We didn't give the Lowville area much of a chance. There were some paddling options on the Black River and the Beaver River, but with our search for other campgrounds, our day-trip to Canada, and the two rainy days, we couldn't squeeze in an outdoor activity.
Happy Hollow Campground served its purpose and it was reasonably priced. There was one camper that had three yapping dogs that barked at everything and everyone that came within 20 yards of their trailer. The campground policy is "Barking dogs won't be tolerated" and they had already been warned once this weekend. The same people were also burning trash in their firepit, including plastic milk jugs creating a toxic haze over the campground. There is a dumpster and recycling bins a few sites down they could use.
It was a seasonal campground, and we were clearly "outsiders", but other than the one annoying camping family and the lousy electricity, it wasn't too bad.
We packed up and left around 11:30. I went under the electrical wires by the office very slowly hugging the right side. When we arrived the other day, the wires just touched our vents and air conditioner as I passed under them on the left side of the road. Today, no problem.
Now the dump station is interesting. There was a gravel approach, and then you thread the needle on a dirt path between a small stand of trees. On the other side you have to drive out into the grass to get back on the main gravel road. With all the recent rain, we were concerned about the grass, so we decided to skip the dump station.
It was a beautiful day and it was a fairly easy drive. We made our way around the construction in Tupper Lake without a problem. I then selected a better route around the town of Lake Placid and that went fine as well until the turn back onto the main street. That last turn was a little tight and there was a vehicle at the light and I needed a little bit of his lane to make the turn.
He moved just as it looked like I was coming in his grill, but it was a bit too late and I was already committed. The trailer tires went up on a little curb and I was inches from a pole and road signs, but we made it. Whew.
The scenery along the way was wonderful. We eventually pulled into the 100 Acres Section of the North Pole Resorts. A worker in a golf cart led me to our site while Linda went to the office (at the Resort Section) to check in and pay our balance. They usually charge a $4 per night fee for any extra vehicle, but we managed to get that waived.
It was an easy back in at our site, Site 70, and Linda arrived just in time to tell me when to stop. This section is very much like a public campground, and we really like our site. It's like being in a state park but having full hook-ups. The Verizon signal is also good.
We have 50-amp electric, water (great water pressure and they highly recommend a water pressure regulator), and sewer. There is also a picnic table and a well-placed firepit.
Linda immediately said "I wish we could afford to stay here a month". :)
We sent the rooftop dish up but, as expected, it couldn't locate a signal through the trees. We cranked up the regular over-the-air antenna and got nothing. Linda wanted me to at least try the tripod satellite dish. Even if we don't watch any TV, she at least likes to get a few shows recorded.
I determined the proper direction to point the dish, and found a spot at the front of our site where it might work. It's tougher getting the signal the farther north we go. The dish has to point low, so even if we have an open sky, we still might not be able to get over the tree line.
Here, I had to raise the adjustable tripod as high as possible. With Linda watching the signal strength in the rig, we found the satellite and got locked on with a great signal. A campground worker walked by and said "Any luck?". "Yeah, I just got locked on." He said "Good to know. I've never seen anyone down in this section get a signal before". Guess we got lucky. :)
Even at the $48/night rate (less the 10% Good Sam discount), we're happy we came here. It's quite nice and very well done.
I grilled some chicken and Linda made a salad. We ate dinner on the picnic table. There is a little highway noise from Hwy 86, but we're about as far from the road as we can get and it's not too bad at all.
There are lots of gravel roads and trails running through this section of the park. I decided to go for a late run and connected roads and trails to make about a two-mile loop.
When I got back, Linda was outside reading, but she was getting chilly as the sun sank behind the tree line. I built a fire with what little firewood we had left, and she enjoyed the fire while I got a shower.
So we're happy with our RV park that doesn't feel like an RV park, yet it has most of the amenities anyone would want. Tomorrow, we'll start this week of adventure with some easy paddling on the AuSable River. The biggest problem in this area is trying to decide what to do - which hike to take, which river or lake or pond to paddle, which mountain to climb, which fishing hole to try, etc. The choices seem endless and we want to pick a good sample in our short time here. Stay tuned to see how we do. :)
You are about 15 minutes from where I grew up, and my mom still lives. There are so many great hikes up there and you can't go wrong! Have a wonderful time!! :)
Posted by: Jessica | Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 07:58 PM
Howard, when you get to your bird counting site what will you do if you can't catch a satellite signal.
David Mason
Posted by: David Mason | Wednesday, July 13, 2016 at 08:34 PM
So glad to see you scouting out this area. David was just saying today we should try to spend some time in the Catskills and the Adirondacks. So thanks! Looks like a fabulous park. Pretty expensive but at least you feel like you are getting your money's worth.
Posted by: Sherry Boyd | Wednesday, July 13, 2016 at 10:06 PM