Laura M.

The Dyrt Pro

Joined August 2020

Quit ER nursing, sold everything and now my spouse and I travel full-time in 26 ft RV with 3 dogs and a bunny! Always on the boondock hunt;)

Cool Beachy Vibe

 Cool campground within the Cape Hatteras Nat’l Seashore, beachy vibe, sites are open and no privacy whatsoever, and you’re pretty close to your neighbor, but it is what we expect from most beach campgrounds. 

Watch out for spiny sand spurs(?) that stick in your dog’s paws and your socks- very painful and they’re all over the grassy areas. 

Bathrooms are nice, flush toilets. Showers are available for free, but they are a bit exposed, like an outhouse type set up and the doors are short. We didn’t take showers here but another camper told us the water is warm. 

Beach is right behind the campground, easy access with several trails leading right from the campsites. Wifi is available per sign on office door, but you probably need to be at the office to use it, as we didn’t see it pop us as an available wifi source. Good cell reception for Verizon and ATT. 

All reservations must be made via recreation.gov. We came in without reservations, drove through the loops, picked an open site, and made our reservation. Recreation.gov is nice in that there are no processing fees. 

Campground was about 1/2 full on a Sunday in early November. We paid $28 for a no-hookup site, water/power sites are available for a bit more. There’s a dump station available across the street but we didn’t use it since we were just heading south to the next campground with a dump and fill station there as well.

Loved the Easy Beach Access

 This was the third of the four Cape Hatteras Nat’l Seashore campgrounds we stayed in. It had a similar feel to the Oregon Inlet campground. It’s also $28/night, and like the others, you must reserve the site through recreation.gov. We pulled in without a reservation, picked a spot, then pulled up the app and reserved and paid. Recreation.gov doesn’t charge a service fee, which is nice. 

We liked it here so much we added a second day. Really easy access to the beach. Campground was quiet and peaceful. We stayed here during off season in early November so I’d imagine it’s probably a completely different vibe in the summer. Watch out for spiny sand spurs(?) that stick in your dog’s paws and your socks- very painful and they’re all over the grassy areas. 

OK cell service, Verizon was a little slow but ATT was ok. Wide open sky for solar panels and starlink. Loop D does not allow generator use at any time. 

Dumpsters available, as well as plastic, glass, and aluminum recycling bins.

No wood fires allowed here.

Some sites have power and water for $35/night. There’s a dump station and water fill available. Like the other two campgrounds we stayed at, the showers are in this short door outhouse type setup, and our understanding is that the water is cold. We did not use the showers. 

We were traveling south along the Outer Banks and the ferry from Hatteras to Ocracoke was very easy to ride with our 26ft class c RV, and it was free.

OK, not great

Campground is 1 of the 4 within the Cape Hatteras Nat’l Seashore. Cost here is only $20/night (the others are $28). No hookups available, but there is a dump station and potable water fill on your way out. Cell service is good. The walk to the beach is a bit long, maybe about 1/2 mile or so. 

We stayed here for a night in early November and the place was nearly empty. There were one or two campers per loop, so the campground was nice and open and quiet. I think that during the busy season it would be an unpleasant stay, as the sites are all right next to each other, side by side, just big grassy area. Sites are large though, which was nice. 

We didn’t use the showers but I believe they are cold showers. The set up is almost like an outdoor shower, with a short door and a pull rope for the water. Watch out for spiny sand spurs (?) that stick in your dog’s paws and your socks- very painful and they’re all over the grassy areas. 

Sites must be reserved through recreation.gov. It was easy to pull up with no reservation, pick a site, then reserve and pay online. No service fee through this site. 

No wood fires allowed here. Each site has a picnic table and grill, nothing else.

Dumpsters available, but no recycling bins. Not sure if North Carolina segregates recycling after pickup.

Felt like a Walmart

In our experience, Cabela’s are usually a nicer experience than say, a Walmart. They’re quieter, cleaner, and further away from the noisy roads. But this Cabela’s in Garner was more similar to the Walmarts we’ve been to. Always grateful to businesses that allow RVers to overnight, so I’m not complaining! But this was definitely not the norm. 

The noise quieted down overnight, and there were plenty of good places to eat around the store (an ale house, a steak house, a starbucks, and I believe a chipotle). In the morning i took my dog to the wooded area behind the store, which he enjoyed. 

There were two other RVs there when we got there in the early afternoon, that looked like they were set up for the long term (I hope not). One was a class c with a tow vehicle that was hanging out the parking spaces from both ends, which was a disappointment to see. All in all, good night’s sleep, and I hope people continue to respect these businesses so that they will continue to allow us to stay the night in their lot.

Open field layout

We drove through here, thinking we’d like to stay here, but decided not to. The campground is basically just an open field. It seems like this is a popular place for locals to come for fishing and hanging out on the lake. It’s really close to town, which is nice, but we just didn’t like the layout and we kept going. We saw some power pedestals in the field, and a dump station close to the main road. 

We didn’t see a potable water fill area, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. Firewood available for sale across the street. Showers available for guests only.

Nice, too expensive

We drove through this campground and liked it fine, it has a USFS campground feel to it. Very lush and green, lots of trees and nice individual spots. Sites are reservable online or by phone. No pay station at campground, no FCFS sites. 

Cost for non-residents is $21 for the campsite and another $11 daily state park entrance fee. So, $32 for the same type of campground as a USFS at about $15. We just couldn’t justify paying that when we knew there were USFS campgrounds nearby. If you’re a resident and/or already have the annual Wisconsin state parks pass, then the cost here is pretty reasonable. 

There’s a hand-pump water faucet here, vault toilets, and just outside of the campground is a dumpster and a mixed recycling bin. Each site has a picnic table and fire grill and a cool log bench.

Standard USFS campground

Typical USFS campground in the Chequamegon NF. First come first served, self pay, no host, very green and lush and private sites.

$15/night. Some sites are pull through. A few are level, but most would be difficult for us to get level enough to be comfortable. Not sure of the length limit here but we had no problems in our 26ft class c. Roads are narrow and the low hanging branches scraped along the top and sides of our rig, but no damage. 

There is a trash dumpster here, and even a recycling bin, a nice surprise. There is potable water at the campground (per note at spigot water is safe to drink but will leave rust residue). Vault toilets here as well. 

The lake is nice and peaceful and small, and bugs/mosquitos weren’t too bad. There’s a little dock at the lake but you can’t drive your boat down, you have to carry it on foot. 

Surprisingly decent Verizon and ATT service. Hardly anybody here. Beautiful and quiet and serene.

Great when visiting Bayfield / the Apostle Islands

This is a first come first served city campground, which is a good thing because each site is so different that it would be difficult to make a good choice in advance. Some sites are difficult/ impossible for RVs and some are fine. We are in a 26ft class c and felt really big- they have a 30ft max limit for RVs. Some (I believe 18& 19?) are grouped together so they would make a good choice for friends and family camping together. There are also some primitive tent walk-up sites.

Nice campground, $30/night, can pay online when you arrive. Good cell reception. Most, if not all, sites have 30 and 20 amp service. There are no water or sewer hookups here, and no dump station. No showers. There are a couple of trash dumpsters throughout the campground but no recycling. There are water spigots throughout the campground too (not for filling RV tanks, but for filling water jugs).

Easy walk to town, not quite a mile, and there is a sidewalk for most (not all) of the way. There are some nice walking paths around the campground, with benches positioned to view each of the Apostle Islands. 

Mosquitos were surprisingly not too bad here. We had a really pleasant and relaxing night’s stay here. The town of Bayfield is really cute and the ferry rides to the islands are a must.

Great

Huge campground, and I guess we were lucky to snag a site mid week in August, as there were only two sites left when we arrived in the early afternoon. 

You get a choice of electric or non electric. We paid $25 for a non-electric site (weekends are higher rate). You also have to pay the Wisconsin state park entry fee at $13/day for non residents, or $38 for an annual pass. 

The dump station gets really backed up at the end of the weekend, so heads up. 

Also, a portion of the beach is dog friendly, so if that’s important to you then try and get a site close to the dog friendly portion (south of the lighthouse), otherwise it’s a good mile walk from the other end of the campground to the dog area. Leashes required at all times, except for when the dog is actively frolicking in the water. 

The concession stand here looks really nice, like a full service restaurant. Showers are nice and free. Water spigots throughout campground, or there’s a water fill at the dump station. There’s a little free library here too:)

Campground will be closed until May 24, 2024 for maintenance on the waterlines.

Great

Another beautiful Wisconsin State Park. We’ve stayed in several of these now, and have found them to be consistently well maintained, clean, free showers (this one has a handle where you can actually adjust the temperature), with dumpsters, recycling, and a dump station and water fill.  

We paid $40/night for an electric (30amp) site because we needed to run the a/c, but otherwise that’s far too expensive and we’d much rather pay $25 for a non-power site. There’s also the $13/day or $38 annual state park fee (residents pay a few dollars less), which we’re seeing more and more of at state parks now. 

Rangers and hosts are super friendly and helpful as well. There are nice trails around the campground, and some of them even allow dogs. Only a portion of the beach allows dogs, so watch for that. Sites vary in levelness and amount of privacy from your neighbor. 

There’s also laundry here, such a nice perk for full timers like us! Laundry day at the laundromat is such an unpleasant chore. 

ATT had good service and Verizon had weak service.

We decided to move on

We drove through here but didn’t stay. The non-electric sites were pretty much all on hilly areas, most would be impossible for an RV to get level, though there were a few that would have worked. 

We drove through the “bluffs” loop (electric sites), thinking it would be beautiful and look out on the water, but it was a nightmare for us, with huge RVs jam packed side by side like a parking lot. 

The lakeview loop was nicer, but still too many RVs all in a row. There are also cute cabins here for rent. 

When we were there the city was under a water advisory- all water had to be boiled before any kind of use. There was a dump station, and trash bins but no recycling (I’m disappointed in the lack of recycling at NY State campgrounds!) So, we moved on to Selkirk SP and stayed there instead.

4 Different Loops

This campground is 4 different loops- A loop is like the loop for people here for fishing, B loop is the mellower crowd, and C and D were our nightmares: mass chaos, children running amok, loud groups, no thanks. Apparently C and D are always booked and full, because people like that it’s closest to the beach trail, the playground, and the camp store. We chose a site in loop B and were happy with our choice. None of the sites at the campground have any privacy from your neighbor, you’re all sort of camped in a big circle. Sites 66 and 67 are the exception that we saw, they’re off together to the side and would be a good choice for two groups camping together. 

There are dumpsters here, and there’s recycling for redeemable bottles and cans only, with proceeds going to the campground’s rec center. That was the most recycling I’ve seen offered at a NY state park campground yet, at least it’s something. 

All sites are electric, some are 30 and some are 50amp. There’s a nice new dump station with several dumps and potable water. Good cell reception for both Verizon and ATT. NY State campgrounds require proof of rabies vaccinations for your dogs.

Great boondocking - free

 Cool, free camping in the Adirondacks. The road to get here is ok, definitely manageable in a smaller RV, you’d just have to take it slow. We did fine in our 26ft class c. There’s a sign-in box at the entrance, for purposes of gauging usage and also for emergencies. 

Each site is marked with a little yellow number placard. Each site has such a different layout, but each one has a picnic table, fire pit, and your very own, surprisingly clean, outhouse. We only stayed here one night, in site 121A, but I’d recommend staying longer than that, if only because the road to the camp sites is so long. 

There isn’t much hiking or walking paths around here, but the roads aren’t very busy so you can walk along those to get to the hiking trails that are here. I don’t believe the trailheads had any parking space, so watch for that on your way in if you want to drive to the hike. 

No cell service

Gorgeous in the fall!

We were there in late October, towards the end of the season, and there were only a few other campers there, and it was a weekend! So nice to have the whole place feel so quiet and desolate. No reservations taken other than for certain popular holidays. You just show up and pick a spot and the ranger will come around and collect fees. For non-residents the non-electric sites are $40 and the power sites are $45. Residents are $10 less. Cash only!

No privacy between sites, but sites are big and far away enough from each other that it felt like it would be ok. Lots of trees everywhere, which is nice. Some sites are really nice, with a little driveway to go deeper into the woods and off of the main road. 

Dump and potable water fill available here. Dump is kept locked, but there’s a number to call and staff will come unlock for you. Water spigots available throughout campground. 

Good cell reception for Verizon and ATT. Showers are free and hot and clean, water runs continuously (no button to push), and you can adjust the temperature. 

Gorgeous lake for fishing or just enjoying the beauty. Beautiful place. We were there at the end of October, and staff told us Oct 22, 2023 was the last camping day of the season.

Great campground

 We stayed here three nights to ride out a heat wave and really liked it. Sites are electric only, with a dump station available at the entrance and one in the campground loop. There are potable water spigots throughout the campground, where you awkwardly pull over to the side of the road and fill your tank. 

Sites are pretty much wide open, with zero separation between you and your neighbor. Most are out in direct sun but the ones along the edge have some tree cover and shade. 

There are yurts here as well, and a playground, and a huge disc golf course. You can walk to the beach from the campground (dogs aren’t allowed on the beach). The nature center is right in the campground, by the basketball and tennis courts. Showers were dirty and buggy, but they’re free and you can actually choose your own water temperature. 

NY State campgrounds require proof of rabies vaccinations for your dogs. Good cell reception for Verizon, ATT wasn’t great but the cell booster helped. Trash bins, but no recycling. Beautiful sunset on the lake.

Great campground

We stayed here three nights to ride out a heat wave and really liked it. Sites are electric only, with a dump station available at the entrance and one in the campground loop. There are potable water spigots throughout the campground, where you awkwardly pull over to the side of the road and fill your tank. Sites are pretty much wide open, with zero separation between you and your neighbor. Most are out in direct sun but the ones along the edge have some tree cover and shade. 

There are yurts here as well, and a playground, and a huge disc golf course. You can walk to the beach from the campground (dogs aren’t allowed on the beach). The nature center is right in the campground, by the basketball and tennis courts. 

Showers were dirty and buggy, but they’re free and you can actually choose your own water temperature. NY State campgrounds require proof of rabies vaccinations for your dogs.

 Good cell reception for Verizon, ATT wasn’t great but the cell booster helped. Trash bins, but no recycling. Beautiful sunset on the lake.

Awesome Boondocking

Awesome boondocking in New Hampshire, what a treat in the east coast! Just beautiful scenery, with trees, rivers, creeks, hiking trails with a pond- we absolutely loved our time here. 

Town Hall Rd is a long road with many designated dispersed sites, all far apart from each other and all varying in levelness and size. We got lucky and snagged a perfect spot 2 miles in from the entrance sign- completely level (didn’t even need our leveling blocks) and big enough for our 26ft class c. Each site is different, but there were plenty that could fit a medium sized RV like ours. I wouldn’t recommend a giant 5th wheel or class A to come here looking for a spot. The road is dirt, but it’s hard packed and smooth, with a few dips and holes here and there. A little narrow but it’s manageable. The downside of a great road is the speeding cars and trucks- very annoying but thankfully there wasn’t much traffic in early October. I’d say more than half the sites were open when we stayed there mid-week. 

 No amenities here, just a rock fire pit to designate that it’s a spot. Please pack out your trash. Zero cell service in this whole area, but some messages popped through while we were hiking. weBoost did not help. Heavily wooded area, so it’s not so great for solar panels and probably not starlink either (we don’t have starlink so I can’t report on that).

Good for an overnight

Nice and casual campground. We came here after we struck out at Saddleback (about 40 miles east of here, because they were full), and were much happier here than we would have been at Saddleback. Saddleback campers had “don’t tread on me” signs, campers here had rainbow signs. Office staff was friendly and professional and helpful. 

Keyser Pond is in the Passport America program, and we paid $25 for a FHU site with that discount, so double that for normal rates. The campground is a little run down and disheveled looking, with a lot of long-termers, some with hard PVC sewer piping from their RVs. There’s a store and a rec room, sadly no book exchange though. There’s a basketball court and playground, a beach volleyball court, a little pond. There are dumpsters here, but no recycling. 

Cost for non-campers to use the dump is an astonishing $40, which can’t be right, but that’s what the sign said. I’d confirm that with the office though. You can hear road noise but it wasn’t bothersome. There’s good free wifi at camp, and good cell reception with Verizon and ATT. Camp takes security seriously, with gated entry and wristbands for guests to wear. Laundry is great, open 24 hours, $1.50/wash and $0.25 per 6 min or so for dryer. Showers were hot (low pressure though) and not free, at $0.25/5 min. Sites not fully level but leveling blocks took care of it.

Loved it here

We stayed here for a night in mid October, as they were getting ready to close for the season, so more than half of the campground was closed off. But the part that we did see was awesome. Each site was huge, separated from its neighbor, private, mostly flat, and beautiful. No hookups in the campground, and sites are hit or miss with tree coverage, some sites may have enough opening for solar or starlink, but I wouldn’t count on it. 

There are hiking trails throughout the campground, but our dog got covered in ticks so watch for that. There are water spigots throughout the campground and a dump station. Showers were free and nice and clean, and you can control the temperature and let the water run (no button to push). 

The dump truck driver was there picking up garbage and I asked him about recycling and he said they have their own transfer station where the waste is sorted, so all recycling and garbage goes into the dumpster. 

We paid $23 for a site because it was primitive season, but I think normally it’s $25. No other taxes or fees were charged. There’s a little store in the ranger office with basic supplies and gifts, ice cream, fire starters, ice, etc. There’s also a little free library exchange behind the office. And to top it off, we had cell service here. Great stay, highly recommend! Beware of ticks!

Take The Shuttle To Town

No reservations and an awesome shuttle system- our favorite things about staying here. 

This campground is huge, and takes no reservations, so it works great for us who don’t like to plan ahead. And also, there’s an amazing free shuttle system, that allows dogs!, that picks you up right at the campground. There are multiple routes you can transfer to and they take you into town or throughout Acadia NP, which is so nice for us as we are in a motorhome with no tow car. Also, Acadia NP allows dogs on most trails! Mind blown. 

Campground is great- there is a type of site for everyone. FHU sites all along in a row for those big RVs who like that parking lot feeling, a tent area where you park and carry your things to your camp spot, heavily wooded sites that feel like a more traditional campground, and more open sites where there’s enough sun if you rely on solar. Some sites are just 30 amp power and water, and there are dry camp sites as well. RVs can camp in a dry camp site, but no generators allowed at all (another favorite thing for us!). 

Laundry room is huge and clean, washer and dryer are huge and work well and are only $1 each (quarters only).

 There’s a dump station. Water at the dump is non-potable but you can fill your tanks at one of the many drinking water spigots throughout the campground, or pull into an empty site, like we did. 

Showers were ok, $0.25 for 5 minutes.