Looking for ideas south of Illinois end of December

[Kevin Ensign]

Located in Central IL and most of our adventures are North, ( U.P., MN). We are looking at spending our Christmas and New Years traveling south. I realize this is a loaded question but for those campers South of Illionis who have year round exposure we are looking for ideas and places to visit. We try to avoid large RV campgrounds and enjoy our privacy. While at the same time we have and do spend a couple evenings in larger cities to enjoy. I would clasify us as primitive campers. We never stay more than 1-3 nights and push on. Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Jenn]

Get on some version of I70 that suits you and go west through st.louis, past the arch, follow on west to a road that will drop south along the east side of Oklahoma. Just start noodling south down OK. Mountains, hills, rivers, forests, state parks. Follow down into Texas. On into the hill country on the west or east to Austin and keep going south. Good parks, food, folks. Find the caves and dinosaur tracks. Great state parks. Lots of open spaces. The bonus event is the ocean if you keep going south. Take a right and there is all of New Mexico and Arizona. BLM land opens up and the adventure is yours.

 

[Torrey & Earl aka The Sz]

Located in Central IL and most of our adventures are North, ( U.P., MN). We are looking at spending our Christmas and New Years traveling south. I realize this is a loaded question but for those campers South of Illionis who have year round exposure we are looking for ideas and places to visit. We try to avoid large RV campgrounds and enjoy our privacy. While at the same time we have and do spend a couple evenings in larger cities to enjoy. I would clasify us as primitive campers. We never stay more than 1-3 nights and push on. Thanks for any ideas.

Hey Kevin, sounds like you camp like Earl and I and we are in SW Indiana and camp year round. We camp the last 2 weeks of December south, lake catherine SP in Arkansas is near Hot Springs and has open shower house year round, we use it as a hopping point to further south. Once south of here you will have few winter issues camping needing freeze protection etc. we prefer to boondock in USFS but winter time many state park campgrounds are quieter. Mission Tejas SP in eastern TX is a neat area to stop a couple days. Happy travels!

 

[Kevin Ensign]

Hey Kevin, sounds like you camp like Earl and I and we are in SW Indiana and camp year round. We camp the last 2 weeks of December south, lake catherine SP in Arkansas is near Hot Springs and has open shower house year round, we use it as a hopping point to further south. Once south of here you will have few winter issues camping needing freeze protection etc. we prefer to boondock in USFS but winter time many state park campgrounds are quieter. Mission Tejas SP in eastern TX is a neat area to stop a couple days. Happy travels!

Love this advice, and perfect timeing! Looks like we are planning a loop through Arkansas and then through Louisiana following the cost into Florida. Still working on our agenda. Normally we just hit the road and see how far we get. Not to sound cheap ( and I am ) but we have not problems crashing in a walmart parking lot. Still trying to figure out the bathroom thing in the middle of the night in a parking lot LOL.

 

[Sweeney]

I'm not sure if it is viable any more, I havn't visited it in a long time - but did find some places that were definately a littel quieter and 'different'

Hipcamp. SOme are nothing more than a pasture that have been opened up to tent campers, others are tiny homes with hot tubs...if you can't find what you want there...

Of course you aren't on organized land, and there's the issue of creapy owner with hidden cameras and only He knows what else. BUt based onthe stargazing thread -- I tink I"ll be looking for a site here in the next new moon....