Stay: 24th-29th May 2021
*Improvements to the accommodation: I would have liked to have had a water source closer to our yurt and also to have had an awning over the porch. The only water available was at the bathrooms which weren’t too far away, but far enough away to be inconvenient. And while other yurts had awnings over their porches, ours didn’t. It would have come in very handy, when I woke up to thunder, lightning, and a downpour at 4:30 in the morning and had to rush to bring everything in while trying not to wake up the kids.
Camp Store: The camp store provided most of the basics including: condiments, soda and beer, fire wood, frozen pizzas and refrigerated sandwiches, bread, peanut butter, jelly, chips, and some herb/spice mixtures. There was a basic assortment of toiletry items and some branded clothing as well. They also had a limited amount of fishing supplies in the way of small poles, hooks, sinkers, bobbers, etc. This is also where you check-in and where you can rent boats, kayaks, and canoes.
Bathrooms: The bathroom/shower block was located a short jaunt away from our yurt. Close enough for the kids to walk over by themselves during the day, though they didn’t like to make the trek at night without me. Inside, the bathrooms themselves were adequate. They were well stocked with paper towels and toilet paper, however, they were not kept very clean. I noted a contractor coming a few times during the week to sweep and mop and do a general tidy up of the bathroom/shower block. Having gone over right after they’d been through though, I can honestly say they did not do a very thorough job. I get there’s always going to be insects no matter how often the place is cleaned, but I should not find spiders with webs in the stalls right after the place has been cleaned. At one point I walked in to find two moms with children laid out on the floor trying to change them and wash them up in the sinks as they’d just finished playing in the lake.
Showers: My kids refused to take showers due to their condition. There was trash on the floor, used feminine products in one of the showers, spiders and other bugs everywhere. They were not sanitary and not clean by any means. I even went back to check after the cleaning crew had been through and while the trash and feminine products had been cleaned up, the floors were still dirty and there were still spiders crawling all up and down the shower stall walls. I’m okay with spiders in their natural habitats, but there is no way I’m getting naked while Mr. Daddy Longlegs goes for a stroll six inches from my body. Nope. No way. Not going to happen.
The one upside to the showers, had we used them, was each shower had it’s own changing room separated from the shower itself by a wall. This might not seem like much, but trying to put on shorts and underwear while standing on a soaking wet floor while trying to not get said garments wet is like a feat of acrobatics and contortionism combined.
*Note: the building housing the bathroom/shower block was in serious disrepair. The roof had tarps over it to prevent water leaking inside. One section ,which looked as if it formerly housed outdoor showers, had loose boards falling down with exposed nails. Definitely not ideal when you have children who like to wander and explore on their own.
Park amenities: Beach and swimming area, playgrounds, and outdoor shower.
Beach and swimming area: When we first arrived at the recreation site, the Monday before Memorial Day, the beach area was cordoned off with signs stating it would not be opening until Memorial Day. By Wednesday, the signs and ropes had been removed, so we thankfully didn’t have to wait until the weekend. The beach area was clean and new sand had just been put down. There were still some large piles of sand on the beach which my children thoroughly enjoyed running up and down and playing around. There was also a volleyball net permanently installed on the beach and several lounge chairs dotted the shore. As for the swimming area, it was clearly marked off with ropes and buoys. The slope of the lake floor from the beach out into the swimming area was quite gradual allowing for even the little one to play in the water safely. There was no lifeguard on duty at this beach.
Playgrounds: I appreciated the playgrounds at this site. There were multiple pieces of equipment for various ages. Having kids ranging from 1-10 years old can make playgrounds difficult to enjoy if there isn’t something for everyone. This playground area definitely did. There were two separate climbing frames, two sets of swings, spring rockers, a see-saw, and a climbing dome. This play area was located right next to the beach, near the yurts and RV/tent with electric sites.
Trash receptacles: Right next to our yurt was a metal trash can for us to dispose of our waste in, which meant the kids could easily help with making sure the trash was taken out every day. The downside was it did not seem to be collected regularly. We were there for 5 nights and it was not picked up even once.
Activities:
- Motor boat rental – There are pontoon boats and fishing boats available at the camp store for hourly, half-day, and whole day rental.
- Kayak and canoe rental – Kayaks and canoes were also available at hourly, half-day, and whole day rates.
- Fishing – There were ample places for fishing from the shore. Two docks were located near the boat ramp, however, both were closed off due to needing maintenance.
- Trails – This site did not offer anything in the way of hiking or walking trails.
Child Friendly: This site rates very high for me on being child friendly. The playground and jump pillow provide lots of room to run and play. The beach was clean and the swimming area safe and accessible for all ages. And best of all the bathrooms are right next to both. If you have little ones you know how key this is.