I love this campground. I've been bringing my family here for years just to walk the creek and…read moreenjoy the variety of waterfalls. But this year we decided to spend a couple days camping, and it was fantastic. Full disclosure for this review; we camped mid-week, and this place was very uncrowded - we pretty much had the campground to ourselves. I realize that this place fills up pretty good on weekends, so if you can swing it, mid-week camping is the way to go.
We stayed in a section of camp that is only accessible by driving across a creek. This area is tent-camping only. There are several in-demand sites that are adjacent to Caneseraga creek. We got site 113, which is the one at the very end. Some of the sites in this area are nice and private, whereas others aren't at all, so do your homework. The ground is all packed-dirt, some of it with ruts from cars driving through mud in the past, so I'd recommend some sort of air mattress. We use something called a Japanese futon, because I got sick of replacing air mattresses every year or so.
The creek is tranquil and scenic and the constant sound of rushing water was fantastic. This is the kind of setting you can sit in front of for hours as the water rushes by. The shoreline is very rocky, and apparently the building of elaborate rock cairns is a common activity here. I'm not sure how far the campground property goes, but climbing a steep hill next to site 113 reveals old logging roads. We followed them for a while, but turned back before we got lost. But it was a great, private place for me to walk the dogs off-leash every morning.
There are several more campsites at the top of a steepish hill. These are all very private, but have the downside of being an inconvenient walk from the bathrooms. This is also how to get to Campsite X, which is situated in the woods directly next to the first waterfall in Sugar Creek.
The bathroom on this side of the creek was fine. Two private, unisex stalls, and an outside sink for cleanup. More than adequate. I can't speak for the bathroom facilities on the other side, or the shower accommodations.
But enough about the sites, the creek with the waterfalls is the real story here. The various waterfalls are a spectacle to behold. The walk to the final waterfall took us about 40 minutes at a leisurely pace with a 3-year old, a 5-year old and two poodle-sized dogs. It was challenging enough to be fun, but never difficult. Along the way, there are several swimming holes, as well as a rock ledge you can jump off of.
We didn't try it, but there is a rope that you can use to ascend to the top of the final waterfall. At the top, there is reportedly a pool into which you can rope-swing. we'll save that for next time.
Note that a visitor fee is charged to walk the creek if you're not camping here. I think this is fair, and have never had a problem paying for the privilege. I'd hate for such a treasure to be hidden away and made inaccessible.
In closing, I highly recommend at least visiting here. The camping is great, the location is fantastic and we all need a little more nature in our lives.
