Michigan bicycle camping policy

[Larry Parker]

Following up on the "No Refusal" policy for cyclists at Michigan Parks. The
DNR has no statement on their website, but the League of Michigan Cyclists
forwarded this to me. I intend to print it out and have it with me as
"official" backup when I tour up there this month. I thought some others may
want to do the same, and now it is in the Touring archives. I almost said
"Phred" archives.
I miss that moniker, and my patches seem so retro now . . .

Larry Parker


Re: State Park Camping
----- Original Message -----
From: John Lindenmayer
To: Larry Parker
Cc: Fleming, Jason (DNR) ; Radabaugh, James (DNR) ; Herta, Harold (DNR)
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 3:53 PM
Subject: Re: State Park Camping


Hi Larry,

You are correct that the DNR has a no turn away policy for bicyclists.
Unfortunately, it is not on their website. We have been communicating with
them recently on this topic and have made that very suggestion. Below is a
recent email exchange that will at least give you something in writing.
Hope this helps.

--
John Lindenmayer
Advocacy & Policy Director
League of Michigan Bicyclists
(517) 334-9100
416 S. Cedar St, Suite A
Lansing, MI 48912


On 7/26/12July26 Jul 26, 9:16 AM, "Fleming, Jason (DNR)"
<Flem...@michigan.gov> wrote:
Mr. Lindenmayer,

Please consider this a response to the question on what fees apply to
cyclists in the State Park.

For a camper entering the park on bike, if there is vacancy within the
campground, the cyclists are required to set up on a designated site. The
cost would be the same on these designated sites as it would be to any other
customer during this time.

If the campsites are full, bicycle camps will be accommodated in the Group
Use Area (organizational campgrounds) or in some other location in the park
or recreation area as designated by staff. Staff would write a camp permit
for the one night only. The fees for areas in the Group Use Area or other
locations are defined by the amenities available (rustic, semi-modern, etc).
Cyclists are required to leave by 10 AM the next morning (or they could
register a campsite).

We do not turn away cyclists and try to accommodate them within the sites.
As the State Park system is self sufficient (no general funds), camping fees
provide approximately 45-48% of our budget in a given year. The intent is to
accommodate different types of customers that visit overnight. We do not
want to compartmentalize our fees based on types of use, but services
offered.

If you have any other questions or would like to discuss this further,
please give me a call.

Thank you,


Jason Fleming
Operations Unit Manager
Resource Management Section
Parks and Recreation Division
Department of Natural Resources

phone: 517 241-2054
fax: 517 373-4625
email: flem...@michigan.gov <mailto:flem...@michigan.gov>

The Recreation Passport is your $10 ticket to Michigan's state parks and
outdoor adventures! Check "YES" when you renew your license plate. Where can
$10 take you? www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport
<http://www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport> .




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Shawn Granton]

I would like it if states would post this info online, too. But I
wonder if they hesitate to make the "No Refusal" info more public
because they worry that people would abuse it?
Right now the info is more of a hush-hush, secret handshake type of
thing that gets passed along to other cyclists. But if it's posted on
a website, I can see some clever folk driving to a mile outside the
state park, parking somewhere, pulling out their bikes, and then
riding to a full campground on a busy weekend, knowing they'd still
get a spot. And since it's an official policy clearly posted on a
website, they wouldn't be refused. It might not happen often, but that
doesn't stop some bureaucrat from worrying about the possibility.

I have seen folks abusing hiker/biker policies. My girlfriend and I
toured through Glacier National Park and stayed in the hiker-biker
sites in the park. One night after we set up at one of the hiker-biker
sites, we saw a couple get dropped off via automobile at the adjoining
hiker-biker site. At first we thought, "Maybe it's hikers who got a
ride from town". But then we saw them pull out several Rubbermaid
totes with their stuff. I highly doubt they hiked with that type of
gear.

yours,
Shawn

On Tue, Jul 31, 2012 at 5:07 AM, Larry Parker <LParke...@fuse.net> wrote:
> Following up on the "No Refusal" policy for cyclists at Michigan Parks. The
> DNR has no statement on their website, but the League of Michigan Cyclists
> forwarded this to me. I intend to print it out and have it with me as
> "official" backup when I tour up there this month. I thought some others may
> want to do the same, and now it is in the Touring archives. I almost said
> "Phred" archives.
> I miss that moniker, and my patches seem so retro now . . .
>
> Larry Parker

--
http://urbanadventureleague.blogspot.com/
http://groups.google.com/group/urban-adventure-league-portland
http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanadventureleaguepdx/
p o box 14185, portland or 97293-0185