Bundles that satisfy park rules, delivered on a schedule set before the season — not scrambled for on a holiday weekend.
This is the part that catches campgrounds out, and it matters more than price. Firewood transports pests — emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle and spotted lanternfly have all spread this way — so many states, national forests and park systems restrict what wood can come in. The usual compliant answers are locally sourced wood or USDA-certified heat-treated bundles carrying the APHIS stamp.
They vary by state, by quarantine zone, and often by the individual park. Check yours before committing to a supplier — the obligation sits with the campground, not the wood seller.
Heat treatment kills pests and larvae, and certified product carries the USDA APHIS stamp on the packaging. If you're on state or federal land or inside a quarantine zone, that stamp is frequently required rather than nice to have.
Buying from a supplier near the campground usually satisfies the rule where no quarantine applies, and shortens the haul — which is most of what firewood delivery actually costs.
What campers actually buy — shrink-wrapped, carryable to a site, priced per unit. No labour, consistent presentation, and certified bundles arrive ready to satisfy park rules.
Lower wood cost, but you take on labour, storage, wrap — and the compliance question becomes yours. Right answer depends on your staffing more than your wood budget.
Suppliers get squeezed as the season opens. A standing drop with a re-order trigger costs nothing to arrange and removes the mid-season scramble.
One screen. Volume, cadence and whether you need certified product — it goes to suppliers whose delivery area covers your ZIP.
Because firewood moves pests. Emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle and spotted lanternfly have all spread through transported firewood, and in response many states, national forests and state park systems restrict what wood may be brought in — commonly requiring it to be sourced within a short radius, or to be USDA-certified heat-treated with the stamp on the bundle. "Don’t Move Firewood" is a national campaign built on exactly this. Rules differ by state and often by individual park, so check yours before you commit to a supplier: buying local or certified is usually the compliant answer.
Heat treatment brings the wood to a core temperature high enough for long enough to kill pests and larvae, and certified product carries a USDA APHIS stamp on the packaging. If your campground sits inside a quarantine zone, hosts campers arriving from out of state, or operates on state or federal land, certified heat-treated bundles are frequently required rather than optional. Locally sourced wood may satisfy the rule where no quarantine applies — but the burden of knowing sits with the campground.
Bundles are what campers actually buy: shrink-wrapped, easy to carry to a site, and priced per unit. Buying pre-bundled means no labour and consistent presentation, and certified bundles come ready to satisfy park rules. Buying bulk cords and bundling in-house lowers the wood cost but adds labour, storage, wrap and — critically — you become responsible for the compliance question. Which way is right depends on your staffing more than your wood budget.
Earlier than most operations plan for. Suppliers get squeezed as the season opens and everyone orders at once, and wood that arrives late has no time to sit properly. Setting a standing delivery before the season — with a defined cadence and a re-order trigger — costs nothing and removes the mid-July scramble when a holiday weekend clears your rack.
You describe the volume you move, how often you want drops, and whether you need certified heat-treated product; that goes to firewood suppliers whose delivery area covers your ZIP. Because it’s a recurring account rather than a one-off load, expect a conversation about pallet quantities, drop access and schedule rather than an instant per-bundle price.
Kiln-dried oven wood has a different spec — moisture, species and split length.
Restaurant firewood