By Chuck Woodbury
This is one of the worst-designed RV campsites my staff and I have come across in 21 years of publishing RVtravel.com. I found this photo on social media (Facebook?), and recall that the campsite and its steep approach was on a U.S. military base. Many military bases have campgrounds. I’m sorry I can’t remember the name or location of the one in the photo. Maybe you know. If so, please tell us in the comments.
I do recall that it was built by a company that was hired to upgrade the facility. How could this design have been approved?
Just look at the slope an RVer needs to negotiate to get up onto the pad! Have you ever seen anything like that? I can tell you that I could not make this in my 32-foot Class A motorhome: It would get hung up. And if I were towing my Honda Fit? Well … that’s even more out of the realm of possibility.
How about you? Could you fit your RV easily into this space?
Let’s take a poll and see how many readers could actually get into this campsite. I’m guessing not many of you. But let’s see.
UPDATE: Reader Dave Fisher left this comment:
The site is at Kessler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS. It was supposed to be an upgrade of their FamCamp. Can’t believe it was finished before the design error was noticed. The contractor supposedly refused to fix it. He claimed he followed the specs. It could be a
laughable moment if it wasn’t such a costly one.
##RVT1087b
Sure! With somebody else’s trailer.
Looks to me as though the ramp/site design would keep overcrowding to a minimum (isn’t that a good thing??)…so if at first you don’t succeed in getting your rig in, try try again.
I would say that where the electric boxes are located it is meant as a back in from the other side , which appears to be level on the other side. So you could probably back into it just fine.
I got the same impression. If you look at the ramps, they do not look used. Back-in sites from the other side. Dumb idea to pave this end though. My guess is that someone will try to use them, with a bad ending.
I agree. Back in from top end. Blacktop there to prevent wash out.
Honestly Chuck FAMCAMPS (US Military campgrounds) are among the worst designed and maintained I’ve ever seen… Except that some of them are among the best.
It all depends on the Base
” Hold my beer, I’m gonna design a campground!”
With my fifth wheel I think the camper would hit the truck and damage the box
We saw something similar, but not quite as drastic at Dugway proving grounds, Utah. They had leveled an old base housing area, and were installing pedestals at each driveway and garage area. Some of the aprons were pretty steep.This was 4 years, or so ago so I don’t know if it was ever completed. I thought the whole idea was pretty brilliant, especially if they were to tie into the sewer system.
Definitely not a pull through site. I would back in from the access road on the far side.
Sure if I want to rip out all my plumbing and levelers
I often wonder who designs some of these sites, especially with the locations of some of the utilities. Once was in one that was a back in site but all utilities were so far front that I ended up pulling in so I could reach everything from the wrong side
We were in one like that in Apache Junction Arizona. I had my doubts about getting in due to the DEF system hangs a little low. They escorted me to the site and the gentleman said they have to back us in. I expressed my worries and told him he needed to pay close attention to the DEF burner. Guess what he did not do? I ended up putting my rear jacks down so I could put blocking under my tires to get the system off the concrete walk to pull out. The second site wasn’t much better and they took a front end tractor to scoop several inches of dirt out and put planks under my tires to get in and out.
It’s Keesler AFB in Mississippi. It was reported in the Dec 13, 2022 US Military Campgrounds newsletter.
Pix can deceive .. It looks as though there may be access to the site from the other end. There is some sort of road or path back there visible when I expand the pic. But if this is truly the access side then I doubt even my 4×4 pickup with camper would make it without danger of high centering.
My little trailer is 13ft and I can park it anywhere but a site I was given in a Georgia campground was the exception. The site was an old one and a long way from level, when I tried to set up, the rear was on a 2×4 laying flat and I needed lumber under the front jacks extended a far as I dared. I requested and received another site, out of level but doable. They told me the first site was usually reserved for tents but thought my little trailer would be fine.
I have seen numerous campsites over the last 6 years that I could get into, but would never get level once I got there. However, I have never seen a level (?) campsite with such an abrupt elevation change at the entrance. No way that I would attempt to occupy such a site.
Reminds me of a campground up in Idaho near Sun Valley. The dump hookup was uphill from our pad.
… but I have a 17ft Class B!
My “in/out” with our 36′ coach would have to be from the other side. Look at the ramp on that end.
Well, I could do it with my AWD SUV and 21′ camper IF I could drive across several sites to approach at an angle. Oh and rearrange everything stored in the camper afterward. Would I do it? Heck no!
From looking at the condition of the site, I’m guessing not many people have even tried.