Elizabeth T.

Brooklyn, NY

Joined August 2020

Isolated but crowded

Pros:

  • Right in the middle of a prairie dog town! It seems very strange to be allowed to camp there, but they paid the campers no mind and went about their business.
  • Isolated, nothing for miles around the site.
  • beautiful views
  • plenty of first come, first serve sites available when I arrived around 4 PM (but it did fill up later in the evening, I believe at 100%).
  • Free

Cons:

  • Each site really is practically on top of the next, so don't expect any form of privacy. 
  • A few sites had a covered picnic table, but those were already gone when I arrived that's the only shade anywhere and it was blistering hot in August. I did the scenic drive the afternoon I arrived just to be able to be out of the 100 degree heat and sun.
  • Noisy given the lack of space between sites. One loud group chatting, laughing, playing music until around 11 om or so, which was annoying given we were all right on top of each other.
  • Had to wait in line for the latrine a few times given that there are only 2 latrines for the whole site.
Convenient, Quieter than Sylvan Lake

Pros:

- beautiful spot, lots of spaced out tall, skinny trees and flat platforms for tents at all sites.

- drive in

- no cell service, but there was a phone on site to be able to call and reserve a walk-in spot. 

- I'd tried Sylvan Lake first and it was full, but glad I ended up here because it felt slightly less crowded than Sylvan. 

Cons:

- given the geography, there wasn't much privacy in the form of trees from one site to the next. 

- where my site was I has to walk fairly far to the latrine, but this wouldn't have been true of all sites.

- sound traveled fairly easily, so I was awoken several times. One loud group until fairly late, around 11 PM.

Convenient spot, but crowded

Pros:

- Very convenient to Roosevelt NP. Could be walked if needed. 

- Despite being quite full/crowded when I was there, it was quiet at night.

- The hosts were very kind, they came around each evening checking if the guests were ok and if they needed anything.

Cons:

- It was listed online as $3 a night with people who verified that's what they paid, but I got there to find the box for paying listing $10 a night, so that's what I paid. Couldn't find the host to ask before paying.

- Given the geography of the locale, there was zero shade. in Mid-August this meant blistering temps close to 100 and nowhere to go to cool off since I was tent camping.

- It was crowded and there is no privacy between sites given the lack of trees or other natural barriers.

- There is no firewood to be gathered nearby. Bring wood if you're planning on a fire.

Sidenote: I didn't realize I was exactly right on the line where the time zone changes. I wanted to get to the visitor's center right when they opened to not get on the trail too late, but ended up there an hour after they opened! Something to keep in mind.