Welcome to West Forty! We want you to have a great time us and come back frequently. We believe in mutual respect between and with all of our guests, regardless of where you come from or what your life experiences are. We think of our campground as our own backyard with a bunch of friends and family wanting a space to enjoy all the wonderful things the Iron Range has to offer. To help maintain that respect for all on our property, we have developed basic rules over the many years of operating our campground. Some of the rules are common sense. Some are listed because we've had issues in the past and we've learned from those experiences.
Please note that any fees or fines listed in our rules are either: 1) to recover our costs of replacement or repair 2) serve as a deterant for activities that do not want to occur on our property. None of our rule or policy related fees or fines are meant to increase campground revenue.
We try to update our rules only in the camping off-season when we are closed, but occasionally it is neccessary for use to edit our rules during the season. When mid-season changes are made, we will publish them in our email newsletter.
Please let us know if you have questions about any of our rules/policies. We hope you enjoy your stay!
Campground Office/Store Hours
Our park office/store is staffed between 3 and 9 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On most weekends the owner is available at his on-site residence at site B1 and the on-site park host is available at site B4. Campers can also call or text 218-248-7362 for assistance.
General park rules
- All reservations must have a valid credit or debit card on file. You may pay the balance of the reservation with cash or check. Guests who pay by check authorize the campground to process an ACH transaction as an alternate form of payment for any damages or fees if there is no credit or debit card on file.
- In the event of insufficient funds at the time of payment, the campground may add $25 to the owed balance per payment attempt.
- All campsites must be registered to the person listed on the credit or debit card on file. This individual is responsible for all charges related to that campsite.
- Be respectful of all other campers on the property; do not cause disturbances that impede on other guests' enjoyment.
- Out of respect for guests from all walks of life, we do not allow flags or signs which reference or indicate support of a candidate for state or federal public office or current state or federal office holder on our campground property at any time.
- The speed limit in the park is 10 mph
- For the safety of other park guests, riding ATVs in the park and on the hill is not allowed; guests should only ride in/out to get to designated trails.
- You may be asked to park some of your vehicles (on- or off-road) in our designated trailer & RV parking area if they do not fit on your campsite.
- All types of fireworks are banned at West Forty RV Park for all days of the camping season. Fireworks - including items legally purchased in Minnesota - are not permitted at any time.
- All stays 7 days or longer must pay for electricity used per kWh in addition to the nightly rate for any campsite with a meter. Meters are read at the beginning and end of your stay. The electric utility fee will be charged upon departure/checkout. All campsites listed have electric meters: A1-A5, B2-B15, B18, B21, B22, C7, C8, D1-D5, D9, D10.
- All vehicles including campers/RVs and personal vehicles must be insured by the individual responsible for payment of the campsite.
- West Forty RV Park and Campground, its parent(s) and/or affiliated companies shall not be liable for injuries, death, damages, fire or theft of any kind.
Cancellation Policy
- All reservations require the equivalent of one night campsite rental deposit at the time of booking, plus any charges for additional people above site occupancy limits, non-refundable reservation fee, campground booking fee, lock fee (if selected), credit card processing fee and payment for any additional items selected as add-ons.
- Monthly reservations require a $100 non-refundable security deposit per site.
- The balance due for all daily/weekly reservations will be processed automatically by our system at 9 a.m. Central time on the morning after the scheduled check-in date.
- Cancellations made 14 days (or more) prior to the booked arrival date, will be refunded minus a $25 cancelation fee on tent/camper/RV sites or $50 for tent-cabins, non-refundable reservation fee, and campground booking fee. If special event meal add-ons were selected with the reservation, the charge for those items cannot be refunded. All other add-on items like firewood or site lock purchased in advance will be fully refunded.
- Cancellations within 14 days of the booked arrival date will not be refunded. The balance of the original amount due at check-in will be voided.
- The cleaning and damage deposit for tent-cabin rentals is fully refundable regardless of when a reservation is cancelled.
- Refunds will not be issued after the guest has checked in.
- Any campsite not occupied by 10 p.m. on the scheduled day of arrival will be considered a no call/no show and will be reopened to our bookable inventory at 10 a.m. the next morning.
- Reservations not cancelled prior to the arrival date will be charged the full balance due to the card on file automatically by our system at 9 a.m. Central time on the day of your scheduled arrival. Refunds will not be granted for reservations which not cancelled in advance.
Check-in
Check-in time is between 3 and 9 p.m. daily. Arrivals after 9 p.m. may be charged an additional $15 per site. Early check-in may be available upon request for an additional fee:
- Check-in from 12-3 p.m. will be charged a partial day ($10)
- Check-in earlier than 12 p.m. will be charged a full day ($35)
Check-out
- Check-out is by 12 p.m. (noon) daily. Late check-out may be available upon request until 5 p.m. for a $10 fee per campsite.
- Campsites are inspected by our staff after each guest departs.
Site Lock
- Purchasing Site Lock during the booking process is always an optional choice for our guests. It is not required.
- We reserve the right to change the location of a site selected by guests when there is an operational need for us to do so including accommodating requests for seasonal/monthly campers to reduce or eliminate moves during their stay. When we move guests, we always try to move campers to the most similar site type available.
- Purchasing Site Lock means you will not be moved without compensation. Bookings with site lock will receive a refund of their site lock fee and a 25% discount on their campsite fees for the duration of the stay if we need to move you to another campsite.
Campsite occupancy rules
- Occupancy for standard sites include four (4) adults over 16 in the rate. Children stay for free.
- Each standard site may have up to two tents or one camper/RV and one tent per site maximum.
- Occupancy for group camping sites include six (6) adults over 16 in the rate. Children stay for free.
- Adults over 16 in excess of site occupancy limits will be charged at $5 per person per night.
- Cars, trucks or ORVs in excess of two (2) per site total may be asked to park one or more vehicles in our overflow parking area at no additional cost. Vehicle trailers should be parked in overflow parking.
Quiet time
Quiet times will be enforced by the on-site park host.
- Sunday through Thursday quiet from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Fridays and Saturdays quiet from midnight to 7 a.m.
Failure to honor quiet time may result in eviction from the campground without refund. Riding ATVs/ORVs in the campground is discouraged during quiet times.
Security cameras
West Forty RV Park and Campground property is monitored 24-hours-a-day by multiple security cameras for your protection and safety. Areas of camera surveilence include, but is not exclusive to, public areas outside restroom/shower buildings, inside and outside the campground office, the exterior of the trash/recycling building and garbage dumpster, all building and structure entrances/exits, the campground entrance driveway, overflow and common parking areas. Information and data obtained by security cameras is owned and under the exclusive control of West Forty RV Park and may be transmitted to local law enforcement or be used for an insurance claim process at the sole discretion of campground management.
No Pools or Hot-tubs
Personal pools, wading pools, inflatable hot tubs, or anything that uses more than 75 gallons of water is not allowed on West Forty RV Park property.
Drone Use
Flying drones above the campground is a violation of individual privacy and is not allowed at any time without prior permission from the office. Drone flights may only be conducted with permission from the campground office in advance so that we can send out notification of the event to all guests on our property before the schedule flight. Please note that our campground property is on the edge of a flight path for float planes at nearby Ely Lake and may require that you file a flight plan with the FAA in advance.
Alcohol and Drugs
Only guests of authorized age may consume alcoholic beverages or legalized drugs on campground property. Prescription medications are allowed only for the individual named on the medication container label. Anyone reported to be causing a disturbance to other campers will receive one warning. If the behavior or noise continues to be an issue for campground guests, obviously intoxicated individuals will be asked to leave the campground without a refund. Illegal drugs are not allowed on property at any time. If an individual is caught by staff with illegal substances, local law enforcement will be called and will result in immediate eviction from the campground without refund.
No unauthorized dumping
We provide garbage disposal at no cost to campers for everyday trash. Please use the garbage dumpster and recycling center located near the campground office. If illegal dumping is caught on camera and matched to a guest, their credit or debit card may be charged. The following items are cannot be dumped at any time and may result in an illegal dumping charge of up to $25 per item.
- TVs, computer monitors and towers, laptops or other electronics
- Hazardous waste including, but not limited to engine oils, paint, household chemicals, automotive or RV/marine batteries and the like
- Tires
- Appliances, barbeque grills, fire pits or metal scrap
- Mattresses, box springs, mattress toppers or mattress foam
Damages to campground property
We understand that mistakes happen and things sometimes break. We do our best to help guests avoid damaging property or campers while visiting our campground. We will assist you getting your camper/RV parked upon request to help you avoid damaging utility risers, etc. If something on your campsite breaks during your stay or if you notice it broken upon arrival, please report it to us so we can make necessary repairs and keep the site safe for the next guest.
- Campsites are inspected by our staff after each guest departs.
- When unreported damages are discovered by our staff after guests check out, we will charge the last guest to occupy the site to recover costs associated with damage up to $100 depending on the cost to repair or replace the item damaged.
- Missing water backflow prevention valves will be charged at $10 per occurrence.
No Outside Firewood
- Firewood is available for purchase on-site in the office or in advance at the time of booking. We offer complimentary delivery to your site for all wood purchases. The firewood sold on site is priced similarly to other places in the community.
- Non-locally sourced firewood is not allowed on campground property. All firewood must be purchased within a 50-mile radius of Gilbert. If you choose to buy firewood locally, but not from the campground store, you may be required to provide a receipt if asked to show proof of purchase locally.
- Bringing unapproved wood on to campground property will result in a $50 charge per violation.
- Construction wood is prohibited and may not be burned on our property. When construction wood burns, it produces increased embers and increases the risk of damage to the surrounding area, other campers or their property. Burning construction wood will result in a $50 charge per violation.
Pets
- We love pets and we are a dog-friendly campground. We believe that all dogs can be either well-mannered or aggressive at any time.
- Please help keep the campground clean by remembering to pick up after your pet. We have a dog waste bag station located near our office with free bags for all to use. If we find dog waste on your campsite after check-out, your credit card will be charged $25 for site clean-up.
- Campsites A1-A5 and C1-C11 are designated as 'dog-friendly' campsites which include complementary metal poles and tie-out clips on them. Pets are welcome on any campsite.
- Pets must be leashed at all times when they are outdoors per Gilbert City ordinance. Violators will receive one (1) warning. Subsequent violations will result in a $25 fine charged to your credit card per occurrence.
- Pets may not be left unattended inside a tent or camper with a canvas pop-up or slide at any time. Pets are not allowed in West Forty owned rental tents.
- Aggressive breeds of dogs must be kept inside your camper/RV or leashed to an adult at all times on no longer than a 6 foot leash. Aggressive breeds are those with the following genetic lines: Mastiffs, Rottweilers, Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, Doberman Pinschers, Akitas, Chow Chows, German Shepherds, Great Danes, Pit Bull Terriers, Bulldogs and Wolf-hybrids.
- Any reports of dog aggression towards people will result in eviction from the campground without a refund.
No vehicle repairs on campsites - use designated areas only
- If a repair needs to be made to your off-road vehicle, please use the vehicle parking area in the designated area of campground D section near the restroom/shower building or in another area designated by the campground host.
- Vehicle fluids may not be changed anywhere on campground property. Guests may top-off, or fill vehicles with fluids as needed, however repairs that require partial or complete draining of fluids for repairs to be completed are not allowed. Violations of this policy can result in a $50 fine or a warning.
- FREE AIR is available for all guests on-site! We know our guests frequently air-down before a ride and need to air-up afterwards. For your convenience, we have and air compressor with a 30ft hose and attachments located in the recycling center. Please contact the park host if the compressor needs to be turned on.
Additional rules for seasonal/monthly campers only
All monthly rentals require a minimum of 30-day terms to qualify for the rates listed below. All monthly rentals require a signed Monthly/Seasonal Rental Policy on file and are sales tax exempt.
- Campsites B1-B9 or B13-B15
- 3-month minimum lease -- 30-amp or 50-amp service with full water/sewer hookups is $550 one payment per month plus electric used (pro-rated at $18.33 per day).
- Campsites C3-C5 and A1-A5
- 3-month minimum lease --30-amp with water access, no sewer is $500 one payment per month plus electric used (pro-rated at $16.66 per day).
Monthly leases less than 3 months, but longer than 30-days are allowed for an additional $25 per month. Rentals are pro-rated based on the total fees for the month divided by 30 to calculate the daily rate charged.
Our flex-payment plan is available for an additional $25 per month. With our flex-payment plan, renters may choose to pay weekly on Monday's or twice a month on the 1st and 15th of the month. Rentals are pro-rated based on the total fees for the month divided by 30 to calculate the daily rate charged.
Seasonal camping rate rules:
- Rent is due on the 1st of the month for all monthly rentals unless the flex-payment plan is selected. Flex-payment plan users may choose to pay weekly on Mondays or twice a month on the 1st and 15th of the month.
- Electric charges will be billed per monthly meter reading of actual kWh used to the credit or debit card on file on the 1st of the month or 1st and 15th of the month if a seasonal flex payment plan is selected.
- All seasonal rentals require a credit or debit card on file. A $25 service fee will be charged for any insufficient funds transactions or bank/credit card denials.
- Renters may pay in cash or check prior to the rent due date on request.
- Rental charges will be set up on a recurring schedule based on the renter's preference.
- Water will be shut off to all campsites in mid-October depending on the weather conditions. Sites B1 through B9 and A1 through A5 will have a hose available from the office building to fill camper water tanks from mid-October through the end of the season.
- Non-payment of rent will result in utilities being shut off to the campsite and/or the camper being towed to the local impound lot (at the owner's expense) if it is not fully paid within 7 days of the due date.
- All campers/RVs occupying a campsite on a seasonal/monthly basis must insured by the owner and have valid license plates and registration.
Flex-Plan rate rules:
- Flex-payment plan users may choose to pay weekly on Mondays or twice a month on the 1st and 15th of the month.
- Written notification of changes to stays that affect payment plans must be made by 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to payment being charged.
- Electric charges will be billed per monthly meter reading of actual kWh used to the credit or debit card on file on the 1st of the month or 1st and 15th of the month if a seasonal flex payment plan is selected.
- All rentals require a credit or debit card on file. A $25 service fee will be charged for any insufficient funds transactions or bank/credit card denials.
- Renters may pay in cash or check prior to the rent due date on request.
- Rental charges will be set up on a recurring schedule based on the renter's preference.
- Non-payment of rent will result in utilities being shut off to the campsite and/or the camper being towed to the local impound lot (at the owner's expense) if it is not fully paid within 7 days of the due date.