Home » Outdoor & Recreation » Camping » Looking Back: Memories of Camping Trips Past

Looking Back: Memories of Camping Trips Past

© Thomas Stephens Sr.

With the beginning of a new year-and a new century and millenium-many of us enjoy a look back at years gone by. Campers especially like to reminisce. My wife Pam and I have been very fortunate; we have camped across America together for the last 18 years, and have many fond memories. Of all the great places we have visited, a few are extra special and standout in my mind. I'll share a few of them with you here.

Yellowstone National Park

I'll never forget our first trip to Yellowstone National Park. We were tent camping, and I could not believe how cold it could get there in mid-July! One day, we drove in the rain from West Thumb Campground to Old Faithful. It was snowing as we drove over the Continental Divide-and a RV had slid off the road! That evening, we ate our dinner (tuna fish sandwiches) in the car in order to get out of the cold rain. We slept warm and cozy, however, in our sleeping bags until the Park Ranger woke us at 2:30 AM. I had left our Coleman stove out on the picnic table, which could attract bears. When I attempted to stow it away in our car trunk, the trunk lid was frozen shut! Despite the cold damp weather, I was awed by the beauty of Yellowstone--its geysers, paint pots, rapids, lakes and wildlife.

Oregon State Highway 58

One of the most memorable drives of my life was in Oregon. We were in route to Crater Lake National Park from Eugene, Oregon on State Highway 58. The road climbs as you drive southeast and crosses the Willamette Pass at over 5,000 feet. The highway transverses the Willamette National Forest, and snow capped peaks line the horizon. Diamond Mountain (elev. 8,750 ft.) is gorgeous especially at sunset, and Salt Creek Falls' cascading water is dazzling as it falls 289 feet. We camped on Odell Lake in Sunset Campground. The forest runs right down to the water's edge, and the camp sites are nestled in the fragrant pines. We awoke one morning to find little raccoon tracks running across our tablecloth. An area such as this can provide some great lasting memories.

The Blue Ridge Parkway

Another scenic drive that impressed me is the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. Having camped for a few nights in the Great Smokey Mountains, we toured the Parkway in route to Shenandoah National Park. This excellent road follows the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains and rises to around 6,000 feet at times. The wildflowers, azalea, white pine and mountain laurel are simply beautiful in the springtime. There is a lot of American history along the way, small campgrounds and nature trails. The area left me with a feeling of peace and tranquility.

The copyright of the article Looking Back: Memories of Camping Trips Past in Camping is owned by . Permission to republish Looking Back: Memories of Camping Trips Past in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.