Public Campground | Campground of the Week

03 Nov

Campground Review #53 Mosca Campground in San Luis State Park, Colorado

On this episode of Campground of the Week, we welcome guest correspondent Scott Elias to review Mosca Campground at San Luis State Park in the great state of Colorado. Scott Elias is a former educator who now works for Apple. He grew up camping, but his wife didn’t so it took some convincing to get her and the family on board with the RV dream. Scott must be convincing, though, because now they have a brand new Jayco Whitehawk and are spending as many weekends as possible exploring their beautiful home state.

Mosca Campground is located in the high mountain valley between the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo mountain ranges. It is only 15 miles west of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, so it makes a perfect base camp for exploring that NPS site.

Read More →

19 Oct

Campground Review #51 Buffalo Campground in Island Park, Idaho outside the West Gate of Yellowstone National Park

buffalocampground

On this episode of Campground of the Week, Brett Neilson of OurCampingAdventures.com reviews Buffalo Campground in Island Park, Idaho. This campground is a favorite for the Neilson family, and they use it as a base camp for exploring Yellowstone National Park, since it is just 30 minutes from the West Gate.

Natural beauty and affordability are the stars of the show at Buffalo Campground. Campsites are surrounded by a dense forest of lodgepole pines, and the beautiful Buffalo River runs through the park. Fishing is said to be great here, but Brett can’t attest to that himself.

Ahem.

Individual sites are a bargain, running from $15-$20. There are a variety of configurations–pull thrus, back ins, double sites, and group camping areas. In this episode, Brett lays out the pros and cons of all of them.

p1070104

If you are planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park, you should definitely listen to this episode of Campground of the Week, along with our other Yellowstone episodes: Campground of the Week #39 and RV Family Travel Atlas #100. Both will offer fantastic help for your bucket list trip.

In this episode Brett also lets us know that there is a lot more to this area than *just* the well known beauty of Yellowstone. Here are the activities, attractions, and dining mentioned:

Island Park Reservoir
Macs Inn Playhouse
Eagle Ridge Ranch
Mesa Falls Scenic Byway
Trout Hunter
Frostop

Thanks so much to our sponsors for supporting weekly content for all our camping fools!

Interested in other RV and camping content? The RVFTA Podcast Network produces three weekly podcasts: RV Family Travel Atlas, Girl Camper, and Campground of the Week. They are all available in iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or your favorite podcatcher. You can also listen right from the website, if you prefer!

Not sure what this whole “podcast thing is about? Find out here!

Enjoy listening, and we will see you at the campground!

15 Sep

Campground Review #46: Ainsworth State Park near Portland, Oregon

On this week’s Campground of the Week’s podcast episode, Larissa Richardson from ThePopUpPrincess.com, takes us back to the amazing state park system in Oregon, and reviews Ainsworth State Park, just 30 miles east of Portland.

This campground is simple, but makes a perfect base camp for exploring both the downtown area of Portland and the beautiful Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. images

One of the best features of the campground is that it offers full hook ups at a bargain price of $24. Larissa also raves about the clean (and free!) showers with plenty of hot water to keep her teenagers happy. The campground isn’t large though, so if you want to nab a spot you should probably book early. Listen to the episode to hear even more insider tips from Larissa and also her one (loud) nobody’s perfect complaint.
Read More →

08 Sep

Campground #45 Balmorhea State Park in Toyahvale, Texas

Balmorhea State ParkToyahvale, Texas

On this week’s episode of Campground of the Week, we are so excited to welcome Kate Dunbar with our very first review of a Texas campground. Kate takes us to Balmorhea State Park in Toyahvale, Texas.

This unique state park was first constructed during the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The crew of unemployed young men built the San Solomon Springs pool, which covers over two acres of land and is home to a variety of aquatic species. Over 26 million gallons of pure artesian water flows through the pool every day, and the water is a constant 74 to 76 degrees. This is truly an oasis of a state park during the hot Texas summers.

Kate provides all the details you need to know about camping at this State Park, including her pick of sites and how much you can expect to pay. In addition to swimming, expect your activity’s calendar to be scheduled with star gazing, hiking, and photography. Oh, and you could also get scuba certified during your visit!

Read More →

25 Aug

Campground #42 Platte River Campground in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan

On this week’s episode of Campground of the Week, we are reviewing the Platte River Campground in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was names on of America’s most beautiful places by Good Morning America, and there is not better place to stay while exploring than the Platte River Campground. This is a hugely popular campground, and booking 6 months in advance when the reservations window opens is necessary if you want to nab a spot during peak season.

Read More →

14 Jul

Campground #36 Schoodic Woods Campground in Acadia National Park, Maine

The National Park Service is celebrating it’s 100th year and we wanted to mark the occasion by visiting the newest NPS campground, Schoodic Woods Campground in Acadia National Park, Maine.

The Schoodic Peninsula is a part of Acadia National Park that many visitors never see, but that doesn’t make it any less magical or spectacular. Located about an hours drive from the main part of the park on Mount Desert Island, the Schoodic area has a rugged beauty and amazing views, but none of the crowds that you will find on the Park Loop Road.

Listen to hear the whole story about the anonymous donor who developed the campground, bike paths, and facilities before turning over the property to the National Park Service. You can also see our campground images on our Instagram account.

Read More →

23 Jun

Campground #33 Devil’s Garden in Arches National Park, Utah

On this week’s episode of Campground of the Week, correspondent Brett Neilson takes us to Devils Garden, a peaceful and remote campground in Arches National Park, Utah.

Devils Garden has no hook ups, no activities, and no amenities, but the location in one of Utah’s most iconic national parks more than makes up for it. Brett prefers the back in sites, and even shares his favorite one in the campground. He also talks about the amazing access to bouldering and rock scrambling that guests have when staying at Devils Garden.

Brett shares his favorite hikes, highlighting some of the easier ones with big payoffs:

Balanced Rock
Double Arch
Sand Dune Arch
Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Fiery Furnance–book online for ranger led hike

Moab is also a great place to visit while staying at Devils Garden in Arches National Park. There you will also find Deadhorse Point State Park and Canyonlands. There are also dozens of outdoor adventures to be found there, including rafting, 4-wheeling, and mountain biking.

A special thanks to Jayco and Progressive, sponsors of Campground of the Week!

16 Jun

Campground #32 Stone Mountain Park in Georgia

On episode #32 of Campground of the Week, Keith and Tia Sims from soulfulrvfamily.com are reviewing their favorite place to camp close to home. Stone Mountain Park is located just minutes away from downtown Atlanta, but it offers an amazing campground retreat for RVers and tenters.

Read More →

09 Jun

Campground #31 Rock Cut State Park in Loves Park, Illinois

On this week’s episode of Campground of the Week, Matthew and Melissa Kellas review one of their favorite home state retreats, Rock Cut State Park in Loves Park, Illinois. This peaceful campground offers a great combination of back to nature experiences and easy access to fun local activities. Plus, it’s open year round!

Read More →

26 May

Campground #29 Fish Creek Campground in Glacier National Park, Montana

Fish Creek CampgroundGlacier National Park, Montana

On this episode of Campground of the Week, our western correspondent Brett Neilson takes us all the way north reviewing Fish Creek Campground in Glacier National Park, Montana. Fish Creek Campground is one of only two reservable campgrounds in Glacier National Park, so it is a great option when visiting this popular bucket list destination.

Read More →