Memorial Day to Labor Day - A Summer of Camping

As Labor Day weekend winds down, I reflect on what I've done this spring and summer and what I'm looking to do this fall. 

Spring kicked off with my first weekend of camping back in late April.  Since that time til Labor Day weekend, I've camped 8 weekends in WI and taken two trips out west to backpack in Canyonlands National Park in Utah and in the Wind River Range in Wyoming.  If I count all the nights sleeping in a tent since April that equals 33 nights.  Wow more than one month sleeping outside.  Good thing my Thermarest and Cat's Meow sleeping bag are comfortable.

So - where did I all go so far this year?  About half of the time I spent in various Wisconsin State Parks.  That $25 annual sticker sure came in handy (as it usually does).  Here's the list and some of my favorite pictures so far.

• Ottawa Lake Campground in Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest (April 2011).  Don't recommend staying here.  There's a dog kennel on the end of the lake.  Didn't realize how loud a dog kennel really was until I stayed here.  So glad I have friends/family who can watch dogs at home versus having to put them in a kennel.

View of Ottawa Lake at night, April 2011

• Newport State Park (Memorial Day Weekend)  This is a backpacker's park on the tip of Door County.  Awesome and private campsites along Lake Michigan. 

Jasmine and Wailea enjoying the trails at Newport State Park (May 2011)

• Long Lake Campground in Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest (June and July 2011).  I like this campground - 800 loop has nice campsites and the walk in sites are far enough from the road and other sites you'll have privacy. 

Butterfly on the Ice Age Trail - Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest (June 2011)

• Governor Dodge State Park - (June 2011) Wow - this is a nice park.  SW Wisconsin is in part of the area known as the Driftless Area of Wisconsin.  Lots of hills, a waterfall and a canyon.  (Also stopped at Tower Hill State Park on this trip - hoping to camp here before year end yet)

View along Lost Canyon Trail at Governor Dodge (June 2011)

• Bluemound State Park - (July 2011)  - Not far from Governor Dodge another nice area.  Small campground.  I do have to admit I did like Governor Dodge State Park better. 

Mist burning off the stream at the bottom of the trail (July 2011)

• Whitewater Lake Campground in Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest.  (August 2011)  Another nice little campground at the southern end of the forest.  Nice place to kick off a hike on the Ice Age Trail.

View of Whitewater / Rice Lakes from the Ice Age Trail (August 2011)

• Devil's Lake State Park - (September 2011).  Nice park, but do not recommend going their during season (probably Memorial Day to Labor Day).  All my other camping trips there have been in early spring or late fall - much quieter and nicer at that time.  This trip also included side trips to 3 other state parks in the region (Natural Bridge State Park, Mirror Lake State Park and Rocky Arbor State Park)

Natural Bridge State Park (September 2011)

And for longer stays in my tent were two vacations which took me out west:

• Moab, UT area.  Camping in Moab for a few nights while mountain biking and climbing.  Then a 3-night backpacking trip into the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park.  What a beautiful park. 
• This trip also included a visits to a few other National Parks - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (really cool!  You must hike to the bottom of the canyon) and Arches National Park (went to visit the Klondike's Bluff area of the park since I've only seen it while mountain biking just outside the park.  This was my 3rd trip to Arches)

Black Canyon of the Gunnison.  Yes, I hiked down there. (May 2011)

• Wyoming - Backpacked for 4 nights/5 days into the Wind River Range hitting Backpacker Magazine's "Secret Trail" into the Alpine Lakes Region.  It was secret.  Saw 6 people in 5 days.  Great trip.
• After backpacking here on the way back to Washington State hiked in Teton National Park up to Death Canyon and went to see Yellowstone National Park since we were there (would like to go back to Yellowstone and do a backpacking trip - away from the crowds).

Wind River Range at the pass.  Typical vacation weather for me - rain, snow and cold. 
And wondering if trail falls of a cliff on the other side of the snow field?

And to think it's only the beginning of September.  There's still time to do a lot of camping this year.  Guess I better start planning.