To be sure, gas prices have an effect on my plans! I like to tow my little popup camper along (with the canoe riding on top of the camper), but it cost MPG to tow it, even thought it's one of the lighter ones. Will do some trips up to this state's western mountains (North Carolina), maybe a couple pulling the rig. Might even go just using the tent as that will be a little less gas used. We generally take a couple of longer range trips, like to the Great Lakes for steel head and salmon, and we like the White River in northern Arkansas. I'm thinking it will be just one long distance trip this year ... and we are debating pulling the camper.

Wanted in the worst way to head out west into the Rockies, maybe like Idaho and Montana, but it's always been one thing or another that's put that trip on hold ... usually health issues. Now me thinks the only way for out west is via the airline, as the price of gas has shut the idea of towing the camper right down.

Bottom line: will more than likely be only one long distance trip of over 1,000 miles one way; and probably only a couple to the mountains, towing the camper.

Dale

I have my whole season planned out-- mostly because I work in a campground in western Maine! I have a weekend trip to the beach in two weeks. I have a weekend tent camping trip with my students at a local state park in the middle of May. I have a long weekend in Maine planned for the end of May. Then I am leaving with my students in the middle of June for a tent camping trip to Acadia. At the end of that I'm heading to my campground where I work for the summer! I'll be there until I have to be back at work on September 1st.

The fall is still up in the air but I'll probably camp down towards the beach in October and go to a state park in Maryland on the Chesapeake in November!

Right now I'm just very excited to get out on my first trip of the season in two weeks! We set up the popup in the yard and I'm going out later on to start to stock it up!

Luckily I live in a state with endless hiking/camping options. Since I just got a car, the state is my playground:) Planning on visiting more of the North Cascades (went there last weekend too), Mt. Ranier Nat'l Park, Olympic Nat'l Park, The Alpine Lakes area. I am *hoping* to make it down to see the Redwoods too. I love WA!

We have been hit by the high prices of gas also. We just purchased a new truck to tow our 30ft travel trailer. We usually go to a couple of State Parks during the summer.
We also go in the winter as it is very mild here most of
the year. This year we decided to take the grandkids to
Georgia for a week. We will stay at Roosevelt State Park, visit Callaway Gardens, Providence Canyon State Park, and do a few other activities. Fuel will cost a little more, but it will be worth the cost in memories. We are all excited and are marking off the days on a calendar for the kids. One long trip and a few short ones will be good for us. Hope you all have a wonderful time this summer.

Brenda
Harvey, LA

Our plan this season to work around the gas prices is to stay in one place longer. We normally set up a base camp and stay two weeks on the Rogue River in Oregon, we'll stay a month this year. We'll spend three weeks instead of two in the Eastern Sierra. We'll also be taking advantage of some closer local camping in the desert which is couple of hours from our home, next week, and stay a week. The USFS maximun stay limits sure cramps our style sometimes. It's hard to leave after 14 days when the campground is only half full. Have a great camping season and enjoy.

Well, we just got back from eight days along the coast. Four nights at El Capitan State Beach north of Santa Barbara and another four up at San Simeon State Beach where we saw tons of juvenile elephant seals.

I should be camping at Red Rock Canyon in the western Mojave right now, but my nearly 5 year old has been running a fever, so we've scrapped the trip and we'll keep our eyes peeled for a stretch of no rain in the next couple of weeks.

In June we'll be doing two weeklong beach trips, one very close to home and a little over an hour away. July we'll be in Oak Creek Canyon, Az and exploring the Sedona area. August takes us back up to San Simeon State Beach and September we'll be back at one of the local beaches for a week.

The gas prices have definitely made us consider more trips close to home and staying longer at the campgrounds.

we just finalized our plans for the 3 (so far) trips we are doing this summer, all to the northern part of our fine state. Gas prices will have little effect, luckily the farthest destination is only 4-5 hours away. While it might cost us more this year, I can't put a price on what I get out of it: complete relaxation.

Just knowing we have the dates on the calendar makes me happy, even if we are still weeks away from going....

Lake Meade Wilderness Area, Northwestern Arizona,
North Rim of the Grand Canyon,
Zion Park,
Arches Natl Park,
Coral Pink Sand Dunes,

And, whatever looks like fun!

Gas prices? Yes, it did kill my plans for Canyonlands and Monument Valley...too far away with those prices staying closer to home.... sorta ;)

Well, got the popup camper hitched to the truck and the canoe is loaded onto & lashed to the camper - just got to load a few things into the truck ...

Going to make a run down to Charleston, first have a medical check-up scheduled. Then an old fishing buddy and I are going to see what's going on in the salt marshes near the mouth of the Stono River. Supposed to be a lot of spot tail bass (red drum) activity going on - Boy, are they great to catch on a fly rod! And they eat pretty well, too!

They have a great county park campground just a short distance away from downtown Charleston (James Island). Anyway, will post the results when I get back Monday.

Dale

My Hubby & I are headed 1½ hours NE of us over Memorial Weekend for 6 days at Christopher Creek, AZ. This is our favorite campsite and plan to have at least one other long weekend there this summer.

BrandyMama your camping along the coast sounds great. We just love that area of California, but always stay in motels. Hmmmm...looks like next trip over we'll be taking camping gear!!

I live in the Seattle area, and lucky us, we have coast and mountains that are only three hours in either direction.
So, I'm sticking with Olympic Peninsula, Mt Rainier, and spots along highway 12, White Pass area.
I got my camping fix in this weekend. Went to Lake Cushman on the Olympic Peninsula. Looked at the lake, vegged at the campsite and burned an obscene amount of wood.
Cost $15 in gas! Grrrr! Dang gas prices!

We, my 3 dc and I will be camping at State Parks here in Oregon again, and are planning one trip to our favorite BLM park. One thing different though is my hubby who normally doesn't like to camp has decided that he wants our family vacation to be a camping trip. So in September we will head down the Oregon Coast and spend some time at two different campgrounds before finishing up for a few nights in the Rogue Valley.
Gas prices are a factor in that we wanted to do a driving trip back to South Dakota. Well maybe next year. Meantime we will get to see some places in our own beautiful state that our kids have never seen and the hubby and I haven't seen since we were little.

Going to NC for a week for my neice's wedding, so we might camp while there for a couple of nights either before or after the wedding. We got our seasonal site for another year, it is just so convenient and we get so much use out of it. Never have to get things ready, pack, unpack, or shop. Real nice for us.
I think we are going to go to Gettysburg for a few days camping and also thinking about Upstate PA for a long weekend. We are trying to squeeze a long over due Maine trip in too, not sure yet. Need a change of scenery once in a while.
Lynda

Lynda, I have the perfect campground in Maine!

Here is a link that might be useful: best campground in Maine!

Lynda - what part of North Carolina is that wedding going to be at?

Dale

We just spent a week in the Allegheny National Forest in PA. We took our 24Ft. Prowler. We went to the Lolita Roadrunner campground near Marienville and it was pretty nice. It was full hookup for only $20.00 a night. We were allowed to take our dog, or we would not have gone there. It was a quiet place but we were there from Apr 15 through the 21st so there were not many people there yet. That was my first trip out of state for camping. It was very beautiful in the forest but would have been nicer if the leaves had been out. There are beautiful big rocks everywhere and the streams are clear as crystal. You can see the bottom. My husband has been trout fishing there for almost 30 years. This year he took us along for a week and then went back with the guys for a second week.

We have a permanent setup at another campground in Southern OH. We take our smaller one to our sportsmen's club campground for the summer. We opened the big camper on Fri and we will pull the small one out to the club on the 14th. One is an hour from home and the other is 15 minutes away. You ask why we go so close to home? We have a lot of friends there. It is a private place and only members of the club are camped there and it is more like family.

Happy camping everyone.

Dale,
She is getting married at the Cherry Point Base in Havelock. My brother lives 5 minutes from there and was in the Marines for 21 years. She is moving there in 2 weeks and will live near her Daddy finally. I have been there about 4 times since he moved 14 years ago. It is ok, but too hot in summer and NO SNOW, which for me is not good. Where do you live in NC?
Lynda

This year were headed down to kings Canyon NP, We'll more than likley make a pit stop on the Eastern side of Yosemite and do a few days of camping, hiking and Kayaking.
We like to go in the fall when the Parks are'nt so full.
Maybe a mid week trip to Zion NP also.
Then of course our little trips up here in the Sierra's whenever we can get away? We steer clear of the camp grounds and find our own little hideaways.
Were up to 2.75 a gal. up here in Tahoe, Gas prices are affecting the way we usually like to travel were sticking closer to home. sure put a damper on another trip to Montana this year.

Vickie