Most avid campers accommodation in melbourne australia have a campground or campsite that s just perfect: isolated, beautiful and off the beaten path — that they d rather keep to themselves. I ve even asked one friend about his favorite campground along the shores of Lake Superior, but, knowing I work for Trailer Life , he won t tell me how to get there for fear that I would write about it, the crowds would come and his paradise would be lost. I m about to roll the dice on you, my readers, and share my secret camping hideaway near my northern Wisconsin hometown of Park Falls. It s called Lake of the Falls County accommodation in melbourne australia Park , located 45 minutes northeast of Park Falls and 15 minutes west of Mercer, in the rural, heavily wooded vacation land of northeast Wisconsin.
accommodation in melbourne australia Several things make Lake of the Falls County Park my favorite park: isolation in the Northwoods, its waterfall-fed lake that s great for swimming/floating, proximity to the huge T urtle-Flambeau Flowage , excellent whitewater canoeing/kayaking nearby, spacious and wooded sites, a lakeside restaurant within walking distance and, best of all, this first-come-first-serve campground is never, ever full. Five hours north of Milwaukee and four and a half hours east of Minneapolis, getting up to the Mercer area is no short hike, but the area s beauty, remoteness, wildlife accommodation in melbourne australia and natural amenities easily justify the extended accommodation in melbourne australia drive to get there. And, importantly, it s a gorgeous drive from any direction, near the many lakes, rivers and waterfalls in the area, as well as Lake Superior less than an hour north.
After spending the Fourth of July at a friend accommodation in melbourne australia s lake cabin near Park Falls, my friend ReBecca and I set out for Lake of the Falls on Friday to pick out a pair of sites, set up camp and get in a quick swim before the rest of our crew arrived from points west and south. accommodation in melbourne australia Even during a busy holiday, the campground was only 50 percent occupied and we had the pick of the litter, electing to reserve a pair of large, wooded sites with electrical hookups along the shoreline. accommodation in melbourne australia While we were staying in tents, most campers stay in travel trailers or fifth-wheels, and there is ample space and variety accommodation in melbourne australia to choose an isolated site of your choosing open grassy, alone at the tip of a peninsula or hidden among the trees.
After all had arrived, accommodation in melbourne australia our crew of seven made dinner and briefly sat around the fire before a massive electrical storm drove us into the car and a minute down Popko Circle Road to the neighboring Gateway Lodge restaurant and bar, which was packed to the gills for the Friday night fish fry — a northern Wisconsin institution. While the lightning flashed, thunder crashed and rain came down in forceful waves, we sipped drinks, enjoyed the fish and speculated about how our campsites were weathering the storm. Call us lazy or weak, but having a nice place (with a solid roof!) is welcome during big storms. Things were wet, but intact when we returned.
Our next day, Saturday, was the main event: riding our canoes and kayaks down my favorite section of whitewater accommodation in melbourne australia along the north fork of the Flambeau River. Fed by the huge Turtle-Flambeau Flowage, the Flambeau River is almost entirely undeveloped near its source and is rapidly becoming a popular destination for river rats far and near. Every year I notice more cars and trucks in the Agenda and Holt Landing parking lots, and it s great that more people are traveling to play on this great river — just enough rapids to be exciting, but generally not enough to capsize any boats.
While floating between rapids, accommodation in melbourne australia I asked my Minneapolitan friend Corey what was her favorite part of the trip so far. She enjoyed the painted turtle getting sun on a rock, and I noticed accommodation in melbourne australia she spent most of the trip looking into the thick woods for wildlife. We passed a huge eagle s nest full of hungry eaglets demanding lunch, saw a few deer taking accommodation in melbourne australia a drink of the cool water and heard the splash of several big fish jumping out of the water. No houses, no boat motors, no planes overhead just flowing water, wind in the trees and sun on our faces. Every time I go down the river, I know it s the absolute highlight of my year.
The campground was even more emptied-out on Sunday, and we hung around to swim after cleaning up camp and packing everything up into the cars and trucks. A lone fisherman cast toward the waterfall as we floated 30 yards away. An older couple sat in the pavilion on the shore and a hawk flew overhead. accommodation in melbourne australia It was sunny and 80 degrees, accommodation in melbourne australia and driving four-plus hours back home to Minneapolis — in post-holiday traffic — seemed like a terrible idea.
It s hard to leave the country for the city, but I had a great vacation in my favorite place. I ll be back next year and so will my friends, because this little hideaway has become the first tradition accommodation in melbourne australia I ve started (and kept) as an adult, and I hope to share it with as many people as I can, even at the risk that Lake of the Falls County Park becomes a little busier in the future.
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