Susan E.

Albuquerque , NM

Joined July 2020

My car is my tent.

I want to give this great place a great review but the toilets were not usable.

The camping spot, the tall trees, Not crowded, plenty of privacy between campers, easy paved road bed all the way through, fire ring, picnic table. And all that for just $10 per night. And I had one splendid night. However, I must mention the toilets because that’s the main reason I car camp in fee campgrounds, so I can have the use of a toilet. But these guys and indeed most campgrounds are following a protocol which renders them completely useless, they leave doors open for ventilation and post a sign saying to leave doors open because they’re not staffed well enough to do the cleaning and sanitizing. This lets flys by the hundreds inside and since most campers don’t seem to learn about closing the lids on a vault toilet the flies inhabit the vault by the dozens and pardon my graphics but who is going to bare their bottom to those insanely hungry critters! I quickly unpacked my personal pee jar. Don’t go there without one! The morning came and I needed a more serious moment in the toilet so I had to leave earlier than planned, stopping at other picnic areas only to find all toilet doors propped open, I drove south on Hiway 4 until I found a FISHING ACCESS turnout with a closed-door toilet. It was pristine. Not one fly. The sign inside said “Please close the lid and the door when finished. Help us keep our toilets clean”. And they also posted the sign informing lack of services, use at your own caution. This is the right way to keep these toilets.

However, let me stress, after all that, how much I loved this campground and the sunny small grassy meadows spaced apart among the fabulous tall ponderosa pine trees. I do hope the Forestry Service can correct their misinformed protocol for the toilets. I will write them. Maybe next time I can stay the next day for a longer visit.

What luck!

I’d never used a KOA before but was tremendously impressed with the serene beauty of this place situated well away from traffic in a bucolic setting. Mindful of my budget I learned to ask for a tent site with no electricity, no water, just toilets and showers. The young man who helped me observed I was alone and put me in a small cabin for no additional charge. Just outside the cabin was a bonfire of old wood from construction debris. I was super stoked to get this deal. I spent lots of time stoking that fire and sitting outdoors watching the evening arrive. If you’re anywhere near the area do stop in and enjoy a quiet and lovely night. You can even pet the horses nearby.

It was a comfortable, quiet stay.

It was late, it had rained, but they found a tent site for me so I backed in my car and began to make up my bed. The camp manager was kind enough to air up my air mattress that I forgot to get an air pump for. I felt safe, watched over, and part of a small group of RVs and small trailers. I took a walk through and around the entire campsite and experienced friendly waves, people cooking, being very quiet, no loud music, no dogs off leash. I woke at four a.m. to step out under an inky black sky chock full of stars. $11.00 gave me access to this night of quiet repose with toilets and hot showers. I recommend them as a good value. Oh, and they have a small restaurant and gift shop.

I was not a camper until after I found this sweet experience.

I was very lucky to find this spot near the Great Smoky Mountains. It was October, cool and fine, when I backed up to the French Broad River in this immaculate campsite with super friendly hosts. There was a bridge several yards off so some car traffic but I always sleep fine to the hum of wheels, but not too much because it was quite a ways away from a heavily traveled highway. I like it so much, I stayed an extra night. Clean showers and restrooms, a nice paved walking path. Fire pits, picnic table at hand, power and water for 24.00 a night. I was prepared to spend motel-level money on this cross country trip from Albuquerque to the East Coast, so anything under 40 was a great savings. The experience I had at this campsite turned me away from Motels forever as a standard for road trips. Because of the joy and peace I found on these two nights I have spent months kitting out my Toyota Matrix for comfortable, campsite stopovers on any road trip in the future. Highly recommended by me.