I’ve been camping at a lot of Virginia State Parks, some by myself, some with a dozen or so Boy Scouts and leaders. There may not be a better experience for connecting with nature, although with a group of Boy Scouts cutting up, you may not see much wildlife. There is something about sleeping in a tent and cooking our meals on an open fire like some of our ancestors did. The stories told around the campfire are often ones we never forget and later share with others at another campfire. And nowadays what would a campfire be without marshmallows or the all out treat of s’mores.
Last year Virginia State Parks sold out Memorial Day and July 4th weekends the earliest they ever had in their 74 year history. And there were many other sold out weekends for various parks throughout the year. So if you aren’t thinking camping yet, because there is still a little snow in your backyard, you may want to spend one of these cold evenings with a calendar and pick out some weekends for that trip. Shenandoah River State Park will be a new hot spot for camping when they will be opening a brand new campground later this spring. For reservations for any of the campgrounds with Virginia State Parks, call 1-800-933-PARK. Happy Camping!