In-tents situation

Campgrounds make changes to accommodate restrictions

The coronavirus pandemic may have pushed back the opening plans and schedules for many central Susquehanna Valley campgrounds, but as we enter the busy late spring and summer season, campers can be assured that, with some common-sense safety guidelines in place, sites are now open, and the quiet and beauties of nature await.

Julie Zimmerman and her husband, Dennis, have owned Gray Squirrel Campsites in Beavertown for nearly eight years. The more than 100-acre campground is located right on the edge of state game land, and adjacent to Jack’s Mountain.

“It’s a very wooded area,” Zimmerman said. “It’s just really beautiful.”

Julie Zimmerman, Gray Squirrel Campsites

In addition, because campers are relatively laid back, “We call it the quiet campground,” she said. Kids enjoy fishing in the creek, and some people take advantage of biking and hiking the trails. Many campers also enjoy heading two miles away to the man-made Walker Lake, where people enjoy kayaking and fishing.

The campground, which includes 200 RV hookup sites, tenting sites and two cabins, typically begins its busy season in April, when the water is turned on and they prepare for visitors. However, this year, Zimmerman said they had to cancel all of their April plans, including a workday, and they are rescheduling a pig roast they had planned for the first Saturday in May. They closed their bathhouses and office until the second week of May.

Other than that slight delay, Zimmerman said with government restrictions starting to loosen up in the region, they are now fully open and welcoming campers. They only ask that they not come if they are sick, and to practice social distancing guidelines. The bathrooms are stocked with sanitizer and disinfectant spray for guests who might need it.

Following the guidelines of CDC and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, R.B. Winter State Park is also open for campers to utilize its 61 campsites.

In addition to installing sneeze guards in the park office, Mike Crowley, park manager, said “We are taking extra steps to sanitize restroom facilities and high-touch areas.”

Guests should come prepared to wear a mask if in one of the state park buildings, or if they are not able to social distance outside. Crowley said they are also asking guests who might not be concerned for themselves, to be considerate and respectful of others “who are very troubled by it and may be much more susceptible to it.”

As of mid-May, the park was keeping its playgrounds closed, and “There is no swimming until further notice,” Crowley said. Their environmental center also remained closed, and no programming had been scheduled.

“We’re still trying to get a handle on what everything is,” he said a few days after the county moved into the governor’s “yellow” phase. “It’s really a lot to digest and think about.”

While the typical camping season at Knoebels’ two campgrounds – Knoebels Park Campground in Elysburg and Knoebels Lake Glory Campground in Catawissa – begins in mid-April, public relations director Stacy Ososkie said the pandemic delays have forced them to push back their season somewhat substantially.

“Though the state permitted private campgrounds to reopen on May 1,” she said, “we had a considerable amount of off-season maintenance to complete.”

The two campgrounds offer a total of approximately 700 campsites, cabins and efficiency units. And Ososkie assures guests that they will be adequately prepared.

“As always the safety of our guests and team is our top priority.”

Stacie Ososkie, public relations director Knoebels

“As always the safety of our guests and team is our top priority,” she said. “We will follow state and CDC guidelines as appropriate at the various phases of Pennsylvania’s reopening and have enhanced our already rigorous cleaning and sanitizing routines.”

In addition to conducting more frequent sanitizing of restrooms and high-touch points such as water filling stations, dumping stations and surfaces in the campground store and offices, Ososkie said the campground has added touchless sink faucets in all restrooms, as well as hand sanitizing stations at buildings. They have also added signage with health and safety reminders.

The implementation of social distancing guidelines “could result in limiting the number of guests permitted in the campground stores or at check-in at one time,” Ososkie said, adding that mask use is also required while in the presence of staff or other guests.

There will be these senses of a new normal, at least for the season, but campers will continue to have access to many of the amenities, including the campground store, restrooms, creek fishing (with state license), lake fishing at Lake Glory (permit required, catch and release only), family recreation activities, takeout from the Nickle Plate Bar & Grill, and the Three Ponds Golf Course.

The game room at Lake Glory, as well as the playgrounds and shuttle services at both facilities will not be operational.

“We know some guests will choose to cancel or postpone their reservations while the amusement park remains closed, or because of COVID-19 concerns,” Ososkie said. “These are unprecedented times, so we understand it is important to be flexible with reservations. We want our guests to feel comfortable visiting us and look forward to having them back for many years to come.”

Crowley said R.B. Winter State Park would have opened on April 10.

“We would have been up and running and would have been in full swing, and we would have been gearing up for next week being Memorial weekend, where the campground would be full,” he said during a mid-May interview. At that point, their restrooms had only been opened within the last few days, and it was still a few days before the campground itself would be opened to guests. The park’s camping cottages were scheduled to remain closed until mid-June.

“A lot of this is somewhat unknown,” Crowley said. “I really don’t know what’s going to happen in the following weeks.”

In a typical year, the campground is full on Memorial Day, and then gets a little quieter until kids are out of school and families begin to vacation there together. But with kids already being out of school, he said, “It’s going to be interesting to see what happens.”

He figures it could go two ways.

“People could be chomping at the bit to get out to the park and out of their house,” he said. “We might be extremely busy from now to December. Or, there might still be some fear and people avoid us.”

He said it was likely they would see more visitors who have campers with their own restrooms and showers, allowing them to self-contain and social distance at their sites.

 In mid-May, Zimmerman said they were looking forward to Memorial Day weekend, which as for many campgrounds, is typically a very busy time for Gray Squirrel. A number of people had called that week to request a site.

“Some people just want to get out in nature somewhere,” she said. She expected the weekend to be nearly or completely filled, and she said she hopes the same for the next major holiday – July 4th. “I’m looking forward to a great season,” she said. And despite the fears and discouragement of so many people who feel the pandemic has changed their lives forever and things will never be the same, Zimmerman is happy to share her little piece of paradise with those who want to escape from the stress and uncertainty. “Up here in the woods, we’re not nearly as affected,” she said.

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