We may be more than halfway through the summer. Where did it go, by the way?! There’s still time to plan a getaway, however.
In our region, there are many places to camp with thousands of campsites at public and private sites. They can range from the most basic, such as a tent pitched along a river or lake with a small ring of rocks for a fire, to the trailer sites with big mobile units that haven’t been moved in decades. That doesn’t even include the hundreds of cabin rentals or upscale lodges where a person can “rough it” in comfort after a hard day hiking or mountain biking.
Trying to sort it all out can be quite challenging, so checking out the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors site at VisitPAGO.com is a very good place to see what’s available.
Camping was one of our most enjoyable activities growing up. My brother Todd and I weren’t in school yet when Dad and Mom started our camping adventures in our Coleman pop-up camper.
It was a wonderful avenue into exploring all kinds of places, experiencing many different activities, and an inexpensive alternative to other accommodations.
Wolf’s Camping Resort in Knox was our first trip, and it was a great place to begin. Camper’s Paradise> in Sigel was another early destination and an excellent choice considering Cook Forest and Clear Creek State Parks are nearby. Both of these campgrounds are still open, by the way.
The campgrounds have always had fun things to do, including mini golf, swimming, fishing, horse-drawn wagon rides, playgrounds, and the like.
When we got a little restless, those state parks always had plenty to do, and they have even more today.
We ended up towing that pop-up all over the state and East Coast, enjoying the outdoors and even using it as a base of operations before taking a train to Washington, D.C.
After finishing college, my camping reverted back to a more primitive style of tenting it after hiking or canoeing throughout the region.
One such trip occurred a few years ago on the Allegheny River with two friends. I had just bought my little kayak, and they were up for a weekend adventure.
After they had rented a canoe and we loaded both boats, we took off, enjoying the coolness of the water and seeing white-tailed deer and other critters before camping on one of the many islands in the Allegheny River Island Wilderness Area.
The fishing was slow, so we settled for hot dogs roasted on cut sticks over a small, open fire and a few cold drinks. There was no running water, other than the Allegheny, but it was a great weekend.
And, don’t disregard fall camping, either. With cooler temperatures, it can often be just as enjoyable of a time as the summer.
Right now, I’m planning a run down the Clarion River, beginning in Cook Forest State Park and taking out at the Piney Dam. There are some places to camp along the way, and I’m definitely looking forward to it.
It would be nice to see some more rainfall before I embark, but it should be a great time.
“The Great Outdoors,” sponsored by the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors, is a weekly blog by exploreClarion.com’s Scott Shindledecker. Plan you next outdoor adventure at VisitPAGO.com or call (814) 849-5197 for more information.
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