Tuckahoe State Park, Queen Anne, Maryland

      On our way from Virginia to Tuckahoe, our fresh water pump died.  Not really a big deal, we haven't hit a campground without water for over a year.  Come to find out, this park doesn't have a water hookup at the campsites.  However, there was fresh water within 100 feet of the site and bathrooms with showers just a short walk through the woods.  Tuckahoe is one of the nicest campgrounds that we've visited.  All the sites in the "electric loop" have 50 amps and can comfortably fit big rigs.  We honestly couldn't find a site that wasn't great.  From the camping area, we walked to a large day-use picnic area and then followed a trail that led to the lake.  At the lake was a youth camp going on with all sorts of activities for kids.  The campground is heavily wooded and was absolutely beautiful.  There are a few nice cabins to rent as well.  We visited during the last week in June and there were only four other campers in the park.  I don't understand why.  

Maryland.gov

Tuckahoe Creek, a quiet country stream bordered for most of its length by wooded marshlands, runs through the length of the park. A 60-acre lake offers boating and fishing. The park offers 20 miles of scenic hiking, biking and equestrian trails, flat water canoeing, hunting, picnicking, as well as a recycled tire playground for children. The park offers activities and special events on a seasonal basis. Activities include day camps, canoe trips, Scales & Tales presentations and displays, and Challenge Course programs. Each weekend, Memorial Day through Labor Day, park staff offer a number of free family activities.

Features:

• Camping: The park offers a family camping area with 54 sites, 33 with electric hookups, and a central bathhouse with showers and toilet facilities. Each site is equipped with a camping pad, picnic table, and fire ring. No water hook-ups are available, but potable water is conveniently located around each loop. A dump station is available for trailer use. Pets are allowed in the campground but must remain on a leash at all times. Click here for camping season beginning and ending dates, and camping and shelter service charges.
• Youth Group Camping: The park also offers a youth group camping area with four sites, each site accommodating up to 30 people.
• Cabins: Eight camper cabins are available for rent through the statewide reservation system. Four cabins sleep four and four sleep six; all equipped with ceiling fan, electricity, air conditioning, grill, fire ring, and table.
• Picnicking/Shelters: The park has two picnic areas, each offering shaded sites with picnic tables, charcoal grills, playground equipment and horseshoe pits. The Lake and Cherry Lane Area Pavilions, with a capacity of 80 persons, can be rented through the statewide reservation system.
• Arboretum: The Adkins Arboretum encompasses 500 acres of park land and almost three miles of surfaced walkways leading through the tagged native species of trees and shrubs.
• Fishing and Boating: The park has a 60-acre lake with fishing and boating opportunities on 20 acres of open water. The remaining acres are flooded woodland. A launch ramp is available for boaters. Gasoline motor use is prohibited. Canoeing at Tuckahoe is a popular activity on both the lake and the creek because of the park's abundant wildlife. It is common for visitors to enjoy watching bald eagles, ospreys and great blue herons. Beavers and muskrats have surprised visitors by swimming past their canoes. Tuckahoe is full of pockets of secluded beauty, some only accessible by canoe. Canoes, single kayaks and tandem kayaks are available to rent on a first-come, first-serve basis. During the week, come by the park office to rent. The lakefront boathouse is open most weekends for rentals (hours based on staff availability and weather conditions). Canoes/kayaks are $10/hour.
• Multi-use Trails: Tuckahoe State Park boasts excellent hiking, biking, and equestrian opportunities. Trails that wander through the park include the Tuckahoe Valley Trail, a self-guided Natural Trail, the Physical Fitness Trail and the Lake Trail. The Maryland Park Service does not rent horses and only provides the trails as a means of recreation.
  View and download the Tuckahoe State Park Trail Map
  

  Purchase copies of the Tuckahoe State Park Trail Guide through our online store.

  To purchase copies of the Tuckahoe State Park Trail Guide with a check, please click on this link to print an order form.

  Purchase copies of the Tuckahoe State Park Bandana Map through our online store.

• Disc Golf: An 18-hole disc golf course is located in the Cherry Lane section of the park. Free scorecards are available at the bulletin board near the ball field.
• Mountain Bike, Kayak, and Canoe Rentals
  Tuckahoe offers mountain bikes, kayaks, and canoes for rent at the park during the spring, summer, and fall. Contact the park for current service charges, available days and times.

Tropical Palms RV Resort

     When we arrived here we were assigned a site in the back 40.  We found the site, backed in, powered up and leveled only to realize that we were one space over.  So we moved to the correct spot and got all set up.  This section of the park was mostly empty and the site we were given was right next to a homesteader with tarps over things and stuff all over.  So we decided to go ask if we could move to one of the other vacant sites which offered more shade and wasn't right on top of this other camper.  That worked for them, so we wound up with a much nicer site.  The park has some nice picnic areas, miniature golf, pool and other amenities. However, with its proximity to Disney World, we really didn't use much of the park's services.  It has manufactured homes to buy, park models to rent, deluxe paved RV site, full-hookup back-in sites on grass, and electric/water only back-in sites.  The staff is friendly and the gate security is manned 24 hours a day.

      Being from the west coast, Jackie and I have been to Disneyland many times, so of course, everything in Disney Wolrd was compared with that.  Disney World has four parks while Disneyland has only two.  We first visited the Magic Kingdom and it was like Disneyland light.  It wasn't until we had visited all four parks did we see that pretty much every ride in California had the same or a similar ride here in Florida.  It was just spread out among the for parks.  Some rides were exactly the same, for example, the haunted house, while other rides used the same equipment but were different., soring over California is changed to soring over the world.  The biggest difference is the Animal Kingdom.  There is nothing in California even close to it.  The Animal Kingdom is a theme park and zoo/safari all in one.  I was really impressed!  

An Unforgettable Year-Round Orlando Resort Experience!

     Come explore all that our Orlando area RV park has to offer. Tropical Palms is that family getaway you remember from your childhood and now want to share with your children. It's flat-out Florida fun and good times, where you're close to everything and far away from the everyday. Tropical Palms is surrounded by wonderful places to enjoy a day of fun! Just minutes from the resort you can be at Disney World, Universal Theme Parks, and Sea World! You can spend the day at Daytona Beach, Kennedy Space Center, Busch Gardens, or take a stroll over to Old Town and celebrate the glory days of bygone times. Tropical Palms is far from the ordinary and close to the magic.

Trinidad Lake State Park, Trinidad Colorado

       Trinidad Lake State Park is another campground that I would certainly revisit.   We did have a couple of unexpected surprises though.  First, you need to pay for a parking permit ($7 per day) on top of your paid camping fees.  The second was, that most sites didn't have water, only a few did.  Other than that, the campground was very clean and the staff was very friendly and helpful.  There are six hiking trails, four of them under a mile.  The facilities were immaculate.  However, you did need to pay for the showers.  We also found that each of the three nights that we were there, winds picked up each afternoon, preventing us from barbecuing.  

        While there, we took some time to do some site-seeing.  One day we drove the "Highway of Legends"  It's around 90 miles round trip.  The views were worth the drive.  On the way back we took some time to visit the Ludlow Memorial and learn about the Ludlow Massacre in 1914.  The second day there we explored Trinidad and visited a couple of museums and learned about the town's history.  It has three separate histories, first the archeology history of the dinosaur and plant fossils found there, then the history of the Santa Fe Trail, and finally the history of its coal mining and brick manufacturing.  Half the streets are paved in brick and most of the buildings are either brick or adobe block.

From Colorado State Parks

The mild climate and large lake are ideal for water sports. Anglers catch rainbow and brown trout, largemouth bass, channel catfish, walleye, crappie, and bluegill. All types of boaters appreciate the open waters and modern services.

Miles of trails winding through ancient and interesting local history and spectacular scenery provide visitors and nature enthusiasts with great outdoor exploration opportunities.

Trinidad Lake is a wonderful place to escape the crowds and establish a base camp from which to explore the great outdoors plus visit interesting local attractions. Area attractions like the former mining town of Trinidad with its colorful history make great side trips.

In order to provide better customer service and access to quality camping, starting July 1, 2018, all sites at this park will be available by reservation ONLY.

​Occupation of a site without a reservation will not be permitted.
If you wish to occupy a site at this park, you may reserve it 24/7 at www.cpwshop.com​ or by calling 1-800-244-5613.
The 3-day reservation window does not apply at this park; sites are available for reservation 24/7.
Self-service camping permits will no longer be valid.
For questions, please contact the CPW call center at 303-297-1192.​​

Tri Mountain RV Park

      We lived at Tri Mountain for a month while trying to get settled back in the Portland area.  I thought that the photo from Google Maps would best describe the park.  Actually, it is a very nice, clean, well kept park.  The owners are extremely nice and the monthly rent was very reasonable which included electricity.  We would definitely return there again.  The obviously drawback is the freeway noise.  The actual freeway isn't bad, just the jake-braking trucks that use the exit. There is a nice coffee house and a pizza place right next to the park.  Also, just to the north (within walking distance) is a decent family restaurant featuring breakfast food and a convenience store with a Redbox.