Trip number 16 saw us going to yet another park. In fact, it was a park we've previously visited. Most of the details are the same as the last time we were there, so let's take a look at what's changed.
Sites: This time saw us in a different part of the park, a bit more open and one of the pull-thru 50 amp sites with much more space to be able to maneuver, both while driving and when parked. There's a little something for everyone in these parts.
Staff: We saw a bit of an improvement in the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff. Whether it's because our hair is more grey, or it's just a different crew that knew we were back for a second round, it was a much better experience.
Amenities: The bath houses have changed in that they are now coded entry, which did puzzle a couple of guests who didn't take the time to read the literature. The funny signage is still there, including how only toilet paper is permitted to be flushed (makes you wonder what's to be done with purposes 1 and 2).
Overall, the rating given to Rainbow's End Park is about the same. Administrative business was definitely completed here, and although we were also using it as a bit of a "crossroads" for our next trip, business still remains one of the few reasons to actually go to this park. We did notice some improvements being made outside of the grounds along the highway itself, and look forward to seeing what they have to offer, potentially improving the atmosphere of this spot seemingly in the middle of nowhere.
Trip thirteen found us at Arkalon Park in southwestern Kansas. Although owned by the city of Liberal, this park is situated on what was once the now-ghost town of Arkalon. Although there are still some dirt roads around to show what once was, the building material has since been recycled. While in transit to the next location, a two-night stay was had.
Grounds: The park is a few miles east of Liberal on US Highway 54. It's clearly marked from the highway, but will take a little bit of dirt road driving along with paved roads while crossing railroad tracks and a couple cattle guards. Freight trains do run nearby along a rail bridge. The city of Liberal is a good re-supply point. Be aware the park is seasonal, and only open from April to mid-October. In addition, the gates are locked between 10PM and 7AM.
Sites: Arkalon is a small city park with about 15 RV and 30 tent sites, along with day use. These may be reserved online, or paid with the camp host upon entering. The RV sites are electric and water only, with a single dump station available at the campground entrance. Tent sites are dry. RV sites are level concrete pads and a mix of pull-thru and back-in. There is a 14-day limit to stay, and the check-out time is a fairly late 4PM. Both 30 and 50 amp electric is offered, but there is an extra charge to use 50 amp.
Staff: There is a single camp host on site that has morning and evening hours, along with on-call. They are very friendly and accommodating for extenuating circumstances.
Amenities: Arkalon's amenities are minimal but available. There is a fishing pond for catch-and-release only, along with a sizable playground for the children. A couple of walking trails adorn the grounds. There is a bathhouse with metal toilets and push-button cold showers. Several pavilions, both near the playground and campsites, have picnic tables, fire pits, and grills. There are also several dumpsters around the grounds and, should the need arise, tornado shelters.
Atmosphere: Our visit to the park was around the beginning of the season, so it was fairly quiet with only a couple of campers, both tent and RV, around us. There are no quiet hours so a few events around the fire happened after the gates were closed, but otherwise uneventful. There was a children's event happening during the daytime and evening; they were quite respectful of the other campers.
Overall, Arkalon Park receives a 9 out a possible 10 rating. The price is one of the best for what is offered, and the city noticeably takes great pride in maintaining not only this park, but the entire city itself. This may not exactly be the best longer-term "destination", but if your Internal Compass takes you towards southwestern Kansas, make a few day stop in Liberal and Arkalon Park.
For the final leg of Trip 11, time to head over to the mainland to Aransas Bay RV Resort, or "ABRV", in Aransas Pass, Texas. This one saw a one month stay.
Grounds: ABRV is found within an otherwise developing outskirt of Aransas Pass, almost immediately off a highway bypass under construction at the time of our stay. Access to the business route version of the highway for resupply, along with a way to get to the island, is short and easy.
Sites: This park has about 80 full hook-up sites, all back-in and pointed in the same direction on both sides of the street, some being marked as "premium" based on pad width. Each pad is concrete with some of the best paved "patio" areas seen from a site since our adventure began, room enough to set up a full outdoor kitchen. The fairly wide separation between rigs is a combination of grass and gravel, so the lawn maintenance contractors aren't potentially damaging the hook-ups while keeping a sound appearance. We were happy to be able to get a site on relatively short notice during Spring Break, as it seems most vacationers will choose the island. The asphalt streets could probably use a re-paving, along with painting the location of the speed bumps whose position could already make backing in a rig slightly difficult.
Staff: The staff is friendly and accommodating, as well as receptive to the immediate needs of the guest. There seems to be a bit of a communication breakdown, as our paperwork was "lost" at check-in time after having reserved in person a few days prior. In addition, after a security issue involving a door-coded amenity, the guests weren't notified of a change that had been made, even after allowing for time as the incident occurred when the office was closed.
Amenities: The amenities at ABRV are hit or miss. They have relatively inexpensive laundry facilities for the area, along with a small and unheated yet beautifully designed pool with deck. There is a rec room with kitchen and billiard table, but is more like an extended office building, in that it's only accessible during the office's limited hours. Pet areas are not fenced, so unleashed time for the pup will need to be done at a city dog park. The bath house with four house-like full rooms are easy to get around, although some things don't work, such as an external fan that's seen better days.
Atmosphere: This park seems like it caters more to the long-term resident. The people are friendly, but seem to keep to themselves. There are a few families with children young and very young, although no play facilities exist.
Overall, Aransas Bay RV Resort receives a 9 out of a possible 10 rating. Although the monthly price is unbeatable, they do not accept cash and charge fees to use a card, so be ready to hop into town to purchase a money order at a lower fee rate. The local staff is thankfully very understandable about patrons doing this, especially when settling electric with the office that doesn't open until after check-out time. If your Internal Compass takes you to this area and you don't want the hustle, bustle, and premium pricing of the island, this is definitely the place to go.
Trip 11 takes us, after a workamping excursion, to another campground. Nestled on Mustang Island in South Texas is Pioneer Beach Resort, a private campground that saw one of our first extended park stays of just over two months.
Grounds: Pioneer is outside the small island city of Port Aransas on the main Mustang Island highway, a few miles in the other direction from Corpus Christi. The resort is on the beach side of the highway with a private access point.
Sites: The park has nearly 400 sites, all of which fill up for the busy seasons of Spring Break in March, as well as the summer. We were able to get a spot, along with an extension up until just before spring break, on short notice. All of the sites are full hook-up, with some pull-thru and some back-in. There are also a few cabins able to be rented for those without a rig. The pads are concrete, although our site has a small paved patio area. Some are more cramped than others. The park also elects to practice dog breed discrimination.
Staff: Although the staff does the best they can, they seem to be hampered by a lack of organizational helpers. The office workers do not have computer access. Greeters do help you back into the tight sites. However, all of the staff seems to suffer from Jekyll-and-Hyde syndrome depending on the season, with things seeming "on edge" as Spring Break approached. They also seem to become more asinine when you are neither from their state nor of their preferred age group.
Amenities: Along with the beach access, where the wash faucets along their private boardwalk don't work, Pioneer has a rec room chalked full of activities. However, there is a cost associated with most of the activities that isn't disclosed until you're already there; it isn't on the calendar. Bathhouses with decently sized showers exist, although the hot water does take some time to get running. A hot tub exists along with unheated pools. Laundry exists, although the price doubled during our stay along with new yet dirty appliances; we found it better to go to the downtown laundromat. Don't even try using Park Wifi, because it doesn't work most of the time. There is a dog park, but is severely restricted to one dog and 15 minutes; you're better off going to the city park in Port Aransas.
Atmosphere: As we were there during the "Winter Texan" season, there were many visitors from the northern midwest who seem to have been coming for many years. As is typical with RV resorts, it is an older clientele, yet the other campers are quite welcoming and overly friendly. Once in a while, you'd see families come by.
Overall, Pioneer Beach Resort receives a 7 rating out of a possible 10. The price is one of the better ones for the island, although the mainland is much less expensive if you can stand the ferry waits. If our Internal Compass told us that we had to stay on the island again, we would be happy to return to this place.
Trip eleven saw yet another campground visit. About an hour north of Houston just outside the city of Livingston lies Rainbow's End Park, a sponsored private campground where a four-night stay was had.
Grounds: Rainbow's End is a few miles outside the city of Livingston as a rural community. The term "community" is used because, along with the campsites, there are a number of privately owned "deeded lots" interspersed across the grounds that look to be owned by RVers and are part of a homeowner's association of sorts. If you're looking to use a boat, Lake Livingston is about 15-20 minutes away.
Sites: The park has over 175 sites able to be rented by travelers to the area. Online reservations were found to be difficult, and we had to call in the reservation. The majority of the sites are back-in, though there are some that are pull-thru. Nearly all of the sites have full hook-up, varying between 30 or 50 amp maximum electric depending on the site, with a couple of "dry" spots. The pads are sand and fine pebbles, while being reasonably level when dry. Our site was located in the wooded area, though there are some that are more open. The sites in this part of the campground are tightly packed without much room outside.
Staff: Of the staff seen, most were fairly friendly, although the check-in person seemed a bit hurried. Some of the signage they placed around the park bordered between being comical and being over the top. We had no issues that needed to be rectified, so no information on maintenance quality.
Amenities: Rainbow's End is unique for its amenities in that not only are they shared between campers and homeowners, but in that most are geared towards the park's sponsor, whose national headquarters is at this place. The bath houses have squeegees inside the showers with expectations for the women (but not the men) to "squeezee" the walls, however the laundry facilities nearby have some of the cheapest prices ever. The pool was closed during our visit despite warm temperatures, but the dog parks are spacious and well kept.
Atmosphere: The other campers were relatively friendly for the most part. The park is geared towards an older clientele, with amenities and activities planned in accordance. Hardly any families were seen, and no playgrounds exist.
Overall, Rainbow's End Park receives a 7 rating out of a possible 10. The price paid is dependent on membership, and although it is competitive with parks in other parts of the country, it isn't the best value for the young full-time RVer. If you're a member of the sponsoring club, this is a great spot for a couple nights, if only just to take care of administrative business.
One more stop awaits us, this time at the Big Sioux State Recreation Area in Brandon, South Dakota. This park is a bit unique in that it lies within a suburb of Sioux Falls along the Big Sioux River, next to a housing development and local schools, a few miles off Interstate 90.
Grounds: Although Big Sioux is within a suburb, you'd never be able to notice it when you're inside the park. Once inside, it feels like a rural setting in the middle of nowhere. Drive a few miles, though, and you're able to resupply, fix your rig, or even make some improvements. The signage isn't the best when driving to the park, but is sufficient once inside.
Sites: The park boasts 50 sites and three cabins in a single campground area. As it's a state park, there's a 14-day limit, back-in only sites, electric only, and a single dump station near the entrance with several water spigots around. The site was fine-to-medium gravel, but there was a little difficulty finding a level spot. The pads were quite spacious, as we were able to extend our awning for the first time in a while. We did notice some fellow campers with larger rigs having difficulty entering their site.
Staff: Just after parking, we were greeted by two very friendly camp hosts who marked the site and provided helpful information without being overbearing. Based on this interaction, coupled with what we saw in the day use area, we could tell they took great pride in the park, and it was a very welcome place to visit.
Amenities: Big Sioux offers fine amenities for the area, including nature trails for hiking and biking, a disc golf course, and playgrounds where the younger campers can enjoy some time. If something else is desired, the city isn't far away, where pools and courts could be accessed. Cell phone signals are a little difficult due to a transmission line running through the park, which is a bit surprising for being within a suburb.
Atmosphere: Even during the very short stay, the fellow campers we saw on the trails seemed like they were having a great time. Some of the campers seemed they were kicking back on their own or finding day use fun elsewhere in the area, yet still had that vibe of "the place to be".
Overall, Big Sioux State Recreation Area becomes the first taxpayer-funded park, and the second since we began this adventure, to receive the illustrious 10 out of 10 rating. Yes, there's the added entrance fee if you don't have the annual pass, but for a relatively short stay, whether you're a casual camper taking a weekend trip, or in between locations as a full-time RVer, it is absolutely worth it. There's a little something for everyone, and what more could you ask for? This is a place where we will definitely return, and should our Internal Compass take us to Eastern South Dakota again, this park will be at the top of the list.
Time to pack up and head to site number three, the Lake Thompson State Recreation Area in De Smet, South Dakota. This park is on Lake Thompson, a few miles south of Highway 14 in east central South Dakota. Although being a lake in the middle of the country, Lake Thompson has regularly crashing waves and a breeze that will make you think you were near the ocean.
Grounds: Lake Thompson is one of the parks that is a bit off the beaten track, as a paved yet narrow farm road as part of the midwest's famous "grid" is needed to access this place. De Smet isn't too far away if you need to resupply, but don't expect too many largely known brands in this small town. The park is well signed from the highway, as well as within the grounds itself.
Sites: This park boasts 103 campsites, five cabins, and a group lodge within a single campground. As with the other state parks, there is a 14-day limit, back-in sites, and only electric at the site, with a single dump station near the campground entrance and several water spigots throughout the campground and at the dump station. Each site was fine-to-medium gravel and fairly level, although we had to re-hook and adjust our spot due to the winds coming off the lake seeming like they would topple our rig. The 30-amp breaker had its polarity reversed, requiring us to use an electricity alternative.
Staff: The host and maintenance crew were seen now and again, and generally attentive. When we reported the electricity issue to the hosts, they chose a late hour to contact us despite stating in the note to wait until we were gone to fix the plug.
Amenities: Unlike many of the other state parks, Lake Thompson doesn't have as much to offer. There is a swim beach, although the lake is filled with algae to give it a greenish tint, so we had to suffice with long walks while trying to avoid dead fish. There are also walking/biking trails and a few sports court options. Bathhouses and vault toilets were readily available, although the maintenance crew left a sprinkler on in front of the door, leading you to get a shower before and after taking a shower.
Atmosphere: This park had a very friendly vibe, so much to where it was very pleasant to walk the dog around the grounds, or just take a leisurely stroll yourself. The park is relatively family-friendly with kids riding their bikes throughout the area. It's a laid back place where you truly can enjoy yourself.
Overall, Lake Thompson State Recreation Area receives an 8 out of a possible 10 rating. The added entrance fee without annual pass is a usual sticking point. You'd usually expect this to be included as part of the site fees, but given the annual pass and its relatively good deal, it's understandable that the charges are separate, though a bit of "fine print". If there were a couple more amenities or a better kept beach, this would be perfect. We would certainly be willing to return, although we would try to find a site that wasn't on a hill and a little further from the water to protect against the high winds.
The second of the several state parks visited as a part of trip 10 was the Oahe Downstream State Recreation Area in Fort Pierre, South Dakota. The park is located on the Missouri River just off Oahe Dam, built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1948 to provide hydroelectric power to the area, while completely blocking off the river into two parts without any sort of canal to access the north, and the greenery of the hill makes the water run underground, avoiding the eye-sore of a concrete walled dam. Visitors can use a state highway to traverse the top of the dam and see the northern Missouri.
Grounds: Oahe Downstream is located just a few miles from the state capital of Pierre, and its sister city Fort Pierre. The easiest access is from the Fort Pierre side on Highway 1806 North. Signage from US 14 will mention "Oahe Dam", but the campground is in the same area. Time is quite a debate, as from Fort Pierre all the way north to the next state, the river serves as the border between the Central and Mountain time zones. One of the park's three campgrounds is in Mountain on the west bank, with the other two campgrounds, camp office, and amenities being in Central on a peninsula. Once you get to the park, the areas are easily accessed and well signed, with self-pay stations to handle entrance fees.
Sites: The three campgrounds boast 205 campsites and a dozen cabins. As with the other state parks, there is a 14-day limit, back-in sites, and only electric at the site, with a single dump station near the highway and several water spigots throughout the campground and at the dump station. The rig parking was on pavement and fairly level, although there was a bit of a drop-off to the spacious grass area with the picnic table and fire pit.
Staff: The staff, although there was a rig and golf cart in the campground host area, was effectively non-existent. This seemed to play a large role in an "anything goes" experience that existed around us. Once in a while, a maintenance staffer was seen to clean a restroom or do lawn care, but the park needed more conscientious attention to what was happening, and if it's going to have regulations, the hosts need to at least attempt to enforce them.
Amenities: Bathhouses are available at Oahe Downstream with showers, however there are curtains at the stalls instead of doors, having to go through one stall to get to another. A swim beach exists with waist-high water all the way to the safety buoys. The park also has a marina and disc golf course, and the nearby dam is a good place to visit and go fishing.
Atmosphere: If you're looking to relax and have a quaint, laid back experience, you will be sorely disappointed. The park was filled with large snooty groups, sometimes numbering almost 20 at a single site, nearly blocking the streets with the overflow of vehicles. Many dogs were let loose without leashes despite park policy, leading to our dog being attacked during his walk. The campers were not the best of character, either, as toiletries were stolen from us during a shower due to the lackluster stall setup, later found to be used and tossed by the same grifter that couldn't be bothered to bring their own. Although this was during a weekend where higher occupancy is expected, the campers and guests had little to no respect for their surroundings, especially with a non-existent staff allowing it to happen.
Overall, Oahe Downstream State Recreation Area receives a 4 out of 10 rating. Apart from the issues we had at the campground, as well as the added entrance fee charge without an annual pass, the flushing hose at the dump station didn't work well. The only saving grace for this park from being a complete disaster was the disc golf course. Needless to say, if our Internal Compass brings us to this area again, another park will need to be found, as we will not return to Oahe without significant changes.
Trip ten saw several parks visited within the same trip. The first of these was Angostura State Recreation Area outside of Hot Springs, South Dakota. This state park is located on Angostura Lake in the southwestern part of the state just off US Routes 18 and 385.
Grounds: If you're looking for a way to access some of Western South Dakota's famous landmarks, such as Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, or Badlands National Park, Angostura is a bit off the beaten track. In addition to the winding and hilly county road to merely get to the park entrance, unless you're looking to stay at the lake, you're looking at an hour-long drive each way to other destinations. That being said, Angostura is a beautiful lake with lovely beaches, making it not too bad of a destination in and of itself.
Sites: Angostura sports 169 sites and 12 cabins across four camping areas. There is a 14-day limit to stay, after which patrons must vacate for more than 24 hours. All RV sites are back-in only at about a 45-degree angle, with or without electricity of all standard amperage levels, along with two park-wide dump stations and a couple community potable water spigots at the dump station and in each camping area. Each pad with electricity is medium-to-fine gravel, with the non-electric being grass. A level spot was not able to be easily found, requiring the rig to be kept at a slight angle for the duration of the stay. The grassy areas around the pads were relatively spacious when looking back at some of the places previously reviewed in trips past, however be aware that ticks will welcome you to the spots with long grass.
Staff: The entrance guardsmen (government hired) and campground hosts (contracted for what would assume to be full hookup site only) were friendly and knowledgeable. Their presence was hardly known yet available for any issues that arise. However, they should be trained to check propane levels at their bathhouses, lest the campers be left without hot water for the showers, which did happen during our stay.
Amenities: Angostura has several swimming beaches, boat launches, and a marina across its vast grounds. A disc golf course and volleyball courts may also be found for campers and day use. For the campers at the sites, vault toilets and a bathhouse were found at each camping area, assuming the showers worked and you didn't have to go to another camping area.
Atmosphere: The camping areas were found to be family-friendly. Although many of the adults seemed content with keeping to themselves, you would usually see children riding their bikes around the camping area loop. Being a state park with additional fees for those visiting from out-of-state, many of the campers were in-state residents. Regulations weren't pushy at all, and the environment seemed lax yet under control.
Overall, Angostura State Recreation Area receives an 8 out of a possible 10 rating. Aside from the shower experience, one sticking point was the added entrance fee in addition to the campsite fees. If you stay for multiple nights or visit other state parks, such as Custer and its wildlife loop, the annual pass would easily pay for itself, and allow you to experience many of the other state parks for the rest of the year. In addition, our camping area was the one furthest from the entrance, making for an even longer and hillier drive that could be taxing on the rig. However, we were lucky enough to get our site on the bend of the loop, making for a straight and easy back-in. We would certainly see ourselves visiting this park again, although hoping to find a site closer to the entrance. The park fills up quickly, especially on weekends and holidays, with a 90-day window for reservations.
Trip number eight saw yet another stay-over. This time, we found ourselves at Mobile County's River Delta Marina and Campground. Situated in Southern Alabama, this publicly-owned park served as a haven for us for three nights as we planned our next move for the winter.
Grounds: The park is located a few miles off Exit 22 of Interstate 65. Those who are using paper maps from a leading national brand should take warning, as this exit may not show even on the most recent maps, but it is there. The signage on the road only speaks of a marina and welcome center which can lead to slight confusion, but it is the same place. The city of Saraland is nearby for re-supply and restaurant opportunities.
Sites: There are 60 RV sites with full hook-ups, assorted between back-in and pull-through, along with a few cabins. There is a 30-day limit for stays. When reserving, credit and debit cards are not accepted, and there is a refundable cash-only deposit related to the state of the site. Many of the campsites are right next to the busy highway, which can be heard throughout the night. No map of the sites was available, but was easy enough to figure out. Each site is primarily grass, but there is small-to-medium gravel for the rig parking. Alcohol is strictly forbidden, but they permit it kept exclusively within your camper, as it is understood that some full-time RVers will carry it with them. An ant colony greeted us at the water spigot when going to hook, and the spigot is low to the ground, meaning a water filter needs to be placed rig-side.
Staff: The staff, although with an uncomfortable physical presentation inside the office, was generally friendly. Maintenance was helpful and kept the park in great condition, There was a security guard at the gate to handle check-ins and entrants when no one was at the office. Workers are government hired.
Amenities: If you enjoy boating, you're going to enjoy staying here. At the entrance to the park are prominent boat launches for both campers and day users to be able to spend time fishing or just relaxing on the river. Even if you don't have a watercraft, or being on the river isn't your thing, take a walk along the quarter-mile spur, a raised, platformed nature trail to view the delta, along with a houseboat presumably for fish cleaning, and maybe a few alligators. A small pond with fountain exists near the campsites, where you can see snapping turtles, and some patrons also enjoy fishing. Laundry facilities are found within the bathhouse at a reasonable price, and there is a pool and swing set to complete the set of things to do at the park.
Atmosphere: With the way our previous trip abruptly ended, we really needed a place to relax. This was certainly an easy-going place. Although very much a public park, it seemed like the quintessential southern home in the countryside. Although the rule signage was bordering excessive, which one would come to expect in a government owned site, it was a nice place to take a break near the start or the end of what could be a long journey to or from the Gulf of Mexico.
Overall, River Delta Marina and Campground receives an 8 out of a possible 10 rating. Despite all the site issues we had, along with what seemed like an attack of the ants, the saving grace for this park is the price. For what you get, what you pay is unbeatable. Even if only half the amenities were there, it would still give midwestern campgrounds a run for their money, and it's only an hour from a popular seashore. This is a good spot for a paid dock or even a short-term stay, but we would probably only stay again for as long as we did or shorter, hopefully with a different site.
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