Where was your best camping trip in 2005?

[tlhdoc]

Where was your best camping trip in 2005, and why?
 
Our best trip this past year was the trip to Acadia NP.  It wasn't the first time we have been to this park.  We have been there half a dozen times.  This year had it all.  Good weather, good shopping (LL Bean outlet store), good food and great friends.  Our friends had car problems on the way to the park, but were able to get there under their own power.   We did a lot of sight seeing and ate dinner at the Jordan Pond House twice.  If you ever go to Acadia NP you need to go to the Jordan Pond house for tea and popovers on the lawn.  Taking a horse drawn carriage ride to the pond house is the coolest way to get there.  I discovered that my DS likes lobster the best when I reheat it over a campfire.  I am not a seafood eater, and the rest of the family is, so we have surf and turf on the grill at least once on every trip to Acadia.  Two trips to the top of Cadillac Mountain for sunrise.  It was foggy the first morning and then when I jokingly asked the kids if they wanted to go again the next morning they said yes.  So the next morning I was up bright and early to once again go to the top of Cadillac Mountain for sun rise.  The second morning it was well worth getting up early and braving the cool morning air.  Both mornings we went to Jordan's Restraint in Bar Harbor for breakfast.  This is not the same restaurant as The Jordan Pond House in Acadia NP.  The specialty at Jordan's Restaurant is blueberry pancakes.  They sure are delicious.

[AustinBoston]

Our best trip this past year was the trip to Acadia NP...

That does not surprise me at all.  

Our best trip was to Forretville/Mystery Cave SP in far southeastern Minnesota.  We met Kelly & her crew for a fall wrap-up, including touring historic Forrestville and Mystery Cave.

What we didn't see this time (but have in the past) were Niagara Cave and the Amish country around Harmony.  These Amish are extremely conservative; while the Amish in some parts of Pennsylvania are discussing allowing cell phones, Minnesota Amish are removing the plumbing and central heat from their homes before moving in.  I can't imagine no central heat in an area where temperatures frequently go below -20

[dthurk]

DW and I both agree...it's a toss up between our Pohick Bay SP trip in Virginia in April and Glen Rouge Campground in Toronto in August.  Weather was good on both trips.  We enjoyed both cities (Washington and Toronto).  We met with friends in Toronto.  They took us out to dinner at a wonderful Morrocan restaurant with a terrific belly dancer     , but that was cancelled out by the Newfies in the park who created some noise and disturbance.  Pohick Bay was quiet, but no friends to visit.  Hard one for us to call.

[Tim5055]

Well, as we enjoy dry camping our favorite this year was into the Nantahala National Forest in September. The weather has ahigh in the mid 70's  with lows at night in teh mid 50's.

We camped just down  NC SR 1134 from the Horse Cove Campground in a dispersed camping area along the shores of Lake Santeetlah.  While there are about 14 dispersed sites, most are more suited to tent camping as you need to walk down to the site from the road.  We found one site that was wonderful, situated in mature hardwoods on a peninsula of Lake Santeetlah.  
 
Water and flush toilets are available at Horse Cove Campground but this is dry camping at it's finest.  The closest town is  Robbinsville, NC- about a 20 minute drive down the mountain.  The town contains one grocery store, a couple of fast food outlets and a couple of gas stations.
 
If you camp in the area you have to go to the    Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest .  Joyce Kilmer, killed in WWI was a poet and the author of the poem "Trees."  The Veterans of the Foreign Wars asked the government to set aside a fitting stand of trees to serve as a living memorial to Joyce Kilmer, who was killed in action during World War I. The memorial forest is an outstanding example of a cove hardwood forest -- with towering trees as old as 400 years. Some enormous yellow-poplars are over 20 feet in circumference and stand 100 feet tall.
 
This was a true test of the batteries on the pop up .  We set up camp on Friday September 30.  While I only stayed the weekend, Felica stayed the following week.  I re-joined her Friday the 7th of October and we stayed until Monday the 10th.  Over all the batteries held up for 10 solid camping days.  When we left we still had power to spare.  I will admit, we were careful in it's use but it was fine for lights, water pump and AM/FM radio.
 
Keep in mind that this camping area is in Graham County is a "Dry" county.  You must bring your adult beverages with you!
 
 Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest Brochure(contains map of area)

[Tim5055]

DW and I both agree...it's a toss up between our Pohick Bay SP trip in Virginia in April and Glen Rouge Campground in Toronto in August.  

When we lived in MD Pohick was one of our favorite campgrounds in the area.  Glad you enjoyed it also!

[SpeakEasy]

We only did two camping trips this year; one was for three weeks and the other was a simple weekend outing.

On the three-week trip, the best part was the 5-night stay at Big Meadows Campground in Shenandoah National Park. What made it special? Well, 31 years ago, the DW and I tent-camped in Big Meadows for a couple of nights on our honeymoon. We hadn't been back since. On our visit to Shenandoah this summer, our twin daughters (and the husband of one of them) were traveling with us. The twins are now 24 years old.  Now picture this: we were walking up to the Big Meadows Lodge, which played a significant role on our honeymoon, and we have our daughters and son-in-law walking side-by-side with us. All of a sudden it was as if the 31 years hadn't happened, but who were these people with us, and where did they come from? It was sort of a twilight-zone experience.

In the Big Meadows Lodge there is a pub in the basement. On the honeymoon we spent some time there enjoying the atmosphere. This summer the five of us spent some time there together enjoying the atmosphere. Wow!

Now, get this: On our honeymoon my wife made a phone call to her mom from a phone booth outside that pub in the lodge. In that phone call she found out that she had been offered her first teaching job. (Which was a really good thing to find out on our honeymoon, since I was still a full-time student.) We, of course, distinctly remember the phone call and the phone booth. Well, the phone booth is still there looking exactly as we remember it. We had a lot of fun telling the kids stories about things like that phone call.

The camping and hiking were excellent too!

[cyclone]

Hands down the best trip of the year was to Hocking Hills, OH.  The cg was pretty much forgettable, but the company was outstanding!  We spent a great week exploring the area and spending time with the "PUT family".  I just wish we weren't so spread out so we could do it more often.  

Closer to home - the best trip was at 7 Points near Nashville.  Lakefront site (and huge site) was very relaxing.

Edited to add:  the first trip of the season for us was also a great one.  First trip in the "new" camper and I got to camp with all my TPUC friends, too.  By they way, Tracy...were we supposed to pick just one trip?  

[SkipP]

Thats funny.....our favorite trip was Hocking Hills as well! As Jan said, the CG could have been better (and probably was at one time) but there was no improving on the company! We want to return to this area again...there is so much potential!

 
 

Hands down the best trip of the year was to Hocking Hills, OH. The cg was pretty much forgettable, but the company was outstanding! We spent a great week exploring the area and spending time with the "PUT family". I just wish we weren't so spread out so we could do it more often.
 
Closer to home - the best trip was at 7 Points near Nashville. Lakefront site (and huge site) was very relaxing.

[doonoak]

Our Favorite Camping trip in05 was to the Wax Army Corp of Eng. Campground in Wax Ky. on the Nolan River.  Close to Mammouth Cave and CatFish by the ound.  Best time to go is the weekbefore Memorial day.. WWWWWIIIIDDDEEE  open only 2 other campers..

[wavery]

We only bought our PU in Sept and have only used it 5 times. All of our camping is SoCal beach camping.

I have to say that we like Point Mugu best, so far. We love having the campsites being right on the beach. We have an unobstructed view of the ocean right out of our windows and can hear the surf quite well.

We are sure looking forward to the Yosemite trip this summer though and appreciate all the work that Azusateach is putting in on that.

[Kelly]

Our best trip was to Forretville/Mystery Cave SP in far southeastern Minnesota. We met Kelly & her crew for a fall wrap-up, including touring historic Forrestville and Mystery Cave.

Hands down the best trip of the year was to Hocking Hills, OH. The cg was pretty much forgettable, but the company was outstanding! We spent a great week exploring the area and spending time with the "PUT family". I just wish we weren't so spread out so we could do it more often.

Thats funny.....our favorite trip was Hocking Hills as well! As Jan said, the CG could have been better (and probably was at one time) but there was no improving on the company!

I just can't choose which was best!        :p

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[ForestCreature]

[indent] Quote:     Originally Posted by cyclone
 Hands down the best trip of the year was to Hocking Hills, OH. The cg was pretty much forgettable, but the company was outstanding! We spent a great week exploring the area and spending time with the "PUT family". I just wish we weren't so spread out so we could do it more often.     [/indent] [indent] Quote:     Originally Posted by skipp
  Thats funny.....our favorite trip was Hocking Hills as well! As Jan said, the CG could have been better (and probably was at one time) but there was no improving on the company!     [/indent]
 
 

I just can't choose which was best!        :p

 Yep, Hocking Hills was a pretty darn good trip (and yes the CG left little to be desired), but you guys tied with our trip with GeneF and his wife Terry.  
 Both trips were great.
 

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[OC Campers]

We had 2 favorite trips last year.  

1.  Our yearly trip to Pismo Beach, CA with the SC Campers and NNC groups.   My kids absolutely love this trip.  My teenage daughter and all the other teenagers hung out in the back of our truck the whole time.   It was great watching all the friendships bloom.
 
2.  Our family trip to Shaver Lake.  Usually our family trip is pretty much all fishing.  Not that that is bad but this trip turned out much different.  This was our first trip here and we found out before hand that this lake was used for water skiing and and personal watercraft.  Friends of ours had a SeaDoo and brought it along.  How awesome.  My family had never done anything like this before.  Even my 4 year old had a blast riding on it with dad.  We then rented a large tube and rented a pontoon boat.  We towed the kids all over the lake.  What a fabulous week.  
 
Jacqui

[beacher]

Our new "annual" one week trip to the Eastern High Sierras was the best trip of 2005.

Both my 4yo DD, and my 6yo DS caught a variety of trout in both streams and lakes, they visited a ghost town, and they had a blast at an all-day small town 4th of July celebration!

[Kavoom]

Choices, Choices

They were both wonderful.  Planning on the four corners, Grand Canyon area this year.  There are about 9 national parks within a few hundred miles of each other.  Bryce, Zion, Arches, Petrified Forest, Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, Capitol Reef...and on and on...

We used to go there when I was a kid.  Some of the most stark yet beautiful areas of the world.

Kavoom