'Primitive' Campsites Lure Those Looking for Getaway

'Primitive' campsites lure those looking for getaway



By Orlan Love, The Gazette
orlan.love@gazettecommunications.com



Campers who want to commune with nature rather than the occupants of recreational vehicles can find plenty of good places to pitch their tents.



Though the trend has been to accommodate RVs by upgrading campsites with electricity, water and sewer hookups and even wireless Internet access, most state- and county-operated parks still provide ample opportunities for campers to rough it, says Kevin Szcodronski, chief of the Department of Natural Resources Parks Bureau.



Iowa's state park system has 2,706 electrified campsites and 1,977 primitive sites. About half in each category can be reserved, with the other half available on a first-come, first-served basis.



The conservation departments in Iowa's 99 counties operate a combined 11,500 sites, about half of which are primitive, says Tom Hazelton, special programs manager for Linn County Conservation Department.



"People flock to scenic vistas and water, and the trend has been to improve the most popular sites with amenities, but some people just like to camp the old-fashioned way," Hazelton says.



One such person is Harry Graves, director of the Johnson County Conservation Department.



"We are tent people," Graves says of wife Ellie and himself. "When we go camping, we are out to enjoy nature rather than neighbors. We like being able to set up camp on a moment's notice, wherever we happen to be.



"Tent camping is no longer synonymous with primitive camping, though, Graves says.



"A fair number of tent campers pick electric sites for their fans, televisions and cell phone chargers," he says. Around holidays, like the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, primitive campers enjoy another advantage — less competition for sites. While most primitive sites do fill up, they are the last to do so, says Linn County's Hazelton.



The 1,624-acre Matsell Bridge Natural Area in eastern Linn County has about a dozen "pack-in" campsites along the Wapsipinicon River that provide rustic camping at its finest, he says. "You can't drive to them. You have to carry everything you need, including water, so they're generally not crowded," he says.



The 340-acre Wakpicada Natural Area along the Wapsipinicon, south of Central City, is also popular with primitive campers, Hazelton says. "It's dark at night at Wakpicada," he says.



Linn County provides 581 sites at 24 campgrounds, with slightly more than half of them unimproved.



In Johnson County, the Hills Access and the River Junction Access each provide about a dozen primitive sites along the Iowa River, and 48 of the 84 sites at F.W. Kent Park near Tiffin are non-electric, Graves says.



The Jones County Conservation Department offers 43 primitive sites at its Central Park, says director Larry Gullett."Tent camping really appeals to people who like to paddle and fish the river systems," he says.



The Wapsipinicon in Jones and Jackson counties is classified as a meandered stream, which means camping is permitted on its sandbars, Gullet says. The Maquoketa River is a non-meandered stream, which means landowner permission is required to camp on its sandbars, he says."Always ask first. Most of the landowners are cooperative as long as its not a large group intent upon partying," he says.



For campers who really want to get away from it all, Szcodronski recommends the three state forests in Eastern Iowa: Yellow River, 8,503 acres in Allamakee County; Shimek, 9,148 acres in Lee and Van Buren counties; and Stephens, 15,170 acres in Lucas, Clarke, Monroe, Appanoose and Davis counties.



"This is primitive camping at its best. ... You've got latrines, fire rings and picnic tables, and the rest is up to you," he says.

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