Country Maples RV Resort – Review

Summer of 2022

Full disclosure, we are working as work-campers at this park, so I have tried to take a four week section to show the pricing for 28 days which is their maximum stay / price break, 50 amp with full hookups. If available our cost would be just over $800 plus electric charges, an overnight stay could be in excess of $80 for a full hookup site. And on a holiday weekend could be closer to $100 per night. We have always steered away from parks that do not make their rates readily available on their website, as they are normally what I would refer to as variable, which normally does not work out to the users benefit.

Country Maples RV Resort is part of the Holiday Trails RV membership group, and whether you like membership camping or not, memberships do have some advantages, especially if you are in a position to take advantage of them, but from a none member using the park here is what we noticed.

Members obviously get priority over none members, but the members don’t seem to support the park like non members do. The management gives too much to the members, the food truck that lasted only one week was owned by a member, the green firewood that so many campers complained about is supplied by a member. I understand supporting your membership base where possible, but it appears to me that some are taking advantage of the situation.

There are approximately 180 sites, 53 are tent sites, 38 are 50 amp full hookups, 78 are 30 amp full hookups, 9 are 30 amp partial hookups, 1 15 amp full hookup, and 2 are 15 amp partial hookups for an actual total of 181 sites. My first thought was why are there so many different choices and when you go to check rates, and you can not find a rate page on their website, so it would normally not be a park that we would even consider, end of discussion. Many take a partial hookup site then pay the $10 fee for the dump station, because it is cheaper than taking a full hookup site.

Here is what a 28 day stay would have cost us with 50 amp power and full hookups $800.00 because we would not need to pay surcharges for dogs ($3 per day per dog) or extra people (over the six person limit you must get a second site). Visitors are allowed in at no charge, unless they are going to use the pool, then the fee is $5 per person. Internet is available but is charged per voucher and each device needs a voucher to connect, and the reliability of the service is poor at best, and almost non-existent on a busy weekend. I was told that it is a new and improved service over the previous, but we had to purchase a cellular hub to get reliable service. With the good news being that there is reasonably good cellular service in this area.

Amenities:

• 30 X 60 heated swimming pool
• Mini-golf $5 per adult (free for members Wednesday mornings)
• Friday night movie night (weather permitting)
• Organized children activities (on weekends) free of charge
• Camp store, with good variety of items
• Clubhouse with pool table & shuffleboard table, TV area, with puzzles & games
• Laundry room 5 washers, 6 dryers. ($2.50 to wash or dry)
• Small exchange library, located in laundry room
• Two washrooms at pool & clubhouse
• Pay showers $2.00 for 6 minutes
• Firewood $12/bag and kindling $9/bundle
• Multiple playgrounds
• Horseshoe pits
• Two trails to the river (neither are for the faint of heart)
• Exchange propane tanks
• Ice
• Dogs runs

The park is well treed, much is cut into old growth forest, with most sites featuring lots of shade, the exception is an area called Arizona row a large open area, with small tight campsites, and a few “pull-through” sites (but they are too short to allow staying hooked up), not an area that we would be looking for but an area that most of the large rigs seem to end up in, it might be good if camping with other members or with friends and families but not for anyone seeking solitude.

The park roads are all dirt with a little gravel overlay, so they are very dusty, and are being watered down (for dust control) making them very muddy, you could wash your vehicle (if vehicle washing was allowed, which it is not) every day to remove the layer of dust. And quite honestly the staff racing around on golf carts are the biggest offenders to the posted speed limits, and often cause of small dust storms as they roll by.

As non members, getting a booking can be difficult if not impossible, the online booking system is difficult to operate, and many people just end up calling the office for reservations. Your campsite is assigned by the office, so requests for a specific area or to be close to someone, can be a real crap shoot, add to that the fact that over nighter’s can drive in and pick a site off the board, so there always seems to be some confusion as to whether a site is occupied or not.

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