The rules for camping on Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds are pretty much consistent across all COE campgrounds in the United States. If you’ve camped at one, then you’ve camped at most of them. The differences generally fall between campgrounds with reservations versus first-come-first-serve campgrounds.

Rules for Camping on Army Corps of Engineers Campgrounds
Officially, rules are set individually for each campground on COE property. However, each campground tends to adopt the same set of rules as the other COE campgrounds across the country. For the full set of camping rules see, “Army Corps of Engineers Rules for Camping”.
Below is a synopsis of these rules…
- Where to Camp – You can only camp in areas designated for camping. You cannot camp outside of these areas. Each COE project will publish a map illustrating where these areas are. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.7 Camping)
- Maximum Length of Stay – There is a maximum stay of 14-days within a 30-day period. The 14-day maximum does not have to be consecutive days. The 30-day period begins with the first day of stay. Once that 30-day period has been reached, you get another 14-days. The maximum stay applies “per project”. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.7 Camping)
- Campsite Occupancy – If a campground is based on first-come-first-serve, you are required to personally appear at your campsite each day. You cannot place camping equipment on a site for the purpose of reserving it, nor are you allowed to store personal property on a campground without being there in person each day. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.7 Camping)
- Campfires – Campfires are allowed but must be restricted to a container provided by the COE. Outdoor cooking in your own barbecue grill or gas grill is generally allowed. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.10 Fires)
- Gathering Firewood – You are allowed to gather dead and down wood for the purpose of burning it in a campfire. But you are not allowed to remove that wood off of COE land. You are not allowed to cut down trees nor remove limbs from standing trees. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.14 Public property)
- Sewage & Trash – You are not allowed to dump gray water on the ground. You are not allowed to dispose human waste or animal waste on the ground or in the water. We assume this means you cannot dig a hole and poop in it. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.9 Sanitation)
- Weapons – The COE has a regulation stating that the possession of a loaded firearm is prohibited, sames goes for the possession of bow and arrow and crossbow. As long as the firearm is unloaded, you’re okay. We assume this to mean that possession of ammunition is okay too, as long as it is not stored inside the firearm. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.13 Hunting, fishing, and trapping). The only exception to this is if you are on a COE target shooting range, or if you are hunting.
- Quiet Hours – All COE campgrounds are subject to quiet hours from 10:00PM to 6:00AM each day. It also goes on to say that running a generator loud enough (at any time of the day) to annoy others is prohibited. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.12 Restrictions)
- Pets – All pets must be physically restrained at all times, anywhere on COE land or waters. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.11 Control of animals)
- Digging or Leveling Ground – You are not allowed to dig holes or level the ground on COE land. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.7 Camping)
- Flying Drones – Flying a drone is generally allowed over COE lands and waters. Each campground and project is free to designate areas where drones are are allowed and not allowed. As long as your drone remains over a recreation area, you’re pretty much good to go. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.4 Aircraft)
- Metal Detectors – The use of metal detectors is allowed as a general rule, however each COE campground or project is free to prohibit them, and most of them do. You are not allowed to dig up undisturbed land. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.14 Public property)
- E-bikes & Electric Bicycles – The ACOE has not addressed e-bikes at the federal level, thus some campgrounds and recreation areas have adopted their own rules. Some have banned e-bikes, others have limited restrictions, while others have allowed e-bikes. Most ACOE campgrounds and recreation areas, however, have yet to address e-bikes. For more discussion on e-bikes read, “Are E-Bikes Allowed on Army Corps of Engineers Campgrounds?“
- State & Local Laws Apply – All state and local laws apply on COE lands and waters. This would include vehicle laws, nude recreation, lewd behavior, breast-feeding, campsite setbacks, etc. (See CFR Title 36 § 327.26 State and local laws)
Understanding COE Projects and Districts
The Army Corps of Engineers is divided up nationally into several divisions, districts, and projects…
- There are eight (8) divisions covering the United States. The COE also has more divisions covering other parts of the world. (Click here to see a map of COE divisions)
- Each division is broken up into districts.
- Each district contains numerous projects.
- Each project is a facility that the COE has built. Most projects are dams resulting in the creation of reservoirs. Other projects include levees, docks, and canals.
- Each reservoir may include several recreation areas.
- Each recreation area may include one or more campgrounds. Not all recreation areas have campgrounds.
- Most campgrounds are developed with numbered sites, camping pads, picnic tables, fire rings, and restroom facilities. Some of these campgrounds require fees with advance reservations.
- There are many campgrounds with no numbered sites, tables, fire rings, nor anything to identify a designated campsite. In these campgrounds you are allowed to boondock.
Each COE division, district, project, recreation area, and campground is free to establish its own rules with respect to recreation and camping. However, most of them do not, and generally stick with the camping rules listed above.
More About Army Corps of Engineers Camping
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I was surprised by this: nude recreation, lewd behavior, breast-feeding, campsite setbacks, etc.
I think breat feeding should not be included with these items. Most women are not exhibitionists.
September 22, 2021 at 9:48 amGloria, it’s not saying that breast feeding is not allowed, it’s only saying that all state and local laws apply. Thus, if there is any state law that allows for, or prohibits, or limits, breast feeding, then that law applies on COE campgrounds too.
September 22, 2021 at 12:50 pmThe camp host just told me I cannot ride my e-bike in the COE campground. I don’t see that rule listed anywhere.
October 1, 2021 at 5:05 pmButch, some ACOE campgrounds and recreation areas have banned e-bikes, while some have placed limited restrictions. Most other campgrounds and recreations have not issued any such ban. However, the ACOE does have a rule that says all vehicles (motorized or not) must conform to federal, state, and local laws. Thus, the issue comes down to whether an e-bike is a motor vehicle or not. Because the ACOE has not addressed this matter on a federal level, each campground and recreation area is trying to figure this out for themselves. For more information about this, see… https://www.boondockersbible.com/knowledgebase/are-e-bikes-allowed-on-army-corps-of-engineers-campgrounds/
October 1, 2021 at 6:47 pmStill a bit confused. I understand no concealed carry is allowed without written permission.
December 12, 2021 at 8:39 amYou state that basically locked guns are allowed if unloaded, nothing about ammo.
I do not find any clear answer to this on there website other than they are not allowed.
Question: Can I camp legally in COE campgrounds if Gun is in a lockbox and ammo is separate without asking permission? My thought is to avoid COE land
Here is a link to the actual regulation on firearms… [§ 327.13 Explosives, firearms, other weapons and fireworks]. While it does not specifically say you cannot bring ammo, we assume the regulation still allows you to do so, as long as you don’t store the ammo inside the firearm.
December 12, 2021 at 10:07 pmHello, On Recreation.gov looks like you can’t make reservations till May1. I see comments that people were staying in February. How are they doing this? I was looking for a few days in mid April. Thank-you
March 30, 2022 at 8:40 pmThanks for the link to the corps’ web site. It says “(a) The possession of loaded firearms, ammunition, loaded projectile firing devices, bows and arrows, crossbows, or other weapons is prohibited unless:” The inclusion of ammunition as prohibited makes wrong your assumption about an unloaded weapon and ammo separate from it. Glad I read their information. It looks like it even prohibits signal flare guns. Sad.
May 7, 2022 at 6:11 amIs tent camping allowed in Florida COE parks?
May 13, 2023 at 2:49 pmI would like to know how many tree tents and or regular tent can be on one site together, example 1 tent and three tree tents, or three tents and two tree tents, or can you have a tree tent per person
June 22, 2023 at 7:04 amDiana, the ACOE does not specify camping occupancy in terms of number of people, at least not on a national level. It’s possible a specific recreation area may adopt it’s own rules, but all recreation area generally use the same national rules mentioned in this article. The best advice is to just go there and set yourself up. Most likely, park rangers won’t say anything. Park rangers are generally looking for bigger problems like fire violations, unauthorized events, etc.
June 22, 2023 at 7:20 amOkay so Ebikes are not allowed but the attendant uses an Ebike to make his rounds what’s right about this rule?
July 5, 2023 at 3:03 amVictor, e-bikes are only banned in certain ACOE campgrounds and recreation areas. The have not been banned in most others. For more details about this see… https://www.boondockersbible.com/knowledgebase/are-e-bikes-allowed-on-army-corps-of-engineers-campgrounds/
July 5, 2023 at 9:51 am