Our first time at Cook Forest and the state park campgrounds. The park itself is very hilly and beautiful. Trails in area are well marked and maintained. Nothing beyond moderate difficulty, but some are one direction and miles can add North Country Trail is one example of this.
The highlight of the park is the old growth forest. 300+year old evergreen trees and ancient stumps, moss, ferns. Some areas are fairy tail gorgeous. Offseason, which is when we were there (mid May) can be dead quiet. Like test your tinnitus quiet. This includes the campgrounds, where there were probably less than 20 campsites in use, most in the pets/full hookup area.
The campsite is large and winding. Site quality and size and levelness is mixed. And the services aren’t localized. There are electric, electric and water, or even full service sites all over the place. Makes it nice, as you can be in a lesser used ‘no services’ tent area, but find an electric site. Northern most loops are the more wooded and private ones.
We went Sunday-Wednesday. Apparently it fills up on weekends, but we felt practically alone much of the time. Bath houses are consistent old, tired looking, but functional. No heat/open door style. Cleaned daily and plenty of hot, good pressure water.
Cell coverage for Verizon was one bar or no bars. But typically one. On top of the fire tower hill across rt 36, there are two bars.
