Headed to New York City with your RV? This is your place

For $75 a night -- a fraction of what you would pay for a Manhattan hotel room -- you can camp right across the Hudson River at the Liberty Harbor RV Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. The campground is not pretty (although the view of the Statue of Liberty is pretty great!), but the location is superb: walk to the subway station a few blocks away (or take the ferry a baseball-throw away from the park), and ten minutes later you're in the Big Apple. Watch this 45 second video overview of the park by RVtravel.com editor Chuck Woodbury.

Leaf peeping time in the Northeast

Name the Northeastern state that has almost as many acres of broad-leafed trees as the rest of the Northeast combined.

Answer: New York!

If you're looking to New England as a "leaf peeping" venue this fall, then the Empire State may be your ticket to colorful views. To help leaf-chasers, Wednesday, September 12 marks the launch of the I LOVE NEW YORK Fall Foliage Color Report which will run as long as the leaves show color, likely through early November. Every week will see a new report published on iloveny.com/fall will help viewers find fall color, region by region.

In the Finger Lakes region, enjoy the autumn scenery while taking a leisurely drive to a charming winery or small antique shop, then head out onto a lake for a boat cruise and get a different perspective of the leaves. Visit a historic lighthouse and check out fall food stops, like a local cider mill, in the Thousand Islands-Seaway region.

In the Hudson Valley take in the breathtaking landscapes — by bike or car– that inspired a generation of artists, and then indulge in the culinary delights at one of the region’s renowned restaurants. Stroll the sands of Long Island’s famous beaches or enjoy one of its seasonal festivals, such as the Oyster Festival in October.

In the Capital-Saratoga region, you’ll delight in the patchwork quilt landscapes that inspired folk artist Grandma Moses and marvel at the showcase of 18th to 21st century architecture in the capital city of Albany.

An idyllic mix of waterfalls, enchanting mountains, lush forests and sparkling streams await you in the Catskills region, while the Adirondacks region provides countless hiking opportunities within a six million acre wilderness. Autumn beauty greets visitors in the Greater Niagara region, home to the mighty falls as well as Letchworth State Park, a.k.a. “the Grand Canyon of the East,” while the beautiful natural landscape of the Chautauqua-Allegheny region offers endless outdoor activity with scenic trails, serene waters, nature centers, and New York’s largest state park. Autumn is also the perfect time to explore the rich history, geological wonders and cultural opportunities of Central New York.

Since the state covers such a huge area, if you miss the leaves in one neck of the woods there'll be plenty more in another region later on. Color change starts in the high country of the Adirondacks and Catskills early on in September, then moves down country, ending up in Long Island and "the City" (New York) in early November. You'll have a couple of weeks in each area from start to finish.

The foliage report includes a detailed map charting fall color progress, vantage points for viewing spectacular foliage and weekly event listings so you can plan your visit to one of New York State’s 11 vacation regions accordingly. For highlights of the foliage report dial toll-free, 1-800-CALL-NYS (1-800-225-5697) each week from anywhere in the U.S., its territories and Canada.

Source: Empire State Development

ForestCamping.com Spotlights Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania

Morning at Twin Lake Campground

ForestCamping.com, the comprehensive website for camping in national forests and grasslands, visited and reported on Pennsylvania's Allegheny National Forest.

Located in northwest Pennsylvania, in rugged plateau country, the Allegheny National Forest (NF) has been carved by creeks and streams, shaped by the Allegheny River, and shaded by lush hardwoods. Pennsylvania’s only national forest offers a wide range of recreational activities. Visitors can enjoy everything from camping to fishing in the Allegheny Reservoir, hiking to scenic drives, star-gazing to bird-watching, canoeing to brilliant autumn colors, and more. In other words, the Allegheny National Forest has something for just about everyone.

THERE ARE A WIDE VARIETY OF HIKING TRAILS. From the 86.8-mile North Country National Scenic Trail to the one-mile Buckaloons Seneca Interpretive Trail, the Forest is crisscrossed by numerous trails. Many of the forest’s hiking trails are convenient to a forest campground so campers can explore the woodland along one of the various trails and be back in time for dinner.

Northern Pike, Walleye and more than fifty other species of fish are found in the Allegheny Reservoir. But with ten campgrounds (five accessible only by boat or foot), four beaches, six boat ramps, nine picnic areas, and three scenic overlooks, the Allegheny Reservoir is popular for more than just fishing. Waterskiing in the wide channels, exploring a quiet inlet in a canoe, or wading in its refreshing water, the reservoir offers a wide variety of water sports.

Old growth forests are a rare and wondrous sight to see, and the Allegheny has two magnificent tracts - Tionesta Scenic Area and Hickory Creek Wilderness. The Tionesta Scenic Area contains a 2,000-acre tract of the original forest that once covered the Allegheny Plateau of New York and Pennsylvania. Grand old beech, hemlock, and Sugar maple, some 300 to 400 years old, whisper tales of long ago to hikers using the trails that wind through this area. The 8,863 acre Hickory Creek Wilderness, adjacent to Hearts Content campground, has a good size tract of virgin beech and hemlock awaiting discovery.

Within easy driving distance of major metropolitan areas in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada, the Allegheny National Forest is an oasis of nature. Misty mountains, deep valleys, beautiful lakes, rushing rivers, and the peace found in nature are enjoyed by visitors to the Allegheny National Forest.

About ForestCamping.com
ForestCamping.com, the U.S. National Forest Campground Guide website, is a complete and comprehensive guide to developed campgrounds in national forests and grasslands. It provides detailed information to campers looking to experience the great outdoors. In addition to managing a website, Fred and Suzi Dow also self-publish Ebook CDs and downloads of eleven U.S. National Forest Campground Guides, which can be purchased online at their website.

In New York state, remember to "move over"

It's summer and that means a lot more motorists, including RVers on the road in the Empire State.

As you drive down the highways, keep in mind that New York enacted a new law in 2011 called the "Move Over Law." If you see police, fire, EMS, tow services or maintenance crews working on roadways with multiple lanes, you must move out of the lane adjacent to them and slow down (typically move left into the passing lane) unless there is a hazard or traffic preventing you from moving over. On all roads and highways, drivers must reduce speed for emergency vehicles.

Pig roast, other activities coming to Pennsylvania campground

Gettysburg Farm, a Thousand Trails RV Resort and Campground, will hold its annual RV rally, car show and pig roast July 21 at the property in Dover, Pennsylvania. The family event runs from approximately 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The menu will include pork sandwiches, hamburgers, baked potatoes, sweet corn, sausage sandwiches, cotton candy and more, with much of the food being produced at Gettysburg Farm. The country band Key Largo will provide musical entertainment from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

A recent addition to the annual event, the classic car show is expected to attract as many as 100 cars competing for trophies and dash plaques.

Children’s activities will include an inflatable bouncer, carnival games and the opportunity to pet and feed some of the barnyard petting zoo animals, including the recent additions of two llamas.

The event is open to the public and is free for guests staying at Gettysburg Farm. Others will be charged on a per-vehicle basis.

Located in heart of Pennsylvania farm country, Thousand Trails’ Gettysburg Farm is a real working farm, accommodating RV and tent campers with an emphasis on family fun. To book a visit to Gettysburg Farm or any of the other Thousand Trails RV Resorts and Campgrounds around the country, visit www.RVonTheGo.com or call (866) 730-0637.

New York Campgrounds raising funds for Camp Good Days and Special Times

Campground Owners of New York (CONY) is kicking off a its first-ever statewide fundraising effort in 2012, to benefit Camp Good Days and Special Times, a New York State-based organization providing camping experiences to children with cancer.     

All throughout the summer camping season, CONY campgrounds and RV parks will display change-collection jars, sell t-shirts and paper balloons, and host special fundraising events. Proceeds will be pooled and donated to Camp Good Days and Special Times at a special ceremony during CONY's annual Exposition and Trade Show in Lake George, NY, in November. 

Camp Good Days and Special Times is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children, adults and families whose lives have been touched by cancer and other life challenges through summer camping experiences and year-round events and activities.  

This past summer, more than 1,500 children, including children with cancer from several foreign countries, participated in Camp Good Days, located on the shores of Keuka Lake. All the programs and services at Camp Good Days and Special Times are offered free of charge for the participants.

Camp Good Days and Special Times
CONY campgrounds and RV parks 

Two new Virginia State Parks campgrounds

If Virginia is the, "Mother of Presidents," then her sons must love horses. The state's Parks Department has just opened two new campgrounds, both with a focus on horse-loving campers.

Douthat State Park, which opened June 15, 1936, as one of Virginia’s original six state parks rolled open the gates April 1 on two construction and renovation projects. One of them converted the Beaver Dam Campground into an equestrian camping area and built the new 23-site Whispering Pines Campground.

Whispering Pines Campground offers 23 sites, including a universally accessible handicap site, dump stations, water and electric hookups, RV sites up to 50 feet and a bathhouse with showers. On a slightly smaller scale, the Beaver Dam Equestrian Campground boasts 14 campsites and 14 horse stalls, as well as a bathhouse. Renovations to the campground allow for larger trailers.

"Equestrian camping is extremely important to a growing number of our visitors," said State Parks Director Joe Elton. "With the development of bridle trails through the national forest, the proximity to the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington and private riding trails at the Homestead in Bath County, equestrian camping facilities are in great demand. We're delighted to provide this new campground to this important group of visitors."

Stashed away in the Allegheny Mountains, Douthat State Park is on the National Register of Historic Places and was named one of the nation’s 10 best by the Outside Family Vacation Guide. The park features outstanding scenery as well as a 50-acre lake offering swimming, boating and seasonal trout fishing.

For more information about state park activities and amenities, or to make reservations in one of the 25 parks with camping or 20 parks with cabins or family lodges, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800.933.PARK or visit www.virginiastateparks.gov.

New York plans park expansions--but what about RVers?

Cash-strapped New York State says it may have found the ticket to supporting its parks: Expand camping opportunities. In what one politician labels the idea, it's "actually a money-generating, self-sustaining project." But how will park camping expansion plans really play out for the RV community?

In a story carried by New York State's Saratogian, the expansion plans look to benefit tent campers and folks who'd rather rent a cabin than bring in a recreational vehicle. "Across the state, cabins are becoming a huge draw,' said Heather Mabee, chair of the Saratoga/Capital District Region Parks Commission, which met Thursday at Saratoga Spa State Park. "People love not having to set up a tent." Mabee's quote is drawn from the Saratogian.

In the Saratoga Springs area, that's significant as in the entire park region, only three cabins make up the state's available arsenal of rental units. Plans would bring 15 more cabins and 80 tent sites. Why such emphasis? It's dollars and cents. A "cottage" in the park will fetch $1,000 on a high demand week, while a tent site on the same week, a meager $130.

Still, any move to expanding cabins or tent sites comes with drop of the other shoe: Where do you get the money for the capital investment? It's possible a private contractor would build, get a portion of the rental proceeds until its investment is recouped. Or like stadiums around this great land, a company could contribute cash for cabin construction and see its name affixed to the construct.

With high fuel prices, the state is banking on the "staycation" concept, where folks don't come from huge distances, rather locals would set up camp in state parks and enjoy the great outdoors--not far from home. Perhaps this is why there seems to be so little discussion (or should we say no discussion) of creating more RV sites in New York Parks. From personal experience, this reporter can tell you that the Empire State is one of the least RV-friendly states in the Union. Perhaps a little attention to RVers could result in a bit of a financial up-tick in terms of tourist dollars.

Group may resurrect death-state Connecticut park

Back in 2008 Connecticut's state parks managing agency bought up an ailing RV resort in East Haddam in the 'Catskills of Connecticut.' Redubbing the property Sunrise State Park, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has been sitting on the new/old park ever since. Now comes a non-profit group that says it can bring back the park's glory days if allowed to open a campground and cultural arts center on the site.

The non-profit Sunrise Foundation, Inc., says it can bring $500,000 to start the project if the state approves their proposal. Their plans include initially reopening 100 sites, then expanding after opening--projected into summer of 2013.

The cultural arts center part of the equation would be a center open to the public, schools, and other non-profit groups, with a focus on allowing full access to people with disabilities. Members of the group's officers already work with or operate non-profit organizations catering to the needs of the disabled.

The Sunrise Foundation looks to fill a tall order. In published statements, the state's DEEP says it wants any developer, "to create a high quality redevelopment which ensures public access, recreation, environmental sustainability, and economic opportunity for the town of East Haddam and the state. For Sunrise State Park to truly succeed as a destination location, the property must be thoughtfully planned, redeveloped, managed and operated. The selected developer will bear all responsibility for financing, permitting, design, demolition, construction, reconstruction, management and operation of the Sunrise Resort property in return for a long term ground lease with the DEEP, who will maintain ownership over the property."

The resort has a history stretching back nearly a century. Henry Engle started out what he called Elm Camp in 1916 when he brought electric lights, telephone, and running water to the property. In the 1980's ownership changed over to the Robert Johnson family who operated it until 2008. A year later the state purchased the property for $3.2 million. The property has lain fallow ever since.

photo: eckonon on flickr.com

New Hampshire campground has long history

Some campgrounds are notable for their scenery. Some are notable for their trails, some for their facilities. And some are notable for a person whose name they bear.

Dolly Copp campground, in New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest, is in this category. Dolly Emery Copp (1807-1891) and her husband Hayes settled in the area known as Dolly Copp campground in the early 19th century. Making a success of farming in New Hampshire wasn't easy and the legend is that after a road was built beside their farm in 1851, the Copps established an unlicensed inn to supplement their income.

Dolly soon became known for friendliness and her homemaking skills, providing guests with "good food and comfortable beds." Stories about Dolly vary somewhat but the campground built on her farmland has, over the many years, grown since those first visitors camped there some 150 years ago and enjoyed her hospitality.

Today, Dolly Copp campground has 175 campsites in 12 loops and four spurs stretching along the Peabody River and bisected by Culhane Brook. Okay, there are no hookups for RVs and the toilets are vaults, but the campsites are spacious, the woodland scenery breathtaking, and the Daniel Webster Scout trail provides access to a network of trails in the Great Gulf Wilderness. And it's only about five miles to the top of Mt. Washington, an attraction since 1887.

Dolly would be proud her hospitality in the New Hampshire wilderness is memorialized as a delightful family campground.

Suzi Dow and her husband Fred operate the excellent website Forest Camping.

New York campground directory for 2012 now available

The campground owners association of New York has released its 2012 Campground and RV Park Guide. The publication is free and available by visiting www.nycampgrounds.com and filling out the online request form or calling toll-free at (800) 497-2669.

The 100-page directory highlights the features and amenities for more than 200 privately-owned and operated campgrounds and RV parks across New York State, and is designed as a planning tool for RVers. It's available in print format as well digitally.

"Whether you are tenting, staying in a cabin, or traveling in an RV, the healthful benefits of getting outdoors is a great reason to go camping," says Donald Bennett, Jr., President and CEO of CONY. "We're living in much more sedentary and disconnected times, and camping is one of our last ways to stay truly and deeply in touch with our health, our family, our friends, and the world around us."

The directory includes website addresses and driving directions for all the campgrounds and RV parks, and advertisements for vacation destinations and RV service providers.

The camping season in New York kicks off in late April. Reservations are now being taken at many parks across the state.

Campground Owners of New York was founded in 1963. It's dedicated to the promotion, growth, improvement and development of privately owned campgrounds in New York State.

New Jersey park plan draws fire, concern

Like most other state park systems across the country, New Jersey has its own share of financial woes. Tiptoeing through the mine field of outside funding, state project developers are taking more than just a few pot-shots from folks concerned that Garden State Parks could become clones for commercial enterprise. In a story carried by philly.com (an e-version of the Philadelphia Inquirer) it would seem the lines are drawn and the guns may start blazing at any time.

A spokesman for the Sierra Club of New Jersey warns, "Next thing you know, you have to pay more for everything and the public's access is limited. You'll be getting fee'd to death." That's the opinion of Jeff Tittel, the group's director.

On the other side of the spectrum comes Lou Valente, the architect of the state's plan to generate more income through alliances with non-government entities. Valente started feeling the heat last October when the state rolled out its plans to rely less on government funds and more on outside income.

Valente told the paper, "We're planning substantial change by 2015." If plans go the way of his vision, over a third of the park monies would come from outside groups, raising funds from concessionaires and the leasing of some park properties like golf courses. Valente says the money is needed badly--parks take in $8 million a year, but the annual budget runs $40 million.

Critics envision chain restaurants operating on park grounds; huge gatherings where groups could rent out park venues for weddings--or worse. The state contends they have much more down-to-earth and park-friendly views. A non-profit group taking over life guard staffing and charging a fee for lessons and exercise classes. But others wonder what will happen if other operations are taken over by vendors. Sierra Club Tittel: They're not professionals and don't have the same level of caring for the parks," he said. "Who's screening them? Will valuables walk away? Then, there's the loss of access,"if you can make more money on a Saturday afternoon renting out a park area, then the public doesn't have access."

It's a contentious issue, and one like other states across the union are dealing with. Some states are simply closing parks, or turning them over to private entities for operations. Others are looking to fee programs that increasingly ding users as they come in the gate. California is increasingly looking to "friends" groups of non-profit organizations who either directly operate parks, or provide funding to pay for state employees to continue to do their jobs.

To read the complete Inquirer story, visit the site.

photo: Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Pennsylvania campgrounds and RV resorts win most "A" ratings from ARVC

Buttonwood Campground

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds' (ARVC) annual Outdoor Hospitality Conference and Expo wass held in Savannah, Georgia last month to award grades for their over 3,200 private RV parks and campgrounds across the country.

According to ARVC, the company's mission statement is "To promote the success and growth of RV parks, campgrounds and the Outdoor Hospitality industry."

ARVC claims to be "only national association exclusively representing the interests of all commercial RV Parks and Campgrounds in the United States. Membership includes RV parks and campgrounds, cabin and lodge resorts, membership campgrounds and resorts, industry suppliers, and park developers.

Membership provides group purchasing power, national public relations and promotional services, advocacy representation on state and national policy issues, and business management services including educational offerings, industry publications, and marketing and advertising opportunities.

But this is not a commercial for ARVC. What is interesting, though, is that of the 44 A" ratings in the fourth annual consumer satisfaction survey given to member campgrounds and resorts, ten of those "A" grades  were in Pennsylvania--the most awarded state at the conference.

According to an article written by Shannon M. Nass for the Post-Gazette in Pittsburg, "more than 30,000 camping and RV enthusiasts participated in the online survey, which evaluated guest experiences at campgrounds, RV parks, and resorts that are affiliated with the National Association."

That would certainly take some steam out of Western states RVers' beliefs that the best camping in the country is west of the Rocky Mountains. In fact, since the result reflects that of users, it likely will stir some interest in some westerners to make a trip back east to check out these "A" campgrounds.

Here is the list of the Pennsylvania "A" winners, and a few others close by:

Named the Top 10 Pennsylvania campgrounds: Meadville KOA (formerly Brookdale Family Campground), Meadville (Crawford County); Dogwood Acres Campground, Newville (Cumberland); Gettysburg Campground, Gettysburg (Adams); Kalyumet Camping and Cabins, Lucinda (Clairon); Keen Lake Camping and Cottage Resort, Waymart (Wayne); Mountain Vista Campground, East Stroudsburg (Monroe); Pioneer Campground, Laporte (Sullivan); and Rose Point Park, New Castle (Lawrence).

Also on that list are Yogi Bear's Jellystone Camp Resort, Harrisville (Butler), which also was named Medium Size Park of the Year, and Buttonwood Campground, Mexico, PA (Juniata), also tapped as Large Park of the Year (photo).

Several winning campgrounds are in nearby states include Ashland Resort in Northfork, West Virginia; Cross Creek Camping Resort in Delaware, Ohio; and Cherry Hill Park in College Park, Maryland.

New mobile app guides visitors to New Jersey outdoor, historic sites

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has launched a new mobile phone application to help visitors plan for and make the most out of their trips to New Jersey’s state parks, forests and historic sites. The free Pocket Ranger application provides information on activities, amenities and services directly to users’ smartphones, and is designed to make the park system more self-sustaining while improving visitor services.

The version of the application compatible with Apple iPhones was launched January 3. The Android-compatible version should follow within days. The applications can be downloaded at www.StateParkApps.com

With a few taps of the screen, visitors can use their smartphones to find overviews, directions, operating hours and activities available at various sites managed by the DEP’s Division of Parks and Forestry. Visitors can also fine-tune their searches by looking for activities that interest them, such as hiking, bicycling, swimming, fishing, boating, canoe rentals or winter activities.

Pocket Ranger can help visitors make lodging reservations, has social networking capabilities, and provides an advanced map-caching feature that allows users to continue to navigate even if mobile service is lost. In addition, advanced GPS technology allows hikers to keep track of where they are and how far they’ve hiked. The same technology enables hunters and anglers to mark favorite hunting spots and fishing holes.

The application also has a Friend Finder feature that allows users to keep track of the location of friends and family. As an added safety feature, Pocket Ranger has an alert feature that notifies select contacts of your GPS coordinates in the event of an emergency.

The DEP will receive a portion of advertising revenues generated by the application, which is not costing anything for the department to implement.

The state park system encompasses 440,000 acres in all 21 counties, and includes more than 50 historic sites, historic battlefields and villages, and 39 active recreation areas with year-round operations. The park system also includes more than 500 miles of hiking and riding trails and 10 miles of ocean beaches.

New Jersey is the ninth state to make the mobile tour guide application available to the public. The others are Pennsylvania, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Missouri, Rhode Island and South Dakota.

Pennsylvania gears up for 44th annual RV & Camping Show slated for September

The 44th annual Pennsylvania RV and Camping Show will be held Sept. 12-16 at the Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Co. Giant Center in Hershey, PA.

Sponsored by the Pennsylvania RV & Camping Association (PRVCA), there will be plenty of parking and good things to eat. There are numerous campgrounds in the region, some as little as two miles from the show and others as far as 56 miles away. Additionally, there are many hotels and motels in the region.

The Hershey show is the first in the nation to debut new products. It is set up differently from many other RV shows since it is laid out by manufacturers instead of dealers, making it the easiest way to shop and compare the many RV brands.

There will be more than 21 acres of RVs on display, allowing attendees to examine hundreds of RVs of every make and model. It is estimated that two days are required to see everything.

Accessory vendors are a major part of the show, providing RV and camping accessories and quality educational seminars from RV industry experts.

The show debuted in 1968 and has evolved to be the largest of its kind. With the first two days attributed to members of the RV industry and the remaining five days dedicated to consumers, it is also the largest hybrid show in the country.

Admission will be $10 for adults. Children under 12 are free. A three-day pass will be $20 and a twilight pass that allows entry after 3 p.m. on public days is $5. Wednesday, Sept. 12 is designated Senior Day with 50 per cent off the regular admission price for persons 55 years and older.

For more information visit www.prvca.org

New Jersey is more than Newark, Elizabeth and other urban areas

Too many people think of New Jersey as a vast urban state with no trees or campgrounds.

But nothing can be further from the truth.

Once you get past Newark, Elizabeth and other big cities, there are attractions, farmlands and campgrounds. The N.J. Campground Owners Association operates a web site that has become the most complete source of information regarding camping in New Jersey.

No matter what type of camping you choose, tenting, RVing or cabin rentals, New Jersey has something for you. There is even a campground in very urban Jersey City that is a hop, skip and a jump away from Manhattan.

One of the state's more popular areas is the Delaware River Region that includes the N.J. State Aquarium at Camden and Trenton, the nation's second-largest state capital in continuous use. It is the site of one of George Washington's greatest Revolutionary War victories.

The region is home to the Pine Barrens, a million acres of preserved forests and waterways. It is the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River.

Inside these forests you can camp, hike, fish or paddle a canoe. You can visit the historic town of Batsto, a preserved 19th-century bog-iron town where craftsmen still ply their trade.

There are many campgrounds and state parks in New Jersey, many of which rival the best of those in other areas of the United States.

For more information about camping and attractions write to the N.J. Campground Association at Box 808, Marmora, NJ 08223, or call (609) 545-0145 or toll free at 1-(800) 222-6765. Visit www.newjerseycampgrounds.com