Memorial Day and camping season is closing in faster than Indiana Jones on a crystal skull and box office gold.
With the incoming holiday weekend comes the official start of summer activities as pools and parks go wide open for fun.
Here's a look at some great places to camp in our Tri-State area within an hour's drive of Huntington.
Beech Fork State Park
WHERE: South of Huntington, 5601 Long Branch Rd.
WHAT: The 275 site, deluxe campground features four distinctly different areas. Approximately 80 sites are lake front campsites. Old Orchard, a 49-site full hookup campground is equipped with water, sewer and 20, 30, or 50 amp electric service. It is open year-round. Moxley Branch, Four Coves, and Lakeview each are equipped with newly upgraded 20 or 30 amp electric service. All campgrounds have full service bathhouses and restroom facilities-complete with coin operated laundry. Each campsite contains a grill and picnic table. Reservations may be made in sections of Old Orchard and Moxley Branch. There is limited playground equipment in the campgrounds as well as mooring posts along the lake sites.
HOW MUCH: $25 (full hookup), $22 (electric only) and $19 (unimproved) (Moxley Branch sites 51-87)
WHAT'S THERE: The Wooten Recreation Area offers basketball, tennis, horseshoes, softball and volleyball through October. Equipment is available for rent through the park office. Also a 50-meter swimming pool and bathhouse facility is open Memorial Day to Labor Day for overnight guests and general public. Swimming is prohibited in the lake. Also, new paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, and row boats for rent. Beech Fork State Park also has cabins for rent as well.
CALL: 304-528-5794
ON THE WEB: Go online at www.wvstateparks.com or www.beechforksp.com.
Cabwaylingo State Forest
WHERE: Cabwaylingo State Forest is located on 8,123 heavily forested acres in the heart of southern West Virginia in Wayne County.
WHAT: There are two campgrounds to choose from, including a 20 site rustic campground with standard sites at Tick Ridge. Built in 1999, Spruce Creek which features eleven sites, six with electrical and water hookups and full shower and bathroom facilities. All campsites have tent pads, fireplaces, drinking water, picnic tables, and firewood. Shower and toilet facilities are located nearby
HOW MUCH: Cost is $11 for rustic sites, $17 for standard sites and $20 for sites with electric and water.
WHAT'S THERE: The swimming pool, near McClintic Group Camp, is open Memorial Day through Labor Day Weekend. There is also picnicking, a basketball court, hiking trails from one mile to three miles, and hunting and fishing in the nearby forest. For fishing enthusiasts, the West Fork of Twelvepole Creek winds through the forest and is stocked with trout on a monthly basis during the months of February, March, April, and May.
CALL: 304-385-4255
ON THE WEB: Go online at www.cabwaylingo.com.
East Lynn Lake
WHERE: From Huntington: Rt. 152 South to Wayne, then Rt. 37 to East Lynn Lake office and Visitor Center
WHAT: 170 sites in six different camping areas.
HOW MUCH: $18 to $20. Campsite reservations can be made 180 days in advance.
WHAT'S THERE: The Environmental Interpretive Center is located at the Overlook Area. The center features historical, geological, water resource, fish and wildlife exhibits. There's boating, fishing, hiking, ATV trails. The Lakeside Recreation Area Marina and Concession offers dock spaces, boat equipment and repairs, rentals, snack bar, related goods and services and a marine dump station. The Lakeside phone number is 304-849-2856 and is open seasonally. Corps operated facilities at the Lakeside Recreation Area includes a picnic area, restrooms interpretive trail and viewing area.
CALL: 304-849-2355. Also, reservations can be made for campsites at East Lynn Lake (East Fork Campground) through the National Recreation Reservation Service (NRRS) by calling toll free 1-877-444-6777 or by Internet at www.recreation.gov.
ON THE WEB: Online at www.lrh.usace.army.mil/projects/lakes/elt/.
Carter Caves State Resort Park
WHERE: Less than an hour west of Huntington and just off of I-64 in Olive Hill, Ky.
WHAT: The campground features 89 campsites including 30 tent sites with utilities, a dump station, and two central service buildings with rest rooms and showers. The tent sites do not have water or electric. Closed for season from mid-November to mid-March.
HOW MUCH: Three rates, Standard ($22, $24 and $26); Preferred is $24, $26 and $28 and tent camping is $15, $17 and $19. The three rates depend on whether you are camping weekdays, weekends or holiday premium.
WHAT'S THERE: Carter Caves also has a lodge and cabins as well as a lodge restaurant, cave tours, canoeing, hiking and mountain biking, horseback riding, a golf course and a putt-putt golf course, volleyball, tennis, horseshoes, and much more.
CALL: 606-286-4411 ON THE WEB: Go online at www.parks.ky.gov and click onto Carter Caves.
Greenbo State Resort Park
WHERE: Less than an hour from Huntington, near Greenup, Ky.
WHAT: The campground features 63 sites with utility hook ups and 35 primitive sites. Two dumping stations, two central service buildings with showers and rest rooms, and a grocery store guarantee camping convenience. Currently closed for renovation and will re-open on July 1, 2008.
HOW MUCH: Standard rates are $22, $24 and $26 and preferred (Sewer), $28, $30 and $32. Prices are for weekday, weekend and holiday premium.
WHAT'S THERE: Greenbo Lake also has lodge rooms available as well as a restaurant, an amphitheater, fishing, boating, a swimming pool with water slide (open Memorial Day weekend), hiking and mountain biking trails, new tennis courts, putt-putt golf and much more.
CALL: 606-473-7324
ON THE WEB: Go online at www.parks.ky.gov.
Grayson Lake State Park
WHERE: Grayson, less than an hour southwest of Huntington.
WHAT: A 71-site campground with utility hookups, a dump station, and two central service buildings with rest rooms, showers, and laundry facilities are available. The check-in station has items such soft drinks, ice, and firewood for sale. There is a pay telephone at the second bathhouse.
HOW MUCH: Standard $20, $22 and $24.
WHAT'S THERE: Hidden Cove Golf Course was rated No. 4 by Golf Digest in 2005. Also a launching ramp provides access to the 74.2-miles of shoreline range from gentle slopes to scenic canyons. Located 3 miles from the park, a marina has everything you need for a great day on the lake: Rental fishing boats and pontoon boats, bait, grocery and rest rooms. Also hiking trails, picnic shelters and swimming beach.
CALL: 606-474-9727
ON THE WEB: Go online at www.parks.ky.gov.
Yatesville Lake State Park
WHERE: Located near Louisa, Ky., less than an hour southwest of Huntington, off of U.S. 23 (The Country Music Highway).
WHAT: Relax in the scenic lakeside setting of the park's 47 site campground. Opened in 1999, the Pleasant Ridge Campgrounds has 27 full hook up campsites and 20 primitive campsites-16 "boat in" sites and 4 "hike in" sites. The campground also has a playground facility, nature trails, laundry room, restrooms & showers, and a dump station. The campground also has the park system's first double RV campsites in which two recreational vehicles may park side by side. The Yatesville campgrounds was named among the best campgrounds in all of Kentucky and Tennessee by the Menasha Ridge Press.
HOW MUCH: Boat-In, $12, $14 and $16; Standard, $21, $23 and $25; Tent, $12, $14 and $16. Cost is for weekdays, weekends and holiday premium.
WHAT'S THERE: There's a marina, swimming beach, miniature golf and much more. The picnic pavilion at Yatesville Lake includes two picnic shelters, a playground area, volleyball, grill, water, and a lakeside setting. The large shelter can accommodate up to 10 picnic tables while the smaller shelter is often used as an entertainment stage. Reservations are accepted up to one year in advance.
CALL: 606-673-1492
ON THE WEB: Go online at www.parks.ky.gov.
Lake Vesuvius
(Wayne National Forest)
WHERE: Nine miles north of Ironton, off of Ohio 93
WHAT: Three campgrounds as well as group camping. Iron Ridge camping has 41 units at some sites; Oak Hill Campground has 32 sites with (1-18 reservable through Reserveusa.com). Pine Knob Campground has eight tent sites with no electricity, not reservable, that are in the same general vicinity as Oak Hill Campground.
HOW MUCH: For Iron Ridge, camping fee is $13 nightly plus $5 for electric hookup; At Oak Hill, $21 per night for electric and $16 for primitive sites. Pine Knob is $16 per night.
WHAT'S THERE: Extensive trail system for hiking, and backpacking, fishing, also boat rentals (kayaks, jonboats and pedal-boats) at Lake Vesuvius. Horse trails as well. Picnic facilities, a Nature Center and more.
CALL: 740-634-6500
ON THE WEB: Go online at www.fs.fed.us/r9/wayne/.
Shawnee State Park
WHERE: Located just west of Portsmouth, Ohio, near Friendship (about an hour from Huntington).
WHAT: 107 sites suitable for tents or trailers. Features electric hookups, waste disposal, heated shower houses, flush toilets and laundry facilities. Pet camping is available throughout the campground. Also, 38-site horsemen's campground with latrines is available near Bear Lake on state forest land.
HOW MUCH: Electric site is $21 a night, and non-electric, $16. Campsites are $1 more on the weekend.
WHAT'S THERE: Bike and boat rental. Games and sporting equipment to loan to registered campers. A group camp is available by reservation. Also fishing, boating, extensive trail system, swimming beach, lodge, restaurant, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, nature center, nature programs and much more.
CALL: 740-858-6652 and the camping at 740-858-4561.
ON THE WEB: Go online at www.dnr.state.oh.us and then click onto Shawnee State Park.
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