Why More Campgrounds Are Going Cart-Only (And What RVers Should Know)

I started noticing the signs a couple of years ago. Campgrounds posting new rules about vehicle use on their grounds. Speed limits dropping. UTVs getting restricted or banned outright. And golf carts showing up everywhere.

It’s not a fluke. Campgrounds in Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, and up through the Midwest are all shifting toward golf cart-only policies. If you spend any time at RV parks, you’ve probably seen this firsthand.

So what’s behind it?

The Noise Problem

UTVs and side-by-sides are loud. Even the quieter models hit 70-80 decibels, which is about the same as a vacuum cleaner running past your campsite at 7 AM. Gas-powered golf carts aren’t much better.

Electric golf carts? They barely make a sound. You can drive one past someone’s site at night and they won’t hear you coming.

Campground owners figured this out. When half your guests are complaining about noise from the other half’s vehicles, the math is simple. Several Jellystone Parks and KOA locations now require electric carts, and more are following every season.

Speed and Safety

UTVs can hit 40-60 mph. On a campground road with kids on bikes and dogs on leashes, that’s a problem waiting to happen. Golf carts top out around 15-20 mph (25 mph for street-legal models), which is a lot more appropriate for a place where people are walking around in flip-flops.

The CPSC reported over 18,000 golf cart injuries in 2023, and most of those happened because people were going too fast or not paying attention. In a UTV with more power and speed, those numbers would be worse.

What to Look for If You’re Buying a Cart for Campground Use

If your campground has gone cart-only (or you’re just tired of paying rental fees every trip), here’s what matters when you’re shopping.

Go electric. Gas carts smell, they’re loud, and campgrounds are banning them. Electric is quieter, cheaper to run ($1-2 per full charge), and a single charge lasts 15-25 miles depending on terrain. That’s plenty for a week of campground driving.

Think about size before you fall in love with a model. A 4-seater is great if you have kids, but it’s heavier and harder to tow. A 2-seater fits on most hitch carriers and weighs hundreds of pounds less. How you’re getting the cart to the campground should drive this decision.

The battery question is worth spending time on. Older carts use lead-acid batteries: cheaper up front but heavy, need regular watering, and last 4-5 years. Lithium costs more but lasts 8-10 years, weighs half as much, and you never have to touch it. For an RVer who’s already watching tow weight, lithium is worth the extra money.

You also don’t have to spend a fortune. There are solid new electric carts starting under $5,000, and used ones in good shape for $3,000-4,000. I put together a guide to the best golf carts under $10,000 if you want to compare specific models and prices.

Getting Your Cart to the Campground

Most RVers I’ve talked to use one of three setups.

The most popular is a hitch carrier, a steel or aluminum platform that slides into your RV’s receiver hitch. Works best for lighter 2-seater carts under 500-600 lbs. A decent one runs $300-600. Just make sure your hitch can handle the tongue weight with the cart loaded.

If you’ve got a bigger cart, a small utility trailer (4×8 or 5×8) does the job. You’ll need to think about the extra length when backing into campsites, but you’re not limited on cart size.

Some people skip both and put the cart right in their truck bed. The Kandi Collapsible Mini even folds down to fit. Not common, but it works if you’re pulling your RV with a truck anyway.

Campground Etiquette With Your Cart

I’ve picked up a few unwritten rules over the years.

• Golf carts tear up grass and soft ground faster than you’d think. Campground owners notice. Stay on roads and designated paths, even if you see a shortcut.
• Speed is the other one. Just because a cart can do 15 mph doesn’t mean you should. 5-8 mph is the right pace when kids and dogs are around. Near playgrounds, go slower.
• For charging, bring a standard extension cord and plug in overnight at your site. Whatever you do, don’t run a generator to charge your cart. Your neighbors will let you know how they feel about that.
• And park it like you’d park your truck, not your bicycle. Don’t block roads, shared spaces, or other people’s sites.

Here to Stay

The trend toward golf cart-only campgrounds is picking up speed, not slowing down. If you spend any real time at RV parks, owning a cart is worth thinking about. Rental fees at campgrounds run $50-75 per day, and that adds up fast over a season.

A decent electric cart pays for itself in a couple of years of camping, and it’s a lot more convenient than hunting down the rental kiosk every time you want to grab ice from the camp store.