Sunday, December 08, 2013

Stampede Reservoir, Logger Campground Review

Hi Friends,

I thought I would share a brief review of the Logger Campground at Stampede Reservoir, one of our favorite places to hideout. If you are considering this campground maybe this will be helpful.

We got our camper pretty late in 2013 so our trips out were few before the cold of Winter set in. Luckily we found the Logger Campground just across the state line in California. Because it was close to home we were able to get our camping skills down without getting too far from the security of civilization.  And it is close to stores in Truckee (10 miles) if you forget anything.

Situated in the pines above Stampede Reservoir, the Logger Campground has over 200 sites for camping. We saw tents and car campers as well as all sizes camping rigs. There are no hook ups in the campground but there are vault toilets that are clean and water faucets sprinkled around. There is also a dump station just outside the entrance that you can use as you leave. All the campsites have a very sturdy picnic table and a fire ring with a grate on it. The campsites we saw were all clean and cared for by the camp hosts.

Just inside the entrance is a camp store that has things you might need like ice and ice cream or sodas. They also have little keepsakes that will help you remember your trip like stuffed bears and such.

It is a very short walk down to the water from the campground. The water was low when we were there but it didn't stop the power boats and paddle boards from having fun. Our campsite didn't have a real view of the water but there are some that back up with an unobstructed view of Stampede. Maybe next year we will try one of those spots out. As it was we woke up every morning to a view of the woods and a beautiful meadow below us. At night we watched deer as they made their rounds o the campsites seeking snacks and handouts. They seem to love marshmallows.

The camp hosts were great and very friendly. They managed to keep the toilets clean and the campsites picked up regardless of how hard the campers seemed to try and leave messes. We enjoyed our conversations with them and look forward to seeing them again in the Spring.

We walked around all the campgrounds and

noticed that some looked better than others. Logger Campground is divided into 6 different loops, all with unique and interesting names. Of the 6 campsite loops we found that we liked "Iron Ox" and "Steam Donkey" the best. We loved site 120 in Steam Donkey and that is where we stay every time we come back now, but those 2 campgrounds seem to be the best maintained and the cleanest. They also looked to be the best laid out.

The roads in the campground are paved and the sites are paved as well. We found it pretty easy to navigate through the maze and found that even big rigs were able to get around with ease. We did need to level our camper with a couple blocks but nothing too extreme. A short drive from this campground is a boat ramp if you are dragging you boat along with you. There were plenty of sites that had room for your camper and your boat if wanted to keep it close at night but use it during the day. There are some sites that are even large enough for three campers at a time, if you are bringing a group.

We saw people running, biking and kayaking as well a some that were doing the stand up paddle board thing with their dogs along for the ride. At night campfires come to life and conversations last until the wee hours of the night, but most are not too loud and after they end it is quiet and very dark. Bring a flashlight as you don't want to walk into a deer during your late night bathroom trip. The deer wander the campground looking for anything you may have dropped or forgot to put away. Some find a nice spot in your campsite to get some sleep or rest for the night.

We are looking forward to returning to this wonderful place in the Spring. Unfortunately the season at this campground is pretty short. Just a few months in the late Spring and Summer before it starts getting cold and they button it up for the Winter. But it is beautiful and affordable when it is open (just $21.82 for a single campsite).

We give this campground at least 5 marshmallows out of 6. We probably would have given it more but we ate them and shared some of them with the deer. If you are visiting Stampede enjoy and wander by spot 120 and see if we are there.

Happy Camping

Don