Hello everybody!! I am the new moderator for the RV Camping Forum. My family has been camping for a loooong time and love every minute. We have done many types of camping including backpacking, sleeping under the stars, along with camping in tents, pop-ups and currently in a Travel Trailer. I have been camping since I was a young scout and have spent at least one year of my life camping. Yikes!



One of the things our family and friends love most is the evening campfire where we share stories and laughs. This forum is meant to do exactly the same thing, so pull up a chair or log and don't hesitate to participate. Occasionally, I'll toss out a topic for discussion. Please do the same since the discussion is always much better when everybody participates / tosses out topics for discussions! All of us look forward to hearing from you!!



To get this campfire rolling, here is the 1st question of the evening: What is your favorite National Forest and why? Is there a favorite NF campground there?

We're looking forward to hearing from you!!

Two favorites come to mind:

1) Nicolet Natiional Forest in Northern Wisc. We camped near Franklin Lake. An idealic spot--fish all morning; swim all afternoon; star gaze at night.

2) Redstone near Aspen Colorado. While others spend a fortune on lodging in pricey nearby Aspen, we pulled into Redstone by happenstance and couldn't believe our good fortune. At the time, we were the only ones in the place.

I can't wait to read about other campgrounds....we mostly camp in KOA's and State and National Parks. I would love to do more NF camping.

GWNF in VA. been going there fore over 20 years tent camping and this was are first year in a pop up. loved it...

Boy, howdy, where do I start? I remember fondly that my family used to spend at least one week each summer at South Twin Lake in the Deschutes NF (Oregon). Just across the road from South Twin is Wickiup Reservoir with at least a half dozen good campgrounds around it. That whole area on either side of Century Drive (aka Cascade Lakes Highway, now that it's all paved) is fabulous: beautiful alpine lakes galore with the Cascades just to the west, all in Ponderosa and lodgepole pine forest. At the south end of Century Drive are Waldo Lake (huge, very high altitude, with the most vicious mosquitos in Oregon), Davis Lake, Crescent Lake, and Odell Lake. All fabulous.

For prettiest, try crystal clear Ollallie Lake which is just north of Mt. Jefferson in the Willamette (Wil-LAM-ette) NF (or Mt. Hood NF?). The lake water is so clear you can see all the way to the bottom even out in the middle of the lake.

Oregon is just chock full of the most fabulous campgrounds in its Cascade mountains, all the way from the Columbia River to the California border. Almost all of that land in a broad strip is federally owned, so limitations upon access to it are few and usually dictated more by winter snow closures or by forest fire danger than any other reasons. We webfoots are blessed, methinks. This is God's country. And all God's people said, "Amen!"

We went to Lake Crescent and it was so fun. We got a site right on the water. There's also some hiking you can do to see the falls...can't remember the name of it.
Also,Curry Village in Yosemite is pretty nice.

Our favorite is Dixie National Forest, Fremont River Ranger District and Single Tree Campground on Boulder Mountain just South of Torrey, Utah, it overlooks Capital Reef National Park and is a great place to spend several weeks to explore the area. We have also been volunteers at the Forest Service, Wildcat Visitors Center on Boulder Mountain and will be volunteering at the Fish Lake Visitors Center this summer.

[/img]

I would have to say Porcupine Campground in the Big Horn Mountains. So quiet and srene. Moose around the campground quite a bit,
Wolves howling at night. A short ride up the road a real challenging hike to Porcupine Falls. We are going once again this year, because we loved it so much!

Bad Medicine NF Campground in Western Montana near Libby is also a beautiful place to camp. There is a real nice size lake there called Bull Lake.
Just up the road is a place called Ross Creek Cedars. Awesome and super quiet if that is what you like.
The road to Ross Creek Cedars is a real good place to pick Huckelberries!
Over by Libby is also an awesome place to see is Kootenia Falls. There is a small hike to the falls and a swinging bridge that goes over the river.
Awesome photo opportunities!
If your looking for quiet and beauty this is the place.
No Rif Raf here!

If you get to Leadville CO area, Baby Doe is great spot. I can't remember which NF. A short trail from your campsite and you are at a beautiful lake with mountain view.