PLEASE READ AND REMEMBER THE ENTIRE DESCRIPTION!! THERE ARE LOTS OF LOGISTICS. Anyone signing up after 4/14 can share a site! Read all the comments to get information about sharing. There are those of us who like to tent camp, so let's do it together. There is a new primitive campground on the west end of Lake James, Black Bear Campground and Park. It is begging for us to enjoy a weekend there where we can hang out together, swim, kayak from the nearby Bear Creek boat ramp and hike the local section of the Fonta Flora Trail and other campground trails or go to the Bear Creek trail that the group did recently.
Camping options:
- Primitive sites means it is intended for tents. All the sites have a tent pad, picnic table, a fire ring, maybe a raised grill and available water. There are a few parking spaces that might be big enough for an RV but there are no hookups.
- if you don't want to tent camp, there are camping cabins available. These are basically maybe 8'x10' buildings with a window or two and 2 cots inside that can be outfitted with a pad and sleeping bags, etc.
- If you don't what to camp, you can sign up and come for the below activities, letting me know in the comments when you plan to come.
Once I get some participants, I am going back over to scout out the sites that are best for hanging my tarp over a picnic table to create a gathering place. Then I will let you know, and you will have to make your own reservations, hopefully in adjoining campsites. It is imperative that we move quickly in case sites get rented. Unfortunately, I cannot reserve a site for you. There is a group site, but from my recollection it isn't appropriate for my tarp that I string from trees.
They do have a senior discount, even though the web description doesn't mention it right now. They may have that corrected by the time you show up. Full price is $21/night discounted price- $16. cabins- $36.
The plan for the weekend:
- I will be checking in on Friday afternoon and get a fire going for a "bring your own food" cookout. As folks sign up, we can discuss what food you might want to bring enough to share.
- Saturday, after a leisurely breakfast, we will go to the boat ramp with our kayaks, for those who would like to paddle on the lake, and explore the inlet, ending up at the Bear Creek Marina to eat a nice meal. I have an extra kayak if anyone needs one.
- Saturday evening will be a shared finger food snack, since we probably will not have eaten lunch until 2-3PM. Again, we will hang out around the fire. I don't see a "rules" page, but there is probably a formal rule of no alcohol.... I imagine discrete drinking is very possible.
- Sunday Morning: Depending on the size of the group we could build a big Sunday breakfast if we want. After breakfast and breaking camp, we can do a hike. If we have already explored the ones in the campground, we can go back to the trails in the federal game lands across the road. I heard there are some ruins of the past back up the road we didn't go on when we hiked it before.
IN CASE OF RAIN- Well let's intend that doesn't happen but there are probably no refunds for weather in the campground. I will be there regardless, and we can hang out under the tarp, play cards or other inventive games with hopes that it will clear enough to do a hike or paddle. We can drive to the marina to eat, as well.
Reservations can be made online at https://blackbearcampgroundandpark.com/ BUT WAIT UNTIL I FIND MINE FIRST IF YOU WANT TO CAMP IN A GROUP.