The beauty of the Utah wilderness can be witnessed at Canyonlands National Park which includes three specific districts, Islands in the Sky, The Needles and The Maze.

The Needles section of Canyonlands National Park has a wonderful campground, Squaw Flat.  Many sites are tucked beneath giant rocks and overhangs.  The views at the sites are awesome. There are grills, picnic tables, water and toilets.  Group campsites are also available. 

Permits and fees are required for primitive camping.  This includes mountain bike camping, backpacking and river trips.  More information on permits can be obtained at www.nps.gov/cany.  Take plenty of water when camping and hiking. 

The Needles area of Canyonlands National Park is in the southern section of the park.

The Islands in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park has a wonderful campground, Willow Flat.  Both campgrounds are open year round.  Willow Flat has no water but does have grills, picnic tables and a toilet.  To reserve a group campsite contact the park for specifics or go online at www.nps.gov/cany.  There are paved and unpaved roads at Island in the Sky with the unpaved roads requiring 4-wheel drive vehicles.  There are primitive campsites along these roads and a permit is required. 

The Islands in the Sky area of Canyonlands National Park is in the northern section of the park.

The Maze district of Canyonlands National Park is remote and wild.  Primitive camping is available at the Maze and permits are required.  There is no water available.  The Maze is located in the western edge of the park.

Ken’s Lake Campground sits quietly beneath the Manti-Lasal National Forest.  It is run by the Bureau of Land Management. 

http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/recreation/campgrounds.html

The sites are nestled between Ken’s Lake and Faux Falls.  Many of the sites back up to the falls.  There are no hook-ups at this facility.  They do have an updated pit toilet. 

The sites are far from the main road and the melody of the day is nature and the flow of the falls.  Ken’s Lake is stocked with fish. 

There is a trail up to the falls and an unpaved road that leads up into the mountains.  The camp host is very helpful.  Sites are spacious, flat and reasonably priced under $15.00.  There are no campsite reservations and the busy months are April, May and October.  Generators at some Bureau of Land Management campsites are restricted.  Check out their website for specific information.

Ken’s Lake Campground is located a few miles south of Moab, Utah.  A convenient location when visiting Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

Turtle Creek R.V. Resort located in the city of Homosassa Springs, Florida is a gem in a bucket of fish bait.  It is a few miles to the West of U.S. Highway 19 on Fish Bowl Drive. 

The sites are spacious with full hook-ups and many with a parking pad.  Several sites are waterfront with benches to sit and watch the world, turtles and alligators swim by.  The bath house is super clean with large hot showers.  The pool is heated and well kept.  Right next to the pool there are shuffleboards and horseshoes. 

This resort accepts friendly pets with responsible pet owners.  There is an on-site laundry.  A large recreation hall and morning coffee are available.  Lots of large trees add plenty of beauty and shade.

The campers in the park are extremely friendly and that attitudes matches the staff at Turtle Creek.  Rates are reasonable and differ according to seasons. 

Turtle Creek R.V. Resort is close to Homosassa Springs State Park.  A few miles north of the campground is Crystal River Archaeological State Park.

Highlands Hammock is located in the southern central area of Florida.  The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) museum is located within the park and is a fascinating exhibition.  The park also has a cafe with small gifts and a camp store. 

The trails in the park are wonderful for bike riding as they provide a sunscreen canopy.  Giant oaks line the roads next to towering palm trees.  A wild orange grove trail meanders through the lush forest.  Bike rentals are available at the ranger station.  The loop is a great place to jog in the early morning.  Watch out for wild pigs crossing the roads.

This is a pet friendly and child interactive park.  Wildlife can be spotted throughout the park including squirrels at the campsites.  They are very good at opening plastic containers filled with food.

A one hour tram ride through the park is an absolute must.  The cost is $4.00 and I suggest riding it more than once.  Gators basking on the banks with baby gators swimming nearby was an exciting site to see.  Several Bard owls and a baby stared at us as we passed by quietly in the tram.  A young raccoon played in the mud next to turtles and alligators.  Birds and wildlife were eager to put on the show and pose for pictures for tram riders.  Lilly pads and flowers covered the drought stricken area. The knees of the cypress poke up from the swamp as butterflies flitter above them.

The campground is full of activity beneath the oaks with the morning smell of bacon cooking on an outside grill.  Travel back in time when young men constructed buildings and labored throughout the harsh Florida heat and the intense sun.  Celebrate the history of the Real Florida and enjoy nature.

Cypress Glen campground is conveniently located near the Withlacoochee Bike Trail in the Withlacoochee State Forest.  Sites are well shaded, large and somewhat level.  At $15.00 a night it is quite a bargain.  Bathouse is clean, stocked with plenty of hot water and well lit.  Silver Lake is a little of a disappointment.  Boating anf fishing are fine but swimming is not. 

Hiking trails meander through all three campgrounds in the area.  Silver Lake and Cypress Glen campgrounds have water and electric.  Crooked River is dry camping.  The roads were dry and dusty

Fort Wilderness is a Disney property located in Orlando.  There is easy access to all Disney parks.  The wait time and ride time vary but expect at least 30 minutes or more to get to one of the parks.  We stayed in the budget friendly area with electric and water hook-ups for around $47.00 a night.  Not a great bargain but lots were spacious and flat. Full hook-ups run around $100.00 a night and are closer to the beach and boat dock.  It looks like they were doing some landscaping that was very unattractive.  What I assumed were streams looked like ditches filled with dirty disgusting water. 

The comfort stations were always clean.  The pool was heated and staffed with lifeguards.  How to travel from one location to another is a bit of a mystery. 

The eating accomodations were inadequate and over priced.  The camp store was extremely over priced.  $5.00 for a single bottle of beer and $4.50 for a bag of marshmallows.  But that’s Disney.

There is no swimming at the beach?  Golf carts are available for rent about $55.00 a day.  Buses are the best form of transportation inside the campground and they run quite frequently.  At peak times there is standing room only.  Families with huge strollers take up lots of space on the buses.

The name of the campground pretty much tells it all.  If you want to go fishing  - go to a fish camp.  I don’t fish but I went anyway.  It was near the magnificent Suwannee River and the Gulf of Mexico. 

Bills Fish Camp has been around for a long time.  If your itinerary is for fishing this will be fine.  Plenty of fish cleaning stations and pelicans to eat the remains. 

Camping for the sake of camping at Bill’s is a little rustic.  You have to walk next door to a dilapidated motel to use the facilities.  The building alone is scary enough but the shower is right up there next to the movie ‘Psycho’.  There was a red stain in the bottom of the ‘cement’ shower stall and I was hoping it was fish guts.  After dark I refused to enter the bathroom alone. 

The main reason I chose Bill’s was because it is a dog friendly campground.  Today they are difficult to find.  I am assuming this is slow fishing season along that portion of the Suwannee River as there was a total of three campers on the site. 

There was an outdoor gas grill for camper usage and a television next to the fish cleaning station.  Docks and boat lifts are also available.  No cable T.V.

For fishing this is an inexpensive and interesting place.  Cost for an extra large campsite and room to park your boat was around $32.00.  We did not have reservations and there were just three campers at the campgrounds. 

If you are abrave individual and not afraid of dark spooky hotel bathrooms try Bill’s Fish Camp in Suwannee, Florida, located on a fresh water canal.  Bring lots of insect repellent.

Bill’s Fish Camp & Motel

63 SE 219th Street, Suwannee, Fl.

Red Coconut RV Resort

Located @ 3001 Estero Blvd, Fort Myers, Florida

http://www.redcoconut.com

Location-location-location - in paradise.

This campground is right on the Gulf of Mexico.  The sunsets are fabulous and spill across the wide stretch of beach.  Entertainment can be beach volleyball or listening to a camper play the bagpipes. 

This is definitely a place for big fish.  Although some small fish have been  known to spend a wonderful weekend there.  We spent the weekend in a pup tent - right on the curve second row from the ocean.  A little scary with all the behemoth rigs passing by.

Spaces are tight and parking tow vehicles can be an issue. 1st row sites are right next to the wonderful sandy beach.  A very clean and locked bath house.  Close to shops, restaurants and stores.

Prices range from $57.00 to $75.00 a night with a utility charge of $8.00 per night. 

A great place to stay even if you stay in a tent.