Latest news with #campground
New York Times
11-07-2025
- New York Times
Survivors Recount a Night of Terror at Waterfront Campgrounds
It was advertised as a 'waterfront getaway,' a tranquil campground spanning 65 acres along the shaded banks of the Guadalupe River. But a week after floodwaters surged over the riverbanks, all that remains of the HTR TX Hill Country R.V. Park & Campground are a barren expanse of dirt and gravel and the haunting outlines of foundations where 'deluxe' cabins once stood. The property, on the border of Kerrville and Ingram in Central Texas, all but vanished in the violence of the Independence Day flooding. Entire cabins were ripped off their foundations. As they lurched downstream, the owner of a neighboring R.V. park watched in horror while people trapped inside screamed for help. The half-mile stretch of land occupied by the two campgrounds appears to have been one of the deadliest sites along the 250-mile river during the flash flood, with at least 28 people confirmed dead or declared missing, according to interviews, local news reports and social media posts. Other zones of devastation in the predawn hours of July 4 have drawn more attention, notably Camp Mystic, a summer camp further upriver where 27 campers and staff members have been reported dead and six are still missing. The company that owns the campground, HTR, has not said publicly how many people were missing from its property after the flood. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Yahoo
Disturbing roadside find near Aussie campground prompts plea to 'cheeky' tourists
The frustrated owner of a family-run campground in the heart of one of Australia's most iconic tourist regions has issued a plea to 'cheeky' travellers after making a disturbing roadside find. Jil, who runs Tirranna Springs Roadhouse in northwest Queensland with her husband, was heading down her driveway earlier this week with her children and dogs in tow when she spotted the remnants of a campfire still burning on the side of the track. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, the mum said it didn't take her long to realise that visitors had driven past her business after the sun set and illegally camped overnight on her private property. While it's not the first time a tourist has snuck in hoping to score a free night's accommodation on her land, Jil said it was the pile of hot embers left behind the next morning that really got her fired up. 'That's what made me angry,' she said, noting it was 'lucky' no one had accidentally stepped on it. 'The whole area relies on tourism quite heavily, and we're only open for three or four months of the year. The rest of the year, it's either too hot or too wet. 'If you want to free camp, fine, out in the bush, but not in my driveway — that's silly. Might as well call in and spend the $15 and support a family,' Jil said, referring to the price of the Roadhouse's unpowered sites. The campground, located near the infamous Gregory River Crossing, also features powered sites, ensuite units, toilet blocks, showers, a 24-hour fuel station, a restaurant, and a small shop. Jil and her husband took over the Tirranna Springs Roadhouse in 2018, but have spent the last two years rebuilding after three back-to-back floods destroyed everything. 'We got completely wiped out — our home, our farm animals, our pets and all of our stuff,' Jil told Yahoo. The last thing the business needs now is the threat of a bushfire, she said. 'It's so dry and windy. It only takes a gust of wind to take those embers somewhere else, and bang, we're on fire.' In an attempt to deter others, Jil pleaded with travellers online this week to please be responsible. While most tourists are "greatly appreciated", she often busts groups trying to camp in bushland on her property. 'A lot of times it is people camping just outside of our view. They don't pull into the driveway, they just drive around us and camp. It does happen quite a bit,' she said. 'They've never left a fire behind before but they do use our toilets and showers in the hotel accommodation, and then go back out to their free camp. That's proper cheeky.' 🚐 Brazen $300k act prompts caravan warning amid growing Aussie trend 🏕️ Major crackdown coming to travel hotspot amid surge in illegal camping 🔥 Aussie traveller calls out deadly recurring issue after 11,000km trip And Tirranna is not the only local business impacted by the trend. Hudson, manager of the nearby Burke and Wills Roadhouse, told Yahoo tourists often camp in a vacant lot across the road and wander over to use their facilities. 'They tend to go park over there among the bushes. To be fair most of them come over and buy food and everything so they can use the showers and the toilets, but a lot of them tend to not do that.' Councils across the country continue to crack down on illegal camping at major tourist areas, with levels of overcrowding, damage to the environment, and littering soaring at frequently visited spots. Yahoo has contacted the Burke Shire Council for comment. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
New York Times
09-07-2025
- New York Times
Rivers Are the Soul of the Texas Hill Country, and a Source of Heartache
Slightly downstream from where the San Marcos and Blanco rivers meet in Central Texas, Tom Goynes likes to show visitors to his campground the 'symphony of birds,' as he calls it, in the mornings — the woodpeckers, the cardinals. He routinely sees deer, bobcats and coyotes. 'You're surrounded by God and everything that he's created,' said Mr. Goynes, 74, who has operated campgrounds on the San Marcos River since 1972. 'It's a whole lot better than being in any cathedral.' In the region of Texas known as the Hill Country, the rivers that etch an otherwise semiarid terrain are a defining feature: They have long offered a cool respite from unforgiving heat, access to wildlife and a splendor that can resonate in a way that feels spiritual. When some of those rivers quickly rose early on July 4, unleashing floodwaters that killed more than 100 people, with dozens of others still missing, the disaster served as an abrupt reminder of the danger that has always lurked in a place referred to as Flash Flood Alley. But the substantial loss of life also reflected these waterways' magnetic allure. The floodwaters crashed through beloved sleep-away camps, vacation properties and homes built along the banks. Some of those houses belonged to families who had staked their claims generations ago, and plenty of others to newcomers who had sought out this part of Texas with visions of a life that felt more rustic. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Yahoo
Travis Decker's Neighbor Details Odd Encounter Before Kids' Murders
Originally appeared on E! Online seemed off the last day his daughters were seen alive. As authorities continue to search for the fugitive, who is wanted for the murders of his and ex-wife Whitney Decker's daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, his ex's neighbor Binh Nguyen—who has lived next door to the Decker family home for years—detailed his final interaction with Travis. 'He was skinny,' Binh recalled in an interview with People published June 26. 'He had long hair and a beard. I said, 'Is that you, Travis?'" Binh, who said he had a friendly relationship with Travis over the years admitted that the military veteran seemed distracted during their 10-minute exchange. 'It was kind of weird,' the neighbor continued. 'He had a sad face.' But like Travis' ex-wife, Binh shared that he never noticed any red flags in Travis' previous behavior, recalling how he often saw the 32-year-old pick his daughters up for camping trips in the three years since the Deckers' 2022 divorce. As he put it, when it came to Travis and his daughters, who were found asphyxiated in a Washington state campground June 2, 'They loved him a lot, and he loved them too.' More from E! Online 1,000-lb. Sisters' Tammy Slaton Engaged to Andrea Dalton 2 Months After Revealing Romance Influencer Tanner Martin Announces His Own Death at 30 Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom Break Up After 9 Years Together Travis was last seen by Whitney during their custody hand-off with their daughters May 31. At the time, he had told his ex that he would bring their three daughters back to her residence at 8 p.m. that night, but she became worried when he did not show and his phone began going to voicemail. After a two-day search, the Decker girls were ultimately found dead near Travis' abandoned pick-up truck. And while Travis left no trace of his own whereabouts, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison said during a press conference earlier this month that they were 'closing in' on the suspect. Weeks after her daughters' deaths, Whitney shared her first public statement regarding her 'incredible' little girls at a June 20 memorial service, where she detailed her daughters' 'warm and open hearts." As she said in her statement, per NBC K5 Seattle, 'I truly hope that the legacy of the girls' lives lives in everyone's heart forever." For everything to know about the Decker case, keep reading… (E! and NBC K5 Seattle are both part of the NBC Universal family.) Who is Travis Decker?When Did Travis Decker and Whitney Decker's 3 Daughters Go Missing?What Happened to Travis Decker and Whitney Decker's 3 Daughters?Has Travis Decker Been Found?What Has Whitney Decker Said About the Deaths of Her Daughters?What Are the Next Steps In the Search For Travis Decker? For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
CBS News
25-06-2025
- CBS News
Man ordered to pay restitution after stealing thousands from Michigan state campground site "pay pipes"
A Lansing-area man has been ordered to pay a total $8,000 in restitution and reimbursements over money stolen from remote campground site "pay pipes" in Michigan Department of Natural Resources state forests. Justyn Mark Spitzley, 36, of Sunfield, had already pleaded guilty to one felony charge of larceny of more than $1,000 but less than $20,000, and one misdemeanor charge of operating on a suspended license, the DNR reported. The restitution hearing took place on June 16 in Luce County District Court. He was also sentenced to one year in prison, with credit for 81 days served. Spitzley had targeted several of the payment collection sites known as "pay pipes," where campers deposit cash to pay for their stay, according to the report. Michigan state parks staff had noticed that collections at several remote campgrounds in Luce County came up "way short on campsite fees" during the 2023-24 season, with several thousand dollars unaccounted for. DNR conservation officers and special investigative unit detectives then worked with Michigan State Police, Sault Ste. Marie Police and the Mackinac Bridge Authority to set up surveillance and identify a possible suspect. A series of campsite pay pipe break-ins in the Upper Peninsula during October 2024 then led to the charges.
