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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Tuesday, 24 December 2024

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Sam Houston Jones State Park, Lake Charles, LA

Our Visit

      Sam Houston Jones State Park, was just a one night stay over, but after going there, I wish we would have stayed longer. The park is beautiful with swamps and a river, cabins, RV, and tent camping. The campground is wooded with mostly paved sites.

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Sam Houston on the map blue burned

Most are a bit tight for bigger rigs, but we managed to fit. Walking around the park we saw that the swamp directly across from the campground had been drained. (to restore some of the forests)  As we followed the road we found a large picnic area with plenty of tables along the river bank. There is a boat ramp and we saw someone out in a kayak paddling up and down the river. There is a boat ramp with a warning sign not to swim and a possibility of alligators. Further along, the road was several very nice cabins to rent. There was a second swamp, this one not drained with a large wooden bridge crossing it. In the middle of the bridge was an amphitheater. From the bridge looking down into the swamp, we saw dozens of turtles swimming about. (I took pictures, but you need to zoom in to see their heads poking out of the water and their bodies under the surface) As we passed the cabins along our walk around the park we discovered a full 18-hole disc golf course. Had we more time, we would have grabbed our discs and tried it out. Alongside the road, we could see that water had recently receded from there and discovered what we later found to be mounds of mud with holes in them made by crawfish digging into the ground as the water evaporated. Being from the Northwest, this was new. Later we searched You-tube and watched a video of someone pushing his arm (up to his shoulder) in a hole and pulling out a crawfish. A second video showed him using a trap in a creek using dry dog food as bait and catching them by the dozen.

     Overall, we really liked the park, we met some great people there and would recommend two nights if you’re using it as a stopover on your way down the road.

Campground number eighty-six. 

  • April 18, 2018 -  1 day
  1. Campground Information
  2. Their Description
  3. Amenities
  4. Policies .
Website:
  crt.state.la.us
Type: State Park
Address: Sam Houston Jones State Park, 
       107 Sutherland Rd,
        Lake Charles, LA 70611
Phone: (337) 855-2665

Originally named for the Texas folk hero who traveled extensively in the western reaches of Louisiana, Sam Houston Jones was given its current name in honor of the state's 46th governor, who was instrumental in setting aside this tract of land for the public to enjoy for both day-use and overnight visitors.
Because the caretakers of this 1,087-acre park have worked to keep the land in its natural state, abundant wildlife inhabits the area. Tree-filled lagoons and mixed pine and hardwood forest combine to create a unique natural environment. The park is located just north of the most productive birding region of Louisiana. The bird watching is always excellent, but at certain times of the year, nearly 200 species of birds can be seen at or within 30 miles of the site.

The Office of State Parks has partnered with Sasol in Lake Charles on the Longleaf Legacy Project,  to preserve the iconic tree's rich history, restore the splendor of local forests, and ensure the resiliency of such habitats for generations to come.  The project includes the restoration of over 70 acres of longleaf forest in the park and companion educational programs for local teachers and families.

Sam Houston Jones State Park is home to more than 70 acres of longleaf pines, the oldest living southern pine species. They were once one of the most abundant tree species in the United States, stretching across 90 million acres from Virginia to Texas. Over time, land-use practices such as logging, farming, development, urban encroachment, and fire exclusion have diminished the longleaf pine, leaving less than 4 million acres of longleaf forest and less than 10 percent of their original presence in Louisiana.

The numerous waterways in this area make water sports a natural highlight at the park. Two boat launches are conveniently located on the West Fork of the Calcasieu River, providing access to Calcasieu Lake, about 20 miles away. (No-Wake Zone Advisory )

The three hiking trails winding through this beautiful park make strolling or serious hiking, pleasurable. Particularly interesting is the old stagecoach road, which hikers may travel to explore the park and the banks of the various tributaries to the Calcasieu River.

 

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Hours of Operation:
Site is open daily.

Gate Opening Times:
Sunday through Thursday

  • open at 6 a.m.
  • close at 9 p.m.

Friday, Saturday and days preceding holidays.

  • open at 6 a.m.
  • close at 10 p.m.

Entrance Station Hours:
Sunday through Thursday

  • 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday, Saturday and days preceding holidays.

  • 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Entrance Fees

  • $3 per person
  • Free for seniors (62 & older)
  • Free for children (3 & under)

Camping
A $6 non-refundable fee will be assessed on each reservation transaction made online, via phone, or as a walk-in.
( map of sites 23-43)  ( map of sites 44-62)

9 Premium Campsites (pull-through sites with water and electrical hookups) $33/night plus tax, Fri-Sat
$30/night plus tax, Sun-Thurs, Apr-Sept
$25/night plus tax, Sun-Thurs, Oct-Mar
26 Improved Campsites (water and electrical hookup) $28/night plus tax, Fri-Sat
$25/night plus tax, Sun-Thurs, Apr-Sept
$20/night plus tax, Sun-Thurs, Oct-Mar
Backcountry campsites (maximum capacity of 6), 5 available on a first-come, first-served basis $9 per person/night, plus tax
Primitive camping area (maximum capacity of 20) $20/night plus tax
America the Beautiful Senior and Access Passes (formerly Golden Age & Golden Access Passports) (Available through the National Park Service. Click here for more information)
Holders of the Passes, whose state of residence also honors the America the Beautiful pass, are entitled to a 50% reduction on camping fees at Louisiana State Parks. (Passport holders are allowed one site per passport).

Additional Information About Overnight Facilities

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Utah

Utah (4)

Tuesday, 21 May 2019 04:33

Willard Bay South Marina & Campground

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Willard Bay South Marina & Campground, Willard, Utah

     After pricing Willard Bay State Park Campground, we opted for the $25 a night Willard Bay South Marina and Campground.  It was pretty much one big parking lot, but the sites were well spaced, most having a covered picnic table in the grass.  There was plenty of shade trees so it was a lot better than I imagined from the satellite view.  Each site had full hookups, which was nice, however, the sewer system ran below the parking lot and there was a vented manhole cover just a few feet from our door.  This was two problems, the smell, and the number of bugs that circled around it.  Since we were staying for just two nights and weren’t planning on sitting outside much because of the mosquitos, we didn’t change sites.  We probably should have, judging by the number of gnats that found their way into the coach by the second night.

      While there we drove down to the historic 25th Street in Ogden, only to find that everything was closed on Mondays.  So, after looking at the map, Jackie suggested that we check out Antelope Island State Park. It was a great park which featured antelope, buffalo, and lots of birds.  There was a couple of campgrounds a visitor center, and a burger stand, which featured buffalo burgers.  We were assured that the buffalo came from South Dakota.  We didn’t go for the buffalo, but both our hamburgers were outstanding.  We learned the history of the island and of the Great Salt Lake and how the level of the lake changed over time.  Perfect, if you’re into that sort of thing like we are.  The Visitor Center also had this cool birdhouse.

       Overall, the park nice enough and would be great if you had a boat.  (just don’t park near a manhole cover) On the upside, we did see a pair of great horned owls and a couple of beautiful sunsets.  On the way out, you exit through the park gate and then there is about a mile of straight two-lane road and halfway down the road is a second gate which has two concrete bollards sticking up right in the middle of the road splitting the lanes.  If you’re not paying attention….

    (from Utah State Parks)   Boat, swim, water ski, and fish on the warm waters of Willard Bay.  Camp under tall cottonwood trees that frame the night sky. During winter months, Willard Bay is a wildlife watching area for nesting eagles. Two areas, North and South Marinas, offer all the amenities for a weekend at the Bay.

Published in Utah
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Tuesday, 21 May 2019 03:58

Skyline Mountain Resort

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Skyline Mountain Resort, Fairview, Utah

    When we arrived at Skyline Mountain, we were directed to which campsite to park in.  As soon as we saw it, we realized that there was no way for us to fit.  Jackie walked back to the office and they assigned us another site.  There only three other campers in the whole campground.  Anyway, once we pulled in, I get into a conversation with the folks next door.  Unfortunately, I did this before I got things set up with our coach.  Needless to say, I was in the doghouse.  They did have nice grassy sights with gravel drives and a small concrete pad for a picnic table.  The campground features a nine-hole golf course and a driving range.  It has a nice pool with a long tube slide, from which I was told by another camper was only opened on weekends and was closed for the season when we got there in mid-November.  

     There are a couple of small towns nearby which are nice, but not really touristy.  While we were there we made a loop to the east up into the mountains into coal country.  On the drive, we found a museum in the town of Helper which gave us a nice history of the area's coal miners and railroaders.  While on our drive we reach a spot where the bones of a mammoth were discovered above 9000 feet.  The drive was scenic and worth the time, but outside of that we didn't find much else to do while we were there.

Type: Classic

Good Sam Rating: 6.5/9*/8.5

Address: 
22130 North 11750 East
Fairview, UT 84629

Phone: (435) 427-9590

Fax: (435) 427-9505

Reservations Phone: (435) 427-9590

Resort Information: 1,500 acres of mountain beauty next to Manti LaSalle National Forest. Waterslide and public pool available for fee. 9-hole golf course with cart rentals, pro shop, driving range.

Web Site: skylinemountain.com

EMail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Full Sites: 22

Partial Sites: 10

Pull-through Sites: 3

Check-In/Check-Out Times: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m./ 11:00 a.m.

RV Site Minimum Stay: 1 night

Open: May 1 to Oct 31

Maximum Electrical Service: 30 amps

WiFi Available: No

Maximum RV Length: 40 feet

Elevation: 6100

Amenities: BBQ grills on site, basketball, dump station, fire rings, outdoor pool with a water slide (pay-per-use), snack bar (golf shop & pool snack bar), horseshoe, tennis, playground, golf available (9-hole pay-per-use) , driving range (pay-per-use), putting green, handicap access, Clean restrooms with hot showers (closed after office hours please check out a restroom card with office need a $20.00 or Driver License for deposit), ice available ($1.50 a bag 8lb), meeting room, pavilion (pay-per-use if available), picnic area, pull-through sites, tenting, volleyball, winter sports nearby (snowmobiling). Nearby fishing, hiking, rock climbing, ATV trails, drive-in movie theater, restaurants, scenic views, museums, shopping, horse arena. Maps available in the office (ATV & Hiking).

RV Notes: Rate includes 1 RV, 1 vehicle, 4 people, 2 pets, 30 amp. Additional charges: Extra adult $3/night, extra child $1/night, 50 amp $3/night, late check-out early check-in $5 plus tax, utility fee $3.50/night, pets over 25 lbs $3/night. Pool fee $5 swim & $7 swim/slide. Water shut off in Oct. Limited winter facilities. Mail accepted please use 22130 N 11750 E SMR RV Spot # Fairview, UT 84629.

Rental Notes: Rental units available. Trip Points not accepted. Contact the resort directly.

Restrictions:

Accepts Pets: Yes

Pet Restrictions: Animals are only allowed if leashed at all times. Clean after pets. No animals around the pool area. Cabin #1 pet-friendly only.

Visitor Mail Accepted: Yes

Published in Utah
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Monday, 20 May 2019 22:28

Paradise Campground, Utah

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Paradise Campground, Panguitch, Utah

     Paradise Campground is a small graveled RV park just north of the town of Panguitch, Utah.  From there, it was about a thirty-minute drive to Bryce Canyon.  While trying to make reservations I was never able to get anyone on the phone at the office, but they did call back.  When we got there, the office was closed.  A note on the door told us the rates of the sites and to pick a site and then put money in an envelope and slide it under the door.  Over the weekend, no one ever did come to the office.  The park was in good shape and looked as if someone had spent a lot of time and money into making the campground really nice and then just stopped, not quite finished with the renovations.  Speaking with another camper who had stayed there several times in the past, I guess the park has been this way for years.  We found the sites very close together, but there were enough empty campsites that people spaced themselves out.  We had no neighbors on either side so it wasn't bad.  With the campground being above 6000 feet and it being late September we did wake up to below freezing temperatures.

      We arrived at the early enough that we decided to head up to Bryce Canyon that day so that we could leave the cold and head south a day earlier.  On the way to Bryce, we drove through Red Canyon and stopped at the visitor's center.  Red Canyon is separate from Bryce Canyon and has many hiking trails.  Don't make the mistake of asking questions about Bryce Canyon at the wrong visitor's center.  When we arrived at Bryce Canyon, we parked at the shuttle bus center outside of the park.  We then rode the shuttle into the park, stopping at the visitor's center and then at Bryce Point.  From there we could view the main cathedral.  The other shuttle stops we more points along the rim of this same cathedral, so we walked most of the rim.  There are several trails that lead down into the canyon.  Had we more time, better shoes on, and better weather, we would have done more hiking.  The rim is over 8000 feet and with the wind, it wasn't very warm that day.

     On our second day, we decided to drive up to Cedar Breaks National Monument.   The drive up there was beautiful.  The birch trees were bright yellow mixed in with the dark evergreens.  When we arrived at the rim, we were above 10,000 feet and looking out to the west was a thick cloud cover below us.  We were able to view most of Cedar Breaks despite the clouds.  At the park's visitor center a couple of young ladies thought it would be cool to have photos taken while standing on top of a fence with a drop of several thousand feet behind them.  From what we've seen, it's a wonder more tourist don't lose their lives from trying to get that perfect photo shot.  Just down the road, we pulled into Duck Creek Village for lunch.  Duck Creek is a haven for ATV'rs and around the area are scores of trails to ride.  The area east of Cedar Breaks was made up of several individual peaks and the geography of the land formation was a combination Cclaron Limestone (like Bryce Canyon & Cedar Breaks) and black lava rock.  Like we found in Oregon and Washington in places the liver of lava flowing through the cooler rock forming lava tubes.  After our visit to Duck Creek, we stopped at one of these tubes, Mammoth Cave.  

   We left there on a Sunday morning heading further south to warmer weather, to get there we had to cross a mountain pass that was covered in a dusting of snow.  Two hours later we were setting up camp in Leeds on a sunny 70-degree afternoon.

From their website:

Paradise RV Park & Campground
2153 N Highway 89
Panguitch, UT 84759
Open May 1st - Oct 31st
(435) 676-8348
(800) 648-2268
The Beautiful 10 acre Paradise RV Park & Campground, located in Panguitch UT. is a perfect location for your next vacation. Within 15 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park and 70 Miles from Zion National Park, this location is perfect for your journey into Beautiful Southern Utah. 
Surrounded by the picturesque and awesome beauty of mountain vistas, while luxuriating at our Paradise Park, as everyone else is baking in the Hot SouthWestern Sun. You will remain cool where the summer temperatures are always moderate leaving hardly ever the need for Air Conditioning.
Paradise RV park has 60 large full hook-ups with up to 50AMP power, that can handle any size rig. Along with 5 Camping Cabins and 30 dry tents sites.
Located on the premises is a fantastic Laundry with triple Load Washers for your convenience. We have a wonderful Gift Shop which has rare collections and beautiful Indian Jewelry, representing the ART DECOR of this amazing breathtaking World of Southern Utah.
The area is great for Hunting and ATVing for you outdoor enthusiasts. And most importantly we are on the Grand Circle which is the Greatest Drive anywhere on the Planet featuring 10 National Parks, 4 National Forests, 11 National Monuments, and 8 State Parks.
Within 3 miles from Paradise RV Park, we are stationed just outside a full-service town, which has Restaurants, Grocery stores, and a nearby Hospital, all within 3 miles from the park!
Thank you for choosing Bryce-Zion Paradise RV Park for your next trip!
Published in Utah
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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
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