."
The DNR is also encouraging campers to get firewood locally to avoid
bringing in any unwanted bugs. Each park will have identified local
sources where campers can get wood.
Campers are also encouraged to keep their site clean and to pick up
after themselves. Many state parks will be without the summer season
help who do a good portion of the mowing and cleaning.
"We will be working hard to keep our parks in good condition, but it
may take us a little longer to get the fire rings cleared out or to get
an area mowed so we are asking campers to have some patience,"
Szcodronski said. "They can help out by paying extra attention to their
sites and by cleaning up after themselves."
Camping Dos and Don'ts and a Few Helpful Tips
* Get firewood locally to avoid bringing in any
unwanted pests.
* Do not use the fire ring to dispose of trash. Burn
only firewood.
* Stay current with the weather forecast.
* Pick up your trash, recycle what you can and leave
the campsite clean and ready for the next camper.
* Check the camping equipment before heading to the
park and replace any that are worn out.
* Double check the camping supplies [aluminum foil,
can opener, water, matches, propane, oil, etc.]
* Leave fireworks at home.
* Quiet hours are from 10:30 p.m. to 6 a.m.
* Be respectful of your neighbors. One loud campsite
can ruin a weekend for a lot of people.
* Safety pins and duct tape can solve a lot of
weekend camping emergencies.
* Bring a first aid kit. Bring sun screen. Bring bug
spray.
* Bring a camera and Iowa wildlife guide
* Have a few activities to do in case of rain.
* Plan meals ahead and pre-measure and mix dry
ingredients in a re-closable bag.
* Go Fishing - crappies, bluegills, walleyes, bass
and catfish should be active and close to shore | | |
