This may be of interest......

Whaddayaknow - “ Camping is probably the safest activity” - we’re planning on dusting off the old tent and doing some camping for the first tine in years.

Probably won’t be boarding a plane any time very soon, but the disinfecting tips are good to keep in mind for the future.

So many people are planning to camp, I can't help but wonder how noisy and crowded it will become. Almost a reverse intention. The camp sites may offer some space buffer, but the program amphitheatres, stores, trails and nearby towns are going to feel the closeness.

Sales of RVs and camping gear are booming, as are bicycles. All of that makes sense to me. Our friends got a great deal on an RV for $20,000. I was impressed by its amenities--toilet, shower, TV, satellite radio, oven, microwave, queen-size bed, and a decent size table and chairs for meals. I have this fantasy of buying a big RV and travelling the country for a year, but that would be expensive and the wife's not having it. It would probably be unwise to plop down $100,000 or so to make this happen.

Any situation where lots of people are not confined inside sharing airborne droplets is desirable. Alas, I did enough "camping" in the military so it no longer has much appeal any more.

I had owned RVs for many years. Two years ago our RV was getting too old (20 years and too much maintenance) so we sold it. We decided that at our age putting $100,000 into a new one would not pay for itself (we did not see ourselves driving an RV for 20 more years). Now, I am wishing we still had an RV. There is no doubt I would make a month long trip this summer or fall. Now, under the current conditions having to stay in hotels and eat in restaurants does not sound appealing.

We have always liked to camp, so that is nothing new for us. We don't care for actual campgrounds though. We will do more backpacking this summer, but even that I know will be busier than usual. So one of our trips planned is to go to a very remote area to start with. I feel much better about digging a cathole than I do using a campground bathroom.

Bob, I know what you mean.

Regarding campground bathrooms, what's the problem if you wash your hands? Seems far more hygienic than alternatives.

I don't understand why park bathrooms with a sink are closed when washing your hands is a good thing, but the primitive toilets with no hand washing are open. It's mystifying to my pea brain.

BigMike, often, the water used for the restrooms is not potable.

(added) health depts dont want non-potable water used for hand-washing since it might carry disease, but its ok for flushing. Campgrounds using their own wells for water often dont treat or test the water, making it non-potable.

I think it has more to do with hygiene. There are a lot more surfaces to get contaminated in a water serviced toilet building than an outhouse. Staff would also have to be kept active to do the cleaning.
Some of our local parks have unlocked the public washrooms, but there is no water for hand washing. Still not sure I grasp that reasoning either.

We went camping in our travel trailer last week and it was fantastic. It was easy to socially distance. We didn't care that the bathrooms were closed because we are fully self contained. We have camping trips planned for July, August and possibly September. We had to cancel our 8+ week trip to Europe in September/October to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. Before I cancelled, to have another option just in case, I made a camping reservation. Since I cancelled Europe I found killer airfare to Maui and I am hopeful that the quarantine there will be lifted by mid-September. Otherwise we go camping. I'll have the ocean either way. The airline tickets are on Southwest Airlines so it will be easy to cancel at the last minute.

It would seem that having water to wash your hands with, as long as you also have a disinfecting soap to use, would be may times better for you than not washing. Yes, the water found at toilet facilities in the deep dark corners of a national forest is not going to be expected to be potable, in many cases it is collected rainwater kept in tanks that have no purification ability which means it can be filled with various bacteria. Could it be the water has been turned off, because the staff that would normally visit the toilet facilities however infrequently are not working right now so there may not be any soap available, in order to protect from lawsuits if someone gets ill because they use that water?

I am a camper. Just went on a 3 night camping adventure last week. I avoid the established campsites, such as those on national park land, if possible due to the crowds. Always have. I am doing backpack campouts so the chance of crowds is much less than those doing the RV or trailer campouts. The only thing I saw once I reached my camping spot was wildlife (this was on a friend's property and I had permission to be there).