At some point, when walking through this thickly packed, seemingly endless supply of super-thin pencil trees that comprise this hidden gem of a forest, one realizes a pretty amazing fact: when mankind is purposeful about not just preserving, but proliferating the pristine nature that exists all around us, we can be incredibly successful in that endeavor. But only if we put our minds to it. That’s precisely the thought I had when seeing this Pencil Tree Forest for the first time. Obviously, this forest didn’t happen out of pure luck and it certainly wasn’t through preservation of what had existed before that we first stepped foot on this particular patch of land that led to this most immaculate place. No, it was actually the Corp of Engineers that purposefully planted the trees that now adorn this amazing swath of heaven on earth.
As for the campground itself, while there isn’t much brush here to provide any decent privacy, the overabundance of hardwoods, giant oaks and pines in this area creates an overwhelming sense of solace and peacefulness, despite being able to see most of your neighbors. The spots themselves are divided into 2 areas: Class A camping for us tent-pitchin' bredren or Class C camping for the 5th Wheel / Trailer / RV crowd. Good news for the Class A campers is that you'll be parked amidst the matchstick tree forest, while the Class C camping is southwest of the Class A camping loop, which offers just electric (so, no sewer or water hook-ups for the RV-toting crowd) for sites #2 - 31; 75 - 100. There is a single shower structure in the Class A section and a few different bathrooms that seem to either be temporary or are being worked on. There’s plenty of picnic tables and in-ground fire rings w/ fold-over BBQ grills. Beyond this, be prepared to bring what you need with you. The Class C camping loop is wide-open and feels more like a traditional RV parking area offering up more hook-ups for sites #32 - 72.
If you are looking to get on the water and either get some rowing in or attract some fish to your line, then nearby Lake Johnson has you covered. In fact, it’s so close, you can easily walk to it, but if you have your own kayak or canoe, you might want to tow it down to the boat launch with your SUV or truck if you have the means. And if you don’t have any watercraft, no biggie, the good folks here at the Marina will rent you one of theirs. Note that only electric trolling motors are allowed to be on the lake here.
Whether you want to stay near your campsite or go further afield, there’s no shortage of great picnic areas, whether it’s a simple picnic table set up lakeside, perhaps with its own grill or cooking stove, or under the shade of a covered pavilion, there’s lots of options here to create the absolute perfect outdoor feasting occasion.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) You’ve got to check out Ryan’s Round Barn, which you would have seen upon entering Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park, and is a local landmark of sorts, which was built around the turn of the century by Protestant religious sects who designed these in a particular way so as they ‘didn’t leave any corners where the devil could hide.’; (2) If you’ve got hiking on your mind, there’s some really good, albeit basic hiking to be had here with some very great sightseeing – in all there’s about 12 miles of good hiking to explore the area here from Johnson-Sauk that will have you walking through seasoned pine and old oak forests; (3) Should you want to go fishing and find yourself in need of anything, whether its rental boats, snacks and sodas, fishing bait or souvenirs, the Marina here at Johnson-Sauk has you covered; (4) There’s also a decent restaurant here at the Marina, called Red Earth Café, but when we were there last, it was closed and we heard rumors that is was not going to reopen, which was a bummer, therefore, if you want to eat out, you’re going to have to trek it back in to nearby Annawan, just due north on 78, where there’s just a few restaurants to choose from, including Mick’s Bar & Grill, which basically has hot dogs and burgers or Purple Onion, which has typical Midwestern comfort food like country fried steak, fried walleye and pork chops; and (5) The hit of Annawan, IMHO, is Paxton’s Corner Coop, which will immediately make you feel like you have stepped foot on some film location in Hollywood, with all of its other-worldly oddities, but press on and enter the establishment to find some of the most delectable desserts I have ever come across: caramel rolls, amazing natural ice cream, delectable cupcakes and, my personal favorite, the oatmeal crème sandwiches!
Happy Camping!
