Camping in Alaska

Camping in Alaska? Yes, you read that right. It sounds like an oxymoron to put a summery outdoor activity with the land of ice and snow, but my brother, Jesse, and his family, along with scores of others  often enjoy a leisurely day at the campground.

Jesse's campsite

A favorite campground Jesse frequents is the Johnson Lake State Recreation Area on the Kenai Peninsula. It is a popular summer recreational destination, especially with the locals, for camping, wildlife viewing, scenic views, and fishing at the Kasilof River and at Johnson Lake. Moose, black and brown bear, lynx, squirrels, hares and other creatures are plentiful in all of these areas. Jesse mentioned the site filled up quickly when the red salmon are running.

A typical day camping for him and his family consists of canoeing, fishing, cooking over the campfire, and even digging clams when in season.  He said, unlike the Deep South, you can enjoy a summertime campfire without getting too hot.

He also enjoys camping at Hidden Lake, also on the Kenai Peninsula. It rates as one of the best campgrounds in the state and activities include popular fishing streams, bear viewing and lake trout fishing. Jesse’s friend Matt often camps at Twin Lakes in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, a park reachable only by plane.

Lake Clark has been called "the essence of Alaska", for it concentrates in a relatively small area of the Alaska Peninsula, Southwest of Anchorage, a variety of features not found together in any of the other Alaska Parks: the junction of three mountain ranges, two active volcanoes, a coastline with rainforests on the East, a plateau with tundra on the West, and turquoise lakes. Vast numbers of moose, brown and black bears, wolves, wolverines, red foxes, Dall sheep, and caribou make their home here. Slender and 50 miles long, Lake Clark itself reflects tall ragged spires of rock, and salmon and trout run in great numbers.

So if you love to camp and want the ultimate camping experience, think Alaska. Unless you love freezing weather, think summer.

Today’s writing prompt:  Jodie smelled the caribou near her campsite before it came within camera range. She swiped the black flies from her face while she snapped photo after photo. Suddenly…

http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/kenai/johnsonlksra.htm

http://www.hiddenlakealaska.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Clark_National_Park

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Lakes_(Alaska)

Camping in the South

A totally different experience from our “beach” vacation spots would be camping in the South. Think warm to hot weather much of the year, vast forests, rivers, and creeks, complete with swimming, hiking, campfires, and bicycling. Camping has proven to be one of my personal favorite vacations.

photo from Wikipedia Commons

I love the quiet times in a wooded area, especially state parks where time moves slower than at home. We like to sleep in, then cook a late breakfast before going to ride bikes, paddleboat, or hike the trails and perhaps snap a photo of a white-tailed deer. The afternoon might be spent napping in a chaise lounge or exploring local attractions. Evening means grilling supper, a campfire, and s'mores. What could be better than that?

Observation point/David Crockett

Two campgrounds are favorites of ours: one in Tennessee and one in Alabama. David Crockett State Park is a state park in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, located on Shoal Creek and commemorates the historical activities of famous frontiersman David Crockett in the local area. The park was established in 1959 on 1,100 acres of land that includes the site where Crockett had his mills and distillery. A 40-acre lake offers opportunities for fishing and boating. Visitor facilities include two campgrounds and a restaurant. While camping in the heavily wooded area, it’s not uncommon to be visited by wild turkeys, deer, or raccoons.

View from paddleboat

The park's two campgrounds contain a total of 107 sites, each equipped with a table and grill plus electrical and water hookups. Bathhouses provide hot showers, commodes and lavatories.  Campsites are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. While there, we enjoy the paddleboats on Lindsey Lake, wonderful hiking trails that lead down to Shoal Creek and Crockett Falls, and bike riding.

Joe Wheeler State Park is a 2,550 acre park in Northwest Alabama, located along Wheeler Lake. Beside the 110 wooded, yet modern campsites, complete with water, electric and sewer, there are primitive sites for the individuals who want to “rough” it. The park includes a resort lodge, full service convention facilities, restaurant, a marina with 140 boat slips, a 2.5-mile looped trail for hiking and biking, and an 18-hole championship golf course.

No matter where you live in the United States, think camping. My brother and his family also enjoy camping and they live in Anchorage, Alaska. More about this in next week’s post.

What kind of trouble—er—adventure could the characters in your next novel find while camping at their local state park?  

This week’s writing prompt:  Joe pushed through the dense underbrush that flourished beside the hiking trail near their campsite, Mary clutching his hand tightly. He jerked to a stop when…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camping

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davy_Crockett_Birthplace_State_Park

http://www.tn.gov/environment/parks/DavidCrockettSP/

http://www.alapark.com/JoeWheeler/Camping/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Wheeler_State_Park