James D.

Baltimore, MD

Joined September 2016

Stayed in the backcountry site not the Chalet

There is the chalet and there are the campsites. We stayed in the campsites our last night hiking through the gunsight pass exiting Lake McDonald. There is a mountain goat with blunted horns (who we named Earl) that frequented the site while we were cooking, setting up our tent, and again in the morning. Watch out if your underwear is hanging to dry. Keep it high enough so Earl can't reach it! The hike to this site is amazing. After our 4 night trip through the pass we were pleasantly surprised by the Chalet. They offer lemonade, hot coco and coffee free of charge to anyone until about 10:30pm. The chalet also offers hot breakfast and dinner, but you need to stop in and make a reservation before hand so they know how much food to pack in. Our last night in GNP we hit the Chalet, got some coco, and made a breakfast reservation. Well worth it. The campsites are nice. There is one that is literally overlooking a huge cliff with a stone ledge. If you want a great trip start at Jackson Glacier Overlook and end at Lake McDonald, with a stop at Sperry for your last night!

Great kayak-in camping complete with beaches and bear pole

I love sites that you need to kayak or canoe to get to and this is one of those sites. This island has massive (for the midwest) cliffs cut by the water and pit toilets! There are several campsites on the island. This one is very near a dock with ferry service and info center. Overall it is secluded once you reach it but I was hoping for more. You always know there is a big dock with ferry service close by. You will need a water filter or steripen at this site. Bug spray and bear spray is a must. There are black bears on the island though we were fortunate and didn't see any. Maybe because they are not that common or maybe because we keep everything smellable, including cook clothes, in odor-proof bags. There are campfire rings for cooking and there was a nice breeze coming off the lake the entire time we were there. That helped keep down the bugs but we wore our light long sleeve at night.

Wife loves the beach, I love the trails

Being from WI going to the UP is a must. For my wife who is from Maryland, sandy beaches are a must. This was a good fit for us. This campground offers you the chance to camp right along the shores of Lake Superior. There are sandy beaches and shipwrecks in the bay which have been preserved for tourists and history geeks. Our campsite had a fire ring, grill, and picnic table. Bring your foil with (as always!) because the grill may not be in the best shape… My best bit of advise if you are car camping here is to take the trip to see Tahquamenon Falls. It is a series of waterfalls on a river of the same name that is really beautiful.

Grew up just down the street from here

I grew up in Burlington and used to visit this place often. This place has a little of everything except mountains. You can fish, hunt, hit the trail in your boots, or on your ORV. There is swimming but as kids I remember some people getting swimmers itch or chiggers from time to time. There is a picnic area for family events. There is a drop off point for your trash and for your recycling if you are not packing-out. The tent sites and nature center were great when I was in boy scouts 20ish years ago. If you are a teenager in the area and looking to partake in activities such as this places name implies - sorry for ruining it for you a while back! LOL Seriously if you are in the area this is a great place right off a county highway. Easy access and a very decent park.

Favorite spot in MI

This place was set up unlike any other I have been to yet. Our campsite was right along the AuSable River and we kayaked in. There are just over 100 sites on a 50 mile stretch of the river so things are secluded and peaceful. The sites are divided up across several "ponds." Our site was situated with a fairly steep slope to the river which was challenging but not impossible. We went kayaking for a full day and loved it! There is no potable water so bring a filter, no toilets so bring a shovel, and it is pack-in pack-out. There was a campfire ring at the site. The fishing here was ok. More of an excuse to be on the water than anything. There are fly fishing opportunities here but I was not equipped for it.

Great hiking trails, not overly built up, and yes, there might be horses

There are about 20 miles to hike in this park and there is a special camping area for folks who bring horses. I was here in the spring but was told fall is the best time because of the changes in the trees. I believe it and hope to make it back some day. There are showers and water for campers which was a nice luxury. There were 5 people on horseback when we were there. You can mountain bike here but they do not allow swimming. At only $5/day for a permit this place is a steal. The caves were not what I expected. There is a fair amount of graffiti from local kids.

Awesome Walleye and Northern fishing!

Stayed here for 3 days and 2 nights back in 2011. The park is a bit more built up than what I generally like but this was a fishing trip so I didn't mind. There is a volley ball court and playgrounds. There is an ORV trail which was seeing heavy use while we were there. They have laundry and even fish cleaning stations, which lucky for us we needed to use. They have back in and pull through sites for RV's, some with electric and some without. There are tent only sites too. One important thing to mention is you can't have more than one small camper or more than one tent per site. Some places you can get away with this but not here. We also saw some quail and a pair of female deer here.

Another great park in the Missouri River Valley!

Great place for RV camping. My Uncle and I went through here back in 2011. All sites were reservable on-line. Every site had electric hookups. There is access to water and restrooms in each loop. Some of the sites are right near Lake Yankton. There was decent fishing but nothing too special. The park itself is very close to South Dakota, and you can visit the old time capitol of the Dakota Territory. I love the little history pieces like this so it was worth the side trip for me. It is also right near Lewis and Clark Lake which has really good fishing in the early morning. People we met were using the spot as they were passing through the area or for taking kids out for the weekend. Pets were allowed here too.

Had a good time fishing in the Missouri River

This campground is situated along the Missouri River. There is a fishing pier and boat ramp. There are only about 10 tent campsites and a bunch of RV sites. The shower facilities were clean. It is near Lewis and Clark Lake which is a very nice lake. There is a dam which takes away from some of the natural feeling, but hey, there are showers here too. The Missouri River Valley is worth seeing at some point in your life. There are a lot of birds in the park which my wife appreciated.

Another State Park in the midwest. Nothing amazing but nothing horrible.

The park was clean and the staff was friendly. There are grills and toilets and trash collection. There were ample camping sites. We just got a permit on walk-in. There was a trail that was under two miles called Locust that my wife enjoyed for birding. There is also a loop trail near the campsites. It is along the Mississippi River so its hard not to like a place with that type of water feature!

Truely Amazing!

I love GNP and the hike through the Gunsight Pass isn't complete without a stop by the waterfalls near this campsite. This site comes up very quick after entering in by Jackson Glacier overlook and a lot of folks blow by it but there is a lot of cool stuff to see if you camp out here and explore for a day. As with all the backcountry sites in GNP there is a bear pole available so you just need a carabiner, a rope and your stuff sacks. They advised 25' but really we only needed about 18' or so. There is a cooking area near the bear pole and a pit toilet. While hiking the mosquitoes left us alone but the second we stopped they were all over us. Really glad we stayed here.

Fished in lake #2 and camped in Issac Walton Park near lake #1

Great bass fishing here! The dams were cool to see. It was easy to walk in and get a permit for camping and fishing. Friendly staff. The tent site was good. Nothing special but nothing wrong with it. My wife found it a bit boring but she isn't as into fishing as I am. She just enjoyed the water. She went swimming and said the water was nice. There were some people skiing on the lake. I had the best luck for bass in a little inlet near McCloud Rd. There is a playground and picnic pavilion which would be good for families. The areas around the lakes are wooded and pretty natural.

Getting to see the wildlife made this place worth it

My wife loves birds, and if it weren't for all of the geese on the lake we wouldn't have enjoyed our stay here. There are plenty of sites for tent camping but the one we got wasn't level so we kept sliding our bags off our sleeping pad. There are shower houses but they weren't the best maintained. Being able to bring our dogs was a plus. There wasn't a boat ramp that we saw but you can kayak on the water. Fishing was really just to kill some time because the park itself was pretty boring. Maybe we were just in a funk, or maybe this place was funky. Being around all the water was this places only saving grace.

Favorite place in Nebraska!

My wife and I stayed where with a group of friends for a week. Great car camping experience here! We camped right along the water. We had sites 210 and 211 right on Victory Lake. The fishing was great and we had a lot of kayaking to do. There are a ton of available sites here right on the water. There is access to bathrooms and water nearby, and showers a little further up. We mostly cooked over campfire but there is a restaurant and we did head there while kayaking for a burger break. There is a swimming beach and you can get on the water for skiing and tubing if you like. While the campsites were crowded the water wasn't, so we didn't have too many motor boats to contend with while paddling. We really enjoyed this place and if we are in the area again this will be our spot.

Had a great time at this former military fort on the Mississippi

This park is arranged more for RV's than tent camping and you cannot set up right along the river but can get pretty close if you are in tent spot 25. The sites are really close to each other. Bear Mound is cool to see if you appreciate the history behind it. Bridal falls is also a must see if you are there. The hiking trails can be done with a long day hike and offer some beautiful scenery as the leaves are changing. One of the few spots I have stayed along the Mississippi and one of my favorites.

More of a nice park for locals than a destination for out of towners

We stayed here while passing through on a road trip. It was easy to get a camp site. We opted for a hike-in site to try for a bit of seclusion. The site was nice. We didn't have other campers near by. The hiking trails are very short but there is a bike path that evidently connects several parks in the region. It is a family friendly park with bathrooms, spot for trash, and even shower station. There is a kayak launch point off Lower Ledges Road. The water was calm. This is more of a park for locals to picnic, fish and kayak than a destination for out of towners. It is a quiet park that had a lot of local dog walkers and would be a peaceful place to stay with the kids if stopping through the area. There is a playground on site and you can fish out of the Des Moines River.

Great fishing and can camp right along the water

We were able to stay here for 2 nights while visiting the city. My wife and I prefer to stay outside and camp most often. This campground not only has a fun name to repeat to family and friends (or try to remember when writing a review! lol) but has a ton of campsites right on the lake. I think we lucked out and got site 128. It was a tent site and was on the water but a few spots North of a peak fishing area. If you are here site 128 is where it is at! It is a stocked lake but I brought in a 32" northern. Had to let it go per regs so no fish dinner that night! It wasn't a skinny snake either. Like all places you need a permit to fish and better follow the regs. The tent sites were very well maintained. Clean pads and great parking. Overall excellent car camping and fishing spot!

5 Star family camping. Repeat - Family Camping

I decided that while visiting my cousin I would make a weekend of taking her kids out to "camp." This KOA provided a fun experience for us kids of all ages… Little Tony got to ride a zip line and my wife and I enjoyed wine while making smores around a fire pit. Really if you are looking to dig in to nature a KOA is not the best place. It is like the Yogi Bear sites. They are convenient, and can be cheap tent pads for sleeping but if your looking for nature this is not the spot. You would be better off at a state park for about $10/night. But we were looking for an intro to camping for my second cousins and it was a lot of fun here. They had a zip line (it didn't cover a long distance and wasn't high off the ground) a pool, general store, and just enough seclusion to feel like we got the youngsters out out of the suburb and into another that had some adventure and trees… Awesome place if you have kids with you and your entire goal is to get them out and try something new.

Only 4 star because they over-booked and because it is a KOA playground....

So, its a KOA which is awesome for some and not for others. I have only been to a handful but they are way too managed and the stereotypical "glamping" situation. Reason we booked was because we were headed from a nearby camp on Flathead lake and wanted to get closer to Glacier before walking in for a permit. This KOA is less than 20 minutes from the Apgar permit office… We booked a primitive cabin online before the trip, and then the night of our arrival, about 1 hour till their general store/office closed, we got a phone call saying that they made a mistake and they over booked. How did they handle it? They put us up in one of their luxury full cabins! Now, that is not the experience we were looking for, but for us this was merely a one nighter to get to Glacier. So we accepted. Campfire ring, picnic table, private parking, and our own little cabin complete with flat screen tv and surround speakers in the ceiling. 2 other bedrooms one with bunks that went unused, a kitchen with coffee maker and mini fridge, and a bathroom with toilet, sink, and shower… While not the experience we were looking for it sure made it easier to pack up and get into glacier for that walk in permit. Although there was some mistake with their booking they owned it and gave us what would be considered a huge upgrade, and we made it to the permit office early without needing to worry about deflating our sleeping pads. Thank you West Glacier KOA!

Decent place to camp as there is plenty to do and learn

Fort Robinson is a piece of history. Take the time to check out the old outpost. It's been around for a while and has seen a ton of interesting activity. It was the place that Crazy Horse died… There is a museum for history buffs. The campgrounds we stayed at were the primitive sites but there are luxuries such as real showers, bathrooms, picnic shelters and trash stations. There were horse barns which was cool for people with horses. Several people did have them. My wife loves horses so that was a bonus. You can make reservations pretty far in advance and some sites are reserved for walk-ins.