When towing a small trailer on long trips like this one, our 2010 Ford Escape V-6 averages around 15 mpg. Arkansas to Texas and into Mexicoįrom there it was onward through Texas, where the lowest price we saw for gas was $1.65 per gallon. Trails lead past and onto huge chalk cliffs, which are dotted with fossils. While there, we acted on a tip from the state park superintendent and visited the White Cliffs Natural Area, which is adjacent to a quite nice USACE park. ![]() Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) RV camping areas. Birders will also love it here, as the park has been designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society since nearly three-quarters of the birds known in the state can be found in the vicinity.īesides the state park, Millwood Lake also boasts seven U.S. The park was still recovering from flooding that occurred a few years ago, although it remains a mecca for anglers, having largemouth bass in the 5-to-10-pound range. Photo: Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & TourismĪ favorite is Millwood State Park near Ashdown, Arkansas. Millwood State Park in Arkansas offers excellent boating and fishing on the adjacent 29,000-acre lake. With our small rig, back-in sites sometimes can be accessed as pull-throughs. An advantage of having a small trailer is that we have our pick of campsites even sites that are designated as “tent only” will sometimes accommodate us. We enjoy camping in state parks since they are usually in scenic locations and plenty of outdoor activities are available. Leaving Illinois just as a snowstorm was threatening, we made our way across Arkansas, staying at state parks. We have a propane furnace and electric heaters for warmth, a 3.7-cubic-foot refrigerator, a two-burner stove, roof fan, city-water hookup, gray-water tank and plenty more to take care of our basic needs. Our little Scamp has no bathroom, but it serves us well. Illinois state park campgrounds are open year-round with electric hookups available at the sites, which is all we need to be comfortable. It’s a wonderful building with a 50-foot vaulted ceiling and a 700-ton stone fireplace in the Great Room. The limestone-and-timber Pere Marquette Lodge was handmade during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Hiking trails with fantastic surrounding views as well as the historic lodge make this a great stop. By the second day, we were camped at the beautiful and nearly deserted Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton, Illinois, a wintering ground for hundreds of bald eagles at the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. ![]() Our journey started last January when we left our home in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Michigan to Arkansas, Dodging a Snowstorm The author’s Scamp covered in snow the day they left for greener pastures. The trailer is actually an upgrade for us as we spent two months the previous winter towing a 13-foot Scamp, so the 16-footer seemed huge. ![]() We were spending four months traveling around in our 16-foot Scamp molded-fiberglass travel trailer. My wife and I (and our 19-year-old kitty, Zeke) were on a mission of sorts, one that is undertaken by thousands of Northerners annually: escaping the snow and cold of winter. This is homegrown, authentic Cajun music at its finest. The sound of fiddles, guitars, a triangle and an accordion fill the air. Pretty soon some of the musicians in the crowd move to the circle of chairs at the front of the room and begin playing. It’s 9 o’clock on a Saturday morning in Eunice, Louisiana, and we’re milling around with a few dozen people, mostly local folks, snacking on boudin (a spicy Cajun sausage) and doughnuts, and sipping strong coffee. To escape the winter cold, a Michigan couple heads south in their 16-foot Scamp and discovers a dozen state parks, abundant hiking trails, Mardi Gras celebrations and the oldest hippopotamus in captivity
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