The place is falling apart and they don't seem to care. If you like being watched while in the bathroom then by all means camp there two way mirrors in both bathrooms. Paint chipping off dirty bathroom and shower only 1 shower. Fish cleaning station overgrown by weeds. When we first got there I was told in a hostile voice that there was no storing anything outside. It was always ok for everyone else to have a bonfire but us. We were on constant alert the entire 6 months there. I asked before bringing a truck to the park if it was alright and she said yes for a week. Then on the fourth night she met us with a pen and paper screaming at me that she was going to have it towed. Oh and our small dog had a small cable leash around the the tree that wasn't ok either. Nothing we did was ok ever! One week doesn't doesn't have 4 days last time I checked. I had bought a truck to replace the other truck we owned after all we lived there for 6 months. I became very sick while there and had to go back and fourth to the hospital never once did they ask how everything was going. Hostile environment even complaining about 5 potted plants. Really why others had them. Long story short if you like to camping in the middle of a subdivision by all means check it out. Be careful not to trip on all the nails sticking up on the docks as they need repair as well then go ahead and see for yourself. I will never go back ever!! Not that they care I think they should sell the place because they don't care.
The people of deer lake resort are very rude and unprofessioal to say the least. "The owner' opened the door to our condo without knocking,forcefully pushed past one of the ladies that was staying in the bedroom #2. I asked her who she was and her reply was a rude "I own this place and I'm checking to see if they put the new bed in this bedroom Geez , wouldn't the polite way have been to knock on the door and say, excuse me I'm the owner and I would like to see if the new bed has been set up in that bedroom ,do you mind if I look? Very rude and unprofessional to say the least. The rest of the staff had the same attitude… Like they were doing is a favor buy letting us stay in their condo. We were not offered clean towels or linen the entire 3 1/2 days. I would not recommend this place nor would I ever go back. I could write a book here about everything I am unhappy with but will just leave it as a pretty campground that the new owners will probably run in the ground.
We showed up on a Wednesday and had the camp to ourselves. The camp host is always on site and super friendly. Nice, small, fishing lake in Colville National Forest. Sites all have picnic tables, and fire pits. The bathrooms are vault toilets and well maintained. There is drinking water available. I particularly liked this spot because there are only 8 sites. Some of them have lake views and are a little more secluded. The others are less private. It also has a boat launch. Best part, there is no day use at this site, so the whole campground has a private feel.
Ranger Review: Wenzel Lightweight Double Hammock at Flodelle Creek
Campground Review:
Flodelle Creek campground is a great gem off highway 20. It is a bit back there and super small. Only 5 campsites, it is free with a discover pass. I loved the privacy of this campground. Small creek runs by it, but I didnt get any pictures. You really feel out there. the Vault toilets are well maintained, better than expected. Equestrians are welcome, RVs, plenty of space. Very large sites as well.
I was impressed.
Product review:
https://wenzelco.com/lightweight-double-hammock/#write_review
The Wenzel hammock is great for front country camping!!! I love the material and design. It comes with some rope and clips to hang your hammock with, however I found them very short and was not able to use it at first. I am also a larger girl and purchased this not for 2 people, but just myself. I'm kind of picky on what holds me up. I was disappointed that Wenzel does not have accessories or extra straps available on their website to buy. Overall I love it for my back yard and for over night trips out camping with the family. I also love that it comes in its own pouch and the pouch can be used for my phone, book, suncreen etc. I did purchase additional straps and look forward to trying it again. I think it would be great for most people, unfortunately straight out of the box it just wasn't for me.
Ranger review: Morsel Spork at Trout Lake Campground.
Campground Review:
Trout lake campground is certainly off the beaten path. The road to get there is dirt and gravel. It is uneven with a lot of potholes, also very narrow and no room for others to pass. Super sketchy in my Kia Soul. The drive there is nice, as you go up in to the mountains, great views. Once you get to the campground it is super small with only five sites. pretty popular for boats. the sites are great, well shaded. My favorite site was 5 as it was big, but also right behind the main access to the dock. The dock was flooded this time. Make sure you have everything you need, its a far drive from any store. The lake is good for fishing. The vault toilets are well maintained. Pack out your trash. bring your own water.
Product Review:
As a Ranger for the Dyrt, sometimes I get to test cool products in the field. Today I tested the Morsel Spork. I love these things! I was able to get a regular and an xl and test them both, My favorite is the smaller one, because its easier to wield. I can see the benefits of the big xl large one if you have those hard to reach bagged food items but in retrospect it just wasn't for me. They are both lightweight, have the serrated edge, flexible edge on the spoon, and they are both just cool. I love the idea of sporks and Morsel Spork put a lot of thought in their design. I love the materiel, nice and sturdy. It's earned it's way in to my camp back and I'm excited to have them
Ranger Review: GCI Outdoor Recliner chair at North Gorge Campground
Campground review:
North Gorge is a sleepy little place. Small campground with a small boat launch. There isn't a lot of parking so beware if you bring your truck and trailer here. The sites are small, seemed to be a decent amount of space between them. Vault toilets, well maintained. each site has your standard picnic table, and fire ring. There was a burn ban in August, no fires for us. They actually zip tied no fire signs to each fire pit. There are only a few sites, most for tent camping only, however there are a few that will fit a trailer or rv. It is $9 in the off season Nov 1st to May 30th, and $18 in the peak season
Product review:
**https://www.gcioutdoor.com/folding-recliners/outdoor-recliner/
**
As a Ranger for the Dyrt, sometime I get to test out awesome products in exchange for an honest review. The GCI outdoor Recliner is well built with quality materials. It is easy to slide in and out of the large storage back. easy to set up and take down. I love the mesh back, it helps to keep you cool in those hot summer days. The chair has 3 reclining positions and my favorite part was reclining the chair all the way to look at the stars, it gives the perfect angle. I also love the storage pocket on the back. just fold up the storage bag and put it in the pocket for a pillow. It has a cup holder, but I wasn't a big fan of the placement. I give this chair an 8/10.
Great family place, so much to do for everyone. Especially if you love the water. The campsite is butted up to the lake, which makes it great for sunsets and sunrises. There is hardly any shade at the campsite. The RV/camper sites have full or partial hook-ups. All back in. The campsite is clean and very friendly. You can rent kayaks, and paddle boards there. There are tent sites and have public bathrooms and showers. Make sure you have cash or check when you check in unless you made a reservation on the website. Definitely will be back, gorgeous place to stop and stay for awhile.
Campground Review:
Pend Oreille County Park Is a deceptive name as it is really a large piece of beautiful forest land off highway 2 run by the county. There are miles of hiking/biking trails in this dense forest. The day use is free and has plenty of parking. There are also a large open picnic shelter, ADA accessible vault toilet, Picnic tables, grills/fire pits, and potable spigots. There is also a nice little stream that runs through the day use area during the spring.
The campground is only$10 a night per site, which is a great deal for what you get. There are 26 sites that each have A picnic table, firepit and area for a tent. There are no defined pads but plenty of cleared area. The best thing about this place is how dense the trees overhead are, the whole area is well shaded for those hot summer days. Another great thing about this place is that I have yet to see it packed, which is strange as it is right off the 2. Even though it is close to the 2, there is enough forest in between that you don't hear any cars. Overall great campground for weekend getaways!
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Product Review:
One great benefit of being a Ranger for The Dyrt is that I get to try out products occasionally- today the product I am reviewing is.. Men's Rebel Stretch Shell Jacket from Red Ledge. To start I have to say this is the neatest rain jacket I have owned. It is super light weight and rolls up to fit in a ziplock bag! I was impressed with the way it kept water out during a freak monsoon I was in. The zipper is a very cool waterproof design that has 2 separate zipper heads, I found this useful to leave the bottom unzipped a little for easier access to pants pockets. Another great feature of this was the design of the pockets. They are VERY large and secure. There seem to be velcro and cinch cords everywhere ensuring a great sealed fit. The hood has a built in bill which was really nice, though I have yet to adjust the hood correctly so it doesn't flop forward a bit too much. The shell is actually very warm so I will be using it as a full jacket, this will be nice come winter.
When purchasing be sure to order a size larger if you plan to wear a full sized jacket under it. My XL wont fit over most of my xl jackets but will fit over a large.
Over all this is a super well made jacket and you can tell the design was a labor of love. I would recommend this to anyone buying a raincoat for backpacking or just all around use. Thank you Red Ledge!
Campground Review: The campground I am reviewing today is Jerry's Landing Resort and Campground. It is a small family owned resort just 45 minutes north of Spokane Wa. I chose this place to camp for many reasons. One of which is the medium sized lake it is located on. With a boat launch, fishing dock and several row boats to rent, it's a great spot for fishing. In the day use area there are picnic tables, grills, and full flush bathrooms. The family also provides a great little store on premises that offers bait, tackle, food, camping/boating supplies and more. The prices are quite reasonable for the different ways they provide for you to stay at the resort. They have small cabins for$60 a night or larger cabins for$85 a night. Both tent and RV spaces are only$19 a night plus electric if applicable. The day use is only$3 a person and$17 a day for boat rentals as well. One of my favorite things from this experience was no defined tent pad in the well groomed grass camping area. It was one of my better nights sleep while camping. While here I didn't end up catching any fish but have seen pictures and heard stories of bigger fish in the lake. I can believe it with all the wildlife that drops in during the day. I Like to use this place for the day use fishing all the time and would highly recommend you check it out if you are in the area.
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Product Review: One of the benefits of being a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to try out products occasionally- today I am reviewing.. Outdoor Elements Firebiner
The first thing I have to admit is I was buying different gear and got the Firebiner as an addon. My delight with the product made me switch the focus of the review to the Firebiner. This thing is pretty awesome! Not only is it super light at just 0.09 lbs, but it is rated at 100 lbs carry weight. This little guy has replaced the carabiner I use for my everyday key ring due to the low weight and strength. Another great feature of the Firebiner is the small flathead screwdriver/pry tool. Its great to have a screwdriver on your side for those pesky things that take less time to fix then going to the tool box. I have already used it this way a few times this week alone. The Firebiner also has a small seatbelt cutter that has come in SUPER handy cutting fishing line and may well save my life one day to boot! One cool thing that I figure falls under the feature category would be the 2 hang slots at the bottom. It would be easy to dismiss this feature, but I found it useful. It has been really helpful to add my home keys and a tinder tube in order to keep them seperate and more permanent than the keys that I take off regularly. The last feature I am going to talk about is perhaps the most notable one. This is, of course, the Everspark Firewheel. It is thick and durable with a replaceable spring-loaded ferro rod. The flint delivery system is like those in a zippo, where you can unscrew the spring from the back. The big difference is the smaller light-weight size and the firebiner uses a ferro rod instead of a flint. Because they use the ferro rod it will spark completely wet as well as in wind.It also comes with a micro tool for the spring removal and to change the seatbelt cutter, which I keep on one of the hang slots. With all the positives I tried to look hard for something that could be better. The only thing I could think of would be to tighten the tension of the clasp. It works just fine on my belt loops through all activity. I did however loose a set of keys in my girlfriend's purse when she had them in there all day being jostled around. Overall I love the Firebiner and Outdoor Element for over designing this great product for me. I honestly would and will recommend anyone getting one of these for themselves.
My family goes here every year during Labor Day weekend. I have so many fond memories here. Lots of motorcycle trails and access to water if you bring kayaks. We once brought jet skis.
Nice clean well maintained park with lots of access to the water. Kinda pricey for full hookup. We booked late in the year so we had to move twice within a 5 day stay. An issue came up that was a real bummer… we needed to move into a site that had a rental trailer on it, and it took a long time for that to get picked up. If you manage to get a site with beach access, do imagine it will be yours. We had a couple of great beach access sites, but both times, younger campers pretty much took over the beach making it uncomfortable to even use.
This was located in Colville National Forrest. Approximately 2 1/2 hours outside of Spokane. The drive wasn’t bad, but the last 45 mins was on a windy dirt road.
This was located in Colville National Forrest. Approximately 2 1/2 hours outside of Spokane. The drive wasn’t bad, but the last 45 mins was on a windy dirt road.
Looking at campground map, we thought our site would be next to the water. But alas, the sites are back about 50 ft from the water. The waterfront is for parking the cars. :(
The RV’s are packed in like sardines. Our camping rug was 2 inches from the neighbors sewer hose. Goose poop everywhere! Barking / whining dogs, & an over zealous groundskeeper who felt the need to water the lawns around us. So we had wet rugs / table, etc.
Won’t be returning.
Bathrooms were immaculate, and the sites are spacious and not right on top of each other. Other then the creek (not available from our site) there's no recreation. If you're looking to just set up and relax, it's wonderful. If you want some activities such as hiking or more, it's not your best bet.
Clean bathrooms. Close sites which is pretty standard military campground fare. We love the safety and economy of military campgrounds.
Willow bay is great! We camped for the 4th of July and made our reservations online on their website. It was super easy. Great location, 10 min to the grocery store and restaurants if you need them! Easy lake access and a great swimming area. Nice grassy camp spots and decent bathrooms with free showers. No cell service, but who needs it when you’re camping!
Well kept campgrounds, but the owner Dave came into our campsite drunk and belligerent, called our children profanities, then returned later in the evening and proceeded to run his golf cart into two of the vehicles at out campsite yelling more profanities, he then got off of his cart and fell onto a personal camp table smashing it. He also physically assaulted two of the parties at our campsite, this is all after crashing through the campsite next to ours, running over a tent and yelling profanities at the site on the other side of their campsite. The owners refused to pay for any of the damages and the excuse we received was that Dave had a bad day and had been drinking vodka. I just want to remind you this is the owner of the resort. So if you you choose this place just be careful.
I have personally been to Pierre lake more than three times and every time it has been better and better! The campsites are well-maintained and although they are fairly close together there is enough trees and brush that you feel like you’re not around anybody. Also the entire campground has trails interconnected all throughout that lead from one end of the sites to another there are no garbage dumpsters on site so you must pack out what you pack in but there is running water concrete fairly secure our houses and the lake is spectacular for swimming fishing canoeing and all other manner of water sports. The fee is six dollars per night per site with an additional two dollars per extra car per site! I highly recommend checking this place out even though I don’t really want to many people to find out about it as it is my favorite place to go and it seems as though not many people know about it!
Great campground with easy access to the woods and a beautiful lake with views and fishing. Paved road, clean drinking water, vaulted toilets, locking dumpsters for trash, no motorized boats allowed. Great for families that enjoy camping, great lake for fishing and kayaking, great spot for birding. There are pull through spots for trailers in the upper part of the campground and back in spots with lake views and access. Walk in and group sites are much more private.
This place was a little confusing to find the campgrounds at first, but it was a great time. ORV trails and hiking trails, and a wonderful lake to fish and swim. There is a little trading post that you can have dinner or buy small things. No service but well needed to get away and enjoy the outdoors, the owner Rick was a wonderful caring family guy and I will definitely be back!
Beautiful views of Lake Roosevelt and the surrounding mountains and trees Boat launch available to get out and do some fishing. Catch Walleye and Rainbows
Unreserved sites, 37. There r 3 group sites that can be reserved. Swim beach for everyone, shelter for functions. This campground is is very well maintained by the workers of the National Park System. Come on out and enjoy!!
Love it here! Kinda wish there was more spots but at the same time love how spaced out the camp sites are great for both campers, rv and tent sites. I love Stevens county camp grounds!
We have been here a few times and we do like it, especially for the ease of renting the pontoon boats! The only downside to this place is the road noise. There is a lot of traffic all through the night and the sites are very close to the road. Other than that the staff is nice and it’s usually open!
Found this gem while driving around. It's fairly new, so people don't know too much about it. It was completely empty when we stopped by. We cooked lunch and hung out here, walking around the campground. Nobody showed up, so we decided to stay. The sites are all first come- first serve, there are very large sites with plenty of room for parking. If I remember correctly, there is 8-9 sites. All of them seem ADA accessible. There are vault toilets that seem to be maintained well considering the emptiness of the campground. The night sky was aweome! It's a gravel/dirt road, can be pretty dusty as it is an ORV/toy campground so I presume it could get noisy. The lake isn't far and a nice place to just hang out.
Hey Dyrt users! Today I have a little gem of an area for you to experience, Nile lake in Washington. This little lake is just of highway 20 on a small dirt road about 2-3 blocks long. It is dispersed and very primitive, so bring what you need and pack out everything! There is a field around the lake with a few rock circles for fire pits. There are also a few rock circles in the forest along the dirt road. The national forest sign at the beginning of the road has the usual postings for a dispersed campground. The road runs to a small loop at the lakes edge. When I was there the water seems to have risen to the road itself. The lake is open to watercraft, but there is no launch/ramp. There are also more than a few trails around the area if you grow tired of the lake. Overall it is tough to beat a free campsite in untouched nature.
Ranger Review: Aftershokz Trekz Air at Douglas Falls Grange Park
Campground Review:
Wow! Wow! Wow!
First off, a bit about the campground itself. It is owned by the local grange, right next to the Colville National Forest. It is free with a Discover pass. The discover pass is $10 for a day or $30 for a year and needed for a lot of parks in Washington. It is also located just outside of Colville, where you can get anything you need. There is about 8-15 sites. Why don’t I know? Well the campground loop intercepts the day use area, and what is a site, compared to the day use area, we can’t tell. On the main campground loop there is 8 sites. In the day use area, site #9 appears to be the only marked ADA accessible site, though many of the others seem just as accessible. Site #10 and #11 are a slight downhill walk from the parking area. Site 10 does not have a clear parking spot, where all of the other sites do. Site #12 is basically in the parking lot. When we arrived we drove the main loop and there were a few other campers, then we came to the day use area and site #12 had a tent pitched there. There is a short car road that is a one way access with additional sites #13 #14 and #15, this road was closed, but may open in the future. There were black table cloths on the tables, indicating not to use. All sites have a fire ring, and picnic table. Some have a cute log bench right next to the fire.
There is no garbage service at this campground. Pack it in, pack it out, please, leave no trace. There are vault toilets supplied with plenty of toilet paper, they were very clean and have an air freshener that almost makes you forget you are in a vault toilet! There is a huge field with a backstop for baseball/softball, a covered picnic area, Horseshoes, hiking trails (with the main one being a 1.5 mile nature loop) and the highlight was a gorgeous 60 foot waterfall that you can see from the parking lot or take short walk to. There is also a pretty cool suspension bridge!
I had low expectations of this place, but I was very surprised! We took site #10 which is about 20 feet away from the upper portion of the falls. This site is a short walk from the parking lot, so you do have to walk your gear in. The only other site in this area is #11 and it is a good distance away. From our site there is a small trail that leads to the main trail which goes to the top of the falls. If you take the main trail from the look out to the right there is access to the bottom of the falls. I listened to the waterfall all night and it was so peaceful and soothing I slept peacefully. The moon light over the falls was amazing, I wish I had my good camera! Did I mention the wildlife? Hawks, deer, super squirrels, Eagles, Chipmunks, Robins, Magpie and more!
Over all, I hated it, you shouldn’t go there so I can have it ALL to myself! But really, this is a fantastic place to camp. It’s a beautiful piece of land, with so much to see and do. Go, have fun, and thank me later!
Product Review:
Aftershokz Trekz Air- Bone Conduction Headphones.
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, sometimes I have the opportunity to review new products in exchange for an honest review. At this campground I tested Aftershokz Trekz Air- Bone Conduction Headphones. https://aftershokz.com/collections/all/products/trekz-air
These headphones are a wave of the future. Instead of sitting in your ear like most headphones, they sit on your jawbone. They are Bluetooth, so that means wireless! They are super easy to pair and connect with your phone. As with all technology, it is really best to charge them straight out of the box. The colored light on the side of the headphone is red if it is not charged or blue if it’s fully charged. The pads that sit on your jawbone sends vibrations through the bone to your year. They come in sleek colors, and they are so lightweight and comfortable you can forget they are there. The point of these headphones is to be able to hear the outside world around you and still listen to your tunes. This keeps you attentive to other people in the office or, in my case, able to hear your music over roaring waterfalls on the trail.
I had never heard of bone conduction technology before these headphones, and I certainly will remember now. These are funky and fresh. I love them, I love that they stay on my head while on the go, no cords to untangle and get in the way, or earbuds to pop out of my ear while walking. If you are not moving, the vibrations can be a little intense at higher volumes or songs with more bass, it makes it feel a little strange. They have a six hour battery life, and only takes about an hour and a half to charge. I also wish that there was a voice control in these as well so I could continue being hands free and answer the phone, skip songs or pause, at the same time. I hear that it’s in the works though, so I’m willing to wait. Plus, the button controls are easy to use, so it’s not a deal breaker. They come with a great carrying bag, ear plugs (if you don’t want to hear the world around you, you can use the earplugs to intensify to the volume of the Trekz Air.) and a charging cord. They also have a great warranty, return and exchange policy. There also arrived super quickly, I have been able to use them for a few weeks before the review, giving me the opportunity to get used to them and form an opinion.
These are by far the best headphones I have ever had and I don’t think I can go back to earbuds. I would definitely recommend these to anyone!
One of my new favorite campgrounds I found while researching for the Dyrt was Douglas Falls Grange Park. I must admit I was sceptical on my way up there as there isn't much on the net about it and it is less than 5 miles from Colville, a decent size town. I was more than pleasantly surprised to find a well kept oasis that gives the feeling of being far from civilization. I saw no sign of noise/light pollution from the town 5 min. away, on the other side of the mountain.
Probably the most notable feature of this campground is its namesake, Douglas Falls. There are views of it from the parking lot as well as trails to the top and base with access to other trails. Another nice thing about this place is the extensive day use facilities. There is a groomed field with backstop, next to a covered group of tables and bathrooms.
I saw around 15 sites total with 2 clearly marked for day use and one was ADA. They mostly offered good spacing and sometimes even seclusion. My favorite sites were 10 and 11 as they were closest to the waterfall, tho many of the others seemed great also. There were bathrooms and potable water centrally located in both sections of the park. Since it is a state run park, camping is free for up to 7 days if you have a Discover pass, which is $10 a day, $30 for the year, or free from a wa public library! Keep in mind all sites are first come first served with no reserving, so show up early.
If you find you need a change of pace while camping here there is the aforementioned town of Colville just 5 minutes away with a walmart, several grocery stores, and even a drive-in theatre! It also has many other little shops and eateries. About 15 minutes on the other side of Colville is the Columbia river which provides lots of opportunities for hiking, swimming, boating, and fishing plus more activities.
Overall this campground is great and I hope you are able to get the same wonderful experience I did from it.
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