Motor Camping

The main east and west highways in alphabetical order are:

The Bankhead Highway, from Washington, D. C., southwesterly to San Diego, Cal., a distance of 3,450 miles, and leading through Richmond, Raleigh, Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, Little Rock, Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso, Douglas, Tucson, Phœnix to San Diego. The colors are yellow [171]and white bands with letters B. H. on white band.

The Dixie Overland Highway, from Savannah to San Diego, a distance of 2,814 miles, and passing through Montgomery, Meridian, Shreveport, Dallas, Fort Worth, Roswell, El Paso, Douglas, Bisbee, Tucson, Phœnix to San Diego. Colors: Black letters D. O. H. on yellow and black sign.

George Washington National Highway, from Savannah northwesterly to Seattle, 3,943 miles, and going through Atlanta, Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, Deadwood, Butte, Spokane to Seattle. Colors: Red, blue and red bands with white letter W on wide blue band.

Lincoln Highway, from New York to San Francisco, 3,323 miles, through Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Canton, Lima, South Bend, Chicago Heights, Cedar Rapids, Omaha, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, Sacramento, Oakland. Colors: Red, white and blue bands with letter L on the white.

National Old Trails Road, New York to Los Angeles, 3,281 miles, passing through Philadelphia, Hagerstown, Wheeling, Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Pasadena. Colors: Red, white and blue bands.

National Parks Highway, from Chicago to Wenatchee National Park, 2,436 miles, passing through Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Fargo, [172]Bismark, Dickinson, Billings, Butte, Missoula, Kalispell, Spokane. Colors: Red and white bands.

Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway, New York to San Francisco, 3,606 miles, through Newark, Reading, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Dayton, Indianapolis, Springfield, Chillicothe, St. Joseph, Colorado Springs, Salt Lake City, Ogden, Reno, Sacramento, Oakland. From New York to Pittsburgh known as the William Penn Highway. Colors: Red and white bands. The Pershing transport route.

Old Spanish Trail, Jacksonville to Los Angeles, 2,956 miles, reaching Tallahassee, New Orleans, Lake Charles, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, Douglas, Tucson, Phœnix, San Diego to Los Angeles. Colors: Red and yellow bands.

Roosevelt National Highway, Washington, D. C., to Los Angeles, 3,368 miles, via Richmond, White Sulphur Springs, Huntington, Lexington, Louisville, Vincennes, St. Louis, Jefferson City, Kansas City, Topeka, Denver, Grand Junction, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles. Colors: Orange, black and orange bands.

Theodore Roosevelt International Highway, Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon. Via. Montpelier, Burlington, Plattsburg, Oswego, Rochester, Niagara Falls, London, Ont.; Port Huron, Mich.; Bay City, Duluth, Grand Forks, Spokane, Seattle to Portland, Ore. Colors: White, red and white bands with letters T. R. in white on wide red band. [173]

Yellowstone Trail, New York to Seattle, 3,594 miles, via Albany, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Erie, Cleveland, Toledo, South Bend, Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul-Minneapolis, Billings (Livingston to Yellowstone Park), Butte, Missoula, Spokane to Seattle. Colors: Black letters on yellow sign.

Then there is the great highway that circles around by way of a number of the national parks which is called:

The National Park to Park Highway, which begins at Denver and returns to the starting point (4,403 miles) via Rocky Mountain National Park, Cheyenne, Casper, Yellowstone National Park, Great Falls, Glacier National Park, Spokane, Seattle, Tacoma, Mount Ranier National Park, Portland, Crater Lake National Park, Sacramento, Yosemite National Park, Roosevelt National Park, Los Angeles, Zion National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Flagstaff, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado Springs to Denver again.

The national highways running north and south are fully as numerous as those that are transcontinental. Arranged in alphabetical order, the leading ones are:

Atlantic Highway, from Calais, Maine, to Miami, 2,308 miles, via Portland, Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, [174]Washington, Richmond, Augusta, Macon, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Palm Beach, Miami.

Dixie Highway, East Division—Detroit to Miami, 1,561 miles, via Toledo, Dayton, Cincinnati, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Augusta, Savannah, Jacksonville, Palm Beach, Miami. West Division—Chicago to Fort Myers, 1,672 miles, via Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Macon, Americus, Thomasville, Tallahassee, Orlando, Kissimmee, Fort Myers. Colors: White and red, with letters D. H. on red.

Jackson Highway, Chicago to New Orleans, 1,066 miles, via Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, Columbus, Meridian to New Orleans. Colors: Black letters J. H. on white band.

King of Trails, Winnipeg, Canada, to Laredo, Tex., 1,991 miles, via Grand Forks, Fargo, Sioux Falls, Sioux City, Omaha, Kansas City, Muskogee, Dallas, Waco, Austin, San Antonio to Laredo. Colors: Black letters K. T. on yellow band.

Jefferson Highway, Winnipeg, Canada, to New Orleans, 2,277 miles, via Minneapolis, St. Paul, Des Moines, Kansas City, Joplin, Muskogee, Denison, Shreveport, Baton Rouge to New Orleans. Colors: Blue, white and blue band with letters J. H. combined on the white.

Lee Highway, Washington, D. C., to New Orleans, 1,155 miles, via Staunton, Roanoke, Bristol, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Birmingham, Meridian to New Orleans. Colors: Blue letters “Lee” on diagonal white band with blue and red background. [175]

Meridian Highway, Winnipeg, Canada, to Galveston, Tex., 1,908 miles, via Grand Forks, Fargo, Yankton, Wichita, Enid, Wichita Falls, Fort Worth, Waco, Houston to Galveston. Colors: White band with red band added at turns.

Mississippi Valley Highway, Duluth to New Orleans, 1,635 miles, via St. Paul, Cedar Rapids, Burlington, St. Louis, Cairo, Jackson, Macon, Meridian, Hattiesburg to New Orleans. Colors: White and orange bands.

Pacific Highway, Vancouver, British Columbia, to Tia Juana, Mexico, 1,807 miles, via Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Portland, Salem, Medford, Sacramento, Oakland, San José, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego. Colors: Black letters on white signs.

Pershing Way, Winnipeg, Canada, to New Orleans, via Crookston, Mankato, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Hannibal, St. Louis, Memphis, Little Rock, Opelousas to New Orleans. Colors: Red, white and blue bands with letter P. on wide white band.

Puget Sound to Gulf, Seattle to Corpus Christi, 2,791 miles, via Walla Walla, Baker City, Boise, Twin Falls, Ogden, Salt Lake City, Cheyenne, Denver, Pueblo, Amarillo, San Antonio to Corpus Christi.

Many of these main highways have important branches which have not been indicated in this brief [176]summary. There are other important trunk line routes, such as the Albert Pike Highway from Hot Springs, Ark., to Colorado Springs, Colo.; The Alton Way (white, black and white bands), from Chicago to St. Louis, 295 miles; the Arrowhead Trail (marked with arrowhead in circle), from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, 853 miles; and the Big Four Route (yellow, black and yellow bands), Terre Haute to St. Louis, 211 miles; and to Hannibal, Mo., 343 miles.

Other important trails for the motor tourist which are now available are:

The Black and Yellow Trail (black and yellow bands), Chicago to the Yellowstone National Park, 1,610 miles.

The Black Diamond Trail (black diamond on white band), from Springfield, Ill., to Nashville, Tenn.

The Black Hawk Trail (black head on white band), from Dixon, Ill., to Beloit, Wis., 60 miles.

The Black-Hills-Denver-Diamond Highway, from Denver, Colo., to Deadwood, S. Dak., 460 miles.

The Blue Grass Trail (white, blue and white bands), across Illinois from Momence, Ill., to Burlington, Iowa. And across Iowa from Burlington to Omaha. [177]

The Blue Trail (marked with blue bands), from Glacier Park Station, Mont., to Banff, Canada, 327 miles.

Boone Way, from Lexington, N. C., to Louisville, Ky.

Buffalo Trail, from Great Falls to Billings, Mont., 253 miles.

California-Banff Bee Line Highway, from Los Angeles, Cal., to Banff, Canada, via Spokane, Wash.

Cannon Ball Trail (black ball on white band), from Chicago, Ill., to Hannibal, Mo., 341 miles.

Caterpillar Trail (green name on orange band), from Peoria to Pontiac, Ill., 60 miles.

Chicago, Kansas City and Gulf Highway (black letters C. K. C. G. within red cross on white band). From Chicago to Galveston.

Corn Belt Route (white band with yellow ear of corn), from Effner, Ind., to Burlington, Iowa.

Cross-State Highway (white cross on black band), from Hannibal to St. Joseph, Mo.

Custer Battlefield Highway (red, white and red bands), from Omaha, Neb., to Glacier National Park, Mont.

Denver-Yellowstone Highway, from Denver to south entrance of Yellowstone Park.

Diamond Trail, from Freeport to Galesburg, Ill., 124 miles.

Dixie Bee Line (yellow letters on black band), from Danville, Ill., to Louisville, Ky. [178]

Egyptian Trail (black figure on yellow band), from Chicago to Cairo, Ill., 497 miles.

F. F. F. Highway (letters F. F. F. and arrows), from Fort Worth, Tex., to Las Vegas, N. M., 639 miles.

Fort Smith, Paul’s Valley and Wichita Falls Highway, Fort Smith, Ark., to Wichita Falls, Tex., 331 miles.

Geyser-to-Glacier Highway, from Yellowstone to Glacier National Park, 546 miles.

Grant Highway, from Chicago, Ill., to Portland, Ore., via South Entrance Yellowstone Park.

Great White Way (wide white band), across Iowa from Davenport to Omaha, 337 miles.

Hawkeye Highway (blue letter H. on white band), across Iowa from Dubuque to Sioux City, 340 miles.

Indian Head Trail, from Galesburg, Ill., to Minneapolis, Minn., 413 miles.

Kansas-Oklahoma-Texas and Gulf Highway, from Florence, Kan., to Dallas, Tex., 514 miles.

Kickapoo Trail (white, red and white bands), from Peoria, Ill., to Muscatine, Ia.

Lakes-to-Gulf Highway (black letters L. G. on white bands), from Duluth, Minn., to Galveston, Tex., 1,826 miles.

Lee Highway, from Gettysburg to New Orleans.

Lewis and Clark Trail, from Lewiston, Idaho, to Missoula, Mont. [179]

Liberty Highway (red bands), from New York to Erie, Pa., 496 miles.

Logan-Lee Highway (red, white and blue bands with L. L. H. on white), across Illinois from Rock Island to Paducah, Ky., 441 miles.

Mackinaw Indian Trail (black figures on white band), from Peoria to Bloomington, Ill., 42 miles.

Mark Twain Route, from Chicago to Kansas City, 555 miles.

Mohawk Trail (red bands), from Albany to Boston, 182 miles.

North Iowa Pike, across Iowa from McGregor to Sioux Falls.

Omaha-Lincoln-Denver Highway (black letters O. L. D. on white bands), from Omaha to Denver, 627 miles.

Omaha-St. Louis Highway (red, white and red bands), from Omaha to St. Louis, 476 miles.

Ozark Trail, from St. Louis, Mo., to Las Vegas, N. M.

Perry Highway, from Pittsburgh to Erie, Pa., 136 miles.

Park-to-Park Highway, from Yellowstone to Glacier National Park via Missoula.

Potash Highway, from Grand Island to Alliance, Neb.

Rainbow Trail, from Pueblo to Grand Junction, Colo., 238 miles.

Red Ball Route (marked with red ball), from St. Paul, Minn., to St. Louis, Mo., 487 miles. [180]

River-to-River Road (white, black and letter R.), across Iowa from Davenport to Omaha, 349 miles.

Robert E. Lee Highway, from New Orleans to San Diego.

Scott Highway, from Duluth, Minn., to Fort William and Port Arthur, 210 miles.

Southwest Trail (black letters S. W. on white bands), from Chicago to Laredo, Tex., 1,706 miles.

Utah-Idaho-Yellowstone Highway, from Salt Lake City to West Entrance of Yellowstone Park, 360 miles.

Waubonsie Trail (black, white and black bands), across Iowa from Keokuk to Lincoln, Neb.

Yellowstone Highway (yellow and gray bands, black letters Y. H.), from Denver to East Entrance of Yellowstone Park, 638 miles.

Y-G Bee Line Highway, from Yellowstone to Glacier National Park via Great Falls, 355 miles.

The National Parks and Forests, the State Parks and Forests, and the Municipal Camping Parks offer a great variety of camping sites for the motor-camping tourist. The accommodations offered in the National Parks and Forests are, for the most part, more remote than any other class of camping sites, and the facilities offered consist mainly of fireplaces, and, in some cases, of simple [181]shelters also. The State Parks and Forests are much more limited in extent than the National Parks and Forests, but they are becoming very numerous. The State Parks and Forests, however, usually do not offer much more than camping privileges, though some states—New York, for example—make some provision for campers, building fireplaces and rude shelters.

It is the municipal camping parks that are most numerous and that make most extensive provision for the comfort of the touring camper. Many cities like Denver and Los Angeles expend large sums of money in the equipment of extensive camping parks that in the course of a season entertain many thousands of campers.

These various sorts of camping sites with the facilities offered are shown in tabulated form by states in the following chapter, so that the reader by looking for a given state in its alphabetical place can see what National Parks and Forests it may have, what State Parks and Forests, and what municipalities within its bounds make provision for campers. The tabulated list will also show what accommodations are offered by each site listed.

The National Parks and Forests—Four Times the Area of New England

Few people realize the extent of our National Parks and Forests. They embrace an area of about [182]one hundred and seventy-five million acres, which is equivalent to nearly four times the area of New England.

While located mostly in the Rocky Mountain region and in the states of the Pacific Slope they are also found in some of the states of the Atlantic Coast.

There are one hundred and seventy-one separate National Forest tracts, and these one hundred and seventy-one forests are found in twenty-nine states and territories. The territories are Alaska and Porto Rico.

The administrative arrangement of these tracts is by districts, of which there are eight. The First District contains twenty-six forests situated in Idaho, Montana, South Dakota and Washington. In the Second District there are twenty-seven forests located in Colorado, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. District Three has fourteen forests which are found in Arizona and New Mexico. The Fourth District includes thirty-five forests in the states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. In District Five we have twenty-one forests which are in California and Nevada. District Six holds twenty-five forests situated in Oregon and Washington. The seventh district includes forests in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Maine, New Hampshire, [183]North Carolina, Oklahoma, Porto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. District Eight covers the forests of Alaska.

If you go into almost any city west of the Great Plains and pick up a telephone book the chances are that you will find a number entered in it for the “Forest Service.” And if you should go to the address recorded with the number you will probably find an office building in the business part of the town, within which somewhere is a glass door carrying the name of a National Forest.

There are such offices in Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles; in Denver and Salt Lake City; in Missoula, Mont., and in Tucson, Ariz. Also there are National Forest headquarters in dozens of little places of which you may never have heard.

Besides trails suitable for foot passengers and pack animals there are within the Forests other hundreds of miles of roadway fit for automobiling. Much of this mileage has been built by the Forest Service, usually in coöperation with local (county or State) authorities. But, however financed, the finished roads lie far and tempting through the forests. Thither the camping tourist in his automobile may take his way and linger for days and weeks at a time. The mountains, streams, and woodlands are laid open to many thousands of persons in this way, and no one counting their crowding procession can doubt their appreciation of the opportunity.

A typical example of this provision for public [184]service is found in the Park-to-Park Highway running between the Yellowstone and National Park and Glacier National Park, constructed by Forest Engineers and passing over the Great Divide and through the Beaverhead and the Bitterroot Forests. The most famous example is certainly the Columbia River Highway which, though not designed or built by the Forest Service, passes for miles through the Oregon National Forest.

Along these automobile trails camps are in strong demand. Many trail tourists do not mind patronizing the hotels a part of the time, but for the rest they greatly prefer the tent and the camp fire. To meet their needs the Forest Service has laid out and equipped a large number of camps. These are always located where good water is available, and usually a practicable wood supply is an item of the equipment. Simple provisions are made for sanitation, and cement fireplaces are often installed. Sometimes telephone service is made available. Such camps are extensively used by travelers, especially along the more popular through routes. To a certain degree they prove a protection for the forests, since the camp fires of the tourists, instead of being set in out-of-the-way and dangerous places, are made in safe areas. It is found, moreover, that the campers, once their interest and coöperation is aroused, become a volunteer fire guard of no mean efficiency. In hundreds of instances these tourists report incipient fires or assist in putting them out.

The number of visitors to the National Forests [185]now mounts up into millions. Of these over three and a half million last summer were motor tourists.

National Parks. In addition to and distinct from the National Forests there are a list of notable National Parks, some of them, as, for example, the Yellowstone, of vast extent. These parks for the most part ask motor visitors to register. Campers are required to register. The registration of cars for the season of 1922 reached a total of 198,515 cars and 695,614 motorists. This number has since had a considerable increase. The figures just given are those reported by the Director of the National Park Service.

The National Parks are Hot Springs, Middle Arkansas; Yellowstone, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho; Sequoia, Middle East California; Yosemite, Middle East California; General Grant, Middle East California; Mount Rainier, West Central Washington; Crater Lake, Southern Oregon; Wind Cave, South Dakota; Platt, Southern Oklahoma; Sullys Hill, North Dakota; Mesa Verde, Southwestern Colorado; Glacier, Northwestern Montana; Rocky Mountain, North Middle Colorado; Lassen Volcanic, Northern California; Grand Canyon, North Central Arizona; Lafayette, Maine Coast; and Zion, Southwestern Utah. There are two others, Mount McKinley, Alaska (2,200 square miles), and Hawaii (118 square miles). They are [186]both inaccessible to the ordinary motorist. The largest of these National Parks, as already noted, is the Yellowstone with 3,348 square miles—about a thousand square miles more than make up the state of Delaware, which has an area of 2,370 square miles. Lafayette Park, which consists of the group of granite mountains upon Mount Desert Island, has only eight square miles of area. The other larger parks are Glacier, 1,534; Yosemite, 1,125; and Grand Canyon, 958 square miles. The total National Park area to date is 10,859 square miles for the nineteen parks.

Most of the National Parks, like the National Forests, have numerous motor trails, with frequent camping sites along these trails, many of which have considerable equipment and offer convenient facilities of various sorts to the motor camper.

One thing for the motor tourist to ascertain when planning to visit one of the National Parks is the dates at which the parks open. All the National Parks are open during the summer months of July and August.

The usual dates of opening and closing as officially announced are as follows: Crater Lake Park, July 1 to Sept. 30; General Grant Park, May 24 to October 10; Glacier Park, June 15 to September 15; Lassen Park, June 1 to September 15; Mesa Verde Park, May 1 to November 1; Mount Rainier Park, [187]June 15 to September 15; Rocky Mountain Park, June 15 to October 1; Sequoia Park, May 24 to October 10; Wind Cave Park, South Dakota, June 1 to September 30; Yellowstone Park, June 20 to September 15; Zion Park, May 15 to November 1. Other National Parks not mentioned above are open all the year.

We come now to The State Parks and Forests. Most of the states own more or less extensive areas of land, much of which is in forest. Most states, too, have a forestry department. Where states have state-owned land there is usually no objection to campers using it temporarily. In many states, however, and particularly where provision has been made for the accommodation of campers, a permit is required which may be obtained from the local official of the Forestry Department. There is usually no charge made for the temporary use of a state camping site.

The following states have state lands which are available for motor tourist camping:

Alabama has state-owned forests which are in the control of the Department of Conservation, but has no State Forester and has no information relative to the state forests.

Arkansas has a Tourist Division of the Bureau of Mines, Manufactures and Agriculture, which issues a sumptuous booklet entitled “Playgrounds of [188]Arkansas,” bearing the invitation, “Let the State of Arkansas Help You Plan Your Vacation Trip.” This work gives valuable general information about the state and its climate. It is also copiously illustrated, and mentions the resorts that have camping parks for motorists. Obtainable on application to Tourist Division, etc., State House, Little Rock, Ark.

Florida is hospitable to motor tourists and has four State Parks. They are the Royal Palm State Park; the Natural Bridge State Park; the Port St. Joe State Park; and the Dade Memorial Park.

Illinois has a few State Parks under the supervision of the Department of Public Works and Buildings. These parks are mostly of a commemorative character and offer little in the way of accommodations for the motor camper.

The largest of these parks is Starved Rock Park, on the Illinois River, with an extent of approximately nine hundred acres. This park has much scenic beauty and is equipped throughout with artesian water, electric light and a sewerage system.

Indiana is interested in motor campers and issues a pamphlet entitled “Automobile Camps in Indiana,” which lists both the State Parks available for the camper and also the municipal motor camps. Obtainable on application to Department of Conservation, Indianapolis. The State Parks apparently number only five, of which the largest, the Clark County State Forest, is a tract of 2,800 acres.

Iowa has a Board of Conservation which maintains [189]sixteen State Parks, the largest of which, Backbone Park, has an area of 1,279 acres and is situated on the Maquoketa River. Lacey-Keosauqua Park is nearly as large—1,222.1 acres. These and several other of the larger parks are in the care of custodians who look after the requirements of campers.

Maryland.—The Maryland State Board of Forestry issues a pamphlet under the title “The State Reserves of Maryland, A Playground for the Public.” The most important of these reserves are the reserves of Garrett County on the crown of the Blue Ridge in the western part of the state, a reserve embracing about 2,000 acres. Permits are issued to campers without charge upon the applicant signing an application in which he agrees to abide by the regulations laid down by the Board.

Massachusetts has fifteen State Forests aggregating 50,000 acres. The greater part of them are not of much benefit to motorists, as they are not located on state highways, and many of them are in fact almost inaccessible to motor cars on account of the condition of the roads. There are three forests on the main highways, the Mohawk Trail Forest, the Erving Forest and the Otter River Forest. Improved camp sites in these forests await a legislative appropriation for the purpose. Massachusetts has five State Parks which are owned by the state, but maintained by the counties, and so under county jurisdiction. These are the four mountain parks: Wachusett (1,200 acres), Greylock (8,000 [190]acres), Sugar Loaf (150 acres), Everett (1,000 acres), and Tom (1,600 acres).

Michigan issues an illustrated pamphlet entitled “The Parks of the People,” which are under the control of the State Department of Conservation. There are twenty-three of these State Parks, mostly of modest size. The largest of these parks is the Hanson Military Reserve with an extent of 15,000 acres. No other exceeds several hundred acres. The appointments of the Michigan State Parks are excellent for campers. All State Parks are equipped with such conveniences as are necessary to make the camper enjoy his stay. The bathing beaches have public bath houses equipped in such a way that the bathers may place their belongings under lock and key. Outdoor fireplaces constructed of concrete will be found in all the park sites. An ample supply of good drinking water is also provided. There are also receptacles for waste paper and other rubbish, as also sanitary convenience stations. Michigan is not only surrounded on three sides by water, but, with a single exception, is said to have more small lakes than any other state. All of the State Parks are accessible by well-built state highways.

Minnesota has an area of some 350,000 acres in what is known as the “New State Forests.” With the advent of good roads and the increase in the number of automobile tourists a number of good camping grounds have been established in the Forest. These grounds are easily accessible and have a good supply of wood and water. The State Forester [191]warns campers that “it is unlawful to burn in this state when the ground is not snow covered without first obtaining a burning permit from the local Fire Warden or other authorized Forest Officer.”

New Jersey has state forests exceeding 17,000 acres in extent. The largest of these is the North Jersey State Forest of 7,200 acres. There are six others of lesser size. Camping privileges may be secured in each of these, without charge, upon application to the local forester. All these forests are fairly accessible by automobile.

New York has an imperial system of State Parks and Reservations. There are some thirty-three parks administered in various ways which are mostly of a commemorative character, such as Washington’s Headquarters at Newburgh, and a number of battlefields. The largest of the parks is the Palisades Interstate Park of 30,000 acres along the Hudson. The Conservation Commission of the State of New York administers the extensive forest preserves of the State. The largest of these, the Adirondack Park, embraces an area of nearly three and a half million acres and is slightly larger than the state of Connecticut. The Catskill Park has more than half a million acres, more than a hundred thousand acres of which are owned outright by the state. There are some seven forest tracts owned by the state. In these forest reserves, particularly in the Catskill Park, the state has constructed many trails, and along these trails there are many camping [192]sites, but usually not much more is provided than a fireplace.

North Carolina has one State Park which is reached through the property of the Mount Mitchell Development Company and is named the Mount Mitchell State Park. This park comprises 1,200 acres of rough mountain land, including the summit of Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. This park is accessible by motor, and the company owning the road makes a toll charge of $1.00 per person for all automobiles using the road. The company also rents tents at the end of the road which reaches the park.

Oregon owns 78,000 acres of woodland about equally divided between the eastern and western sections of the state. Little attention has been paid to providing camping sites in these State Forests, as many of them are inaccessible to motorists. However, a number of wardens whose districts include popular camping regions do erect fireplaces and devote some time to fixing up suitable camp grounds and keeping them in order for tourists.

Pennsylvania. The Department of Forestry of the State of Pennsylvania has developed and equipped eight public camp grounds in the State Forests for automobile tourists who carry camping outfits with them. All that is asked is that the camper be careful with fire and that he leave the camp as he would like to find it. These eight public camp grounds have been equipped with a space for [193]tents, a fireplace, a supply of pure water, two comfort stations, four garbage containers, four tables and eight benches. Where public camp grounds are adjacent to state-owned telephone lines, public telephones are installed.

Rhode Island issues “A Guide Book to the Reservations of the Metropolitan Park System of Rhode Island” which is illustrated and describes eighteen parks, the largest of which is the Lincoln Woods reservation with 458 acres. In most of these parks shelters and fireplaces have been located for the use of such camping parties as have applied for and received permission for such use.

South Dakota prides itself on its State Park among the peaks of the Black Hills and issues an illustrated pamphlet setting forth its beauties. The park is eight by twelve miles in extent and has an area of 61,440 acres. The park is called the Custer State Park.

Vermont has a list of thirteen State Forests ranging in size from the Groton Forest, 15,000 acres, down to the Arlington Forest of 225 acres. The only forests of more than a thousand acres, however, aside from the Groton, are the Mansfield, 5,000 acres, and the Putnam, 1,400. No provision has been made by the Department for campers.

Washington has a State Parks Committee which reports that “camp sites, not including those maintained by various municipalities throughout the state, are now being established through four [194]agencies, namely, the State Forestry Department, the State Parks Department, the Washington Forest Fire Association (an association of large timber land owners), and those established by private land owners.

“Camp sites prepared by the State Forestry Department are generally upon lands leased by the department, such lands being situated upon public highways and usually adjoining running streams of pure water, fireplaces and free wood being provided. There are twenty-one of these sites, mostly in counties in the western portion of the state. There are sixteen state parks, upon some of which camping sites have been established, and others will be provided.”

Wisconsin has eight State Parks, with the establishment of four others under consideration. The largest of these parks is the Peninsula State Park of 3,400 acres fronting on Green Bay. The state issues an illustrated pamphlet describing these parks, but no mention is made of camp sites, though probably such exist.

The rising tide of motor tourists has led most municipalities from the Middle States westward to lay out camping parks. In many cases no fee is charged. Mostly, however, there is a small charge per day, averaging probably not more than fifty cents.

California leads in the number of these motor-camping sites provided by municipalities. But while the California camping parks exhibit every quality [195]of attractiveness, they cannot exceed the appeal of many of the camping parks of the Rocky Mountain States, or even of those farther to the eastward.

Take the camp at Boise, Idaho, as an example of an attractive motor park. In Boise the camp is situated at a natural hot water spring—a spring, by the way, which furnishes heat sufficient to warm practically all the business blocks and residences in the city. Thus this camp has hot water service. Practically all the equipment is electrically operated, including stoves, laundry machines, etc. The land of the Boise camp is city owned and loaned by the city council. The Chamber of Commerce took hold and got the coöperation of the rest of the city. Power and light were furnished free by the utility corporation. Materials were donated for construction and the labor unions gave their labor for the construction of the buildings and equipment.

The Salt Lake City camping park is another example of a most attractive camp site. The camp comprises eight acres and will accommodate 400 cars. It is equipped with water, sewers, arc lights, a wash rack for cars, free firewood and a commissary building at which tourists’ larders may be replenished. Signs posted on the fence invite the tourists [196]to stop and rest as guests of Salt Lake City. Hundreds of tall shade trees help to make the place an ideal camping ground.

Practically every community of any size along the Lincoln Highway west of Omaha offers to the motor tourist the use of a camp site, if it is only an open lot in which the tourist is free to park for the night. No accurate figures can be compiled of the number of motor campers, partly because many never register or use the more popular municipal camping parks, and partly because even where registry is required there is no central bureau to which the figures can be reported. Even were it possible for one to visit the two thousand or more camping sites of various kinds that are used throughout the country he could not obtain any accurate figures of the number of campers entertained.

But take a single park in a city along the Lincoln Highway, the city of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and one can get a little idea of the vast multitude taking to the open road at the height of the camping season. A visitor to this camp ground of forty acres on the edge of a little lake near this city on July 28, 1921, at the peak of travel for the season made a careful census of the cars in the park on that day and found a total of 763 cars and 2,540 people from thirty-two states. In addition to the people camped inside the forty acres, it was estimated that about 500 more people were outside, unable to get in. Of course, Cheyenne is a crossroads community where a main north and south road from Denver to the [197]Yellowstone crosses the Lincoln Highway. However, many other popular camping parks turn thousands away because of being taxed to the limit of capacity, and this despite the fact that many motor campers avoid the crowds at municipal camping parks and always prefer to camp in more secluded spots.

One of the most noted camping parks is Denver’s quarter million dollar automobile park. This park includes some seventy-five or eighty acres covered with fine groves of cottonwoods, maples and other trees. It was formerly the Overland Country Club, and is now called the Overland Motor Park. The former clubhouse, a three-story building containing twenty-four rooms, was remodeled for the convenience of tourists. The first floor contains a modern grocery store and meat market, kitchen, grill and lunch counter, steam table from which prepared foods are dispensed, billiard room, barber shop, men’s showers and comfort station and a laundry room, containing eight tubs for women campers. Both the laundry room and the showers are equipped with hot and cold water. On the second floor are located a large lounging room, equipped with a phonograph, where visitors may dance, a restaurant and soda fountain. The balconies of the building are also fitted with tables and chairs where refreshments may be served. On the third floor are located [198]the rooms of the concessionaire who handles the commercial features of the house, and the women’s showers and comfort station and lockers.

The campers register at the gate and are given written permits to occupy a certain lot in the park for a period of two weeks. After the expiration of this time, if the grounds are not crowded, the permit may be renewed. The city engineers have surveyed 800 camp lots, each 25 by 35 feet. These are marked by posts driven in the ground and numbered. The camp area, however, may be extended to any required size upon short notice.

Pipes have been extended from the city water mains, so that no camper is more than 150 feet from a water hydrant. The camp is also lighted by powerful incandescents from the city lighting system. Several strictly modern comfort stations have been erected at various points in the grounds. Overland Park was at one time the site of an interstate exposition, and several of these exposition buildings have been utilized in the scheme of development. One of them houses an automobile repair shop and a garage, as well as a moving picture theater seating 400 people. At the entrance of the park is an automobile filling station, where gasoline, oil and motor accessories may be obtained.

It is obvious that a great many of these accommodations are put in for the convenience of the camper, but must be conducted as concessions. However, the free service the camper receives includes the following: Camp lot, water and electric [199]light, hot and cold showers for men and women, sanitary conveniences, laundry, lounging and dancing room. The grounds are well policed night and day by park authorities.

So much for a motor-camping park in and conducted by a great city. However, the great Overland Camping Park of Denver does not surpass in completeness of service some of the parks maintained by small localities. Take an example. Alhambra is situated six miles northeast of Los Angeles and three miles from Pasadena. Alhambra boasts that it has the most complete auto camp in California, and California is the land of auto camps. It is situated for rest and comfort in a clean and sanitary location amid a stately grove of eucalyptus trees. The entire camp is well graveled, smooth, level, no mud, no dust, no fog, electrically lighted, under police protection.

The camp has an amusement hall, inclosed, with new player piano and fine dancing floor for the free use of guests. Also free to campers is an electric laundry room with concrete floor, hot and cold running water, sewerage, large new electric washer and wringer, other washers, tubs, drying rack, ironing boards, electric iron connections, etc.

Further, the campers have free use of community kitchens, inclosed, new, sanitary, with water, screens, electric light and gas stoves for cooking. There is open plumbing. There are free shower baths, with hot and cold water. There is also a free rack and hose for cleaning autos. There is no time limit. [200]Each car is allotted a space twenty feet square, and the charge for camping space is fifty cents for each twenty-four hours. This appears to be the only charge.

These camps just described are but typical of a multitude of other camping parks, many of which are quite as attractive as those mentioned.

Most municipalities court the motor camper, and when the contrary is the case it is felt as a fault. One chamber of commerce secretary in an Indiana town writes, “We have no motor camp site. We are made up of a bunch of retired farmers, the most unprogressive lot of folks on earth.” The secretary of a Pennsylvania municipal commercial club gives the information, “This darn town don’t seem to want visitors as far as I can see.”

No doubt some motor campers are undesirable. One communication to a sporting publication says: “It is difficult to believe that people of even moderate intelligence can be as unsanitary as are many motor campers. Many auto campers pay no regard whatever to the game laws. Many auto campers steal. It is stealing for melons, corn, potatoes, and other vegetables and fruit to be taken from the fields.”

The above is one side of the picture and a very small side. Most motor campers are decent, kindly folk whose presence is appreciated by the communities that they visit. Many places have found their motor-camping parks veritable gold mines. Aberdeen, S. D., reports that during the recent season [201]tourists spent over $175,000 in the town. The great profit that may derive from the wandering motor camper who proves to be an angel not at all disguised may be seen from a report rendered to the American Automobile Association a couple of years ago to the effect that in a single season 460,000 tourist cars had visited the state, and that their occupants had spent in the state a sum of not less than $40,000,000.

As indicated above, much of the tabulated information is new. In addition to the questionnaire already alluded to much information relating to motor-camping sites has been obtained from state and national sources. Use has also been made of lists of municipal camping parks already published, and corrections made in the information supplied from such sources when necessary.

At a recent convention held at Long Beach, Cal., which was attended by representatives from about a hundred towns and cities in Southern California, it was decided to draw up a list of facilities which each motor camp ground should give to visitors, and also to draw up a list of rules which the visitors, as a return courtesy, should abide by.

It was decided that each municipal auto camp must have showers for men and women, it must have gas for cooking, telephone service, public comfort stations, water, and electricity for lighting. [202]

There is coming to be a new development in connection with motor touring which is designed to meet the requirements of those who desire a little more luxury than can be had in ordinary camping, but who do not care for either the formality or the expense involved in putting up at the average first-class hotel.

To meet the demands of this class what are called Motor Inns are springing up in hundreds of localities, some of them being operated on the chain principle, thus securing uniformity of operation and standardized service and equipment.

One of the most complete of these motor inns is one that is in operation at Los Angeles. Like others it combines in many respects the features of both an automobile camp and a hotel. The plant consists of an office, a community building, and a group of bungalows, numbering at present some fifteen. Each bungalow has four bedrooms fitted up for two persons, many of the rooms with private bath. These rooms rent for $1.50 and $2.00 per night, accordingly as they are without or supply baths.

This inn represents an investment of about $90,000, and one of the same scope and cost, the second in a chain that is to dot the state, has been established at Fresno.

The California motor inns for the most part consist of a group of four apartment bungalows, [203]garages, main building, and pavilion on spacious landscaped grounds. Usually the bungalow apartments consist of a single room with toilet and bath. Thus under one roof there will be but eight persons, at most, housed at one time.

The price of entertainment also includes a garage for the car, and the use of the kitchen and its equipment, such as gas stove, sink, running water, tubs and the like. The kitchen is located in the community house. The rooms are as large as one finds in first-class hotels. Those without private bath adjoin so as to provide toilet and bath between the two rooms.

The community building provides a well-furnished reception room, and also a dining-room with tables for the guests. The motor inn is really a first-class hotel with a large degree of self-service.

Ample furniture is supplied for both the bedrooms and those in the community house. Naturally, however, kitchen utensils and dishes are not furnished for the guests. In effect the guest continues to be a camper, but a camper with hotel conveniences. [204]