Where is the most beautiful place you ever camped?

[BigLew]

I spend so much time dreaming of visiting so many areas of the country. We've been to places such as Jackson Hole, Yellowstone, Rocky Mt Nat'l Park, and in one month we will be cruising Alaska.
What's YOUR favorite place to camp (beauty wise)?
Thanks everyone!

[Donna D.]

Hummm, lots in my minds eye. But currently it would have to be in Oregon Silver Falls State Park. It kinda depends on what you are looking for...

"The Canyon Trail is a nationally recognized trail system that leads hikers along the banks of the north and south forks of Silver Creek. It takes you to 10 majestic waterfalls, ranging from the grand South Falls (177 feet), to the delicate Drake Falls (27 feet). Four of these falls have an amphitheater-like surrounding where you can walk behind the falls and feel the misty, crisp spray."


Check out the links and videos!

[BigLew]

Thank you Donna for sharing your favorite place with me. I really enjoy reading about places people have visited. Your favorite place sounds beautiful.

[Adrian W]

You should find beauty around every turn in Alaska. We haven't done much camping there, my son has done his share since he moved up their in Aug. 2009.
We camped with them last July.
Here are 3 place we stayed:

The City Campground/Fishing Park at Soldotna was very large in a wooded area, no showers which I know of, few toilets, but the sites are nice, level, some large, with picnic tables & fire pits. One area with electric, no trees, a parking lot. Extremely nice fishing area with walking area in woods and metal ramps and stairs down to the river at intervals. $17 a night per camping unit. Centennial Park

The Russian River National Forest Campground had many loops and lots of sites, very nice ones in wooded settings and not crowded together, very nice campground. Nice clean Pit Toilets. Tables & Fire Pits. Paved level sites. $18 a site and half off with my Senior Pass. Very nice trails/stairs down to the Russian River, with a trail away from the bank, either a boardwalk affair or 'paved' walk with ramp and stairs out and down to the river. A very nice set up for fishing.
Russian River Campground
Campground wise, maybe the best. IMHO. Might even get to see one of these, if not a Grizzly:


The Whittier Campground was rough, getting to (potholes) and roads & sites with rocks; no tables, rock fire rings, but a beautiful setting. $15 a site. Hard to find in fact, few & small signs for it. The campground was not beautiful, but the mountains behind it & the glacier across from Whittier in front:


One Site^

Behind^

^ The campground would be somewhat behind the tall building on the left in the photo & slightly to the right of it. Looking again, it would be near the "cut" in the mountain as well. But one could get to it by going by the old Army building (most of the residents live in it (workers, etc), even has a post office in it I believe & a tunnel to the school behind it which you pass to get to the campground. There is a good size stream running down from the mountain with several waterfalls on the way down to the 'creek'.

Not much of a campground, but the views are world class. IMHO.

[BigLew]

Those are beautiful photos Adrian! My guess is when we get to Alaska we also will not want to return home. My guess is that when we get to visit some of these places we will not want return home. Yes, we love where we are here in PA, but there's just this part of me that wants to go, go, go! lol
Lew
PS.....I can't wait to get our Egg, and do some Steelhead fishing!

[rgrugg]

That's impossible for me to answer because there are so many places. My wife & I have been finding them together for almost 49 years. Still haven't found "the one" but we're still looking and hope to keep looking for many years.

[BigLew]

Originally Posted by rgrugg

That's impossible for me to answer because there are so many places. My wife & I have been finding them together for almost 49 years. Still haven't found "the one" but we're still looking and hope to keep looking for many years.

Hi Bob,
Maybe I didn't word it right. How about, the most beautiful place you have been to "so far"? Is there a favorite?

[rgrugg]

Still can't answer that because there have been so many. Gotta like places in Alaska, the Canadian Rockies, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, and, well, you get the idea. There just isn't any ONE place. I do love mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, wide vistas, or anyplace that's suitable for my camera. I guess my favorite place to go to must be Colorado because we've gone there so many times. In fact, we're heading there on Aug 8 for a fiberglass rally at Camp Hale. For anyone who doesn't know what Camp Hale is, google it.

[Adrian W]

BigLew, Here's a nice campground, not too far from our home, not to shabby of a place, Lincoln Nat'l Forest by Cloudcroft, New Mexico at about 9,200', I believe:

Saddle Campground

With Clouds hanging low.
or Silver Campground, in same area:


Juniper Campground at T. Roosevelt Nat'l Park-North unit in ND is neat, too:

Because of the WildLife which might be near:

Or at Cotton Wood CG at T. Roosevelt Nat'l Park-South unit:

For the same reason:

[Adrian W]

Never camped here, but we did drive up to it many years ago. It is in a very high alpine area just in Colorado from Chama, NM. Trujillo Meadows campground, Colorado, Rio Grande National Forest:

Trujillo Meadows Campground Colorado Video Tour - YouTube

And one would get to hear one of these passing near by (twice a day):

You would be able to go see them pass by as well if wanting to do so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwSbYICrYj8

TRUJILLO MEADOWS COLORADO WATERFALL - YouTube

[BigLew]

Your so fortunate Adrian. Thank you and others for the sharing.
Appreciate it.

[Adrian W]

"Por Nada", BigLew. How about you listing one of your "Most Beautiful" Campgrounds.

[BigLew]

Originally Posted by Adrian W

"Por Nada", BigLew. How about you listing one of your "Most Beautiful" Campgrounds.

One of these days when we have a chance to again camp, I would be glad to.
When I was much younger we would camp at Ohiopyle State Park in Western PA with our children and brothers family. We did that quite often. It had the best scenery in the State of PA. during the fall. Some people would not agree with that, but I'll stand by my statement.

Ohiopyle State Park, Pennsylvania

also

Ohiopyle State Park - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Some of our best times were at this state park.
Thank you for asking Adrian.
Lew & Linda

[Adrian W]

BigLew, Just remembered a really neat campground, we spend a couple of days back in '97. As I remember, it had a great view from the upper loop of the campground of the Snake River with White Pelicans flying over it & floating on the river. A somewhat dry area (reminded me of New Mexico & Arizona), Massacre Rocks State Park near American Falls, Idaho.
Massacre Rocks State Park

Massacre Rocks State Park - YouTube

Massacre Rocks State Park - YouTube

Like rgrugg, I can't name "a" Most Beautiful.....just too many which are OutStanding on their own.
Find some Neat Ones in Alaska!
Ohiopyle State Park looks like a neat one, with the fall colors especially.

[BigLew]

Originally Posted by Adrian W

"Por Nada", BigLew. How about you listing one of your "Most Beautiful" Campgrounds.

One of these days when we have a chance to again camp, I would be glad to.
When I was much younger we would camp at Ohiopyle State Park in Western PA with our children and brothers family. We did that quite often. It had the best scenery in the State of PA. during the fall. Some people would not agree with that, but I'll stand by my statement.

Ohiopyle State Park, Pennsylvania

also

Ohiopyle State Park - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Some of our best times were at this state park.
Thank you for asking Adrian.
Lew & Linda

ps....we would spend hours with the kids here.....

Fast Running in Meadow Run Natural Waterslide at Ohiopyle- YouTube

[Adrian W]

Wow! That's some WaterSlide! Reminded me of Texas' Pedernales Falls State Park by Johnson City. A neat place we spend a few days with our kids some years ago.

Pedernales Falls State Park, Texas [Official] - YouTube

Pedernales Falls State Park - YouTube

No Super WaterSlide, but water & a falls. Ha!

Speaking of Water, Canada's Waterton Lake National Park's Townsite CG was really pretty, with great expanses of green lawn with campsite mingled in it & with many large trees as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYqsJzsswqk

We had stopped at Fort Macleod, Alberta when on our way to Waterton from Banff (really neat campgrounds around there as well). It was were the first RCMP made an appearence. It was in the general area of a neat site, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. At Waterton, We were there in '97 and stayed at least 2 days, we stayed at Townsite Campground because the Crandell Campground was full.

Townsite - "Located at the south end of the Waterton townsite, this campground offers 238 sites (95 of which are fully serviced), hot showers, flush toilets, food storage and kitchen shelters. There are no individual firepits. This open, mowed lawn campground, exposed to winds from Upper Waterton Lake, is an excellent place for RV's or for those who wish to be within walking distance of town amenities."

Crandell - "Located along the Red Rock Parkway in the scenic Blakiston Valley, this campground is set in a pleasant montane forest. It offers 129 unserviced sites, flush toilets, piped water, kitchen shelters, some fire rings and firewood, food storage, recycling bins, and a dump station. All sites are back-in, and loops may be tight. We recommend that only camping units shorter than 9.5 meters/30 ft use this campground."

We had our bikes with us and rode them to town and on some trails. We also had a canoe and we did go canoeing on Cameron Lake which had ice banks at the far end of the lake on the US side of the lake, small glaciers breaking off icebergs. Due to wind we did not canoe on Waterton Lake.
MAP http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/wat...it1/b.aspx?m=1
***** MAP Townsite http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/wat.../visit1/c.aspx
*** Head Smashed-In http://history.alberta.ca/headsmashedin/default.aspx
MAP http://history.alberta.ca/headsmashe...bj_map_lrg.gif

In the Video ^, at Cameron Lake, we canoed from where the camera was to the far end of the lake, which is in the US. Very pretty on the lake in a canoe.

We were in a smallish MH towing a Geo Metro with the bikes & canoe on the car. Same trip as when we stopped at Massacre Rocks in ID. Also stopped at St. Mary's CG at Glacier...my son & I canoed on St. Mary's Lake. As one drives up Going to the Sun Highway, one can see a small island in the Lake with a tree or two on it. We discovered it is not an island but two small ones. I believe we canoed between them. Couldn't tell it was two from the road. Beautiful lake, Beautiful country.
Here's a photo of the islands:
http://images.fineartamerica.com/ima...t-graphics.jpg

[BigLew]

We would ride the rocks until we wore holes in our jean shorts! lol....
I need to get back up there!

[honda03842]

We've been on the road for 11 years, camping at least 200 days a year more than 2500 nights on the road, have been to every state and province, many numerous times and we can not find a favorite, most beautiful place. Yet the most common question from our non-RV friends it's what's your favorite... definitely we found 1,000s of places we could happily live.. yet the best one is the next one.

I think what overwhelms us is the beautiful places that few go to, like the Chiricahau Mts this year, or maybe Mary's Harbour, Labrador.... none of the places that we ever had on our must see list. As much as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone are a rush, sometimes the crowds make them less than what they really are.

Now I love Yellowstone and it is a must see for everyone, truly unique but some silent mountain hikes are just as beautiful and fulfulling. Thankfully there are just too many wonderful places to go.

This week I spent a couple of hours exploring the multi-colored beach send of Oregon thru a magnifying glass, wonderful colors close up.

There is no end to the wonder around the next corner, at the next stop. There is so much to be stimulated and tantalized by that I just "applied for an RV life extension".

Today we drove another of the cross Oregon roads from the coast thru the Cascades. Everyone of these parallel to the river roads, beautiful and interesting. I looked forward to our drive towards Crater Lake, but my heart ached leaving the Oregon coast knowing it will be at least two years before I get back, a similar feeling when one leaves the middle of a Redwood forest....

The most telling thing to me is we've been to Port Orford and Bandon 7 times and feel like there's so much more.... and there is. It took us until our 7th visit to discover the "pancake" at the Paradise Cafe, or the China Mt Road or the Sixes River hike to the coast or ..... just too much to do...

Two kids exploring their world with their eyes wide open...

[Adrian W]

Exactly, Norm & Ginny

I liked the Oregon & Washington Coast as well. Neat places all alone them, as well as the California Coast.

We have stayed at Birch Bay State Park near Blaine, Washington twice over the years, used it as a base for going to Victoria & Victoria Island in Canada. Once on the way out of Canada, once before going into it. It is a 194-acre camping park with 8,255 feet of saltwater shoreline on Birch Bay and 14,923 feet of freshwater shoreline on Terrell Creek. The park is rich in archeological significance and offers panoramic views of the Cascade Mountains and Canadian Gulf Islands. Very nice park, neat views, neat seafood in the area. Not too far from Port Angles.

We enjoyed a short stay at Sequim Bay State Park, a year-round, 92-acre marine camping park with 4,909 feet of saltwater coast in the Sequim "rainshadow," just inside Puget Sound on the Olympic Peninsula. The bay is calm, the air is dry and interpretive opportunities await visitors.

To get to Sequim from Birch Bay, we did take a ferry to Port Townsend. Can't remember route at this time. We also took a ferry from an island, which we drove to from Sequim, to Seattle. Bough some fresh pawns at a small country stop & shop and some smoked salmon from some guys selling it from their van along the way. Go some crab boil at a Super Market in Sequim. Oh, was it a feast! We went to the Aquarium in Seattle and rode a tram to close to the Space Needle.

Before leaving Washington, we stopped at Cape Disappointment State Park (formerly Fort Canby State Park) is a 1,882-acre camping park on the Long Beach Peninsula, fronted by the Pacific Ocean. The park offers 27 miles of ocean beach, two lighthouses, an interpretive center and hiking trails. Visitors enjoy beachcombing and exploring the area's rich natural and cultural history. The nearby coastal towns of Ilwaco and Long Beach feature special events and festivals spring through fall. It was very nice. Some sites are on the beach or very near it. Neat area, neat campground.

The campground was Walking distance to Cape Disappointment Lighthouse which began operating in 1856, and is now the oldest lighthouse still in use on the West Coast.

The bridge over the Columbia River is neat to cross at Astoria as well. Fort Clatsop, a Lewis and Clark National Historical Park was neat to see, our young kids loved it. It is near Astoria. No camping there.

In California, "Hearst Castle" or "Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument" is a must see. San Simeon State Park is just south of the Monument and isn't a bad campground & one can walk to the beach from it. One may even see Elephant Seals backing on the beach in the area just north of San Simeon as well.

Camping in the Red Woods & driving to see the Sequoias at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is a rush. We didn't get to camp at Yosemite National Park, but camped outside it & did day trips into the Valley & other parts. Very neat to say the least.

[BigLew]

Thanks Everyone! I am making sure I "copy & Paste" all this info into my "to-do" file.
The first thing that comes to my mind is how much everyone has traveled. I envy you all.
My day is close (retirement).
I have not seen Oregon or Washington, so that will be at the top of our list. We've been doing a bit of reading about Bend, Oregon. So much to see, and so little time to do it.
Thanks Donna D., Adrian, RgRug, and Norm & Ginny!
Any others??????