I tent camped there with some friends back in the early 90's and haven't really been back out in that area since. I remember it being a decent campground right next to a river.
We also had a run-in with a black bear at 3am. It was going site-to-site raiding unsecured coolers. The guy across from us had one of those small igloo coolers that the top rotated up and a button on the side snapped into place and secured it closed. The bear was batting the cooler around like a soccer ball and the guy had climbed up on top of his Explorer crying "Help me!" although he was perfectly fine. Once enough people had amassed to view the ruckus, the bear gave up on the cooler and ambled off into the woods.
I see a few issues for anything resembling a rally, even a small one. Only 20 of the 65 sites are reserveable and as you said, only 30 sites have electric. Fortunately, there's full overlap between the two. There's no online reservation system and you need to call or mail and the earliest anyone could reserve is via mail-in postmarked Feb 15, 2014. The prices are reasonable, though. I'm not sure if they'd make exceptions to the reservation rules for a rally group.
- [li]Reservations will be taken beginning February 15.[/li]
[li]Only MAIL-IN reservations will be taken from February 15 - March 14.[/li]
[li]Reservations postmarked before February 15 will be returned.[/li]
[li]Phone Reservations will be taken beginning March 15 between 8 AM - 4 PM.[/li]
We'd probably join in if we could get a site and the sites are big enough for our TT.
An alternative a little further east might be Shenandoah River State Park (VA). It's a nice campground, fully reserveable with water and electric at every site, except for the primitive area. It's not too far from the intersection of I-81 and I-66. As you might guess from the name, it's on the Shenandoah River, has a boat launch, is close to some river tubing companies, has some riverfront hiking/biking trails, geocaches, and is within striking distance of GW National Forest/Skyline Drive and about 90 minutes from DC. It also has some pavilions if the event gets big enough and warrants one for a potluck.
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/and.shtml
twstdpear,
[s]Please note 20 of the 65 are seasonal. That leaves 45 sites available for reservations.
Not the twenty reservable you mentioned.
[/s] Only 20 Electric sites are reservable.
Everyone else,
If this gets off the ground, I would like an additional wagonmaster from that area.
I had thought that we would collect reservations and have someone who is nearest to the CG in WV to mail them all together on February 15th.
You can come earlier and stay longer. This looks like a beautiful area.
Things to do....
http://www.canaanvalley.org/
http://www.blackwaterfalls.com/recreation.htm
At !:00 p,m today it was 79 degrees there while those of us in the Northeast are 95 or more and those in the South are approaching 100 degrees.
They are 20 degrees cooler which make camping without AC possible. Just like it was at Big Meadows last year.
Please don't just read this , but post here whether you would be interested in going or not. Thank you.
Twstdpear,
You were correct, my apologies.
The website says 20 sites are available for seasonal reservations.
In the Northeast, we refer to seasonal reservations as those referring to sites being reserved for the entire camping season.
Guess it's different down there.
I don't think we had more that 20 campers each weekend at Big Meadows last year, so maybe a limitation of 20 (with electric) is not bad.
This appears to be a beautiful and popular area.
Reservations along with checks would have to be to me by Feb 1, 2014 to try and make this work.
One of my college friends was just there..not camping though and I just told her that I know what camping trip I want to plan for next year! I haven't been here since I was like 8 years old and my grandparents took me. How convenient!
But, we already have June booked up with Long Key State Park in the Keys. I would love to make it, so if things look differently and we can make it, we will come.
I'm hoping to relocate up "north" somewhere...but so far, no luck. By north, I mean SC, NC, VA, or WV somewhere.
Judy, I drove the PUP all the way to Fairmont, WV to my grandparents house once..in one day! It is normally a 12 hour drive...towing and stopping so I wouldn't go insane made it a 14 hour drive. Luckily, on the way home, we made plans to stop in Augusta, GA at the in-laws for a few days...that made it nice.
So, I've done it once...if things work out and there are still spots later next year, I would absolutely attend. That place is beautiful.
On a side note...about 4 years ago, our family was going to a reunion in Fairmont, WV and we detoured to our family's farm north of Lewisburg for 2 days and then over the mountains to Cass and took them up the Cass Railroad. That was an awesome trip too. Not camping, but still fun.
And now back to Blackwater Falls next year...
[quote author=thingette1 link=topic=2612.msg25089#msg25089 date=1375196078]
To get a block together, it looks like we will have to pay the wagonmaster in advance and overnight ship the registration so they get it all together on the first day available.
Thingette1, that sounds like a good plan to me!
Jamie, thanks for the added info. Hope you can make it.
I think we're in for this, 94 miles from home. I'd be more than happy to do the mailing of the reservations Lou but I really do not know if that gains anything from here in SW PA. When I mail stuff to my office and back, it takes two days mailing time and the office is 70 miles away. I get stuff overnight regular mail from states that are over 1000 miles away. It may be faster to mail by whoever is closest to one of those USPS distribution facilities? If I was to mail something to the guy across the street, it go's through my local little PO a block away, then to a distribution center about 80 miles away, then back here? Takes two days.
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