Parks – Page 17 – Wandering Dawgs

A night on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

March 10, 2015June 21, 2015Posted in Mississippi, Parks, Road Trip, RVing, State ParksTagged beach, Buccaneer State Park, Gulf Coast, Waveland Mississipi9 Comments

Our day began driving south on I-65 to Mobile, Alabama and heading west on I-10 to Mississippi. Our home for the night was Buccaneer State Park in Waveland, Mississippi.

This part of Mississippi suffered major damage in August, 2005 when Hurricane Katrina came ashore with winds of over 160 MPH and a storm surge of 30 feet. Damage from the storm was evident all along the beach. The remains of several docks are still standing as a reminder of the power of the storm.

Blondie always enjoys a walk on a beach

Laughing Gulls

Dock remains in Waveland, Mississippi

Walking along the beach in Waveland, Mississippi

On the beach in Waveland, Mississippi

All of the structures at this popular state park were completely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Reconstruction of the park was completed in 2013 and the results are amazing. All of the buildings, water park, wave pool, and splash pool have been rebuilt and look brand new. It looks more like a resort than a state park. The large campground has several loops with paved pads and full hookups as well as a primitive camping loop. There are even some beach campsites with views of the Gulf of Mexico.

The hurricane also destroyed much of the vegetation in the park but some old oak trees survived the storm.

Majestic oaks in Buccaneer State Park

New Activities Building and Campstore at Buccaneer State Park

Office and registration building at Buccaneer State Park

Castaway Cove at Buccaneer State Park

As I walked on the beach and around the park I couldn’t help but think about what the area must have looked like before Hurricane Katrina came ashore 10 years ago. I also thought about how much work must have gone into the restoration of the state park and the private homes in the area. Kudos go out to the people of the state of Mississippi for doing such a great job with the rebuilding.

On the Road Again

March 9, 2015June 21, 2015Posted in Alabama, City Park, Parks, Road Trip, RVingTagged Greenville Alabama, Sherling Lake Park, Spanish Moss12 Comments

After several months at home taking care of doctor’s appointments and chores we are finally on the road again for our much anticipated spring road trip!

I am calling this the Lonesome Dove Cattle Trail, Gulf Coast, Cajun Country, Whooping Crane, Bluebonnet and Brisket Tour. Can you guess where we will be going?

Our first stop was Sherling Lake City Park, a wonderful city park just a few miles from I-65 in Greenville, Alabama. For $25 we had a full hookup, paved pull through site with a nice little deck. There was even WiFi at the site!

After setting up camp we took a short hike on the walking trail along the lake. Spanish moss draped trees surround the lake. Campers can fish without a permit.

Taking a walk beside the lake at Sherling Lake Park

It’s great to get out and walk after a day of driving

Sunset at Sherling Lake

Sherling Lake

Early morning at Sherling Lake

Campers can fish without a permit

Sherling Lake

As we traveled from Georgia to Alabama we entered the Central Time Zone the weekend we were supposed to spring forward an hour for Daylight Savings Time. So on Saturday we were on Central Time an hour behind Eastern and on Sunday we had to spring forward an hour for Daylight Savings Time and were back to the same time as we were before we left home. We didn’t have to change our clocks at all!

Best Campgrounds of the year – 2014

December 31, 2014January 19, 2015Posted in Arkansas, COE Park, Parks, RVing, State Parks, VirginiaTagged Claytor Lake State Park, Maumelle Campground, Mississippi River State Park15 Comments

Although we didn’t wander too much in our RV this year our travels took us to some very memorable places. We visited family, camped by lakes and rivers, got together with old friends, visited a distillery, watched barges go by on the Mississippi River, went to 2 Georgia away games, and ate award winning barbeque and tamales.

During our 2014 travels we camped in 8 states and stayed in a total of 17 different parks: 7 state parks, 5 private RV parks, and 5 federal parks.

So here it is, the first ever “Wandering Dawgs best campgrounds of the year” list.

Number 3: Claytor Lake State Park, Dublin, Virginia.

Site D21 – our favorite site at Claytor Lake State Park

Swim platform at Claytor Lake State Park

Claytor Lake State Park is our favorite place to stay when visiting family in Virginia. We’ve returned several times and enjoyed each stay.

There are plenty of things to do in the area to keep you busy. The state park has a nice beach and swimming area, hiking trails, a marina, and gift shop with free Wi-Fi. The Blue Ridge Parkway is close enough for a day trip and Virginia Tech in Blacksburg is just a short drive away.

We always stay in one of the big pull through sites in section D. Each site has water and electric, a picnic table, and fire pit. The sites are wide enough that you don’t feel like you are on top of your neighbor. There are no waterfront sites in the park but the lake is just a short walk from the campground.

We visited Claytor Lake State Park in April, 2014 and also in May, 2013.

Number 2: Maumelle COE on the Arkansas River in Little Rock, Arkansas

Ducks on the Arkansas river

We enjoyed relaxing at our campsite beside the Arkansas River

Maumelle is a popular Corps of Engineers park in Little Rock, Arkansas. This is a very popular park so reservations are recommended especially on the weekends. Our site, just a few steps from the lake, was a large back in with water and electric hookups, a big patio area with a fire pit and picnic table, and a beautiful view of the Arkansas River.

The campground is conveniently located in Little Rock and close to shopping. The park has a boat ramp, playground, basketball court and a picnic area. It is a good home base for exploring the area. We enjoyed a day trip to Petit Jean State Park.

We visited Maumelle Campground in October, 2014.

Number 1: Mississippi River State Park, Marianna, Arkansas

Relaxing at the campsite on Bear Creek Lake

This Great Blue Heron came back to the same spot on the lake each day

Not only the best campground of 2014, but I would rate this one of the best state park campgrounds ever!

The park is located in the Mississippi Delta on the Crowley’s Ridge Parkway and the Great River Road within the St. Francis National Forest. We stayed in the Beech Point Campground on a peninsula in Bear Creek Lake. There are only 17 sites in the campground with 14 full hookup waterfront sites and 3 tent sites. Ours was a large pull through with a big patio area for the picnic table and fire ring. Everything was clean and new, the staff at the visitor’s center and the rangers were friendly and helpful, and the view from our site couldn’t be beat.

This is a great place to sit and watch the resident Great Blue Heron and turtles on the lake. The visitor’s center has a very well done and interesting interpretive center about the Mississippi Delta. The lake is a popular fishing destination and if you enjoy scenic drives the Great River Road and Crowley’s Ridge Parkway are both close by. Oh, and award winning barbeque is just a short drive from the campground.

We’re already trying to figure out when we can camp here again!

We visited Mississippi River State Park in October, 2014.

Honorable Mention:

Winfield COE on J Strom Thurmond Lake in Appling, Georgia.
Lake Chicot State Park, Lake Village, Arkansas.
Trail of Tears State Park, Jackson, Missouri.

Where do you think we will wander next year? Stay tuned…

Happy New Year!!

Two COE campgrounds in Alabama

November 18, 2014October 24, 2016Posted in Alabama, COE Park, Parks, Road Trip, RVingTagged Deerlick Creek COE, Gunter Hill COE, R. E. Bob Wooddruff Lake, Spanish Moss4 Comments

Our last two stops on the way home to Georgia were two Corps of Engineers campgrounds in Alabama. I made last minute reservations for two nights in Tuscaloosa and two nights in Montgomery. Our drive from Arkansas to Tuscaloosa was pretty long for us. We drove east through the entire state of Mississippi with fields of cotton still on the vine on both sides of the road. As we traveled through Mississippi we passed by several places of interest:

The Jim Henson Museum near his birthplace in Leland, Mississippi
B.B. King’s birthplace of Itta Bena, Mississippi
Greenwood, Mississippi with signs proclaiming it the cotton capital of the world
Tennessee Williams’ birthplace of Columbus, Mississippi.

We arrived at Deerlick Creek on Holt Lake on the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway in the rolling hills northeast of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Behind our RV were a few steps up to a patio area with fire ring and picnic table. With trees all around we felt like the only campers there. Our two nights there were quiet and peaceful.

Holt Lake, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Dam at Deerlick Creek

Wildflowers at Deerlick Creek

View from our patio at Deerlick Creek

We had to make this tight turn and go down the hill to turn around before we could exit the campground

Our site 28 was on a hill in the RBLU loop. We enjoyed this park but I would not recommend staying in this loop with a big rig. Getting out of the loop was a challenge. We drove down the hill, made a sharp left turn to continue down the hill, and turned around in a very tight turnaround to go back up the hill to exit the park. We had an audience watching but I never doubted Henry’s towing skills! Our second Alabama COE park was Gunter Hill on R. E. Bob Woodruff Lake in Montgomery, Alabama. I really felt at home when I saw Spanish Moss on the trees. We were in site 99 in the older section of the campground in a beautiful lake front site. There is a newer section which has been renovated with paved sites and full hookups. When we arrived the Saturday before Halloween we discovered the park was full for their traditional Halloween Trick-or-Treat. Families reserve their site six months in advance for this popular event. Elaborate Halloween decorations were seen throughout the park. I love it when we stumble upon an unexpected event! It was a great place to end our fall trip.

Relaxing at Gunter Hill, Montgomery, Alabama

R. E. Bob Wooddruff Lake at Gunter Hill COE, Alabama

Spanish Moss at Gunter Hill

Lake Chicot State Park, Arkansas

November 12, 2014August 13, 2015Posted in Arkansas, Birds, Parks, Road Trip, RVing, State Parks, Sunset, WildlifeTagged birding, cypress trees, Lake Chicot State Park, Lake Village Arkansas, Mississippi Delta, white pelicans, wildlife photography2 Comments

We continued exploring the Mississippi Delta at Lake Chicot State Park in Lake Village, Arkansas. Traveling south on Highway 165, a section of the Great River Road, we passed fields of cotton on both sides of the road.

The largest natural lake in Arkansas, Lake Chicot is also the largest natural oxbow lake in the United States. Our campsite was surrounded by wild pecan trees with a nice view of the lake. Our first day there, we drove across the mighty Mississipi River to Greenville, Mississippi to bring home 3 dozen delicious hot tamales.

Cypress Trees on Lake Chicot

This little raccoon is much cuter than the ones at home

Sunset at Lake Chicot

Located in the Mississippi Flyway, the park is a great place for bird watching. In addition to egrets, herons and ducks, we were surprised to see a huge flock of White Peliicans on the lake.

White Pelican flies by blue heron over Lake Chicot

White Pelican on Lake Chicot

Far at the other end of the lake we saw this huge flock of white pelicans

We took a self guided driving tour along the Mississippi River levee. Most of the 20 mile tour was right on top of the levee. On one side of the levee were borrow pits with cypress trees, lily pads and many birds. On the other side was farmland.