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News Campgrounds Filling for July 4 Holiday Posted 22 June 2010 The July 4 holiday is just around the corner and for Iowa's State Parks, this is the busiest weekend of the camping season. A number of parks are already full in the first come sites and the reservable electric and non electric sites. "We host a lot of family get-togethers over the July 4 holiday and we really appreciate serving as the backdrop to those traditions," said Kevin Szcodronski, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources State Parks Bureau. "We see a lot of the same people camping in the same parks, and usually at the same campsites year after year. Some of them become impromptu campground hosts for campers not familiar with the area. "We're hoping for good weather," he said. "This is a big weekend for us. We will be at capacity in a number of our parks." With the busy campgrounds, Szcodronski said campers should brush up on the rules. "They should be aware of quiet hours, pick up after themselves, and leave the fireworks at home," he said. "It only takes one noisy campsite to ruin the experience for a lot of people." He said increase in the number of campers also increases the demand on park utilities. Campers can help reduce the energy use in the park by turning off their lights when they leave the site or go to bed, and shut off the air conditioner when they are not in the camper. While it may not seem like much, when you take the amount of energy used at each site times 2,000 sites, each little bit of savings helps. For campers still looking for an electrical site, they should plan to arrive early in the week and may want to consider an out of the way park. A handful of reservable sites remain at Lake Darling and Pilot Knob state parks. Green Valley State Park will only offer first come camping during 2010. It will be available on the campsite reservation system in 2011. "I would advise campers to call ahead if they are still looking for a site," he said. "Be flexible in the location and arrive early. The further you get from our metro areas, the more likely you will be to find a campsite." Szcodronski said campers should check with park staff to see if there are any activities planned over the three day holiday weekend, like showing a movie or holding a nature hike, if the weather allows. "Try something new. Explore a trail you have not taken before, try a new park that you have not visited before," Szcodronski said. Park staff can also provide campers with local information and things to do in the area, including where to get firewood locally.

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