The latest news about camping and developments in North American campgrounds and RV parks from Janet Groene.
This news site covers timely news for RV travelers. Follow up on these tips to plan your trip according to dates, the type and size of your rig, your budget and your interests. Be alert for sudden changes due to COVID, floods, road construction, wildfires or weather. Many events are still tentative. COVID restrictions vary according to the state or individual campground.
Note that many campgrounds and RV resorts have special events planned for holiday weekends or other hot dates (the big game, a local festival, three-day weekends). They may be heavily booked, require a two- or three-night minimum stay and/or black out dates for their usual discounts. When a campground promises a major event, attraction or beach, know whether it’s actually AT the campground. It may be merely nearby or in the next city. If so, does the campground provide a shuttle or must you drive there, walk or take a city bus?
DISCLAIMER: No endorsement of any campground or product is implied by this reporter nor this website.
DATELINE: July 17, 2021
Page Contents
ALABAMA STATE PARK DARES FITNESS MAYHEM
Mayhem on the Mountain is a fitness competition that brings in more than 500 competitors from all over the southeast. Be at Oak Mountain State Park, Pelham, August 21-22, to watch, or register in advance to compete. There’s so much to do at this park, from riding the trails to photographing the falls or playing golf. The park is also home of the Alabama Wildlife Center, where injured native birds are rehabilitated and returned to the wild if possible. Resident birds can be viewed from the Tree Top Nature Trail, an elevated boardwalk winding through a secluded woodland valley. See the Oak Mountain Interpretive Center and sign up for education programs. Full hookups are available at 57 sites at the lakeside campground, and 27 more have power and water. Call (205) 620-2527
ARIZONA CAMPGROUND HAS UTV EVENT
The annual Fire in the Sky UTV Fun Run at the new AJ’s Getaway RV Park in Heber-Overgaard on September 16-20 is private event so separate advance registration is required. Based on an alleged alien abduction of a local logger in the 1970s, the fun runs for UTV’s include an Alien Night Ride, a Hold My Beer race, photo ops and more. After celebrating its Grand Opening in July, the family-run, 15-acre campground has spacious pull-through RV sites and buddy sites with full hookups including 50-amp service. Go trail riding in the White Mountains. Come for frequent events with live music, barbecue and dark sky evenings with your telescope. Call the campground at (928) 433-8060. Read about AJ’s Getaway’s Grand Opening here.
DELAWARE CAMPGROUND DANCES ’80S STYLE
Come for the beach, the dancing disco and DJ, the RV lifestyle on August 13-14 at Treasure Beach RV Park & Campground, West Fenwick Island. Meet and greet at the Activity Center. Hear Lennon La Ricci and The Leftovers and join Pirate Fun with Rudy. The 1,000 pull-through RV sites have water, sewer, electric (30/50 amp) and cable. In summer, a three-night minimum stay is required. Call (302) 436-8001 or email info@tbrvpk.com
FLORIDA CAMPGROUND WELCOMES WRECKING CREW
The Wrecking Crew, a Florida rock and dance band (not to be confused with the studio musicians in Los Angeles in the 1960s), makes its first appearance at B’s Marina and Campground on September 11 in Yankeetown on the Withlacoochee River, just 2.5 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico. Come for the fishing, paddling, boating, bird watching and laid-back lifestyle. The Dockside Depot has a box office for the frequent concerts plus firewood, beer, wine, ice and sundries. Campsites are paved and have full hookups and Wi-Fi. Rent a boat or launch your own. Take a sunset tour. Go hiking or biking. Scalloping season is open through September 24. Call (352)566-8319
GEORGIA STATE PARK TALKS DIRTY
Prepare to get down and dirty as a hardworking volunteer at State Park Day in Crooked River State Park, St. Marys. Located near I-95 just north of Jacksonville, Florida, the 500-acre coastal preserve on the Crooked River is dedicated to nature, and nature needs a cleanup. Register in advance at (912)-882-8531. Be there to pick up your park pass and get to work at 9 a.m. on September 25. The park has 63 RV sites, some with full hookups. The park’s nature trail winds through forest and salt marsh. See gopher tortoises, fiddler crabs, herons and other birds. A nature center features fish, snakes, turtles and other animals native to coastal Georgia. Nearby are ruins of a tabby mill, built around 1825 and later used as a starch factory during the Civil War. The park’s phone is (912) 882-5256. Make camping reservations at (800) 864-7275.
ILLINOIS CAMP SCHEDULES SHOE FEST
Dry camping for RVs is available for the annual Shoe Fest at Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-See in Manteno, to be held September 3-5. The festival has three stages of music, with emphasis on roots music such as folk, folk rock, bluegrass, and jamband. Lead act is Old Shoe (Country Home, Dust Bowl) followed by dozens of acts large and small. Get tickets for the concert and camping from agencies such as Eventbrite or StubHub. The camp’s phone is (815) 933-3011
MISSOURI CAMPGROUND HAS CHURCH SERVICES
Now through September 26, Southern Baptist church services welcome all comers to 9 a.m. Sunday services in the impressive outdoor amphitheater at Roaring River State Park, Cassville. In case of rain, go to the conference center. Known for its excellent trout fishing, the river is one of three state parks that are stocked regularly with rainbow trout from state fish hatcheries. Take your catch to the park’s cleaning and fillet station and get out the frying pan. Hike seven scenic trails, shop the store, learn about the park at the nature center, eat out at the full-service restaurant and camp with full or partial hookups. Get park information at the office (417) 847-2539, and make camping reservations at (877) 422-6766
OHIO CAMPERS TO PARTY HEARTY AT SPUNFEST
Scheduled for September 30–October 2 at Brushy Fork Phamily Ranch in Newark, Spunfest is a funfest of RV and car camping, dancing, music, art vendors, yoga and great food. This is the second year for the event where two stages of “adventure” music explore a variety including acoustic artists, EDM, psychic jam and more all weekend, day and night. Twenty RV sites have electricity. Early arrivals begin at noon Thursday. This is for ages 18 and over only. Bring valid ID. As the lineup grows, announcements will be made on Spunfest’s social media. Ticket providers include eventbrite.com.
OKLAHOMA STATE PARK HOLDS FOREST FESTIVAL
The annual Kiamichi Owa-Chito Festival of the Forest will be held September 24–25 at
Beavers Bend State Park, Broken Bow. Celebrate the natural beauties and heritage of Choctaw County with camping, forestry competitions, Native American performances, children’s activities and a large art and photography show with prizes. Also on the schedule are Gospel Night, a Miss Owa-Chito pageant, sports events and woodturning demonstrations. The 1,300-acre park has multiple campgrounds with various concessions, water access and other features, so plan ahead to find the right site for your rig. Call 580-494-6300
SOUTH CAROLINA BLUEWAY FESTIVAL SCHEDULED
Coming August 28 to Baker Creek State Park, McCormick, the South Carolina BlueWay Festival is a free family party with exhibitions, demonstrations, live music, craft beer, food vendors, and more. Paddle Lake Thurmond. Fish. Hear live music. Shop at vendor booths. See a wakeboard show. Learn about the area’s newest hiking and bike trails. Compete in a kayak rodeo, a mountain bike ride, disc golf. (864) 443-2457, email bakercreek@scprt.com. Lakeside RV sites are reserved here.
Stay Tuned
• After a long budget drought at Indiana state parks, monies are being released for improvements in services including campgrounds. For RV travelers it’s a plus to camp in a park that also has a lodge or inn with a fine dining option. The last new inn was built at Spring Mill State Park in 1939. Now there are plans for inns at Potato Creek State Park and Prophetstown State Park. Other upgrades and additions will be announced in turn.
• It’s reported that the owners of Sun Resorts Mesquite, Nevada, are building two new resorts with RV and home sites in Arizona, one at Beaver Dam and the other in Scenic. We’ll announce details when available.
Read more of Janet Groene’s Campground and RV Park News here.
Janet Groene is the author of more than 25 books including Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition, available at Amazon.com. Her new Farley Halladay book, “May Misfire, a Yacht Yenta Mystery,” is available at Amazon.com and on all e-book platforms including Kindle, Nook, Google Play. See Janet Groene’s weekly Solo Woman posts at SoloWomanRV.
