Rules and Regulations

• Emergencies

• If you have any problems or emergencies, please contact someone at the registration booth, the "Stuff Shack", or one of the officials.  It would be advisable to bring a first aid kit for minor cuts, scrapes and bruises.  Also, the TMSPA wants you to be aware that this is a remote and primitive high altitude site.

Any medical or emergency help will take about one hour to arrive !
If you have any medical condition, be prepared to "care for yourself" until help can be summoned!

• Main Gate Hours

• The Main Gate closes at 8:00 P.M. every evening.  Please plan to arrive on site before this time.  If you arrive after the gate is closed, you will be required to park outside for the night and cannot enter with your vehicle until the gate reopens at 9:00 A.M. the following morning.  You may walk into the site.
• Vehicles and Driving

• The two main roads in and around the site can be very bumpy and dusty.  Please limit your speed to a crawl.  No one wants to have his or her telescope covered with dust just because you are in a hurry.
• Driving in the dark is dangerous and can harm or even kill someone.  Only in cases of emergency will we allow any vehicle to move around in the telescope field after dark.
• Parking and Camping Sites

• Vehicles are not permitted off road unless in an area designated by the TMSPA parking staff.  The Forest Service regulates the location of camping and parking spaces and we must limit the number of vehicles crossing over grass areas, so go in - stay in.  Camping is on a first come - first serve basis.  The parking attendants determine the amount of space for each site and saving space between camping areas is not allowed.
• No vehicles may park in the following locations, however tent camping is permitted in these areas:
  • Inside the tree line at the North end of the Telescope Field.
  • In the field north of the trees near the Student tent.
  • Any where on the north side of the road to Lion Rock.
• Fires and Cooking

• NO FIRES!!!  Table Mountain is a high altitude dry environment and there is no water available in the vicinity.  For this reason, no fires are permitted anywhere on site.  This includes cooking fires, traditional wood fires and charcoal briquettes.  No fuel source that creates ashes may be used.  The only acceptable cooking source is propane barbeques, or propane and white gas cook stoves.  
• Cigarettes are to be disposed of in fireproof containers.
• Lighting restrictions

• Red Light Only after 10:00 P.M.
• All vehicle headlights, parking lights, tail and break lights must remain extinguished at all times.
• RV, trailer, and camper lights MUST remain extinguished unless there is proper shielding installed on all windows and doors, or red covers are on lighting fixtures.
• Colman style lanterns or outdoor lighting of any type is NOT allowed.
• Equip all flashlights with red filters and keep them pointed at the ground.  Also, keep your flashlights to a maximum of two D-cell sizes or smaller.  Larger lights, even with red gel, produce too much intensity and can ruin your dark-adapted sight.
• Laser Pointers

• Do to the increased popularity of these devices and the safety concerns of our attendees; we have instituted a total ban of laser pointers of any color at TMSP.  Collimation lasers are okay to use but care should be taken to not inadvertently affect someone's vision.
• The only possible exception would be OFFICIAL TMSP use for Sky Tours or Identification programs.  These programs will be conducted in specific areas only and will be concluded by Midnight
• Generators

• Generator noise and fumes intrude on your neighbor's enjoyment of the outdoors.  For that reason, generators can only be used from 10:00 A.M. until Midnight. , regardless of where you are camped.
• TMSP and official services generators are exempt from this rule, however they must be in approved locations and of adequate sound dampening installed.
• If you have a medical condition that requires generator use, please contact a TMSP official for permission before operating your generator.
• Garbage, Porta-Potties, Wastewater

• Remember that Table Mountain is a backcountry location.  If you pack it in, please pack it out.  A dumpster is provided for your convenience.  Please use it.  You can help avoid higher costs by refraining from throwing away recyclable materials and taking them home with you.  If you must throw away boxes or plastic jugs, please flatten them as much as possible.
• The USFS requires that we remove all wastewater from this location.  There is no dumping of your RV gray tanks on site.  Dumping gray or black water in the Porta-Potties is not allowed either.  Illegal dumping can result in a USFS citation.
• Pets

• Please leave your pets at home if at all possible.  Loose roaming animals can cause damage to the equipment on site.  Besides, no one wants to step in a mess caused by your pet in the middle of the night.
• If you must bring you pet, please keep it leashed at all times while outside.  Do not leave your animal unattended, even if it is on a leash.  Remember that pet owners must pick up after their pets in all areas of site.
• Bicycles

• Bicycles have become a problem in recent years.  The bikes raise too much dust and there is a very high concentration of expensive equipment around that can potentially be damaged.  For these reasons, TMSP has banned bicycles from any point south of the road to lion rock.  This includes the speaker's tent field, student field, vendor row, and the telescope field and camping area.  If you wish to ride your bicycle there are many FS roads along with the road to Lion Rock available.  Please dismount and walk you bike through the unapproved areas.
• Commercial Displays / Vending

• The US Forest Service Lease specifically indicates that no selling of any type may take place on site without the proper registration.  This means that if you wish to sell any product you must register as a Vendor and pay all appropriate registration fees.  Vendors may set up in the designated area only with prior TMSPA approval.  Absolutely no displaying or selling of wares is permitted outside the confines of the Vendor area.  If you do not register as a vendor and wish to sell items, the only place and time you may do so is in the Swap Meet on Saturday morning.

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Page updated 05/02/2008