Campground Review
Glen Isle has been a special place for friends and family for years, and it will be for you too. This place is one of my all time most favorite places to have gone camping because of the beautiful location, lovely owners, incredible history, and pleasant atmosphere. You can rent cabins that sleep a variety of different size groups and tent campers have the option of staying near the roaring river, or up the road to a set of sites a few hundred feet above that overlooks a valley and the property. What makes this place so special is the sense of community you get when you stay here. There is a main lodge where you can stock up on firewood(or they can bring it to you), get ice cream sandwiches, hang out by a roaring fire, and soak in the historical, eclectic, incredibly unique– and old– building. Built over around 1902, it also has rooms to stay in. They are decorated to be periodic and it had an eery sense of“grandma’s house” familiarity for me. The place is just so wild with history and unique stories, which the hosts are happy to tell you about when you get the chance to take a tour of the place! Most of the lodge and the surrounding cabins are going through a restoration period to have them modernized with toilets and bathrooms. There are a few buildings that have some washrooms to use but plan on using port-o-poties(they’re well maintained). In one of the buildings they hold a social thing every night from line dancing to BINGO and board game nights. It’s all“like I remember as a kid” as your host and owner Mary Ruth will tell you. Her husband Greg is also a real nice guy to talk with. For a great story, ask him about his restored Ford tractor. There are also nearby attractions and rec activities. Up the road there is a trail head for a hike, and there’s a lot of ample fishing opp nearby. There’s also a winery in the town, and a Coney Island style hot dog stand to visit if making your own over an open fire just isn’t your thing. I will absolutely be camping here again and look forward to the progress Greg and Mary Ruth have made in restoring the place. Bring your own water in or know how to collect it from the river and purify it. Bugs weren’t bad and plenty of trees around to hang a hammock.
Product Review
As a Dyrt Ranger I am given product to test and review from time to time, and I have been using the GCI Outdoor Slim-Fold Cook Station. It’s become a great car camping accessory, especially when you are camping with a group. I’m usually tent camping, and most sites I stay have a picnic table, which becomes a‘home base’ of sorts for a site. You eat meals there a lot too. It’s what I use for my meal prep, but it’s now nice be able to cook away from where I eat. Plus, it’s more hygienic.
I really liked the aluminum counter top because it wont melt when the stove unit you have sitting on it heats up, and it offers a place for you to rest a hot pot. I made breakfast burritos with sausage one morning, and chicken and beef fajitas another. Having four fold-out tray areas was the perfect amount of space to keep me organized and food separated. The indents on those trays to hold condiments and drinks was a nice touch. I think they could be bigger but then it would mean less counter space, so it’s a decent compromise there. Having hooks to hang garbage bags and utensils was nice too. It really felt like I had everything I needed to prep, cook, and serve meals all within arm’s reach.
It was also super simple to unfold and pack away, and have found the surfaces to be really easy to clean from food debris when I get home. I love a product that is well thought out to save space, and it’s very easy for me to put this in my car in the backseat or in the trunk, because it has a real thin profile. It’s a little heavy at 19lbs, but it is easy to carry. I like the weight because when I set it up it feels solid and sturdy. It supported all my cooking stuff and when I was leaned over it using a cutting board. My goal now is to find a cooler the same size as the basket area so I can keep all my cold foods within arm’s reach. Great all-in-one solution!
