Dumb Oshkosh Camping Question

ArrowFlyer86

ArrowFlyer86

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When I've gone before I've driven my car to OSH and parked/camped at Camp Scholler, with them directing me all the way to my spot.

This time I intend to fly to Fond Du Lac and tie down the plane, but I'd like to camp at Oshkosh for the full experience. I saw that there's buses that run pretty much every hour during normal times so FLD -> OSH and back shouldn't be an issue.

Here's the dumb "I'm probably over-thinking it" question:
How does it work to camp at OSH when you don't arrive with your own vehicle (airplane or car)? Is there like a just-tent section with no vehicles/RVs where you walk to and sorta pick out a site? Or do they drive you to your designated spot? Just curious what to expect.
 
In an airplane you hold a sign in the window, GAC for camping. Then they direct you to the camping section. A few times it fills up, so check the web ahead of time. You can look at the Notam about flying in online.

I think they about always have room to camp driving in, no water or electricity though. You may be out a good way, from the entry gate.
 
I would expect you would, after leaving registration, just walk around and find a spot as if you were driving. Any empty non-hook up spot is fair game whether you have a vehicle or not.The handful of times I’ve camped in Scholler no one has directed me anywhere so I’m surprised to hear that’s your experience since all the sites except the improved RV hookup sites are a free for all thus have no reservations or assignments.
 
If you don't have an airplane then you will need to camp in Scholler. You do not need to have a car to camp there. You just walk up to the registration booths in Scholler, pay for camping and they will give you a piece of paper that you attach to or put in the window of your tent. If going for more than one night I recommend also bringing 4 stakes and some rope to mark out your site so that you don't have another car or camper park right next to your tent. As far as where you can camp you are allowed to setup a tent in any of the scholler camping areas that are not marked as water/electric or 24 hour generator areas. I will say that unless you get there early on Saturday, the available sites to put a tent are going to be a good distance away from the show. You will either be close to the highway or you will be out past the ultralight emergency landing area.
 
Thanks all!

tsts4 said:
The handful of times I’ve camped in Scholler no one has directed me anywhere so I’m surprised to hear that’s your experience.
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My experience driving to OSH is they had a big line of cars at registration, then once registered had a batch of us follow a series of guys in carts and then pointed us to our parking/camping spots.
At that point it was pretty full, so maybe they were making sure we didn't drive around aimlessly trying to find non-existent parking? Not sure.

crash7 said:
Better yet, just fly into OSH!
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I keep watching pilot OSH videos and telling myself I'll do it, then I wimp out and decide against it :p. I know I'm overthinking it...
Would love to camp under the wing.


tsts4 said:
Well sort of. Yes there are sections that are mainly tents but IIRC there no official segregated tent only area.
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I saw this map for Camp Scholler that seems to show all different categories. But I have definitely not been to Osh enough to have seen all those locales.
Wherever I end up -- I'm totally fine with a long walk. Spend all day at a computer, getting steps in is good for me.
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ArrowFlyer86 said:
I keep watching pilot OSH videos and telling myself I'll do it, then I wimp out and decide against it :p. I know I'm overthinking it...
Would love to camp under the wing.
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I am debating the same. I flew in one year late on a Sunday, but that was with a copilot and it wasn’t too bad. This year it would be solo and I’m not so sure…also wondering about how jammed up the airspace will be Sunday based on you know what. You’re based in Chicagoland, right? You could always chicken out of the conga line and drive.
 
455 Bravo Uniform said:
I am debating the same. I flew in one year late on a Sunday, but that was with a copilot and it wasn’t too bad. This year it would be solo and I’m not so sure…also wondering about how jammed up the airspace will be Sunday based on you know what. You’re based in Chicagoland, right? You could always chicken out of the conga line and drive.
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Yeah. I'm in Chicago burbs.
I gotta fly up this year to either FLD or OSH. I'm gonna have my cousin's kid in tow and he's super stoked to fly there, so I would be crushing his dreams of arriving by air if we drove!
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
When I've gone before I've driven my car to OSH and parked/camped at Camp Scholler, with them directing me all the way to my spot.
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That's... Highly unusual.

ArrowFlyer86 said:
This time I intend to fly to Fond Du Lac and tie down the plane, but I'd like to camp at Oshkosh for the full experience. I saw that there's buses that run pretty much every hour during normal times so FLD -> OSH and back shouldn't be an issue.

Here's the dumb "I'm probably over-thinking it" question:
How does it work to camp at OSH when you don't arrive with your own vehicle (airplane or car)? Is there like a just-tent section with no vehicles/RVs where you walk to and sorta pick out a site? Or do they drive you to your designated spot? Just curious what to expect.
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Well, most people don't do that. You either fly in and camp with the plane, or you drive in and camp in Camp Scholler.

There is no tent-only section. There are improved sites, 24-hour generator sites (no tents allowed), and regular sites which are occupied by tents, RVs, or whatever.

What you're going to have to do is get on the bus from Fond du Lac to Oshkosh, which will drop you off at the Bus Park, where you'll need to pick up a Camp Scholler bus. I think the closest you'll get to camping registration is Red One Market West, so get off the bus there, go to camper registration to buy your site, and then you'll have to wander to find a site.

You're also going to have to do all of this with all of your camping gear - That's NOT going to be "just getting your steps in" and is going to be a giant PITA.

IMO, it'll be quicker to just drive from Chicago if you can't bring yourself to just fly into OSH. But, you should just fly into OSH.

Tools said:
Yes. There are tent sections.
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There are not tent-only sections.

ArrowFlyer86 said:
Yeah. I'm in Chicago burbs.
I gotta fly up this year to either FLD or OSH. I'm gonna have my cousin's kid in tow and he's super stoked to fly there, so I would be crushing his dreams of arriving by air if we drove!
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Is he super-stoked to fly into Fond du Lac? Unlikely.
Is he super-stoked to spend the first several hours of the experience sitting on a bus and walking around trying to find a campsite? No way.

You need to just fly into OSH.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
That's... Highly unusual.


Well, most people don't do that. You either fly in and camp with the plane, or you drive in and camp in Camp Scholler.

There is no tent-only section. There are improved sites, 24-hour generator sites (no tents allowed), and regular sites which are occupied by tents, RVs, or whatever.

What you're going to have to do is get on the bus from Fond du Lac to Oshkosh, which will drop you off at the Bus Park, where you'll need to pick up a Camp Scholler bus. I think the closest you'll get to camping registration is Red One Market West, so get off the bus there, go to camper registration to buy your site, and then you'll have to wander to find a site.

You're also going to have to do all of this with all of your camping gear - That's NOT going to be "just getting your steps in" and is going to be a giant PITA.

IMO, it'll be quicker to just drive from Chicago if you can't bring yourself to just fly into OSH. But, you should just fly into OSH.


There are not tent-only sections.


Is he super-stoked to fly into Fond du Lac? Unlikely.
Is he super-stoked to spend the first several hours of the experience sitting on a bus and walking around trying to find a campsite? No way.

You need to just fly into OSH.
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Hmm.. you make good points. Except I think he'll be happy either way.

I'll give it some thought.
 
It’s looking like N40 is or almost is full. But they’ve been improving the S40 each year so hopefully they are about the same now.
 
masloki said:
It’s looking like N40 is or almost is full. But they’ve been improving the S40 each year so hopefully they are about the same now.
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The north 40 has existed for 55 years, and the south 40 opened in 2018 and has been expanded nearly every year since then. The South 40 seems to be a bit behind on transportation in particular - If you end up down at the south fence it is pretty difficult to get around. The South 40 shuttle bus goes down to the Red One Market South 40, and that is the only option until you get WAY farther north. You're also nearly two miles as the crow flies from show center!
 
Ed Haywood said:
Absolutely. Just not quite as nice facilities. Especially the bathrooms. Big difference between permanent buildings and porta johns.
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To be fair, the North 40 uses porta johns too except if you go to the newer shower building, which may or may not be nearby. And when it comes to showers, the shower trailers are better than even the newer shower buildings.

And yes, it is always absolutely worth flying into Oshkosh!
 
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