Army COE Rudds Creek Campground & 3 Pet Peeves

[@TravelSmallLiveBig]

We are at Rudds Creek right now and you showed the site we are in! I don’t remember watching this video way back, but yeah, the sites are huge here. If you ever get the chance get a site here over Halloween weekend - it was amazing!

[@MrRoboto2338]

We stayed at Rudds Creek and Sigsbee in Key West, FL based on your reviews. You were spot on and accurate in your reviews.

[@ChickerysTravels]

Glad to hear it!

[@cmberman49]

On the same line as trash, my pet peeve is cigarette butts. I'm a smoker and it annoys me to death to find a campsite with tons of cigarette leavings. I am a big believer in the Leave No Trace philosophy. Thanks for your very informative video. We're looking for a new place and have been fans of the Salthouse Branch grounds at Lake Philpott.

[@missouritravelers]

I hate garbage in the fire pit

[@ChickerysTravels]

At one campground, someone put a full pet poop bag in the fire pit. So gross!

[@tanyacyrus7165]

I agree with you about the trash. We were at another COE nearby and arrived to trash in the fire pit. Maintenance cleaned it out but not before the raccoons paid it a visit. It is very inconsiderate and good campers would clean up their own mess and make it nice for the next campers. I didn't realize the empty sites we noticed were reserved like that and no one showed up. We have two empty sites next to us for our 4 day stay, but thankfully we had a beautiful waterfront site, but I agree....it that's the case, they should have cancelled giving others the opportunity to enjoy. Rudds Creek and others nearby are a little over 2 hours away from us, so we would have to reserve a space even think about coming. Thank you for your service. We too are a retired military family. Continued safe travels.

[@ChickerysTravels]

Thanks for your families service as well, Tanya. Typically, those other sites would be reserved by someone, especially if it is a weekend. Well said about good campers cleaning up their mess to make it nice for the next campers. We definitely think the two hour trip would be worth it for you to stay at Rudds. We really liked the towns around the area and the state park nearby.

[@duckiegirl58]

Completely agree with fire pit trash and carving up trees. Nature and these Campgrounds are not to be taken for granted..

[@ChickerysTravels]

Amen to that!

[@ScottFoxRVTravel]

We will be there at the end of July. Really looking forward to it.

[@ChickerysTravels]

Hopefully you enjoy it as much as we did. There is a small, old town, Clarksville, near by that supposedly has a good brewery. It was packed the day we went so we did not get to have a drink there but the ratings on line were really good.

[@terryhaynes1596]

Great information. Totally agree with all three of your pet peeves. I’m still looking for a tree!

[@ChickerysTravels]

Thanks for watching & agreeing, Terry!

[@cynthiasnedeker2981]

That’s what I like. The history of the area. Also hiking to enjoy the Lord’s beautiful creation. Safe travels to you both.

[@ChickerysTravels]

Thanks so much, Cynthia. Safe travels to you too!

[@TravelSmallLiveBig]

We love COE campgrounds! Those really are large sites - very nice. We have the same pet peeves... and more. Walking through someone’s site is annoying, but I can’t even wrap my head around carving in a tree in this day & age. Leaving a smoldering Fire 😖

[@ChickerysTravels]

Glad to hear others like the COE campgrounds as much as we do. And, yeah, the tree carving is just crazy. Safe travels!

[@MidLifeJourney]

Very nice campground! Now on our list. We love COE campgrounds! We agree with your pet peeves and could add more but too many to list. It's just people being disrespectful. I wonder why the workampers there don't clean the sites before the next guest arrives. Thanks for sharing this! Chris and Barbara

[@ChickerysTravels]

I also wondered that about the workampers, but maybe they were short staffed.

[@MidLifeJourney]

@@ChickerysTravels everyone is short staffed this year and last.

[@HintonTheTrail]

Really great info. We keep forgetting to look for COE parks and we’re really missing out. -Chris & Suzannah

[@ChickerysTravels]

They are really great options. The problem is they book up quickly because they are such a great deal.

[@Herk988]

We love COE parks! Love their amphitheater, that’s a really unique set up, with showing the movie and all. Love the loner life jackets for added safety. We continue to experience the same thing, people leaving trash behind in fire pits. It’s irresponsible behavior, really. We do grow weary also of cleaning up after others. If we all do our part, it makes it so much more pleasant for others. Also agree, there should be some sort of penalty for reserving campsites and not showing up or canceling so others can enjoy the spots. One of our pet peeves are cigarette butts left all over the place. It’s such a shame too about people carving into the trees. Not sure why they do that either.

[@ChickerysTravels]

Thanks for the comments. We have heard several people mention cigarette butts. We have not experienced that at campgrounds. We do notice them almost everywhere else though and it is irritating. It should be the same rule as dog poop...pick it up so nobody else steps on it, smells it, etc. That COE is probably our favorite COE so far.

[@davelauraphillips8814]

Have you been to or plan to visit the Newport News / Williamsburg / Yorktown area? We were stationed there (Navy) and revisiting the area is on out to do list. Nice campground and are wondering if something like it is in the Tidewater area.

[@ChickerysTravels]

I was stationed at Langley years ago so we haven’t really made camping there a priority yet. Do you have access to military campgrounds? I’ve heard there is a great one near Yorktown. Militarycampgrounds.us is the best site to find them and read reviews. We have reservations fir the Williamsburg KOA and the Chesapeake / Cape Charles KOA in Aug. We’ve also heard there are some great state parks in that area too.

[@davelauraphillips8814]

@@ChickerysTravels We lived in Newport News while there and both our daughters were born at Langley! Not military retired and will be looking into base access options for vets.

[@ChickerysTravels]

If you have any percentage of disability with the VA, you can use military campgrounds now.

[@davelauraphillips8814]

@@ChickerysTravels the disability part is what I don't have. Plan to discuss in person at a VA office sometime. OBTW - we met you at the camping show in Peoria just before Covid restrictions started in earnest. Take care and safe travels.

[@robertege4486]

Nice video, what campsite did you have?

[@adamhutchins6421]

Hi. I'm only an occasional viewer, but I can add a couple of pet peeves. First, too often, I have a campsite that is littered with cigarette butts. I grouse about it, but clean the area because we tend to stay for 7-10 days and it is worth getting past this. I supposed I could make videos or blog posts ranting about this, but I know these materials will neither be seen or heard by the "offending" parties. My second pet peeve is this: in the past month or so, I see that about every other RV KZbin Channel/blog has posted something about campground etiquette. Do you really think the slobs that do this stuff are going to see this, or change their behaviors? Contact the District Colonel and register your complaints and suggest reasonable, actionable solutions. This might make a difference, but shouting into the void will not.

[@ChickerysTravels]

Yes, you are correct that the offenders will probably not see it, but it is good to educate others on what not to do. We also say something to those "in charge" of the particular campground. I have never encountered a campsite with cigarette butts. That is a new one for us. Thanks for sharing!

[@GHarrisMom]

Texas State Parks is starting a process to penalize "no shows" (good!)

[@ChickerysTravels]

That is good to hear!