Camping for . . . peace and quiet?!

[Sige]

I'm not sure I'm just getting old and have my expectations set way too high or if there are kindred spirits out there.

I have been camping all of my life, first with my parents and then with my own children and now, finally, with my wife. I've always gone camping with the intention of enjoying the peace and quiet that comes with it as well as just being out in nature, away from telephones, cars and the like. I do crazy things like listen to the birds and watch the animals that wander by. I read and don't take music with me as I prefer to hear the sound of the water or the birds.

When I was younger and when I went camping with my children, it was noise with people all day but around 6:00 it was time to eat and quiet down and hang out by the fire talking and making s'mores.

I have not been able to go camping now in years without hearing all manner of screaming, yelling, swearing, and general chaotic behavior (and this is from the adults). I am kept awake by drunken loud-talkers and have heard more than I ever wanted to know about people's personal lives. I take it very personally that the onus is on ME to use ear plugs to even be able to sleep.

I've tried to go kayak camping to an little island away from everyone - there was a huge bush party across the water that kept us awake all night.

I get that people are different and we enjoy the outdoors in different ways. I have no problem with music but, seriously, into the wee hours of the morning. I wonder how people with kids do it nowadays when they're trying to get the kids to sleep so they can have some grown-up quiet time?

Am I asking too much? Did I get old somewhere along the way?

I'm curious on other peoples' thoughts on this.

[GrooveTunes]

You need to go further out from the towns and cites then before. It does get better.

[jimmy4321]

I not young but I feel it's always been like that. People camp for different reasons, some for nature peace & quiet others to do what they can't do in their 700sqft cubicle in the city.

[kgcayenne]

No argument from me! People take their addiction to entertainment with them everywhere along with their programmed attitudes and volume.

My impression is that people are growing more loud and obnoxious prime-time TV show by prime-time TV show. I say this because of my own experience over the past decade.

For financial reasons, we eliminated TV. After two years, finances improved for my daughter and I, so I got cable again. My daughter became obnoxious and had these bizarre expectations that blindsided me. I didn't have time for TV back then either, so didn't clue into the possible cause of this change until I was around when my daughter had a show on. What I noticed was the incredible volume and nature of speech and conduct in the programs was unbelievable! Then there were the commercials!!!!!!

We've been TV-less for a year and I think things are finally settling down.

We too have abandoned the idea of camping due to the boors among us.

[fvkasm2x]

Lots of provinical parks are now looking at adding wi-fi spots and electrical hubs for campers.

It sure ain't what it used to be. Kind of defeats the purpose, but I supposed more people would want to use that stuff than not nowadays

[Liquidnails]

If you don't like screaming kids and drunk *bleep* you're going to have to avoid most provincial parks and campgrounds, especially on long weekends.

[RustyCrayon]

I also remember what camping used to be like. As a child I spent my summers camping with my parents all over Ontario, Québec and the east coast. People were a lot more respectful back then. We could still be social and enjoy each others company. We didn't need to yell and keep the whole area up until the wee hours. As a child, I would feel safe wandering around the campground and playing with the other kids. We were all well behaved and didn't cause trouble. My parents would run into familiar faces year after year. Many new friends were made. It was enjoyable and relaxing.

Unfortunately, my husband and I have not camped in several years. The last few times we went camping were enough to make us pack our gear away for good. We were kept up by rude, drunken idiots who were shouting and swearing for most of the night. There was a family nearby who's children screamed, cried and fought constantly. Their kids would run around and terrorize each other at 6am right next to our tent. We left our campsite for a few hours and returned to find that someone come by and stolen our axe. We should have headed home refreshed after a wonderful weekend in nature. Instead, we were exhausted, irritated and stressed. There was nothing relaxing or enjoyable about any of it.

These days, to enjoy a proper camping experience, we would most likely have to trek into the backcountry to be away from everyone.

[JLives]

I can’t stand Provincial parks. I feel like I’m packed in a tune can. I go camping to recharge and enjoy outdoor activities. Camping hasn’t changed for me a bit since childhood because I still camp at rec sites or just out in the bush somewhere. There is nobody around to annoy me and I can play my music as loud as I want while enjoying the fire, of course our music is usually from an acoustic guitar being played. If people annoy you, go where there is none.

[Bubalouie]

I have to wonder how people can even afford Provincial Parks anymore, Fintry is 60 bucks a night........what ?????
Has anyone ever camped at Jewel Lake out by Greenwood ????

[Sige]

I haven't been to Jewel Lake, sorry.

We've decided to heck with provincial parks - we're going to scout out some Crown land :D

[Bsuds]

Some of the State Parks in Washington are nice.

[Dizzy1]

We took the back road from Vernon to Kelowna the other day with a friend's 4x4, Bluenose Rd, Aberdeen Rd, Beaver Lake, etc. I couldn't believe that amount of traffic up there, it was almost as busy as Hwy 97. This time of year, you really gotta hit the backwoods to find any serenity.

[Danielson99]

I have to wonder how people can even afford Provincial Parks anymore, Fintry is 60 bucks a night........what ?????
Has anyone ever camped at Jewel Lake out by Greenwood ????

Jewel Lake is a stones throw from the highway. It gets alot of people on it because of that and also the stories of catching huge lake trout in that lake.

[Danielson99]

If you can reach a lake by car over paved road the entire way....you won't have any peace and quiet. You need to take gravel/logging roads to backroad lakes. There are literally thousands of them and they almost always offer peace and quiet and tons of wildlife, usually better fishing too.

[Bubalouie]

We "usually" camp in the back woods but heard that there is a nice small resort at Jewel that doesn't charge your first born and the fishing is good so we are thinking of trying it.