SP Campground Review – Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area, Pendleton, OR

Polly checks out a historic display at Emigrant Springs

Not a “destination”, but a convenient and green stop along I-84 in Oregon

Link to campground here: Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area, Pendleton, OR
Link to map location here: Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area, Pendleton, OR

1. Site Quality = 3/5
   Decent, but not spectacular sites here. They are all paved back-ins, with a selection of either full hookups (18 sites total -> 30 amp/water/sewer) or tent (32 sites -> no hookups) and on-site picnic table and fire-pit. Decent separation, although some are closer than we’d like plus good all-round green and trees everywhere. Biggest ding is unlevel sites (ours required all the levelers we had on our back wheels) and several of the “tent” sites are at right-angles to the road and have rather difficult access for bigger rigs. There is also a separate cabin loop (C-loop) and horse-camp area.
2.  Facilities = 3.5/5
   Basic, good facilities here. Large warm, individual showers and toilets all kept spotlessly clean. Biggest ding is showers have those annoying spray-heads (except disabled shower). Small picnic area on-site plus large green lawn behind the community building.
3. Location = 2/5
   This is not exactly a “destination” location. It’s a convenient stop on I-84 and is not that far from La Grande, plus it does have some OR trail history (a few displays), but not much else.
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Good doggie site. There are no “official” trails in the park, but plenty of “unofficial” logging trails behind the facilities which go for miles into the woods. Decent space in camp, plus there is a large, green lawn for doggie to play behind the community building.

Overall Rating = 3.4
BONUS ALERT = Explore a historic stop on the Oregon Trail!

Summary: I would call this a convenient & green stop along I-84, but not exactly a “destination” location. It’s a good all-around State Park set in a thick fir forest just off I-84. The positives are the green environment and the Oregon trail history (the spring here was a common stop for emigrants and the park a few displays on it). Sites are OK, but not spectacular. They are paved and mostly quite large, but quite a few are rather uneven. All sites are back-in and have fire-pit, picnic table and a selection of either full hookups (30 amp/water/sewer) or “tent” (no hookups). Decent separation, although a few are closer than we like. There is also a separate loop (C-loop) with cabins and a horse-camp area set nicely back from the road. There are no official hiking trails, but many “unofficial” logging trails right from camp (explore behind the facilities and you’ll find quite a few miles). The biggest issue is road-noise. This campground is literally right off the I-84 so you will get constant day-and-night noise from the freeway no matter which site you choose. Not a big issue for a short stop, but it makes it way too noisy for a longer stay.

Extra Info:  Good Verizon 3G signal. Sites cost $20/night for full hookups (18 sites -> 30 amp/water/sewer), $17 for tent sites (32 sites -> no hookups) in summer season. On-site dump station and water.

Typical site view. This is a non-hookup (“tent”) site A5

View of our site A4. We had full hookups and a HUGE “sitting area” but our site sloped to the back.

View down middle of campground. RV in site #A9 which was nicely private. You can see a “peek” of our site A4 behind the trees to the left.

View of corner of park. Site B15 in front with B13, B12 behind. These were all full hookup, but too close together for our liking.

View down back-side of campground. RV in site #B25 with B23, B21 behind it. These are all full hookup

View of “sitting” area showing fire-pit and picnic table. This was our site A4.

View of cabins in C-loop

View of facilities

Hiking on the “unofficial” hiking trails

RV Park Review – Boise Riverside RV Park, Boise, ID

The green pet area at Boise Riverside RV Park

A basic, but very friendly RV park in a GREAT location in Boise, ID

Link to park here: Boise Riverside RV Park, Boise, ID
Link to map location here: Boise Riverside RV park, Boise, ID

1. Site quality = 2.5/5
   Just so-so sites here. They are all basic, cleared flat dirt with decent separation (there’s “double-size” between each RV -> a space for your RV and a space next to it for your car) with water/electric (greenbelt-facing sites) or full hookups (50 Amp/water/sewer), but really not much else. Most sites are separated by a concrete pad, some have a strip of grass, several have decent trees (ours was actually quite shaded although the tree threw sap all over the RV), but only a select number have picnic tables. The water/electric only sites had a bit more grass, but were generally smaller in size (smaller rigs only). Electricity OK, but water pressure was low.
2. Facilities = 3.5/5
   Decent facilities. Bathrooms and toilets were a tad older, but spotlessly clean. Low water pressure in the showers, but otherwise good temps and plenty of space. All showers have separate bench and hooks for your stuff.
3. Amenities = 3/5
   Decent, but basic amenities. There is a large, clean on-site laundry ($1.50 per wash), grassy areas, propane, dump and BBQ area. Decent (workable) on-site WiFi although signal was poor the further you got from the office.
4. Location = 5/5
   Location is what you come here for. Boise Riverside RV Park is literally ON the greenbelt with direct access to the bike-hike trail and only ~15 mins from downtown. Excellent location for anything you want to do in town.
5. Pet friendliness = 5/5
   Good area for doggie. There’s limited space at camp, but there is an on-site (large, green) pet-walk area and you are right on the greenbelt for access to miles of walking (and river dips) right from camp. Also, you’re only ~15 mins from the foothills and all the extra hiking there.

Overall rating = 3.8
BONUS ALERT: Camp RIGHT on the Boise greenbelt and only ~5 miles from downtown!

Summary: This park is all about location, location, location. On the cosmetic side I would call it a basic private RV park. Sites are basic dirt with full hookups (rather low water-pressure, but otherwise fine), decent separation, some basic grass or concrete in-between, decent trees, but not much in the way of “extras”. There’s good, basic facilities, good amenities, everything is clean and well-kept and the owners are super-friendly and supportive (e.g. you can wash your RV for only $5). All good stuff, but not exactly stunning. Where the park wins me over is location. You are literally RIGHT on the Boise greenbelt, with direct access to miles of walking, biking and water-dips (for doggie) right from camp. Also you’re only ~5 miles from downtown and the Boise foothills. When we came to Boise a few years back we stayed at Hi Valley which was a very neat park, but further from town. Boise Riverside is more basic and not as modern, but in a much, much better location. I think if we come back we’ll choose to stay here again.

Extra Info: Excellent Verizon signal (4G LTE and 3G). On-site WiFi is workable, although signal is poor as you get further from the office. Sites cost $32.56/night or $179.22/week or $375/month for full hookups. Water/electric only sites are $25/night. Good Sam’s Discount. On-site dump station and propane.

Front view of our site (#6). Very shaded, but the tree threw sap all over our RV

Back view of our RV site. We had no-one to the left and right side is empty.

View down front greenbelt-facing water/electric sites. Mostly smaller rigs here.

View down some sites near front entrance of park

Another view down front entrance rows

View of sites near back of park

Another view of back sites

View down middle row

View of facilities in middle of park (laundry, showers)

Walking Polly on the greenbelt right next to the RV park

SP Campground Review – Antelope Island State Park, Syracuse, UT

A lone bison on the beach at Antelope Island State Park

A wonderfully spacious and relaxed state park on a unique island in the middle of Great Salt Lake, ~41 miles north of Salt Lake City, UT. Just be sure to check the gnat-situation before you come!

Link to campground here: Antelope Island State Park, UT
Link to map location here: Antelope Island State Park, UT

1. Site Quality = 4.5/5
   Really fabulous sites here. We stayed at the Bridger Bay campground which is the best area for individual RVs on the island. There are 20 pull-throughs and 6 back-ins all large, flat, paved sites (only one site #9 was a tad small and uneven…the rest were lovely) with excellent paved “sitting areas” containing large covered shelter, separate table, picnic table and fire-pit. Some of pull-throughs are so long they could easily fit 3 “beasts”! Very nice separation between sites and plenty of space to relax and spread out in camp. Lower and upper sites are tiered so every single site has an excellent panoramic view of the beach and surrounding nature. Only slight dings are no shade or hookups.
   Note/ There is a separate campground  a few miles from this one called White Rock which is more suited towards group campers and not nearly as nice IMHO. If you have the choice stay at Bridger Bay.
2. Facilities = 3.5/5 
   Basic, but good facilities here. Several toilets in camp, but no showers (there are showers at the beach day-use area below the visitor station). Dump station and potable water right below visitor station. Lots of picnic areas around the island plus marina and boat-slip on north side.
3. Location = 4.5/5
   Antelope Island is a place you come here to get away from it all, and on that front it totally delivers. Once you cross the 6 miles to enter the Island you enter a whole different world with almost zero traffic, lots of nature, tons of hiking/biking trails, excellent birding, sand/sea, boating and sweeping views. There is a wonderful on-site visitor center, a historic ranch and plenty of spots to drive and visit around the island. It is quite the place! Despite the feeling of isolation you’re only ~6 miles from Syracuse which has all the basic shopping you need and ~41 miles from Salt Lake City. The only possible ding is that the island does get really bad gnats from ~April-June. It’s a seasonable thing so I can’t really fault it too bad, but you need to be aware of it before you come.
4. Pet Friendliness = 4.5/5
   Very good pooch spot as long as the gnats are not out. You have plenty of space to hang out to camp and are right next to miles of  great hiking trails plus a very nice beach area. Only slight dings are that dogs are not allowed on the southern trails (southern end of the island) and are not officially allowed on the day-use beach.

Overall Rating = 4.25
BONUS ALERT = Camp on an isolated island with sweeping views of beach/sun/sky and nature!

Summary: What a place is all I can say! Antelope Island is the largest island in Great Salt Lake and is accessed by a 6-mile road across the lake from Syracuse, ~41 miles north of Salt Lake City. It’s a completely unique place with practically zero traffic, lots of nature, miles of excellent hiking/biking trails, beach/sea, birding, marina, visitor center and historic ranch. There are even free-roaming herds of bison! There are 2 main camping areas on the island, both on the north side Bridger Bay (mostly for single RVs) & White Rock (mostly for groups). Bridger Bay is a very spacious and pretty spot with 26 large, paved sites. It has wonderful paved “sitting areas” each containing shelters & fire-pit, excellent separation and sweeping views all-around. There are no hookups, but the sites are wonderful. White Rock is not as nice and mostly for groups, but also has excellent views. The only real ding for the Island is the gnats! They can be very, very bad especially from April-June (the park website even has a warning about them on the front page). As soon as temps drop or the wind whips up they’re gone, but the rest of the time they are relentless. Despite the biting insects we were blown away by the local nature and loved our stay here. If you’re in the area I would recommend this as a “must-see” as long as you check the gnat situation before you come!

Extra Info: Mixed/unstable Verizon signal going from 1X to 4G LTE! We were able to get a rock-steady and usable data signal by forcing our hotspot onto “3G only” and using our external antenna/amp. 26 campsites all reservable on-line (no hookups). Sites cost $10/night. There is an additional $3 one-time fee to enter the Island. On-site dump station and potable water (just below visitor center).

Typical site view. This is our rig in #2

View of lower-tier campsites looking back towards our rig. On Left is site#4, we’re in site#2 right behind it. Lots of separation here!

View towards end of lower-tier sites. #7 on left with #9 (the only site we didn’t really like) behind it.

View of “end site” on lower tier. This is #8

View along beginning of upper tier sites. Empty site #11 on left with RV in #13 behind it. RV in #12 on right.

Another view of upper tier. RV in site #12 on right.

Yet another view along upper tier sites. This is #15. You can see how the “tiering” works here. Our RV is just visible on the lower tier in middle-left.

View of back-ins at end of top tier. Empty site #18 on right with RV in #20 on left.

“Aerial” view of the campground taken from the hiking trail. Our RV is on left.

View of typical “sitting area”. This is our site #2

View of facilities

A Place Unlike Any Other (Oh, And Gnats) – Antelope Island State Park, UT

A glassy sunset from the shores of Antelope Island

Polly poses in the big salty flats

It’s a place unlike any other. An island in the middle of an Ancient Salt Sea, a spot almost unfettered by human touch where the most primitive of earthly rocks (up to 1.7 billion years old) lie side-by-side with the most new (tufa deposits from the last 10,000 years). It’s an oasis of green and raw nature, a birders paradise, a place where the buffalo roam (I am not kidding). It’s astonishing, astounding….magical.

Well, unless the biting gnats are out…

We arrived at this island paradise 3 days ago, and the gnats hatched 2 days before that. The lady at the entry station informed us of this lucky coincidence as we paid the $3 nature fee to get in. Being the eternal optimist I reasoned that it couldn’t possibly be that bad. I mean I’ve lived in Asia, hiked the rain forests of South America, RV’d through the mid-west in summer.

Then again, I’d never been to Antelope Island.

Birds flutter in the setting sun

Very early AM…and the gnats are already out!

A pronghorn takes a look

This place is absolutely everything that the story tells you. It is…literally…an island in a sea of humanity. When you cross the road from the massive suburbia of Salt Lake City and drive the 6 miles across Salt Lake to enter the 28,000 acre island you emerge into a whole different world. Bird songs fill the air, gulls swoop over the salt ocean, white-tipped mountains reflect eerily in the glassy-still lake. And then you see buffalo (whole herds of them on the beach!), pronghorn antelope springing in the plains, rabbits bouncing through the grass…even a lone coyote crossing the road. You are enveloped by the glove of nature, surrounded by pure beauty. And your massive RV site (easily the size of 3 “beasts”) sits lone alongside the beach with 360 degree views and nothing but the tweeting of birds to keep you company. WOW!

Practically no-one is here.

Of course, that could have something to do with the gnats…

Our RV site sits lone on the shoreline

Paul strolls in Salt Lake…of course he has nothing to worry about

Another magical sunset

Now at this point in the story I should interject that Paul is a very lucky man. You see he has me, and I don’t mean this in the “oh it’s so romantic” sense I mean it in the “I’m a blood-sucking insect magnet” sense. There exists not a biting insect on the face of this earth that has not wanted to dine on ceviche-a-la-Nina. Paul may have the advantage of a natural resistance to bugs, but he is backed up by the iron-clad security of carrying along the mobile bug all-you-can-eat buffet that is moi. Within the first half-hour of our stay at Antelope Island I had at least 100 bug bites and by evening my skin looked the human version of a walking pineapple. Even Klingon’s could win a beauty contest against this one. Paul of course, was utterly untouched.

All I can say is the bugs are bad…..very, very bad…

Historic Garr Ranch – a very cool visit

View from Bison Point Hill

And a last look at some last light

The only respite from the biting bastards are before sunrise and after sunset. The rest of the time they swarm like…well…bloody insects and your best bet is to stay inside with everything shut. Despite the amazing beauty here, miles of biking/hiking trails and even an on-site historic ranch (which is very cool) we’ve decided we have to leave early. We’ve loved the view from our RV window and enjoyed some pretty amazing sunsets, but after battling valiantly through three days of unrelenting gnats we concede defeat and will probably leave tomorrow.

That is unless the gnats leave first…

This is most definitely a place unlike any other.

Note/ According to the local ranger the gnats hatch as soon as weather warms and stay in force until temps hit around 90. This means the best times to come to Antelope Island are probably very early spring or late fall. Totally worth the visit, as long as you plan for the gnats!

Sunset in the grasses

A lone bison on the beach

Gloriously perfect reflections

Old blacksmith equipment

At the Garr Ranch

And a last sunset

BLM Campground Review – Big Bend BLM, Moab, UT

Polly plays by the Colorado at Big Bend BLM Campground

A very scenic but very busy campground on a “big bend” of the Colorado River just NE of Moab, UT

Link to campground here: Big Bend BLM Campground
Link to map location here: Big Bend BLM Campground

1. Site Quality = 3/5
   Great to poor site quality depending on where you end up. There are 22 total sites all cleared, firm dirt with “sitting areas” containing picnic table and fire-pit. No hookups. Road-facing sites (#9/10) have pretty red canyon views while many of the waterfront sites (#1-8,11-22) either have accessible or full water views. Biggest ding is variation in site size and separation. Some sites (e.g. pull-throughs 9 & 10) are incredibly large and spacious whereas many of the back-ins are very small, shared or too close together. Of the 22 available sites I would say only ~4 could fit our size.
2. Facilities = 2/5
   Very basic facilities. On-site pit toilets, kept nicely clean and on-site garbage disposal. NO on-site water or dump.
3. Location = 3.5/5
   Location is a mixed bag here. On the one hand the campground is in a very pretty spot, right on a big bend of the Colorado River with access to a beach and water views, plus it’s only ~15 mins from town and a few miles from Arches National Park (very convenient). On the other hand it’s right next to busy U-128, plus it’s very popular so there is an almost-constant background noise of cars and people. I would say it’s a great spot for exploring Moab, but a poor spot for those who want to get away from it all.
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Very good pooch spot. You have good space in camp and are right next to the Colorado with a pretty on-site beach area that has enough shallow water for pooch to splash and enjoy. You are also very close to some of the best paw-hiking in Moab including the fabulous Negro Bill Canyon hike.

Overall Rating = 3.4
BONUS ALERT = Camp within view of stunning red canyons and the Colorado River.

Summary: So I have to admit we have mixed feelings about this our stay here. Big Bend BLM campground is in a pretty and convenient location. It lies on a big bend in the Colorado River with access to a lovely beach, water/canyon views all around plus it’s only ~15 mins from downtown Moab and a few miles from Arches NP. These are the positives. The issues are two-fold. First sites are very variable in size/separation -> all sites are basic dirt with picnic table and fire-pit, but some are incredibly large and spacious (e.g. pull-through sites #9, #10) whereas others are very small or even shared (= 2 sites in one spot e.g. #11/12 and #18/19!). Second it’s very busy. It’s a popular spot and in high-season it’s full all the time (literally a test of musical chairs to get in) plus it’s right next to the overflow camping and U-128 which is a well-used and thus somewhat noisy road. This means there are constantly either rigs driving through camp looking for open sites or cars on the road next door, so it doesn’t have the laid-back, peaceful kind of feel we usually like in BLM sites. We enjoyed our time in Moab and certainly appreciated our huge site, location and pleasant views, but we were somewhat tired of the crowds and noise by the time we left. For a first-time visitor this is probably a good base to explore Moab, but I think if we return to the area we’ll chose to stay at one of the more remote (and thus quieter) campgrounds further out.

Extra Info: Marginal Verizon signal (data signal vacillated between 1X and 3G), but we managed to get a stable, usable 3G signal with our external antenna/amp. 22 sites, all first-come-first-serve. Sites cost $15/night (no hookups). There is one-night-only overflow camping area opposite Big Bend if all campsites are full. NO on-site dump station and NO on-site water.

Extra, Extra Info – OTHER BLM CAMPING? BOONDOCKING?
Other BLM Camping: The BLM office manages 26 campgrounds around Moab, but not all of them are “beast-friendly”. Of the available choices in our size only Goose Island (very, very busy and close to town but nicely separated sites and totally worth it if you can get a waterfront spot), Ken’s Lake (south of town) or Horsethief (~20 miles NW from town, but very quiet and relaxed) make the cut. The other options were either too small or we didn’t like them. Of these Horsethief would be our #1 choice coming back.
Boondocking: Everyone always wants to know about Boondocking around Moab and the simple answer is there’s practically none. Due to overuse the BLM closed most of the traditional boondocking spots and implemented a policy of designated campsites only (in fact on the main roads it’s prohibited to camp anywhere else & they can/will fine you for doing so). There are very few select free ”dispersed camping” sites listed on the BLM website which are mostly suited to tenters or truck campers. Nothing we could find in our size, but worth a look for those with smaller rigs.

Front view of our site #9, easily the largest in the entire campground.

Back view of our site from the main campground road. RV in pull-through #10 behind it.

View of one of secluded, but smaller sites #5

View of shared site. This is actually TWO sites #11 & #12 that share one space. No way we could fit here.

View of another small, but secluded site #13. This has water-view on the front.

View down back-end of campground. RV in site#15 on right with big rig in #17 behind it. These all face the water on front-side and would fit us.

View of another “shared site”. This is #18 on right and #19 on left. We couldn’t fit here.

One of end campsites #20. Secluded, but again too small for us.

View of pit toilets

View of our “sitting area”. Site #9

View of Colorado river from the beach area