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MFL's avatar
MFL
Nomad II
Sep 29, 2018

Late season busy time at SP

Just got home from a week of camping at one of my favorite SPs. I was surprised to see how busy it was, for late season in my area. I was about 250 miles from home, but many folks I talked to were locals, just taking advantage of warm days/cool nights, enjoying camp fires with retired friends or family. It is a nice, rather peaceful time to camp, hearing more of natures sounds.

You see lots of extended van style campers, belonging to older folks traveling, but had several Pop ups, with older folks camping in them. I noticed a few older gents, camping by themselves, but meeting up with older buddies doing the same.


I took a pic 0f a Redneck motorhome (old ambulance) camped a few sites from me. A guy and his wife, using this, with the only windows in the two back doors.

This is my campsite, with lots of space between sites. I enjoy SP camping for this reason. IMO, just makes a better camping experience, but to each their own, as many enjoy the resort experience.

I will be winterizing soon, as I have upcoming family events in a couple weeks, and hunting season fast approaching.

Jerry
Seeking Advice
  • CavemanCharlie's avatar
    CavemanCharlie
    Explorer III
    Oct 02, 2018
    Some (but not all ) MN state parks are open year around. A couple of years ago it got up to 70+ degrees in February so the dog and I went camping.

    I love fall camping at this time of the year but, I often busy in the field harvesting crops so I don't get to do it too often. I got out to a local state park last weekend. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00220#homepage

    But, I still had to drive home to work on Saturday. This weekend might be the same way.
  • 2012Coleman's avatar
    2012Coleman
    Explorer II
    Oct 01, 2018
    We were at Camp Blanding near Stark in north central Florida for a long weekend recently - the Carolinas were being hit by Florence that weekend and we experinced some wind. All three camp grounds were full. Kingsley Lake was awesome - swimming and boating.
  • Dutch_12078's avatar
    Dutch_12078
    Explorer II
    Sep 30, 2018
    We're currently at Gilbert Lake State Park near Oneonta, NY. The RV sites were about 50% full this weekend, but there's just a handful left now, with more leaving tomorrow. We're leaving on Thursday. The park closes for the season on Columbus Day, Oct 8th, and next week end the RV sites are almost completely booked. Lots of tent sites available though...
  • ReneeG's avatar
    ReneeG
    Explorer
    Sep 30, 2018
    Piddlers wrote:
    We spent last week at a SP also. The park was probably 1/4 full all week and completely booked for this weekend.

    Glad we got out yesterday!! We like seeing other campers and their families but would rather not be there when it's completely sold out.

    Happy Fall Camping Everyone! :)


    Same here. Pick one with dry camping only and it will make a difference as stated in my post between a state park with electricity and one without.
  • ReneeG's avatar
    ReneeG
    Explorer
    Sep 30, 2018
    We recently returned from a long road trip and our two last stops were at Montana State Parks. At Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park and at Bannack State Park. At L&C SP, there were electric sites. We arrived on Thursday and it was pretty empty. Come Friday afternoon, campers started arriving by the droves. All the license plates were from Montana and in talking to a couple of the other campers near us, they said they were from close by towns and this is a getaway for them. At Bannack SP, it was dry camping and there was only one other camper there, again from Montana.
  • Piddlers's avatar
    Piddlers
    Explorer
    Sep 30, 2018
    We spent last week at a SP also. The park was probably 1/4 full all week and completely booked for this weekend.

    Glad we got out yesterday!! We like seeing other campers and their families but would rather not be there when it's completely sold out.

    Happy Fall Camping Everyone! :)
  • goducks10's avatar
    goducks10
    Explorer
    Sep 29, 2018
    We spent the last week on the coast in Oregon. Got to talking to a camp host at South Beach St park. He couldn't believe how full it was for the last week in Sept. He said that normally F loop which we were in was pretty much half empty this time of year.
    I can see weekends being mostly full but not usually midweek.
  • DutchmenSport's avatar
    DutchmenSport
    Explorer
    Sep 29, 2018
    The best camping season of the year is after Labor Day and before the first snow fall.

    I'm currently at General Butler State Park in Kentucky, and I don't think there are more than 4 or 5 unoccupied campsites. In spite of it being almost full, it's pretty quiet here. Folks didn't go nuts leaving outside lights on last night, no blasting scare lights left on. A couple had their amber colored porch lights on, and that was about all.

    Sunny, in the 70's right right now, and no wind. So far, this has been a great week-end!
  • fj12ryder's avatar
    fj12ryder
    Explorer III
    Sep 29, 2018
    My wife and I have come to the conclusion there are now 3 seasons: High Season, Low Season, and Geezer Season, when all the old Geezers are out in force.
  • Lwiddis's avatar
    Lwiddis
    Explorer II
    Sep 29, 2018
    Good to see an ambulance stationed where us old guys camp.

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