Favorite camping spot or story....please share.

[CelticKid]

I would like to hear from some of you about your favorite place to camp or about a great time you had and where, I will be using this as research for my next excursion. Thank you in advance for all your time and valuable input.

[Tombo]

Every time my father would deploy his screen room to his RV, guaranteed to have a severe storm to knock it down.

[NTXAg]

Beaver's Bend in OK, always something funny happens.

First three trips I took my wife (then girlfriend) on the rain was measured in Inches per Hour... some of the worst storms I have ever been caught in. First trip we were in my grandparents popup... woke up about 2am to my hair standing on end, I muttered "oh $h!t" which woke her up in time for the coming lighting bolt to pop a tree about three campsites down, the ensuing thunder clap shook the camper... I think we got 6 in of rain in two hours. Fast forward one year, same kinda storm only this time we are in a tent. Last time we went was New years 07, still in the tent, I had got lazy and checked the weather the day after Christmas, low was 40... no big deal all our gear is 20 degree or lower. never checked the forecast again. didn't know anything was up until the Park Ranger stopped by to collect money and told us how brave we were sleeping in a tent, that all the other tent campers had left... I asked why, he said the forecast had changed and the low was going to be 17 (your gear should always be rated 15-20 degrees colder than you are staying in) you could hear my wife's head snap around and I could feel her eyes bore into the back of my head. It was the coldest night I have ever spent camping... I got up early and started a roaring fire, woke her up and then headed for the river to fishing and get away from her glaring at me. She had the dog sleep on her feet all night.

[Gutter Girl]

OK, here's a story that's a testament to my stubbornness...!

A few years back on Christmas Day I headed to South Llano River State Park, just S of Junction. I had been there several times before and couldn't wait to go again.

Got there, set up camp and took a hike around the campsite loop. I noticed that while the park was about half full of RVs and satellite dishes, I was the only tentcamper there but that didn't bother me. That just meant there'd be less traffic in the restroom! I hit the sack about 1am after watching movies on my 13" TV (hey, when I'm by myself I gotta do something to entertain me!) Well Lordy, lordy, I just couldn't go to sleep - it got so darn cold I was shivering. I told myself I should just get up, drag my airbed and bedding across the road and sleep in the nice big handicapped accessible shower stall they have in that heated restroom building but nooooooooo! I just couldn't do that! So I was cold all night and got little sleep. I have shared before that I don't like doing the sleeping bag thing - too confining so I use an airbed, sheets and blankets etc.

I got up the next morning and frost everywhere! Well what do you know? It was a new record low temperature for my camping experience - 17 degrees! Yikes! So I decided to go into town to look for an electric blanket. Shoot! little Junction doesn't have any and the nearest town that might was 60 miles away. Well there's always the heated restroom building...

After buying another fake wool blanket for $5, I went to Cooper's for dinner and saw a couple I had seen setting up a tent at the park that afternoon. I spoke to the woman and she said they had both an electric blanket and a space heater and that seemed to keep them cozy warm on cold nights. Now I'm thinkin' space heater although I'm kinda paranoid about possible dangers from that type of thing! Anyhoo, back to camp.

Again, butt freezing cold! And again, I just wouldn't give in and go across the road. I thought that was the easy way out. Of course, going home early or staying at a motel in town weren't options either! So I toughed it out and in the morning learned it was 17 degrees, again. Two of the worst nights I've ever had camping.

This would be the end of the story but a week later while at my aunt's house, I decided to tell her this tale as I knew she'd get a good laugh out of it. When I'm done, she gets up and disappears for a few minutes and comes back with a belated Christmas present. No, not an electric blanket - how could I use that if my campsite had no electricity?! Even better - a twin-sized Hudson Bay blanket. I thought that might have been one of the best presents I've ever received! I have used it several times in cold weather - no more shivering and lots of sleep!

[FishingSETX]

Favorite Camp Site has to be Boykin Springs between Jasper and Zavala. Nice sites, humidity is low even in the piney woods in the summer, and the pond is spring fed from the bottom whick means while the surface down to about 24" the water is about 90 degrees. below that i would guess its in the 60's!!! Awesome in the summer!!

As for funny stories, we were out there one night about 2001 and the park host (half crazy pot head) had been telling us stories about all the sasquatch hunters that came out there every year as well as the devil worshipers that came out every so often to the old saw mill at night. The whole time we were sipping (ok a little more than sipping) some homemade muscadine wine another regular had brought (we usually went out there once or twice a month depending on the weather. About 12-1 we decided to turn in (already had to carry the camp host to his trailer). I was just about asleep when I hear my buddy screaming and about to tear his tent apart trying to get out!! By the time I get out of my tent he is standing by the fire ring in his skimpies chunking stiks and rocks out into the woods!!!! He swears to this day a big foot was at his tent window!! I laughed for an hour!!! He is terrified of anything considered supernatural so it made it even funnier (IE him even more scared!!) I have another one about him in a funeral home at night, but I'll save that one for another post!!

[bowgarguide]

I am like Randy as long as it is outside away from the crowds and I can hunt or fish it is my favorite.
Guttergirl ,you need to throw in some of those chemical hand warmers they have saved me several times when the weather turned really cold,I think a couple of them in a bed roll increase the rating 20 degrees.
Ron

[M T Stringer]

Mount Whitney, CA
Sierra Nevada Range
Highest peak in the continental US. 14,495ft
August 1986
Boy Scout Troop 355

Got caught in a freak snowstorm while making our descent and had to set up an emergency camp and stay an extra day. Best freshwater trout fishing I have ever experienced at Guitar Lake.

Glamis Sand Dunes, CA
Southern portion of Mojave Desert
Sand Rail, Dune Buggy and ORV playground
Too many times to mention...

Best memories are of the bonfires and parties at night, one night another group had lit off an old VW engine block that was cast of magnesium (?) and you could see the glow against the sky from several dunes away...I don't know how they got away with that one or didn't end up blind...I bet it could be seen from outer space.

[CaptJack]

4th of July - The Blue Hole at Wimberley (you can't camp there any more- day use only)




camping the 4WD roads of Big Bend
the Gaging Station on the River Rd.


top of the Lost Mine Trail




the Window


on top of the South Rim


Smuggler's Cave - ElCamino DelRio


10 days backpacking the Middle Fork of the Gila River in NewMexico

[pwaltrip]

I would have to say my favorite trip was to Philmont Scout Ranch, in the Sangre de Christo mountains in NM. I was 14 years old. I was there for about 14 days, 10 days out and the rest at base camp. We rode horses 92 miles through the mountains, loved every bit of it. We were like wild west cowboys, saddling up before the sun and riding through the rough country. We encountered bears daily, had huge deer and elk all around us, one even ran through a tent! At night we heard mountain lions screaming too. My favorite stop was "fish camp" ( for those of you who know about this place, ) we stayed for two days and fly fished in ice cold mountain streams, catching fish nonstop. That was also the coldest camping I have ever done, at the fish camp we had about an inch of ice on our tents, which actually ripped them in several places, and it was about 5 degrees at night, and rain during the day. Some would say that would be miserable, but it was a trip of a lifetime! Another highlight was taking shelter in an abandoned gold mine shaft during a bad lightning storm at 9000 ft! The best part was my Dad was right there with me. That place was amazing, for those of you that have been there I'm sure would agree!

pwaltrip

[Reefmonkey]

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. I was there in 2001. Amazing wildlife watching, and the most incredible stars I have seen on land. Ngorongoro Crater is also prettty incredible, camped up on the rim.

[Paddlefoot]

I would have to say my favorite trip was to Philmont Scout Ranch, in the Sangre de Christo mountains in NM. I was 14 years old. I was there for about 14 days, 10 days out and the rest at base camp. We rode horses 92 miles through the mountains, loved every bit of it. We were like wild west cowboys, saddling up before the sun and riding through the rough country. We encountered bears daily, had huge deer and elk all around us, one even ran through a tent! At night we heard mountain lions screaming too. My favorite stop was "fish camp" ( for those of you who know about this place, ) we stayed for two days and fly fished in ice cold mountain streams, catching fish nonstop. That was also the coldest camping I have ever done, at the fish camp we had about an inch of ice on our tents, which actually ripped them in several places, and it was about 5 degrees at night, and rain during the day. Some would say that would be miserable, but it was a trip of a lifetime! Another highlight was taking shelter in an abandoned gold mine shaft during a bad lightning storm at 9000 ft! The best part was my Dad was right there with me. That place was amazing, for those of you that have been there I'm sure would agree!

pwaltrip

Absolutely! Philmont is the ultimate adventure for the novice backpacker! I went in July '72 and didn't have the problems with cold temps like you did. However, we hiked instead of pack horses. Our itinery also included fish camp and it was top of the list for me too. My dad went was an adult leader for my expedition as well and I can say that that is 2 weeks that we'll never forget!

[CaptJack]