KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! Campground Reviews Additional Charges
Our First & Last 2020 Season at Bowdish Lake Camping Area
Here you can find out information that is not listed on their website as well as what it's like to spend a season here as well as the extra charges that are added without your knowledge until you check in, and not stated on their website.
Thought I'd heard it all. Bring your own TOILET PAPER! Yes, that's correct John & Carrie (the owners) advertises on their 6 modern bathhouses (what a joke) that we do not supply toilet paper, paper towels or soaps to wash your hands and bring coins because they charge you to take a cold shower. How cheap can you get!
POLICE CALLED A TOTAL OF 15 TIMES SO FAR THIS SEASON AND IT'S NOT OVER YET!
ANYTHING FROM DUI'S TO VANDALISM TO GROWING MARIJUANA TO THE OWNERS BEING RACIST, ZINAPHOBIC AND HOMOPHOBIC! IS YOUR KIDS SAFE HERE? YOU BE THE JUDGE!
THIS BUSINESS IS NOT BBB ACCREDITED (TOO CHEAP) COMPLAINT FILED, STILL WAITING FOR THEIR RESPONSE!
THIS BUSINESS IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (TOO CHEAP)
Lets start with their Website
Dishonest Advertising.
We booked our site in January 2020. The website clearly states: Sites from $1,600 to $3,500 per season. Which is reasonable but when we got here in May 2020 the same site, we reserved had gone from $3,500.00 to $3,900.00. Even to this day (September 12, 2020) it still states that the maximum site charge is $3,600.00 on their website. Nothing stating on their website any of the extra charges I'm about to mention. You're probably wondering why we stayed, well they will not do ANY refunds no matter the reason and since we have full hook-up, we never had to use the restrooms or any other facilities here. Even though it did not affect us personally how filthy the facilities were, I still feel the need to inform other campers what it's actually like! I have nothing to gain from this website review! Judge for yourself!
First:
1. Bring your own Toilet Paper, they do not supply sanitation items (No Soap, No Toilet Paper, No Paper Towels, No Hot Water) in any of the 6 bathhouses and bring coins for the showers because they also charge you for taking a shower!
2. If you have a truck that pulls your 5th wheel or Travel Trailer it's an additional $75.00. Additional Truck $200.00
3. Depending where you look, on their website: no trailers over 35' or on their hand-outs for trailers: for each foot over 35 feet: $50.00/Foot
4. If you have an additional vehicle it's another $125.00
5. Extra Related Adult: $125.00
6. Child in family over age 14: $100.00
7. If you have a pet it's another $50.00 to $100.00 depending on size. But there is no dog park.
8. Boat (Canoe, Row, Pedal, Double Kayak) $50.00 for each one
9. If you have an outside small refrigerator it's another $50.00
10. If you want cable it's another $100.00
11. If you have guest it's $20.00 per car and $2.50 for each guest
12. Golf Cart: $150.00
13. Pontoon Boat: $100.00
14. Boat Motor: $3.00 per Horse Power
15. Boat Trailer At Camp: $50.00
16. Dock At Site: $2.00/sq. ft.
17. BLCA (Bowdish Lake Camping Area) Dock Space - single $300.00
18. BLCA (Bowdish Lake Camping Area) Dock Space - pontoon $350.00
19. Deck: $75.00 open / $150.00 enclosed (An additional $50.00 is due if deck exceeds 199 square feet threshold for building permit.)
20. The Health department should close down the restrooms, see photos and there is never any hot water. The owner (John) keeps shutting it off to save money.
21. Out of Code Electricity. Complaint filed with BBB. Campground goes without power as electric company seeks upgrades. Broadcasted on NBC 10 News (video of NBC 10 News on Electricity Charges Page. John (the owner) does not allow the electric company within the park. He does everything himself and we are constantly out of power.
22. The biggest rip-off is the electricity charges. Bowdish charges seasonal campers .3496 cents per kWh and .50 cents per kWh for non-seasonal. That means with a 30 amp RV your power bill is around $250.00 per month if you use your A/C. We use propane for the frig & hot water and it's still around $250.00 during the months of July and August. John charges about 3 times the National Grid which is on average 8.1 cents per kWh for commercial and 14.24 cents per kWh for residential! Even if you don't use any electricity, you're still charged $40.00 per month.
23. There are some beautiful wooded sites but don't expect to get any waterfront. They are already taken by seasonal campers that leave their trailers here year- round.
24. There is absolutely no beach parking at all. You must carry your beach equipment to the beach each time no matter how far you are away from the beach.
25. There are no Full Hook-Ups on the waterfront sites! People just dump their brown and black sewage on their site. Disgusting! There is a mobile pump-out service but you never see them within the park.