Camping 2020- Pandemic Edition
Now that the 2020-2021 school year is coming to a close, I thought I would update my blog. We didn't do a big epic vacation last summer but we did make the best of it. Hitting some units of the NPS and a trip to the beach.
First Stop- Antietam National Battlefield, MD
Can you believe that Doug and I lived about 20 min from Antietam for 7 years and never went? That was before my obsession with National Parks.
When we arrived we were sad to find that because of covid the Visitor Center was closed. I like to get the National Park Stamps in my National Park Passport Book. But we took pictures of the large map that was posted and carried on.
Antietam National Battlefield was the sight of the bloodiest day in American History, where 23,000 soldiers were killed wounded or missing after 12 hours of battle during the Civil War. Like other National Battlefields that we have visited, today the beautiful rolling hills are a testament to to the freedom we now have in our country. I think some people need to visit these type of National Parks to truly understand the sacrifices these men made, most of which were actually boys my sons' own age, in order for all men and women to be created equal.
Harper's Ferry National Historical Park, WV
Only a short 30 min drive from Antietam, we moved camp grounds and visited Harper's Ferry. We stayed at the KOA, which in non-covid times would offer plenty for everyone and is in walking distance to the entrance of the Historical Park. The park was closed to vehicles and all the shuttles to the historical town were non-operational. We took a stroll with the dogs while the boys slept-in so this is a Puppy-Only-In-the-Park edition of the family sign photo.
Because there was no traffic, we drove the short distance to the historical part of the town. Again, everything was closed so we just walked around and took pictures. It was kind of eerie to be there when the streets were empty and the businesses closed.
The history of Harper's Ferry is multilayered. If you are interested in the history of the American Railroad, Civil War History, or the integration of public schools, Harper's Ferry is the place to visit. It is also filled with quaint restaurants and places to shop and stay. All with a terrific river view!
Shenandoah National Park, VA
Part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Doug and I have visited parts of the park before but never made an "official" visit with the family. We spent a night here on our way to the beach in North Carolina and had a nice drive along Skyline Drive during a beautiful rain storm. This 200,000 acre park is home to hiking trails and water falls. We just did a driving tour and stopped at the plenty of scenic overlooks.
Asheville, NC
We had a great 6 days camping in Rodanthe, NC right on the beach. It was a really relaxing trip away from the stress of covid. Everyone in the campground social distanced, even on the beach. Our camper is self sustaining, so we didn't have to use the bath houses, which cut down our risk. We also, just cooked at the campsite the whole time.
We left Rodanthe and headed west to the Great Smoky Mountains for a two part camping trip. We started in Asheville to visit the Biltmore. I have to say, this was an awesome visit. The precautions because of covid limited each room inside the Biltmore to one family group per room at a time. So, we really got to enjoy each and every room on our own. It was actually an amazing visit.
Henry River Mill Village
I am a huge Hunger Games movie fan, and we got to stop and visit a few of the locations where the movie was filmed.
Just about 3 miles off the interstate and on the side of a very curvy road, is the Henry River Mill Village, better know as District 12. Doug had to drop me and Brodey off and keep going on the road to find a place to turn around while towing the camper. He did it though and was able to come back, pull off the road, and check out District 12 with Dunovan too.
DuPont State Park
We also visited and hiked in Dupont State Park, which is the film location for the arena in the 1st Hunger Games movie. We found Triple Falls, where in the movie Katniss finds Peeta hiding in the rocks.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC
We drove one hour west to the entrance to Great Smokey Mountains NP. We stayed on the North Carolina side, although it is located in both North Carolina and Tennessee.
We again didn't hike...I know it is an outdoor activity but we didn't know as much about the disease then, and we were a bit nervous to be around people. So we drove to a few locations around the park to see some of the highlights.
Mingo Falls
We hiked a short trip .5 miles up a hill to one of the tallest waterfalls in the southern Appalachians. It is actually located right outside the park limits on the Cherokee Indian Reservation.
Oconaluftee Visitor Center
We stopped at the visitor center for a stamp in my book, yes it was open, and walked through the Mountain Farm Museum, where we were able to see quite a few Elk along the road and in the fields near the visitor center.
Clingmans Dome
We drove to Clingmans Dome in the heart of the park, where we hoped we would get to see panoramic views from the observation tower. At 6,643 feet, in July, we didn't expect to be freezing cold and see nothing! The reason the Great Smoky Mountains has its name is because it is often covered in a low cloud cover and you can't see anything! We walked the almost mile to the observation tower, then to the top to see nothing but cloud cover, but at least we can say we did it!
Lake View Drive
Road to Nowhere
We like to find quirky things to do on our trips and this one fit the list. We traveled south of where we were staying in the park to find the Road to Nowhere. Just outside of Bryson City, the GPS took us up the mountain, and then thought we were lost for awhile, until the road ended at a tunnel that you can't drive through but can walk through. It was a little creepy and the spray paint on the walls was not always PG, but the kids found it fun.
Cherokee, NC
We stayed in Cherokee, NC and the town is filled with BEARS!
Thus ended our 2 week Pandemic Vacation. We love camping and spending time as a family. It was definitely a "different" kind of vacation but one we will probably never forget.
We are hoping the summer of 2021 will bring bigger and better camping trips and with the kids getter older I am always wondering if it will be the last with just the 4 of us and a couple pups.
