Nick C.

Miami , FL

Joined March 2020

Miami native who loves backpacking and primitive camping

Centralized spot in Shenandoah - hot showers!

I stayed in the tent only / non generator sites which is definitely the way to go. My site was actually a walk in. So I had to park and lug my gear up some steps about 200 feet. The site was shaded with a nice spot for a hammock. Including a fire ring and grill grate, picnic table and a bear box. You are close to the road, so you get noise and headlights in your tent sometimes. Deer and skunk walk through camp all the time. Heard some owls at night. Whooooooo

Cozy and Clean - Lots of Firewood

The sites are very clean but close to each Other. You can hear the kids and families and all that. The sites have a nice mulched tent pad, fire ring / grill grate, lantern pole and picnic table. There is a firewood hut at the entrance and you can take what you need - just leAve a donation. The bathrooms are very clean and there’s some trails around the creek (dry creek/ nothing impressive)

Nice spots on the River

Nice place to camp for a night or two next to the river. There aren’t many sites and no “park” or ranger station. You have to park on the road and walk about 75 feet to your site. Not much traffic on that road and a trail with many cyclists and runners. It’s great being on the water. I would go back. Each site has a fire ring and a picnics table and grill.

First come sites is KEY !

We booked a site in a reservable loop. And it was so close to every other site on the road. Hardly any coverage so you’d be cozy up to your neighbor. So we changed to a FF site and it was much better. The outer loop gives you more of a “backyard” and space. The fire ring and table was a nice touch. We had a blast. Nice trails to take to waterfalls right by the campground.

Nice spot close to the city

Pretty chill campsite. I think there’s 3 loops. One is for group only. One is electric hook up and C is tent only. The sites are pretty close together but enough space to do your thing and lots of woods around for shade and hammocks. Showers were decent. You can here some traffic noise. Perhaps from the highways or just in the park. Over all very nice and convenient.

Nice park close to Miami

Pretty good spot for primitive camping. I would say the ideal spots would be on the water of depot lake where you’re pretty secluded and by the water. The scrub spots are also good but you get a lot of generator noise from the water treatment pump. The RV sites is a parking lot so that’s not good for tents at all. The riverside grill has good food in see you didn’t pack enough and the store has ice and $10 firewood bundles. The trail is pretty short unless you venture off but only in the dry season or you’ll be up to your knees in mud. Renting a canoe is a good idea to drift around and see some wildlife.

Sweet little spot by the Smokies

After backpacking a few nights in the mountains, this was the perfect place to rest and get a hot shower. The store clerk was very nice and they have a bunch of snacks and firewood $7 a bundle. We stayed in the primitive sites by the creek which was amazing. Most people seem to be older and stay in the cabins which looked fun. The primitive sites aren’t very private. You see all your neighbors, but it’s nice. The showers were clean and hot most the time. There is also laundry. I’d like to go in warmer months and tube.

Bald Creek -Bear Activity

We booked this site in advance and hiked in on our second day. It’s a ton of uphill from deep creek Campground. There are about 3 decent sized sites here for different groups. The creek is easily accessible for water and to dip your feet in. They closed this site on us due to bear activity but we camped anyways. No where else to go! Leave no trace and hang your garbage on the 2 options for bear lines It was a great site. That mile hike to get back to pole road creek is tough. All uphill!

Glad we picked this one

We hiked in the Deep creek trailhead and passed 60 & 59 on the way. They had loads of backpackers there so when we arrived at nicks nest branch and we’re alone we were psyched. There was a natural wooden bench by the fire ring and the bear lines were close by. The creek was right there which was perfect for cooking and water. It did rain on us that 1 night but all was well. great time

Great Weather and Hikes -September

Beautiful campground in the smoky mountains with lots of hiking to three waterfalls. The tent-only camping does not look like a lot of fun. You have to park your car in the lot and walk your gear to your pad. The pads are almost on top of each other with no trees or privacy to separate you. But you are right by the creek for a dip anytime. Book next to friends and it will be a good time.

The drive up camping is better, more private and wooded for hammocks and fun. My group all brought their own and HUGE tents. I’ve never seen 4 tents crowd onto one pad, but we did it. It was the only site available in Labor Day weekend and I snagged it. It was a great site too 44. Bathrooms were nice and clean, no showers. Hiking was great, didn’t see any wildlife. The creek is so refreshing.

Hot Hot Summer

This place was nicely maintained. We camped on the tent only loop. Most of the sites are pretty private with water, a fire ring and picnic table at each spot. Some get more shade and some have more trees. The shower was great but broken and the light was broken in there as well. But I’m not a complainer. There are some trails in the park with canoe / kayak rentals. And then more trails off the main road. Overall a pleasant tent camping spot but wow it was crazy HOT July 31st. So many mosquitoes and yellow biting flies. I would go in the cooler months for sure!

Beautiful Dispersed Camping Fun

Just Stayed 3 nights with 8 friends at a great site here. Amazing views and sunsets out here. Fun to hike around the rocks, climb up turtle rock and explore the land. Found some nice deer parts scattered about. Watch out for grasshopper. BuenA Vista is great town. We did ATV rentals one day and rafted the royal gorge. Love the sites. New camp fore rings with grills attached. And a pretty cleAn bathroom/ outhouse (no flushing / water)

Relaxing Camping w/ Animals

Very nice state park here. The electric camping sites have water hook ups. I don’t have a camper so we just set up tents and luckily the only spot available was a good one. It’s mid June and it’s HOT! Some sites are spacious and private and others you can see more of your neighbors. We had deer come up to our site in the morning, we also saw wild Turkeys, armadillos, rabbits and spiders and such. The hikes are nice, some 6 mile loops to have some fun. The bathrooms are Clean and it wasn’t too busy. I’ll definitely go again

Limited Primitive Camping- Nice Trails

The reservable campsites here are very close to each other and not shaded very well, no privacy. We changed to the primitive sites that are first come first served. The are a bit more private and have trees for hammocks etc. it’s nice out there. You can sometimes hear the nearest road and see a power line from camp so you don’t feel that far from the city unfortunately. Sites have a fire ring/grill and picnic table. There is an outhouse out there and on the road in a faucet to get some drinking water, they say it’s clean even though it may be discolored. There are a bunch of short trials to hike in the park. Through some woods, swamps etc. very pretty.

Wake up to magnificent views

This is a known area to take day hikes around the lake, to the waterfall and see some mountain goats if you’re lucky. We camped down by the lake for a couple nights. It’s dispersed camping, so you have to find your spot. It’s beautiful here with great early morning and sunset views. Plenty to hike around. There’s always hikers walking by throughout the day especially on weekends. We did not see the moose but caught glimpses of the goats, weasels and a beaver in the water. Beautiful site. Keep it clean! No cell phone service. No water, toilets, bring your own food and water and disconnect from the internet. Pack up all your trash and take it with you.

Great place to COOL OFF

Was camping in Moab last weekend in September and boy is it HOT out there with no shade. Ken’s Lake is a great place to cool off. The water was low, maybe about 25% and very muddy throughout. But whatever it was fun to jump in and hang out by the shore. Beautiful views and there weren’t too many people when I went. Dogs love it !

Public Lands- all by yourself !

Just a couple miles outside of Moab UT. A great spot some friends showed me to camp out under the stars. Primitive for sure, no water, no toilets, picnic tables or anything. But great sunsets, views of the mountains and you can even see Arches from the distance. The stars are so bright at night and you can see the Milky Way. It’s about a 15 minute car ride (have a 4WD or something rugged) up to the top of the bluff where this site was. We saw another site on the way up but someone was there. I enjoyed it a lot. We saw Arches (25 mins away) and Canyonlands (45 mins away) Kens Lake and some waterfall place that was great ! My kind of camping.

Family Florida Camping

This is a good place to camp with your kids during nice Florida weather. In the rainy season, expect rain and flooded campgrounds. Especially Fern sites 61 & 62, very easily flooded, but nice and close to the showers. The 1 spring they offer to wade in is nice but gets very crowded on the weekends, full of grass on the bottom and rules in place- no jumping, can’t go in during a thunder storm etc. There are not many hiking trails at all here, just short paths through the campgrounds to the spring, or you can go out and back on the FL trail. The staff was nice and they offer ice and firewood 8am-8pm. The Juniper run canoe run is open if you have your own vessel, they are not renting canoes until 2021. We didn’t see any bears or gators but they are there. We did see and hear tons of frogs, everyone got a tick on them too. And I nice snake! Cool place but only for a couple nights and pray for no rain :)

Fun Party Atmosphere

This place is really pretty. I feel like any major holiday weekend there will be a lot of party people, not much seclusion or quiet. Bring a nice inner tube or rent one and you can cruise down the river. Camping is first come first serve. Find any spot where your car fits and park behind it in the woods. No dogs allowed which is sad. But the waters are beautiful and refreshing. Camping is always fun next to the fire and you can meet some interesting neighbors. Maybe the occasional DJ party hidden in the woods.

Hike in with all your water!

This is a great little place to practice a hike in backpacking camping trip. It can get really hot out there on the hike in and out. There is about NO shade at the camp so plan for that. You need to bring all your water for your night and following day. I there’s a rock fire ring at the main camp and I was surprised to see another group come in after we arrived. They went to another spot down the trail. Very great star gazing at night. So dark when all your fire is out. Lots of bugs and spiders. Was not bothered by anything larger. Nice place and free.