You don’t have to read it on Go Camping America to know that springtime is prime time for wildflower viewing. From early March to the end of May RVers and campers can embark upon a memorable and exciting spring camping vacation full of fresh air hikes, colorful photo opps, and a healthy dose of nature – just what we all need after a long, snowy winter.
Everyone has heard of the famous Texas Hill Country bluebonnets but the indian blankets, just as spectacular, follow the bluebonnet blooms. California deserts come alive with color. If you time it just right you might get to see flowering Joshua Trees (photo left) – though the fragrance can be less than pleasant. And then there’s Tennessee's famed Great Smoky Mountains wildflowers. Nowhere else can you see the flame azalea and with over 1500 other flowering plants you won’t be disappointed.
But did you know that most likely there are beautiful wildflower displays in your “backyard”? The wildflower displays in the Pacific Northwest’s (Oregon and Washington) Columbia River Gorge are, well, gorgeous. The Hocking Hills area of Southern Ohio boasts amazing wildflower displays. Virginia’s Shenandoah region as well as the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway are a haven for wildflower lovers.
As if camping or RVing, hiking, and photography aren’t enough, springtime blossoms with some fabulous flower festivals. There’s the nationally known Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC March 27 – April 11; Ashville, North Carolina is home to the Biltmore Estate Festival of Flowers running from April 3 – May 16; and July 12 – 18 you won’t want to miss the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival in Colorado.
With longer days and warmer weather ahead, gather the family and visit GoCampingAmerica.com to find your perfect springtime destination and campground. Here’s to a blooming good time!
Just when you think every outdoor product that could ever be invented has already been invented, along comes Steve and his STAKE BUDDY to prove me wrong. The beauty is in the simplicity of the design, which gives the user the leverage needed to effectively remove a stake without damaging the tent (or turning the stake into a projectile!).
One of the reasons these liquid fuel stoves are not as popular as their propane brethren is that transporting the fuel can be a pain. It leaks, it smells and it’s just a big hassle compared to the disposable propane canisters. I plan to carry the fuel in a MSR® bottle, which will be a lot less prone to leaks than the 1-gallon can that the Coleman fuel comes in. The fuel tank on the Coleman stove is 40-ounces and the largest MSR bottle is 30-ounces, so two of the bottles should be sufficient for even weeklong camping trips.
