roadtripper5171991

A compact campground (70 sites in a small area) closely mowed with some great waterside sites, and clean restrooms. Our site B30 was an uphill push and featured a big tree in the driveway - not a dealbreaker, but a chore. On -site honor system “store” features local produce, canned goods and firewood. Big boating campground, full with lots of friends/family campers on weekend. Mid-week was pleasantly 1/3 full. Good jumping off point for Mammoth Cave. $13 per night with lifetime parks pass…Recommended!

First time to Great Plains State Park...very nice and less than five campers on a mid-week stay during a warm patch in February 2024. Nice level spots, water and electric worked fine, and a new sidewalk trail by the lakeside was welcome. Public facilities were clean, and the staff was great helping us switch sites. We did not travel away from the Lower Mountain Shade campground, as we nearly had that place all to ourselves. A pleasant off-season discovery!

Stayed at Santa Rosa Lake two days in early May 2023, a pleasant experience while still close to the interstate. All hookups worked fine, the pull through paved site was pretty level. Showers were par for a state park, and clean. Interesting hiking trails along the shoreline, and already getting hot and very windy. Better internet with WeBoost.

Booked the only Conchas Dam site Reserve America said was open in the entire campground, dry camping N4. An oddly positioned site next to the road, the folks in the equally odd N5 helped us figure out how our 24 ft trailer would fit. (Meanwhile, several better sites sat unused yet reserved) Several hours later, two rangers said we were set up in the road. But their suggested position on the site was too short, and one ranger opined the site actually looked like a pull through. Our situation was amicably solved when we promised to depart a day early. That was due to there being little to do at Conchas Lake if you are not boating. We were checking out NM lakes and dutifully hit Conchas: clean bathrooms, showers seemed okay, the sites with adobe shelters were much better than the open picnic tables. No hiking trails but good skies for star watching. Avoid N4 and N5

Spent a Friday & Saturday night in mid-May at this immaculately groomed county park - nice trails, wide open spaces. Basically empty except for campers during our stay. The rv sites were okay, site 14e was on a hillside: leveled up 6 inches on one side. We arrived looking for the water sources on the park map: two were inoperable, the single working faucet required us to fill up our six gallon jug, no hose attachments. No dump station on site. Vault toilets were well-worn but stocked and clean. Showers were locked up.

However, the park is regularly patrolled, quiet at night and looks to be mainly a locals/family hangout. Good wi-fi coverage. For us, Mukwonago Park was on the way to somewhere else and a good spot to layover for a day.

Our late May, early in the week landing at Lake Iowa Park campground was due to its proximity to Victor IA, where a visit was planned. It was a pleasant surprise to find a nearly empty park, our loop’s nine other slots remained empty during our two night stay. We had the shared water to ourselves, with electric and a site that required leveling; restrooms/showers were impressive. The Nature Center is very cool, and adds a good vibe to the facility. With only a couple of campers in the park, we felt secluded and secure. Lake Iowa Park exceeded our expectations; if ever in the area again, we’d certainly camp there again.

Stayed for three nights, Thur - Sun in early September. About a third full on Thursday, nearly sold out on the weekend. Sites are close together in the B loop - we stayed in 18 with Water & electricity - but C loop was the best, especially the waterfront sites. All staff were super friendly, bathhouses were a cut above most state parks, and a family-friendly vibe was evident. Fun trails in the park, easy access to Hot Springs. Highly recommend.

Stayed at site A16 - this smaller loop is a few minutes drive from the main campground and worth it. Had a level site on the creek, bathrooms were just okay (definitely worn), and the park was clean and walkable. Dump site in another loop. Spring Hill was on our direct route and recommended - $9 with our lifetime senior pass.

For a couple days in early May, the nearly deserted Red Oak campground at Okmulgee Lake was a pleasant getaway. Four days of rain had chased everyone from the park when we arrived on a Sunday evening. No rain for 24 hours, but Monday night was tornado time. The park was in a heavy storm, and around midnight a local emergency services truck pulled right up to our trailer, lights blazing and a loudspeaker repeating: "Tornado spotted in the area - get to shelter now". We did just that, moving to the designated storm shelter (a concrete, enclosed shower). All clear after an hour, the park suffered minimal wind damage. No tornado in Okmulgee that night, but towns further north were wrecked. Hats off to the camp host, who stopped by earlier that day to make sure we knew what to do and where to go.

Red Oak campground is well kept, although showing its age and a decreasing maintenance budget \. However, nice walking trails, clean restrooms and roadways, and a location close to town are all plusses. Host told us that the campground is pretty busy on summer weekends, and rightfully so - the park is a little CCC-era gem. Being a little off the beaten path will mean mid-week travelers should have little trouble securing a spot in the all first come, first served campground - cash or checks only, and a senior discount, too!

Really nice one-night stopover at this small, simple yet well tended campground, no reservations taken. Only four miles from the interstate, but far enough to feel like the backcountry. We rolled in around 3pm on on a Friday and grabbed pull through site 13, with electricity and water. Two ATV trailheads make this campground a noisier place, but mid-week must be quieter. Early in the season, restrooms were super clean. Noticed several water spigots with bad leaks; ours had a minor but constant leak, and got turned off when we didn't need it. Lake McClellan looks to have been bone dry for years - a walk down the old boat ramp into the middle of the lake bed was a fun stroll.