Where We Are Now

We landed this afternoon at Ely KOA Journey, pretty much right in the middle of Nevada, elevation, 6500 ft. This is just a stop-over for a night, but it really is a nice campground. We plan to drive around this after and check out the town.

   Ely KOA our site

Where We Are on the Map

Where to Next

From here we're heading north to Idaho. Our first stop is a place called Anderson Camp. We plan to spend a couple of days there so we can check out Shoshone Falls and what's left of Twin Falls

 Anderson Camp Stock Photo

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Monday, 20 May 2019 21:02

Medina Lake RV Campground

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Medina Lake RV Campground

      Our trip to Medina Lake RV Campground turned out to be quite the adventure. Following our GPS blindly we found ourselves on a steep windy road dropping down to cross a river. The so-called bridge was a slab of concrete supported about a foot above the water. A short while after climbing up the bank on the other side, something felt wrong. When I checked the rearview camera, I saw that our tow vehicle was being pulled along by the safety cables. It was a ways before I found a safe place to pull over and see what had happened. I had a stackable double hitch, where I used the bottom to pull the car and the top to support the bike rack with a couple of bikes. The welds holding it together had broken when I crossed the bridge and unfortunately, the bike rack and both bikes were lost due to being dragged down the road. The car has a protective bra that covers the hood and windshield and it was undamaged. We were just a few miles from the campground, so Jackie drove the car the rest of the way and all was good again until we got locked in the coach and had to climb out a window to get out.
     About the campground, Medina Lake is definitely a campground. The sites are wooded and spacious. Some more than others. There are two sections of the campground, the upper supposedly has better internet and we saw that there tended to be more RV’rs up above and the local weekenders camped down below by the lake. Both areas were nice. The pool and laundry were located in the top sections and the rest of the facilities were down in the lower sections. (it’s close to a mile or so between the upper and lower sections) Most of the sites are 30 amps full hookups. There were a few 50amp sites but most were in use by the annuals and the others were an extra $3 a night. The sites closest to the lake didn’t have sewer hookups but there is a dump station available.
      Our impression of the campground was that it was very undermanned. When we pulled into the campground there was only one staff person on site. There’s a kitchen, but no staff to work it. Outside of the putt-putt course, nothing seemed to have been worked on in years. A lot of sites were closed because of electrical or water issues. (another camper told us they closed some sites just to ease the electrical load because their system was too small for the demand) The roads were in need of serious pothole filling, the pool was cold and had a great deal of leaves. The spa was hot enough but the concrete around it was cracked and breaking. It wasn’t a bad camping experience by any means, it just felt that the campground needed more work. The other small issue is that there is not a real grocery store within twenty-five miles. All that being said, I’m sure that we will camp there in the future, we had fun during our sixteen-day visit. (except for the $700 spent on replacing my lock, $400 of that on a roadside assistance call that did nothing toward solving the issue) San Antonio is an hour drive away, and there is a lot to see and do there. It’s a beautiful city with a rich history.
 
RV Camp in Texas Hill Country
      Experience relaxation at your fingertips with a visit to Medina Lake RV Campground. Situated just outside San Antonio, a visit to Medina Lake RV Camping offers beautiful lakeside views within Texas Hill Country. Swim in our oversized pool, kick back in the hot tub, shoot hoops on the basketball court, or simply relax and take in the abundance of wildlife that roams the property. Additional features of this beautiful Texas RV camp include shaded campsites, picnic tables, and barbecue grills. Plus enjoy weekend meals from the cafe and planned year-round activities.
      For your adventurous side, dude ranches, horseback riding, square dancing, rodeos and chuck wagon dinners are just a hop, skip and a jump away in nearby Bandera. Other local attractions include Sea World, Fiesta Texas Theme Park, the Alamo and more.
Make plans today to visit Medina Lake RV Campground in Texas. We’re certain you will not be disappointed.
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Resort News
Look What's New At Medina Lake
      Just in time for summer! We have been working hard to improve Medina Lake. Come and see our refurbished boat dock, new fish cleaning station, new dog park, new furniture in the activity center and new pull thru sites.
Medina Lake Ranger Station Permanently Relocated
       The ranger station is now located at the Welcome Center. As of May 10 2016, all incoming traffic must check in at the Welcome Center as there is no longer a ranger at the old ranger station. Directional signs have been posted that guide guests to the new check-in location.
Monday, 20 May 2019 20:54

Maryhill State Park

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Maryhill State Park

        Maryhill State Park is located on the north bank of the Columbia River just a few miles to the east of The Dalles.  We found the park to be really nice.  Our space was large with a picnic table and fire pit.  (Full hookup)  The campground is located in the high desert of Washington with no trees for miles and miles, yet the park had lots of trees and was well watered to keep it green.  You need to pay attention to the sprinkling times or you'll get caught late at night moving things inside to prevent them from getting soaked.  We found having a bucket ready to cover the sprinkler to be a great help.  The park has a nice swimming area in the Columbia that is in a roped off cove.  It also has a boat ramp and is a very popular spot for wind surfing and wind sailing.  That being said, be prepared to stake down any tents or flys you may have, there is quite a bit of wind.  Many sites have wind blocks to help.  Overall the park was great.  If you left the park there is a museum and a war memorial to check out.  The memorial is a replica of Stonehenge.  Also nearby is an observatory.  We stopped in during the day and no one was there.  Maybe a night visit would have made more sense.

Monday, 20 May 2019 20:54

Lums Pond State Park

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Lums Pond State Park, Bear, Delaware

      We arrived at Lums Pond at 11 in the morning only to be told that we couldn't enter until 1 that afternoon.  Check out time is noon and the park host take the hour to clean each site before a new camper pulls in.  We were able to park the coach just outside the gate in the shade, disconnected the dinghy and used the two hours to run into Costco, then have lunch.  Lums Pond is another beautiful state park.  All the roads and sites were paved with lots of space between sites.  The campground was all green grass.  The park host stopped by and told us that the car pass that he put on our post would give us access to other parts of the park.  He didn't tell us what all the park had to offer.  Since we were just staying one night so we didn't check it out. In writing this I copied their website's description to add below and after reading it, I guessed we missed out on most of what the park has to offer.  We will have to visit here again.  Very nice clean park with full hook-up sites.

http://www.destateparks.com/park/lums-pond/index.asp

     Lums Pond State Park is built around the largest freshwater pond in Delaware. The park features excellent camping, fishing, sports facilities, hiking trails, and an unforgettable Go Ape! Treetop Adventure Course featuring rope ladders, tree-top crossings, Tarzan swings and 5 zip lines — four of them over water! Lums Pond itself covers 200 acres, and although there is no swimming allowed, boat rentals and fishing provide water-bound recreation. A boat launching ramp and two piers allow easy access to the water.

Park History
     Before the pond existed, St. Georges Creek flowed through the hardwood forest and was the site of several Native American hunting camps. The creek was dammed in the early 1800's when the C & D canal was built. Water from the pond was used to fill the locks of the canal and power a small mill. This area was first used as a state park in 1963.

Hiking, Picnicking, and Learning
     Hikers have the opportunity to explore a variety of habitats along the 7.5 mile Swamp Forest Trail circling the pond. Lums also features over 10 miles of multi-purpose trails (horses, bikes, and hikers). The Whale Wallow Nature Center hosts a variety of programs for visitors during the summer season (Nature Center will be open daily from noon-6 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day.). For outdoor dining, picnic areas are scattered throughout the park, and three pavilions can be reserved for larger groups.

Sports
    Ball fields and game courts abound at Lums Pond State Park. Choose friendly competition in baseball, softball, football, soccer, tennis, basketball, or volleyball. Sharpen your skill in horseshoes or disc golf. Equipment rentals are available during the summer season. Children can work off their excess energy on the playground.

More Fun
    As the weather grows colder, winter activities include hiking, year-round camping, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. Hunting is also permitted, but consult the park office for maps and regulations.

About Camping at a Delaware State Park
     Delaware State Parks have a great deal to offer in family camping. Take your vacation amid towering trees near a freshwater pond or enjoy the scenery of rolling sand dunes and sparkling bay waters.

    All of the campgrounds provide drinking water outlets, modern shower and sanitary facilities, and sewage dump stations. Campsites are equipped with a picnic table and may include a fire ring (campfire regulations). Many have electric and water hookups.

    During the summer season and in high-use areas like Delaware Seashore and Cape Henlopen State Parks, campers should register for the entire length of their stay, up to 14 days.

Don't Move Firewood!
   Help us protect our trees by preventing the spread of harmful insect pests to Delaware's parks and forests. Use the firewood sold at the campground or from local sources near the park you are visiting. Please do not bring firewood with you into Delaware!

Monday, 20 May 2019 20:52

Lordsburg KOA

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Lordsburg KOA

      As with most of our KOA visits, it is just for a night stay-over while driving through because there were none of our membership parks nearby.  The Lordsburg KOA was no exception, it appeared that 90% of the RV’s in the park were just there for a night as well.  We hit some bad weather driving down from Mesa and pulled into the park at one in the afternoon and it was lightly snowing.  By the time we were in our site and set up the sun was out and it warmed slightly.  The park has full hookups with both 30 and 50 amps sites.  There was an extra $3 for a 50 amp pull-through.  I can’t say anything bad about the park but plan to spend forty to fifty dollars for a place to park overnight.  The whole campground is a large gravel parking lot.  It does have all the standard amenities like most all KOA campgrounds do and a few more niceties that we missed because of the weather and the shortness of our visit, like “kamper kitchen,” the activity building, the pool, and the general store.  It is also easy to get to from the freeway.  We would return to the park again if we were traveling I-10 through New Mexico.

 

 

     You'll feel an away-from-it-all serenity at Lordsburg KOA, despite its easy-access location off I-10 halfway between Tucson and El Paso. Desert beauty surrounds you with scenic views of the Pyramid Mountains and big-sky sunsets. Tour ghost towns, search for opals and agates at Rockhound State Park, see the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, hike in the Gila National Forest or climb the dunes at White Sands National Monument. At this KOA, you'll find a swimming pool in season, game room, free cable TV, free wireless internet, special holiday treats and a Camping Kitchen ready for group events. An activity center is available for groups as well as food service on certain days. This is the place for relaxation in the Western desert. Pool: May 15 - September 15. Max pull thru 80 feet.

Monday, 20 May 2019 20:52

Long Beach RV Campground

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Long Beach RV Campground

     Jackie & I enjoyed our time at Long Beach, there is a lot to see and we met some nice people.  The campground is very tight for bigger RV's.  All the sites are side by side in the middle of the campground and you back in so that you are back to back with another camper.  The water and sewer are at one location for a group of four campsites.  This was fine for the water connection, I could reach it with a 25' hose by routing it under our coach.  As for the septic, it wasn't practical, even with enough hose, it would have been an uphill battle.  I decide to dump at the end of the row on my way out.  (the dump station that I used, wouldn't allow my tanks to drain, so I left with full tanks)  Sites also shared electric pedestals.  Each one had a 50 & a 30amp, so you took whichever wasn't being used by the other camper sharing it. 
     The campground itself is nice.  There are yurts and a couple of cabins, areas for tent camping, and group camping.  The pool is nice but not overly large.  The family center is very small and the adult center is even smaller without wifi or TV.  It was probably their old guard shack.  There is a sand volleyball court and a paved basketball court along with horseshoes and tetherball.  The campground's best feature is its location to the beach.  There is a trail out to the beach which is just a few hundred yards away.  The trail crosses Long Beach's Discovery Trail, which is a wide paved trail running from Cape Disappointment to Long Beach.  Using the trail, from the campground to Long Beach is just over three miles.
   While in Long Beach the first thing Jackie looks for is a bakery.  Sometimes we have better luck than others with the quality of bakeries.  Long Beach is the perfect tourist beach town and every year it just keeps getting better and better.  Also while we were in the area, we checked out Fort Columbian and Fort Canby, Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and took a drive up the beach to Oysterville.  So if you don't mind the parking lot feel, Long Beach Campground is a great place to camp and explore.
 
 From:
     Talk about ocean access! This RV camp in Washington is located just 1,200 feet from the Pacific Ocean. Don't forget to bring your four-legged friends. All 28 miles of beach is 100% dog-friendly. All of the sites at our Long Beach campground offer full RV camping hookups and are satellite ready. A Long Beach RV Camping trip also features wonderful summer activities for the whole family. Explore bike paths, play on the beach, visit our historical lighthouses and much, much more.
Along with our on-site amenities, make sure to allow extra time to enjoy the nearby attractions. Just two miles up the road is the city of Long Beach, where great restaurants, shopping, and museums await.
     Don't wait to make reservations! There are many events happening around town and at the campground this year so we expect a very full and exciting season. We look forward to helping you plan a memorable time with us here at Long Beach RV & Camping Resort.
Monday, 20 May 2019 20:47

Little Diamond Lake Campground

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Little Diamond Lake RV Campground, Newport, Washington

      After a not-so-fun drive through Spokane we arrived at Little Diamond Lake Campground.  The campground is both a Thousand Trails and a KOA campground.  It is divided as such, but only in aspects of campsite locations.  When we arrive a couple of days before the Labor Day weekend, the KOA section was all but empty, but once the weekend hit, both sides of the campground filled up.  The KOA side being newer had lots and lots of great sites.  The TT did too, but there was a difference.  The staff were all KOA people, but that didn’t really make a difference, everyone was quite nice.  As campgrounds go, this one is really nice.  Only, we stayed too long and with smoke from wildfires kept us and most of the rest of the campers inside after the Labor Day weekend.  

       The Campground features a small lake with a dock and paddle boats to rent.  There is also a nice clubhouse with pool tables, ping pong, and others.  There is a nice outdoor pool and an indoor spa.  Also, a laundry, a store, and a small room for wifi, with books, videos, puzzles, and a TV.  Overall the KOA people do a great job of keeping this rather large campground clean and well maintained.

     From the campground, we took a couple of drives before the smoke took over.  We drove down and explored Coeur d'Alene and Sand Point, Idaho.  Both are great tourist towns with shops and things to do and explore.  The best part of our visit here to Little River was the friend that we met, Lynne & Dean, and Patti & Dwayne.  Meeting great people is one of the best perks to full-time RV'ing.  Lynne & Dean introduced us to a website called RVillage.  It is like Facebook for RV'ers.  We signed up, saw who else was in the campground and met Patti & Dwayne.  

     Panoramic views of Northeast Washington are just one of this campground’s attractive features. Warm weather plus a trip to Little Diamond RV Campground in Washington is the perfect combination for summer fun. Our resort offers plenty of activities for the whole family, including fishing for Kamloops, paddle boating or lounging by the swimming pool. The popular nearby Silverwood Theme Park makes for a fun day out.

    A fun family getaway starts with a reservation. Book your Little Diamond RV Camping trip today. Our on-site activities and full-service amenities are designed to give you exactly what you’re looking for in your next Washington RV camping trip!

Monday, 20 May 2019 20:46

Leeds RV Park & Motel

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Leeds RV Park & Motel, Leeds, Utah

  We didn't start out with this park as a destination, but after canceling our week in Yellowstone, we moved things around to stay a couple of days in Leeds so we could visit Zion National Park.  As the weather got really cold while visiting Bryce, we decided to add another day just to get some warmer weather.  This gave us two days to visit Zion, one to go into the park and use the shuttle to follow the Virgin River up the canyon stopping to hike the trails along the way.  The second we followed Route 9 through the tunnels to the other end of the park, seeing a whole different section of the park that can't be seen from the shuttle.  My only issue with the park is the number of people, but I guess that's a good thing.  The last stop on the shuttle offers a short paved trail up the river to the start of the Narrows.  I think that everyone who visits the park takes this hike, or so it seems.  The Narrows is something I would like to hike in the future.  It is a trail up the middle of the river through the narrow canyon.  There is a rental place at the park's entrance to rent waterproof gear to make the hike.

     As for the park itself, it was truly one of the nicest parks that we've visited.  All the sites have shade, full hookups, a concrete patio, and picnic table.  There are grass park areas for tenters and picnickers.  The owners were very helpful in accommodating our reservation change in making sure that we didn't have to change sites after our last minute decision to come a day early.  Although the park wasn't in either of our membership campgrounds, it is one that we'll visit again in the future.

     The best part about the park was the people we met while there.  In our short time there we met five other couples.  Four of which we shared an evening of libation and laughs.  Somehow we always meet the nicest people on our last day in a park.  We're looking forward to running into our new friends in the future.

Welcome to Leeds RV Park & Motel
Located in Southern Utah, near St. George and Hurricane just a short drive from Zion National Park, Quail Creek State Park, Red Cliff's State Park and Sand Hollow State Park. We offer 3 Motel rooms with kitchenettes, tent sites with firepits, large Pull thru's and lots of tall trees for shade.
 
Nestled in the heart of Dixie's Color Country at the base of Pine Valley Mountain.
 
Let us be part of your vacation plans or just a quiet and friendly place to spend the night as you travel across our beautiful state of Utah. Small groups, reunions, welcome. Snowbirds enjoy our mild winters.  Awesome ATV Trails, drive right from your site, just minutes from our park! Daily, weekly, and monthly rates available.  I-15 (exits 22 N.bound / 23 S. bound) 15 miles north, of St. George, Utah
"Come Enjoy Nature's Sounds with us, while Camping in Style!"
 
GOOD SAM Rating 7.5, 9*, 9.5
Monday, 20 May 2019 20:45

Leavenworth RV Campground

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Leavenworth RV Campground, Leavenworth, Washington

     With some poor planning on my part we arrived at Leavenworth on a Friday morning, fortunately, we were early enough to beat most of the weekend rush.  By that afternoon the campground was pretty full, Sunday afternoon, just the opposite.  Leavenworth is a campground as opposed to being an RV park.  We found mostly weekenders and very few members living there full time.  You get the best of both worlds, a regular campground for enjoying a campfire in the woods (when there isn't a burn ban) with lots of small squirrels to tease the dogs and a resort with a great pool, clubhouse, sports courts, etc.  The only drawback that we found at the campground was the dust.  We had to keep our RV closed up with the AC running to try to limit it, but then we're camping, and sometimes that comes with the course.  

      The campground is about a twenty-five-minute drive to the town of Leavenworth.  Leavenworth was a dying logging town, the railroad had moved to an easier way over the mountains, then someone came up with the brilliant idea of making it a theme town.  They did their homework and change the look of the town to resemble a Bavarian town.  It started with a few storefronts, then expanded from there.  Most of the business in town hold to the theme, including Starbucks, McDonald's, and even the 76 station.  There are enough shops, restaurants, and things to do and see in the town that we took a couple of days to just poke through the shops.  After we had left the area while visiting the Grand Coulee Dam we learned of the Leavenworth fish hatchery and its importance in keeping the salmon population going after the dam was built.  We'll have to return to check it out.  Leavenworth also has quite a logging history which is also worth looking into.

     Overall, this was a great campground and one I'm sure we'll return to.  (Maybe during the week, next time)  We were there for the eclipse which we experienced while playing shuffleboard.  We were too far north for the sky to get dark, but it was a weird light and the temperature noticeably dropped.   

Leavenworth RV Open Year Round

     What's your activity of choice? Hiking? Fishing? Snowmobiling? Sledding? Book a Leavenworth RV Camping trip and you won't have to choose! We offer countless activities for every season. This beautiful RV camp in Washington boasts a serene location situated amid 300 acres of forests and meadows. Visit in the winter and you'll have access to over 200 miles of groomed snowmobile trails. Snowshoeing, sledding and cross-country skiing are other popular snow sports, with plenty of on-site hills to choose from. Our hills are even tailored to skill; Chipmunk Hill for the kids and Grizzly Run for the daring adults.

     Is summer more your thing? No problem. Warm, sunny days provide picturesque conditions for sunbathing, river rafting, kayaking, paddle boating and more on Alpine Trout Lake and Otter Pond.

     Additional off-site recreation is right around the corner. Leavenworth RV Camping is just 29 miles from Steven's Pass Ski Resort and four miles from Fish Lake, a popular ice fishing spot. For additional sights, visit the Bavarian Village of Leavenworth for seasonal festivals, historic architecture and German culture just 17 miles from this exciting Washington RV campground.

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