Any Camp Site Issues?

[Map Guy]

Just wondering if anyone has heard about any issues with people not knowing they need a reservation for all sites this year?  I'm concerned we show up to our reserved site and there is a group all set up there not knowing the site is already reserved.  I could see there could be some pretty hard feelings when we have to tell this group that they need to leave.

Are the Rangers available 24/7 to help out if this issue does arise?  I know this is unlikely to happen but just wondering what would be the proper steps to take if it does.

Thanks for the help guys!

[h8go4s]

I've been concerned about that also. The VNP website is not easy to navigate for newbie campers, and I suspect there are old-timers who never look at it.

[Ranger2050Reata]

There are prominent signs at every campsite saying they are reservation only so I don't think it will be an issue.  

[dillon]

My wife and I are heading up to Eagleview on Kabetogama in about an hour. I don't anticipate any problems, but want to get there before the park headquarters closes at 5:00 just in case. Hopefully, this rain stops soon.

[Xplorer]

dillon,

  I hope that the area where a person would put a screen tent/tarp has been filled in some.  We camped there once, on a Memorial day weekend, and the main site area was a small lake most of the time we were there.  To make matters worse the winds were straight outta the east the majority of the time, which pushed lots of water over the back of the boats from the waves.

Hopefully you guys find the trail that leads over to the west where there is a bay and a very nice beach.  We spent 90% of our in-camp time there.  Even made a fire pit over there for the evenings.

I have a marine radio to contact park service just in case, but I'm hoping that those types of issues are minimal.  Its gonna happen, but hopefully very little.

 

  

[h8go4s]

There are prominent signs at every campsite saying they are reservation only so I don't think it will be an issue.  

​I camped at Namakan (Sheen Point) the week after ice-out and Kab (Shelter Bay) the week after the fishing opener and I don't recall seeing any signs different from the old ones. But maybe I missed them, or maybe they've been installed since then. I do admit to being oblivious, absentminded, and preoccupied sometimes.

[Ranger2050Reata]

The signs are attached to the post under the sign bearing the name of the campsite.  Usually they are right where you land/dock the boat.  At least in all of them I have seen.

[4Gunsmoke]

Heading up next Thursday onto Rusty's Island, hopefully no squatters and hopefully the rangers have mellowed out a little. In the past I would get a visit from them no less than 3 times in a week

[fishin]

The rangers probably want to make sure trash is not strewn all over and everything is kept on the up and up while campers are using a site. The reservation system might help because they will know who you are right off.

[Xplorer]

I'm headed up to Peterson Point on Thursday AM with my son (end of school celebration trip) to Sunday.  

He's a smallie addict and I was wondering if anyone had any recent surface temps or know if the smallies are in the shallows?  With the cold nights we've had lately I'm wondering if its kept them out a little deeper. 

If you see a Black Tyee/175 V-rod with a yellow lab that'll be us, stop and say Hey.  We'll be all over east Nam up to Kettle falls and over to Pike I. casting shorelines.  I'll check out the campsites we go by to see if the majority have the reserved only signs on them and post when we return.

[dillon]

Xplorer, We didn't have any problems at Eagleview with water, but you are right about the wind when coming out of the east. I blew fairly strongly from the east for a while early Saturday morning. The wind and cold temps sent us to the other side of the point for most of the morning. On a positive note, there were no mosquitoes or gnats. 

I didn't notice at the other campsites, but there were no signs anywhere at the campsite indicating that a permit was required. 

[Xplorer]

Glad to hear about the water. When we were there the area just in front of where you pulled the boat(s) in was where we had to put our screen tent. Got there the thursday am before memeorial day and about 5pm it started raining and blowing from the east. Didnt let up for the next 3 days...... had to wear our "muckin" boots to sit in there.  

Nice spot on the other side of the point, we wondered why they didnt put the campsite over there.

 

Just finished the grocery list, 60 hours now  

[Xplorer]

Well, so far on Namakan we are zero for 11 on campsites that have a sign on them saying reservation needed. Went all the way up to Kettle falls today and east to the Wolf Packs and saw none 

 

Fishing for smallies and pike has been good along the shorelines. Still prespawn. Haven't tried for walleyes at all but a group at kettle who were on Rainy said they were doing really well on the reefs in 6-10' but most of the fish were "overs". A nice problem to have

[Ranger2050Reata]

I guess because last year not all of the sites required reservations they must have had the signs on those that did to avoid confusion. This weekend I went by the site I stayed at last year that had a reservations required sign and it no longer does.

 

Edited June 8, 2015 by Ranger2050Reata