Compiled by Janet Groene
We scan the web, including local news and industry sources, for information about campgrounds and RV parks across North America. Those listed here are for you to investigate and evaluate. Always check further about any of this information if you plan to visit. Own a campground? Send news about your park to janetgroene (at) yahoo.com.
It may take as long as ten years to complete the massive, 2,629-acre annex plan for Matthiessen State Park, Oglesby, Illinois, but work has begun and plans are in place. One zone will be annexed to the west end of Starved Rock State Park, with a scenic overlook of the Illinois River. (815) 667-4726. Cozy Corner Campground at the state park is family owned and family friendly, +1-815-667-4886. Pleasant Creek Campground has water and electric hookups.
Are you headed for Yellowstone National Park in 2025? Next year will see the official opening of Old Faithful RV Park in Cody, Wyoming, 32 miles from the East Entrance Station of the park. Bookings are being taken now, but construction delays have hindered the development and some bookings for 2024 have been canceled. For updates call (432) 664-9299 or email camp@oldfaithfulrvpark.com.
Sangudo Riverside Campground, Sangudo, Alberta, is one of four county-operated campgrounds at Lac Ste. Anne. Its expansion and renovation is scheduled for completion in 2025. Located on the site of the former Sangudo Speedway Track, this campground on the Pembina River is open now, offering 14 sites with water and electric, showers, dump station, horseshoe pits and an on-site caretaker. When water levels allow, there’s also floating and kayaking on the river. Reservations open in October. Info is here.
Hear live, professional bluegrass and help benefit state parks when you attend the BIG BLUEgrass Festival, Sugar Pine Point State Park, Tahoma, California, on August 2. The park’s campground has 175 campsites and is open all year. The events contact number is (530) 525-9528. For camping call Reserve California at 1-800-444-PARK (7275) or visit www.reservecalifornia.com. Bring your own low-back chairs, flashlight and warm clothing. Order concert tickets here. Music starts at 5 p.m. and continues until dark. Performers include Loretta Lynch, The Real Sarahs and Josh Brough String Band. Food and beverage vendors will be on hand. Festival info.
The campground at Selkirk Shores State Park, Oswego County, New York, will close after Labor Day and stay closed throughout the 2025 season. During the major renovation, new restrooms will be added, cabins will be repaired and upgraded, the pavilion will be restored and ADA facilities will be expanded. The park will be open only for day use. Campers can consider nearby state parks such as Southwick Beach, Fair Haven Beach, Westcott Beach, Whetstone Golf, Burnham Point, and Cedar Point. Reserve at ReserveAmerica.com or 1-800-456-2267. More info here.
Act quickly at ReserveAmerica.com to camp at Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs, New York, during the esteemed Saratoga Arts Celebration August 17-18. The juried art show is a highlight of the year in this highbrow, historic park. See works by 75 selected artists. Parking and admission to the event are free. The destination park has a campground, golf, disc golf, trails for biking and hiking, fishing, a gift shop and swimming. Saratoga Spa State Park website.
The Keystone Truck & Tractor Museum in Colonial Heights, Virginia, has always been worth a lingering stop. Now it also offers overnight parking for RVs. Sites have water, electric, Wi-Fi and picnic tables for $35 nightly. Harvest Host members park free the first night. The museum’s 125,000 square feet are packed with farm machinery of all kinds, all of them caringly restored. The Keystone Grill serves breakfast and lunch. Check ahead for the museum’s many special events and don’t miss the extensive gift shop. Reservations (804) 524-0020. Museum website.
New this season in Belair, Manitoba, barely an hour north of Winnipeg, is Base Camp 59, where a swimming pond is scheduled to be added in 2025. Seasonal campsites with electric, water and in-ground septic tank are available for lease. The resort has a volleyball court, washroom with showers, laundry, sauna, Wi-Fi at site ($), walking trails and a community garden. Prices range from $3,800/season to $4,500/season depending on the size and location. Information.
After a four-year closure for major renovations, Crane Flat Campground in Mariposa County, California, is open again. Of the 160 renovated campsites, eight are ADA accessible. The campground’s roads are paved and each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring and a bear-proof food locker. Drinking water is available and nearby are a grocery store and gas station. There is no electricity in the campground so you’ll need your own light source at your site and for using the restrooms. Reserve at Recreation.gov. Telephone (209) 379-2123.
Bright Angel Campground in Grand Canyon National Park will be closed from November 4, 2024, to May 14, 2025, while work is done on the Transcanyon Waterline. The campground has a ranger station, drinking water and toilets but no showers.
This is the 10th year for the spectacle they call North America’s largest rock festival. The Louder Than Life Festival comes true September 26–29 at the Highland Festival Grounds, Kentucky Expo Center, Louisville, Kentucky. Campers can enter the camping area a day earlier. RV sites, available in a variety of packages, are 20 X 45 feet and up to six occupants are permitted per site. Dozens of heavyweight music acts will take to five stages for four days of nonstop amps plus festival fun such as food, drinks and camaraderie. See all the package choices and get advance tickets.
Read last Saturday’s Campground News.
##RVT1165b
