Hungry for Adventurez

Last year I had the privilege of spending a week near the beautiful Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Let's break down the best places to camp, and what to do while you are there! This region is densely packed with fantastic campgrounds, incredible Midwest vistas, great history, and so much more!  Apostle Islands Overview The Apostle's Islands is an island group in Lake Superior, around the Bayfield Penisula of northern Wisconsin. The National Lakeshore includes most of these islands and the shoreline at the northern point of the peninsula. The primary exception is Madeline Island, the largest island, which is the only commercially developed island. The peninsula's interior is largely National Forest land, and most of the area's towns are on the coast. Most human activity in the Apostle Islands area centers around Bayfield, Wisconsin's smallest official city. I have included a simplified map below to better explain the important locations I will be mentioning. Cam...

  A few weeks ago I went campaigning at Elk Rock State Park in central Iowa. This beautiful park is located on Red Rock Lake near Pella and Knoxville, Iowa. Let's break down what camping here is like, and who would have the most fun camping here.  What are the campsites like at Elk Rock State Park? How do I get a campsite?  These campsites are very different depending on what loop you pick! All campsites have a firepit and picnic table. There are electric and non-electric sites. If your site does not come with water, each loop also has a drinking water pump. We took a spot in the furthest loop into the campground (non-electric), which happened to have a lake view, but was further away from the bathrooms. There is also an equestrian section, where riders can camp with their horses. Our camping area didn't have a lot of tree cover, so I could see it getting quite hot during late summer. We found the campground to be very peaceful and quiet. That being said, our loop w...

  A few weeks ago I finished a short camping trip in Ledges State Park, in Boone Iowa. We had a great time, and I wanted to pass on what we learned about this gem of a park.  Basic information about Ledges State Park Campground What are the campsites like at Ledges State Park? There are several types of campsites, some with water and electricity, and some without. There are also a few hike-in campsites. We chose a basic site without any utilities, and camped in our RAV 4. Our site had woods on two sides, making it very nice and somewhat private. Our site had a picnic table and a fire ring with a grill. The driveway was gravel. It stayed pleasantly quiet all night, and the campsite was clean and free of any garbage.  What about the bathrooms? Are there showers at Ledges State Park Campground? The bathrooms are pretty average for an Iowa state park- nothing fancy, just modern toilet stalls and concrete. There are showers here! (my partner only camps at venues with showers.)...