Campsites can make or break a camping experience. I don’t doubt that we still have plenty of Walmart parking lot and roadside gravel pit experiences left to go for quick overnights but, given a choice, my pre-requisites for a real camp site are becoming more refined.
As we made our way back up the Kenai Peninsula, we found some great spots that were hard to leave.
In Ninilchik, our campsite was surrounded by fireweed and cow parsnip that made us feel like we were in the middle of a garden. It had a fire ring and plenty of space to spread out the chairs and relax.
It had beautiful views of the Volcanos across the Cook Inlet and plenty of chew sticks for the “Princess”.
At Captain Cook State Park on the northern end of the peninsula, the campsites were spacious and located on a bluff overlooking the water. They also provided the Dudes with a dirt pile (the bluff) to climb on and rocks on the beach to create with. Best of all, the sunsets were amazing!
We made our way inland to Skilac Lake where we were greeted with some beer chilling in the stream beside the campsite, always a plus!
The Lake provided fishing opportunities for the Dudes and a hike to the top of the mountain had great views of the lake and mountains beyond. It also provided wildlife encounters as we met three black bears on the trail and one that walked right past us (about 20 ft away) on the boat ramp!
So, beauty, family outings, activities for the Dudes, chewing opportunities for the Princess and wildlife encounters have all become pre-requisites for a great campsite.
But, on a more selfish note, any place I can pull up a chair and a beer and peacefully watch an amazing sunset ranks pretty high with me.
” The ultimate camping trip was the Lewis and Clark expedition
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