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**Stefrobrts** · 05-16-2006, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Heywood

If I have one complaint about National and State Parks is size limit we have a big trailer and it limits us.
Steve's Wife

We were lucky to read up on that before we bought our trailer, and realized there were a lot of neat national and state campgrounds around us with 20' limits, so I looked for a tiny trailer on purpose. Obviously you guys just need to add a second trailer - a little one for those trips

maxandgeorgia · 05-16-2006, 07:10 AM

If you check your book stores, you may find some great travel books put out by Falcon and others that feature FS campgrounds in WY or whatever state. These are excellent, rated and well described, including road conditions in to the camp and trailer size as well as kinds of nearby activity, scenic quality and so on. Like above, we too are limited on trailer length and look forward to the time we get a smaller trailer for boondocking in these gems. ~G

Alumaholic · 05-16-2006, 10:50 AM

Hey Axel,
If you go to North Rim of the Grand Canyon, be sure to enjoy a night or two at Lee's Ferry on the way in. Check out my review under Campgounds on this forum.

Give me a shout when you come to town. I could meet you at Einstein's at the first Albuquerque exit.

Ken

250-7756 (mobile)

AYRSTRM2 · 05-16-2006, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmac

....

The commercial places are too often crowded, dirty, ugly, and expensive. It amazes me that someone would buy a $250,000 diesel motorhome and stay in what amounts to a trailer park.

That's RV Resort!!! My mother worked for a while in Florida at an "RV Resort". You were to NEVER call it a "trailer park", EVER.

njoysrvin · 05-16-2006, 02:34 PM

We have membership in private parks and we like them as well as the different state , federal and county parks. Each has its own special +s. We full-time and so at membership parks , you get to see some of the same friends as you travel ..and after the initial payment ,you can stay in these parks all over the country for a small yearly fee. But the beauty of the park systems (state , fed. etc ) speaks for itself.

rebel beck · 05-16-2006, 06:02 PM

We love the State Parks, we only get out once a year for a vacation and most of the other times camp here in our State at the parks. We have been to 2 Florida State parks and they were great. Ft Wilderness at Disney was good to. Last weekend we were at a RV Resort and it was great. I would have to say though we perfer the State Parks.

overlander63 · 05-16-2006, 07:43 PM

We like the government-owned (Federal, state, and county) parks for the reasons stated here. If we don't know much about an area, we will probably get a reservation at a KOA. KOA is kind of like the McDonald's of campgrounds, not all that great, but uniformly not all that great everywhere you go, you know what you are going to see when you pull in.

safari57 · 05-17-2006, 03:24 AM

I was mentioning this discussion to a friend who has an SOB and he said they have had wonderful camping experiences at small municipal campgrounds. Clean, often they are one of two or three camping there, rates are very cheap or by donation, and depending on the size of town they find many people guess they are the folks camped out in town. Invites for coffee, a plate of cookies dropped off, some of the older folks stopping past to ask where they've been and where they are going and offering suggestions about local things to see and do appears to be frequent occurences and they say that they now look for tiny towns with a campground. Most are by the local creek or lake/pond and come with a history. He restores antique cars and is always looking for "the next" car and has had a lot of success asking what's about in the various barns from these camping experiences. Often an overnight stay turns into a few days as the locals are so welcoming and they find that there's a lot of things to partake of before moving on.
Barry

eubank · 05-17-2006, 07:52 AM

Not to forget BLM and COE developed campgrounds! There are a couple of BLM campgrounds near Taos (Orilla Verde and Wild Rivers), and they're nice (IMHO). But it all depends on what you're into, I guess.

Lynn

Midamrail · 05-17-2006, 08:09 AM

We have yet to have a less-than-stellar experience in any state, national, or COE park.

I also have to give a big thumbs-up to Virginia Highland Haven, the Airstream park south of Roanoake. Beautiful scenery, impeccable sites, and extraordinarily friendly, welcoming people, regardless of if you're young or old, vintage or new, dog-toting or dog-less. And it's hard to beat a night of sleeping on a wildflower-covered Virginia hilltop surrounded by other Airstreams.

ZoominC6 · 05-17-2006, 09:01 AM

Ben & Molly,
Thanks for the review of Highland Haven. We are so excited about staying with these folks that if all goes well, may apply for membership in their corporation.

Midamrail · 05-17-2006, 09:23 AM

Pop & Mimi,

I think you'll really like it there. The drive from Roanoake is a little challenging in one spot - the banking and curving feels like you're pulling your trailer around a turn at Talladega - but it's well worth the drive. It's in a rural area down a paved rural road at the top of a hill with farms/pasture surrounding it. Most of the sites are set up in such a way that you face out over the hill, and there are trails that go down the hill to a waterfall. An older brick farm/ranch house serves as the home base and office and has very nice bathrooms (no showers as I recall), a comfortable lounging and meeting area, and a nice kitchen. Serving ice cream in the evenings in the house seemed to be a regular practice.

Despite the fact that we were just passing through, the "residents" welcomed us like we had been there forever but weren't at all overbearing. We enjoyed it so much that we considered changing our travel plans to stay another day, but we ended up reluctantly departing to resume our scheduled trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Roanoke is a great city - historic architecture, good restaurants, friendly people - and is a short drive away. It's a lovely area and not far from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Enjoy your trip!

Regards,
Molly

ZoominC6 · 05-17-2006, 09:56 AM

Thanks so much Molly. You've painted a wonderful picture for us. We'll be approaching from I-81 on the west through Floyd and then north so maybe it will be a little easier. We're planning on staying for several days as our grandchilden are only 19 miles to the west (as a crow flies) in Blacksburg. Can't wait.

Bettymsb · 05-26-2006, 11:06 AM

Have any of you stayed in the Corps Parks? There are quite a few in Tx. and
the south. They are usually on a lake or water of some kind. They are well
maintained with friendly folks. We have many forest service parks in Id. that
are beautiful, also some small towns have city parks that are nice for a one
night stop over. One is in Maybell, Co. and they even have showers. WE were
the only campers at Starvation Creek St. Pk. in Utah a couple weeks ago...
how lovely! Happy Trails, John & Betty PS Our camping fee at a BLM camp
in NM was $2.50 and it was a beautiful camp.

**jcanavera** · 05-26-2006, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bettymsb@msn

Have any of you stayed in the Corps Parks?

We just spent last weekend in a beautiful Corp park on Lake Carlyle just east of Carlyle Illinois, near St. Louis. Full hook ups too which are not the norm.

Jack