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roadtripper8069702

roadtripper8069702

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March 12, 2017
Rated

We targeted this state park to see the gorgeous waterfalls and we were not disappointed! The campground is located at the top of a small mountain - approaching from the south there is a long, steep grade to climb to reach the campground. The trail descends for a couple miles before looping around to climb back up. The trail has many stone steps making it easily navigable and the waterfall views are amazing!

The campground itself has spacious sites with good space in between, though you can see your neighbours through the forest. The footing at the site was a reddish dirt that got mucky and tracked everywhere when it rained. We were there in May 2015 and had no cell signal on our Canadian carriers - I understood there was no coverage there for any carrier but call ahead and ask as this could change.

A quirk of the Pennsylvania State Park system is that they only allow dogs on designated dog campsites, which clusters them all in the same area on a limited number of sites. We have a dog and when I asked what would be the option if there was no dog site available, the ranger said there is a kennel down the road! They also restrict dogs in certain areas of the park but there were still plenty of places we could take her including the waterfall trail. If you have a dog, best to call ahead and be sure a dog site is available.

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roadtripper8069702 would stay here again

Nightly Rate: -

Days Stayed: 2

Site Number: -

3 Access
4 Location
4 Cleanliness
4 Site Quality
3 Noise
March 11, 2017
Rated

We spent a week here in the second row back from the water - these sites are more elevated so you still have a good view. We were absolutely amazed by the huge number of seabirds including pelicans, herons, egrets, and wood storks. We also spotted dolphins multiple times (including a mom and calf) and even a green sea turtle. Wow!

We were also surprised by how intense the noseeums were all the time, except when it was windy. They crawl right through regular screens too - we actually rescreened our entire RV out of desperation while we camped there with tighter noseeum proof screening that blocked most of them. The ants also found a line into our trailer and we spent the week constantly sweeping them out. We camped here over Christmas - not sure if the bugs vary at different times of year.

The campground has a fishing museum that is small but quite good and appropriate since there are people fishing there constantly. You have to cross the inlet on the large bridge to the north side to access their beach - it's better to drive given the traffic. It is a lovely man made bay with warm shallow waters protected from the current - perfect for kids. We found stingrays and crabs in the bay which was entertaining.

Despite the bugs, it was such a lovely spot that we would camp there again, though maybe for a shorter stay.

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roadtripper8069702 would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $28.00

Days Stayed: 6

Site Number: 26

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
2 Site Quality
4 Noise
March 09, 2017
Rated

Waterfront campsites are small but have decent separation. Water access is via a pathway partitioned off with small wood fences to protect the vegetation on either side. Road noise was a bit jarring at first but it's not so bad by the ocean and you do get used to it. The first comfort station by the dump station is older with rotting wood around the showers and had a plumbing problem while we were there that was promptly repaired. The other comfort stations down the road are brand new renovated and very clean. We launched our canoe from the site easily enough at high tide and there is an abandoned grounded sailboat nearby to see plus an abandoned Cuban refugee boat. I had to wade out several hundred feet to get deep enough for swimming. Lovely canoeing in the protected bay with a launch just inside the main gate - lots of jellys pulsing under the water. There were ants at our site but somehow they did not come into our trailer, noseeums were only a problem in the evening and the rats in the dumpster were entertaining. Long Key is located mid keys - it took a good 80 minutes to drive to Key West but there is lots to explore at this end of the keys as well.

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roadtripper8069702 would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $36.00

Days Stayed: 14

Site Number: 19

5 Access
4 Location
5 Cleanliness
4 Site Quality
2 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

T-Mobile 4G

March 26, 2017
Rated

This is a pretty forest campground with mostly shady sites, though we were able to find some sun for our solar. There is lots of leaf litter and the concentration of ticks is unlike anything I have seen. Keeping ahead of the ticks, especially with a dog, was a constant battle. The main advantage to this campground is the location a short drive away to the Greenbelt Metro station where you can take the subway right into the heart of Washington DC.

I feel torn about our stay here: I wouldn't do it again while we have a dog due to the ticks. But without a dog, it is a decent, affordable location for camping if you are spending your days in the city which is what we did. Bathrooms weren't great but they did the job. We camped here in May 2015: it got busier on the weekend, but thinned out during the week.

No cell signal - the nearby McDonalds wifi wasn't much better. We sat down at the TGI Fridays restaurant right across from the park entrance to use their wifi and they started blasting music making it impossible to work. In all, our experience was very similar to WatsonsWander. Rated Site Quality 1 star below due to ticks.

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Nightly Rate: $16.00

Days Stayed: 5

Site Number: -

5 Access
5 Location
4 Cleanliness
1 Site Quality
4 Noise
March 12, 2017
Rated

We camped in the open field to maximize our solar and got lots of sunshine - no electricity in the open field.

There is a lovely waterfall with a swimming area a 5-15 minute walk from the campground - it was hot when we were there in May 2015 and we went back and forth several times on our bicycles. There is also a longer dirt trail you can walk up a hill/mountain with lovely views.

Campground is located just south of the town of Ithaca which has grocery stores, the famous Moosewood Restaurant and lovely waterfront parks and even a huge waterfall right in town. We also enjoyed the Museum of the Earth in town.

A quirk of NY State Parks is that they absolutely require proof of rabies vaccination for your dog (cats too) at check in so be sure you have this on hand.

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roadtripper8069702 would stay here again

Nightly Rate: -

Days Stayed: 4

Site Number: -

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
4 Site Quality
3 Noise
April 03, 2017
Rated

I stayed here on a Saturday night in early April. The day use area has a spacious grassy area with trees along the river. There are picnic tables, covered pavillions and a swinging chair overlooking the river. There is also the fort itself, which mostly consists of earth mounds with pathways along the top and below with various rooms and structures built into the earth. There is also a building on the fort grounds that is the historic army headquarters - I didn't go in as I had my dog with me. Noseeums and flying bugs were annoying so we had to keep moving and swatting. There is a small museum inside the main office building detailing the military history of the fort.

The campground area is quite spacious, wooded but not densely so you can see all the other campsites. However, the sites are huge and well-spaced and even on a Saturday night, it was quiet. I walked in the morning around the campground - there is a dock on the river in the campground. Comfort station was older but quite passable with a tiled shower and the cleaning staff were on duty.

I arrived without a reservation and signs said the campground was full. My plan was to visit on a day pass and overnight at the nearby Publix if there were no sites available. I asked if there were any sites when I arrived and again in the early evening when they checked on me in the day use parking area and both times was told no. Then, just at dusk, they came back to me with a walk-in site available. Since the office was already closed, I was to pay in the morning by 10am.

The instructions were to drive around the campground and pick any empty site that didn't have a tag on the post. I found site 12 available and pulled in for the night. At 7:50am, rangers were outside my rig recording my license plate since I was a walk-in - it was indicated on the paperwork that they do this so I was not surprised. As I was packing up, more staff came by on a golf cart to let me know I had actually camped in the driveway of site 12: the actual site was farther in. I was surprised - the site is really huge and I didn't even realize in the morning I wasn't actually in the main area of the site until they pointed it out.

I paid on my way out - it was an expensive night as you have to pay a $5 per family per visit day use fee on top of the $32 per night camping fee, taxes included. For a one night stay, that makes $37 which is a bit much. Great signal on my T-Mobile plan without the booster.

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roadtripper8069702 would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $37.00

Days Stayed: 1

Site Number: 12

3 Access
4 Location
4 Cleanliness
4 Site Quality
5 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

T-Mobile 4G

November 11, 2017
Rated

Another "free" camp with your Washington Discover Pass ($30 annual if you buy from an automated pay station, otherwise $35). About 10 sites total well spaced in a jaw-droppingly beautiful rainforest with huge mature trees draped with moss. You will have to travel a couple miles of gravel road with some hills and bends to get there after the pavement ends but we had no trouble even in the rain. Some sites are huge - site 8 is big enough for 2 full size RVs, other sites are normal size.

There is a boat launch at this campground. There were multiple vehicles coming in and out to access the boat launch. Our site was on the section of road that turns off from the road leading to the boat launch so the additional traffic didn't bother us at all. Cell service was adequate.

Pit toilets on site. No garbage, dump, or water. An easy 15 minute drive to the town of Forks of Twilight fame. Check out the Thriftway if you need groceries, clothes or outdoor supplies. From Forks, Rialto beach and La Push beach are within a 30 minute drive.

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roadtripper8069702 would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $0.00

Days Stayed: 2

Site Number: 8

3 Access
4 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
4 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

AT&T 4G

March 29, 2017
Rated

Elmore State Park has mostly sunny sites although the are a small number of wooded sites available (sites 1-6 are wooded). I chose to camp on one of the sites in a large open area so my solar panels could get sun and felt like I had a huge site to myself since no one else camped near me. Water spigots were available around the campground - I needed my water theif to attach my hose (rubber adaptor thingy) since there were no threads on the spigot.

The lake is a short walk down a hill in the day use area - there is a large parking lot there. The beach has a large grassy area with some trees and also a sandy area at the water. There is also a beautiful indoor/outdoor pavilion with restrooms where they sometimes host weddings.

You can drive to a parking area at the base of Elmore Mountain where there are 2 trails that form a loop, the shorter steeper Fire Tower Trail and the meandering Ridge Trail. I hiked both plus rode my bicycle up the hilly road to the trail head - I recommend driving to the trailhead as it is a steep bicycle ride.

Check in time was 2 pm and they wouldn't allow me to set up before then. However, they did allow me to dump on arrival at 1pm and scope out sites which took an hour anyway so it all worked out fine.

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roadtripper8069702 would stay here again

Nightly Rate: -

Days Stayed: 3

Site Number: 38

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
4 Noise
March 26, 2017
Rated

This Acadia National Park campground is located at the south end of Mount Desert Island. The campground is pretty with decent paved roads. However the sites are small and close together in a wooded setting, not uncommon for a national park. Some of the sites have no separation at all with the neighbor on one side. The bathroom door slammed when people came and went. We found the crowded atmosphere unpleasant and mostly hid inside our camper while there, running our air cleaner to clear the heavy campfire smoke.

We were able to snag a site without a reservation in Aug 2015 by calling ahead that day. Since it is a good drive out of the way, they will hold a site for you for 1 hour. You can call once you get to the town of Ellsworth. However, we couldn't get the same site for 3 nights and had to move after 2. Check out time is an absurdly early 10am, which was helpful on our move day, but inconvenient on our check out day.

The campground is a good location for a base of operations to explore Acadia National Park. Across the road from the campground is the Seawall day use area which is a pretty overlook on the atlantic ocean. Great spot for a picnic or to hang out and relax for the day. Lots to see and do in Acadia National Park. During peak season, it is a good idea to take advantage of the free shuttle as parking at the popular spots can be very difficult.

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Nightly Rate: $30.00

Days Stayed: 3

Site Number: -

4 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
3 Site Quality
1 Noise
May 30, 2023
Rated

Ample oversized parking, outdoor washrooms adjacent to upper parking lot. Building has indoor washrooms and a small gift shop selling indigenous art and snacks. No tourist information- that has moved to Kenora.

No signage prohibiting overnight parking but trucks come and go so it would be a noisy spot.

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Nightly Rate: $0.00

Days Stayed: -

Site Number: -

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
3 Site Quality
1 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

AT&T 4G