Pop-up State Park

[Jim K in PA]

Last week we camped up in Wellesly Island State Park in NY.  What a fantastic area.  We stayed in loop D, and I have never seen so many popups in one place.  It is a no-hookup loop, and that is probably why so many pups are there.  I saw everything from old Appleby tent trailers to regular pups from the '70s through brand new.  Ours was the only Viking I saw.  Other loops near us were a mix of pups, hybrids and small TTs.  It seems that the bigger the camper, the more imperative it is they have power.

We chuckled on one of our evening walks when we went by the full hookup loop.  It was chock full of Class As, Fivers and TTs.  One TT had a (seriously) 46"+ flat screen TV setting on their picnic table.  Poor souls.  I know - to each his/her own, but that is something I will never understand.  I go camping to get AWAY from the TV, the computer, etc.  But I digress.

It was cool to see so many pop ups out and in use.  This end of the market is clearly alive and well.

[waygard33]

Any pics of the popup roundup? That would be fun to see.

Wayne in Oregon

[Jim K in PA]

I don't think so, but I have to check my sons camera (I forgot mine!!  Grrr :mad:).  It was not a rally, but could have been!

We also saw many pop ups on the road (I-81) heading there and home.

[4Campers]

We've seen more pups this year too. We camp all around the tri-state area here, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. From the state parks to the county parks, definately been more pups out camping than in the past. Yea, you still see the 35-50 foot busses pull in with their microwave, plasma TV with dish antenna, A/C, etc. They hook up and you never see them until the end of the weekend when they are sitting in line waiting to dump holding tanks. :p

[CajunCamper]

We've seen more pups this year too. We camp all around the tri-state area here, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. From the state parks to the county parks, definately been more pups out camping than in the past. Yea, you still see the 35-50 foot busses pull in with their microwave, plasma TV with dish antenna, A/C, etc. They hook up and you never see them until the end of the weekend when they are sitting in line waiting to dump holding tanks. :p

I think when the economy was clicking along and air fares started coming down many folks put their pop ups in storage and began to fly fly fly. I know over the last 5 years or so we have flown more than previous years and have taken lots of trips without the pop up. Now that the ecomony is sluggish at best many folks may be watching their money closer as I am for sure and are starting to get back to their first love of pop up camping.

[flyfisherman]

For the most part we do National Forest C/G's, AND, they do not have electrical hook-ups except maybe the C/G host sites which are sometimes available. One of my favorite C/G's is in the Nantahala Nat'l forest which has five different loops, the far one over (#5) ...  has the wild outer perimeter sites, is where you'll also find the popups. Not uncommon to see bears in the area, so where are the hardsides ... why they all gather in the center section that has all the green grass and wide open spaces ... kinda circle the wagons as it were!



Fly

[CajunCamper]

For the most part we do National Forest C/G's, AND, they do not have electrical hook-ups except maybe the C/G host sites which are sometimes available. One of my favorite C/G's is in the Nantahala Nat'l forest which has five different loops, the far one over (#5) ...  has the wild outer perimeter sites, is where you'll also find the popups. Not uncommon to see bears in the area, so where are the hardsides ... why they all gather in the center section that has all the green grass and wide open spaces ... kinda circle the wagons as it were!
Fly

Fly, the only Nantahala NF campground I ever camped in was "Standing Indian". Have you ever camped there? It was a wonderful campground. I remember seeing guys flyfishing in the campground there.

[flyfisherman]

Fly, the only Nantahala NF campground I ever camped in was "Standing Indian". Have you ever camped there? It was a wonderful campground. I remember seeing guys flyfishing in the campground there.

Yeah ... that was the very C/G I was referring too!

The last time I was there (this year), we had a big ole bear wander right into the camp site while it was still daylight!  We were sitting under the camper awning, which was right up to one side of the C/G picnic table, and on the other side of the table it drops down into a slight gully with a little creek. The bear came up from the gully and creek and I don't think he/she saw us - but came right up to the table and swatted the ice cooler (the one with the fish in it!) right off the seat of that picnic table. I was so taken back it took me a couple of seconds to grasp what was happening but I stood up and yelled "get the hell out of here!" - My fishing buddy yelled, too - now that bear did leave but was in no big rush to do so! We measured it off and that bear came within 15 feet of us. That has been about as close as I've ever come to a wild bear. What a beautiful animal.





Fly

[revmrf]

For the most part we do National Forest C/G's, AND, they do not have electrical hook-ups except maybe the C/G host sites which are sometimes available. One of my favorite C/G's is in the Nantahala Nat'l forest which has five different loops, the far one over (#5) ...  has the wild outer perimeter sites, is where you'll also find the popups. Not uncommon to see bears in the area, so where are the hardsides ... why they all gather in the center section that has all the green grass and wide open spaces ... kinda circle the wagons as it were!



Fly

Hi,  The last time I went 'camping' in the Nantahala was in 2002 when I was thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.  Didn't have bear problems but hung my food bag and pack, just in case.  http://arveeclub.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[CajunCamper]

Hi,  The last time I went 'camping' in the Nantahala was in 2002 when I was thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.  Didn't have bear problems but hung my food bag and pack, just in case.  http://arveeclub.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Wow you thru hiked the AT? I would love to hear about that, I have wanted to do that for a long time. How long did it take you? You belong to an elite group. One day I am going to do it.

[GeneF]

Now come on guys, stop pickin on us TT owners.  Yeah I know what you mean about the big rigs, but some of us still like to do the dry camping stuff and enjoy the campfires.

I do a week in Acadia national park every year and manage to get through the week with one  and a half batteries.  Run the same stuff you do, Fridge, stove, hot water on gas and keep the electrical stuff to a minimum.  No generator, inverters etc.  Still have to haul the water.

The tt is just a natural evolution.  6 foot tent camper, 8, 10, and 12 foot popups, 24 foot  hybrid and now the 30 foot tt.

And I thought I would  always be a popup kinda guy. Never say never.