CHAPTER 62
STATE FOREST CAMPING
[Prior to 12/31/86, Conservation Commission[290] Ch 41]
571—62.1(461A) Applicability. This chapter governs camping activity in the following areas:
	1.	Yellow River State Forest, Allamakee County.
	2.	Stephens State Forest, Clarke, Lucas, Appanoose, Davis and Monroe Counties.
	3.	Shimek State Forest, Van Buren and Lee Counties.
[ARC 8820B, IAB 6/2/10, effective 7/7/10]
571—62.2(461A) Definitions.
“Basic unit” or “basic camping unit” means the portable shelter used by one to six persons.
“Call center” means a phone center where operators process all telephone reservations, reservation changes and reservation cancellations for camping and rental facilities.
“Camping” means the erecting of a tent or shelter of natural or synthetic material, or placing a sleeping bag or other bedding material on the ground or parking a motor vehicle, motor home, or trailer for the apparent purpose of overnight occupancy.
“Centralized reservation system” means a system that processes reservations using more than one method to accept reservations. Each method simultaneously communicates to a centralized database at a reservation contractor location to ensure no campsite or rental facility is booked twice.
“Chaperoned, organized youth group” means a group of persons 17 years of age and under, which is sponsored by and accompanied by adult representatives of a formal organization including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts of America or Girl Scouts of America, a church, or Young Men’s or Young Women’s Christian Association. “Chaperoned, organized youth group” does not include families of members of a formal organization.
“Immediate family” means spouses, parents or legal guardians, domestic partners, dependent children and grandparents.
“Nonmodern area” means a camping area in which no showers are provided and which contains only pit-type latrines or flush-type toilets. Potable water may or may not be available to campers.
“Organized youth group campsite” means a designated camping area within or next to the main campground where chaperoned, organized youth groups may camp.
“Reservation transaction fees” means fees as given in this chapter to process a reservation, change a reservation or cancel a reservation.
“Reservation window” means a rolling period of time in which a person may reserve a campsite or rental facility.
“Walk-in camper” means a person arriving at a campground without a reservation and wishing to occupy a first-come, first-served campsite or unrented, reservable campsite.
[ARC 8820B, IAB 6/2/10, effective 7/7/10]
571—62.3(461A) Camping areas established and marked.
	62.3(1) Areas to be utilized for camping shall be established within each of the state forests listed in rule 62.1(461A).
	62.3(2) Signs designating the established camping areas shall be posted along the access roads into these areas and around the perimeter of the area designated for camping use.
	62.3(3) Areas approved for backpack camping (no vehicular access) shall be marked with appropriate signs and shall contain fire rings.
571—62.4(461A) Campground reservations. The department shall establish a centralized reservation system to accept and process reservations for camping and rental facilities in state parks, recreation areas and state forest campgrounds.
	62.4(1) Centralized reservation system business rules manual. The department shall adopt by reference the manual titled “Centralized Reservation System Business Rules for Iowa State Parks, Recreation Areas and State Forests,” dated January 1, 2006, which sets procedures and policies for the administration of reservations of campsites and rental facilities through the centralized reservation system.
	62.4(2) Recreation facilities available on the centralized reservation system—campgrounds.
	a. 	Except for the backpack campsites, all state forest campgrounds shall be available on the centralized reservation system.
	b. 	No less than 50 percent and up to no more than 75 percent of the total number of campsites in each individual campground shall be designated as reservable sites on the reservation system. The determination of which campsites shall be included in the reservable designation shall be the responsibility of the park staff in each park. Park staff shall include a combination of electric, nonelectric and sewer/water sites while taking into consideration campsite characteristics such as location, shade, and size. The department will review the percentage of reservable sites and usage on a biennial basis and determine whether the percentage of reservable campsites should be changed. A reservable campsite will be identified with a reservable site marker on the campsite post.
	c. 	All designated organized youth group campsites and campsites marked with the international symbol of accessibility shall be included in the reservation system.
	d. 	Reservations will not be taken for any backpack campsites in state forest campgrounds. Those sites shall be available on a first-come, first-served basis only.
	62.4(3) Methods available to make reservations. Persons may make reservations by telephone through the call center or through the Internet using the reservation system Web site.
	62.4(4) Reservation transaction fees.
	a. 	Reservation fee. A nonrefundable reservation fee shall be charged for each reservation made per campsite regardless of the length of stay. The one-time fee is per reservation and is not charged per day or night. This fee is in addition to the camping fees established in 571—subrule 61.4(1). The reservation fee varies depending upon the method used when the reservation is made.
	(1)	Internet reservation — $4.
	(2)	Telephone reservation — $6.
	b. 	Change fee. A fee shall be charged to change an existing reservation.
	(1)	Reservation change made through the Internet — $5.
	(2)	Reservation change made over the telephone — $7.
	c. 	Cancellation fee. A fee shall be charged to cancel a reservation.
	(1)	Reservation cancellation made through the Internet — $5.
	(2)	Reservation cancellation made over the telephone — $7.
	62.4(5) Reservation window—camping. The reservation window for camping is three months to two days prior to the arrival date in which a person may make a reservation.
[ARC 9324B, IAB 1/12/11, effective 2/16/11]
571—62.5(461A) Camping fees and registration.
	62.5(1) Any person who camps in a state forest must register the person’s name and address with the department of natural resources’ representative in charge of the area.
	a. 	Walk-in campers shall complete the registration form, place the appropriate fee in the envelope and place the envelope in the depository provided by the department of natural resources. One copy must then be placed in the campsite holder provided at the campsite.
	b. 	Park staff shall complete the registration for the campers with reservations and place the registration in the campsite holder no later than one hour prior to the 4 p.m.	check-in time on the day of the camper’s arrival.
	62.5(2) The fees for camping in established state forest campgrounds shall be the same as those cited in 571—paragraphs 61.4(1)“a” and “b” for all other nonmodern camping areas managed by the department of natural resources where fees are charged.
	62.5(3) Campsites are considered occupied and campsite registration shall be considered complete when the requirements of 62.5(1) have been met.
	62.5(4) The fees for an organized youth group campsite shall be the same as those cited in 571—paragraph 61.4(1)“d” for all other organized youth group campsites.
	62.5(5) Backpack campsites. Persons using backpack campsites shall register at the forest area check station or other designated site. No fee will be charged for the use of the designated backpack campsites.
571—62.6(461A) Camping restrictions.
	62.6(1) No person shall camp in the state forests listed in rule 62.1(461A) except within the designated camping areas or at established backpack campsite areas.
	62.6(2) Camping within the designated camping area shall be on sites posted by numbered signs marking the location to be used by the camping unit or within the areas designated for backpack camping.
	62.6(3) No more than six persons shall occupy a campsite except for the following:
	a. 	Families that exceed six persons may be allowed on one campsite if all members are immediate family and cannot logically be split to occupy two campsites.
	b. 	Campsites which are designated as chaperoned, organized youth group campsites.
	62.6(4) Campers occupying reservable sites shall vacate the campground by 3 p.m.	of the last day of their stay.
	62.6(5) Camping is restricted to one basic unit per site except that a small tent may be placed on a site with the basic unit. The area occupied by the small tent shall be no more than 8 feet by 10 feet and the tent shall hold no more than four people.
[ARC 8820B, IAB 6/2/10, effective 7/7/10]
571—62.7(461A) Camping time limit. No basic camping unit shall be permitted to camp longer than two weeks at a time within a state forest, except for volunteers working under the department of natural resources’ campground host program agreement.
571—62.8(461A) Camping refused. Department of natural resources officers are given authority to refuse camping privileges and to rescind any and all camping permits for cause.
571—62.9(461A) Firearms use prohibited. Except for peace officers acting in the scope of their employment, the use of firearms, fireworks, explosives, and weapons of all kinds by the public is prohibited within the established camping area as delineated by signs marking the area.
571—62.10(461A) Hours. Access into and out of the established camping areas shall be permitted from 4 a.m.	to 10:30 p.m.	During the hours of 10:31 p.m.	to 3:59 a.m., only registered campers are permitted in the campgrounds.
571—62.11(461A) Horses and pets. No horse or other animal shall be hitched or tied to any tree or shrub in a manner to result in injury to state property. Pets such as dogs or cats shall not be allowed to run at large within the designated camping area. Such animals shall be deemed running at large unless the owner carries the animal or leads it by leash or chain not exceeding six feet in length or keeps it confined in or attached to a vehicle. Chains or other restraints used shall not be of sufficient length as to permit the animal to enter a designated campsite other than the one used by the animal’s owner.
Stabling of equine animals and llamas shall be in accordance with 571—paragraph 61.4(5)“k.”
571—62.12(461A) Noise. Creating or sustaining any unreasonable noise in any portion of all state forests is prohibited at all times. The nature and purpose of a person’s conduct, the impact on other area users, the time of day, location, and other factors which would govern the conduct of a reasonable, prudent person under the circumstances shall be used to determine whether the noise is unreasonable. Unreasonable noise shall include the operation or utilization of motorized equipment or machinery such as an electric generator, motor vehicle, or motorized toy; or audio device such as a radio, television set, tape deck, public address system, or musical instrument; or other device. Between the hours of 10:30 p.m.	and 6 a.m., noise which can be heard at a distance of 120 feet or three campsites shall be considered unreasonable.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code sections 461A.35, 461A.44, 461A.45, 461A.47 to 461A.51 and 461A.57.
[Filed 4/9/82, Notice 2/3/82—published 4/28/82, effective 6/2/82]
[Filed 10/7/82, Notice 8/4/82—published 10/27/82, effective 12/1/82]
[Filed 1/5/84, Notice 11/23/83—published 2/1/84, effective 3/7/84]
[Filed 7/10/85, Notice 4/24/85—published 7/31/85, effective 9/4/85]
[Filed without Notice 12/12/86—published 12/31/86, effective 2/4/87]
[Filed 8/13/93, Notice 6/23/93—published 9/1/93, effective 1/1/94]
[Filed 8/12/94, Notice 6/8/94—published 8/31/94, effective 10/5/94]
[Filed 8/17/01, Notice 5/30/01—published 9/5/01, effective 10/10/01]
[Filed 10/21/05, Notice 8/31/05—published 11/9/05, effective 1/1/06]
[Filed ARC 8820B (Notice ARC 8592B, IAB 3/10/10), IAB 6/2/10, effective 7/7/10]
[Filed ARC 9324B (Notice ARC 9118B, IAB 10/6/10), IAB 1/12/11, effective 2/16/11]