Category Archives: RV Journal

#RV Journal: Prospect RV Park, Wheat Ridge, CO

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Location / Name: The Prospect RV Park, Wheat Ridge, CO

Date: 08/25/2016 (1 night)

The Prospect RV Park, Wheat Ridge, CO showed up on a Google search for campgrounds in the vicinity of about 300 miles (328) from my prior stop on our August 2016 trip to Boise; prior stop being in Ellis, KS. It had good reviews, and was on the west side of Denver where I wanted to be, wasn’t too expensive, so that became my target. In retrospect I’m not sure I would do it again since I like more space than the parking-lot style commercial campground this turned out to be, but for an overnighter in the Denver area, it isn’t bad – clean bathrooms and friendly staff.

Apologies (again) – I didn’t get photos of this campground.  Here’s a “morning after” picture of  Colorado.

Rocky Mountain National Park

We reached an altitude of 12,090′ towing our T@b over US34 in Rocky Mountain National Park

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#RV Journal – Ellis Lakeside Campground, Ellis, KS

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Location / Name: Ellis Lakeside Campground, Ellis KS

Date: 08/24//2016 (1 night)

Ellis Lakeside Campground showed up on a Google search for campgrounds in the vicinity of about 300 miles from my prior stop on our August 2016 trip to Boise; prior stop being outside of Kansas City in Missouri. It had good reviews, so I decided to check it out. (Apologies, but I didn’t get any photos of this campground, so I’ll use a couple of “Kansas” photos until I can see what photos my wife may have.)

Kansas Road Scene

I discovered as I wrote this report that I had no photos of the campground, so I’ll put a couple of “Typical Kansas” photos instead.

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#RV Journal – Lake Jacomo Campground, Lee’s Summit, MO

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Location / Name: Lake Jacomo Campground, Lee’s Summit, MO

Date: 08/23/2016 (1 night)

Lake Jacomo Campground was located by looking at Google Maps in an area around 300 miles from my prior planned stop, which was Rend Lake, IL. Reviews and price were OK, and additionally there was a relatively close CVS pharmacy where my wife could pick up a prescription she needed (our local CVS pharmacist forwarded it for us,) so we spent one night on our trip from Georgia to Boise.

Lake Jacomo Campground

Lake Jacomo Campground T@b at site #37

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#RV Journal: North Sandusky Campground, Rend Lake, IL

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Location / Name: North Sandusky Campground, Rend Lake, IL

Date: 08/23/2016 (1 night)

North Sandusky Campground is one of at least two Core of Engineers campgrounds on Rend Lake in mid-Illinois. Rend Lake itself is a Corp of Engineers project. It is a huge lake with I-57 running next to part of it. Since it’s a little more than 350 miles from my starting point for our first long trip in our T@b – target Boise, ID, in about 10 days, it was a bit longer than my 300-mile daily target, but since we’d be fresh, I figured we could take the extra time on the road.

North Sandusky Campground Campsite #1

T@b North Sandusky Campground Campsite #1

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#RV Journal: Grayson Highlands State Park Hickory Ridge Campground

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Location / Name: Grayson Highlands State Park Hickory Ridge Campground,  Mouth of Wilson, VA (Near Mt. Rogers)

Date: 08/01//2016 thru 08/05 (4 nights)

Grayson Highlands State Park came to my attention when I started rock climbing. I had heard it mentioned quite favorably several times in conversations in relation to bouldering, one form of rock climbing. On a trip to visit relatives in Roanoke, Virginia last year with my wife I wanted to swing by the state park to look it over, and we loved the ride up The Crooked Road and the wonderful views from within the park, so I knew then that at some point I wanted to spend a few days there in the campground. Things finally lined up and I was able to spend four nights there starting Aug 1, 2016. NOTE: Grayson Highlands State Park also has a horse campground that is not reviewed here.

Grayson Highlands State Park Wild Ponies

Grayson Highlands State Park Wild Ponies – from the Rhododendron Trail

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#RV Journal: Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area, Nantahala-Oconee National Forest

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The Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area is a recreational day-use area and campground near Suches, Georgia at the site where a Civilian Conservation Corps camp was located in the 1930’s, and some of the facilities (the beach bathhouse; maybe other parts) were built for that camp. I had heard that there were Yellow Ladyslippers blooming in the vicinity, so I spent two nights there 05/18/2016 and 05/19/2016. While there is only a single site available with electricity, this is definitely a campground worthy of your consideration if you can get that site, or especially if you don’t need electricity. While there are some issues with the bathhouses, the campground and campsites are nice, and the location is superb.

Lake Winfield Scott

Lake Winfield Scott – lake and beach

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#RV Journal: Indian Boundary Recreation Area and Campground, Cherokee National Forest

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The Forestry Service website calls the Indian Boundary Recreation Area and Campground the “crown jewel of the South Zone of the Cherokee National Forest .” My wife and I spent four nights there 05/09/2016 thru 05/13/2016, and I cannot disagree with them. While there are a few shortcomings (mostly minor issues with the bathhouses), it would be very difficult to beat this value in RV, trailer, and tent camping. The campground and campsites are VERY nice, and the location is superb.

Indian Boundary Lake Sunrise - Loop A shore on left of picture

Indian Boundary Lake Sunrise – Loop A shore on left of picture

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#RV Journal: Cades Cove Campground, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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Location, location, location. That’s why Cade’s Cove Campground is so popular. There are few amenities – bear-proof dumpsters, a cold-water-only bath house – let’s not really call it a bath house; it has no shower facilities. The C-loop also has a nice dump station. There is also a campground store, but this appears to be more of a snack and souvenir shop than a place where you can get the groceries you need for camping, so make sure you are well-supplied before you come. They do sell approved firewood – all firewood brought into the park must be certified, to reduce the likelihood of you bringing a tree infestation or disease into the park.

But it’s the location…

Cade's Cove

Cade’s Cove

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#RV Journal: Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park, Limestone, TN

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After a trip to visit relatives in Roanoke, Virginia, my wife and I were looking for an interesting stop to spend the night within a few hours’ drive from our northwest Georgia home. We stopped at the I-81 Tennessee Welcome Center and looking over their information we decided Tennessee’s Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park would be a good place to try.

Sunset at Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park

Sunset at Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park

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#RV Journal: Roan Mountain State Park, Roan Mountain TN

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My wife and I finished up a stint helping my daughter’s family at their Duck-Duck-Goose children’s consignment sale and had a little time before our next commitment, so we decided to take a few days camping our way to visit some family in Roanoke, Virginia. I’d been wanting to check out Roan Mountain State Park, and since that’s about half way to Roanoke, we targeted spending two nights at this Tennessee State Park before we moved on. My report follows:

Roan Massif

Roan Massif stays in the clouds 70% of the time – view from Roan Mountain State Park

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