Many visitors to Lake Garda will take to the water. Constant winds make the lake an attractive sailing venue, with the Pelér blowing reliably from north to south in the morning and the Ora coming up in the afternoon and blowing south to north. Many regattas are held here, and Fornella Camping has a marina where guests can moor boats that are brought to the lake. Windsurfing—and increasingly, kiteboarding—are also popular, especially on the northern side of the lake. (Many concessionaires rent boards and provide lessons for those new to the sport.) The marina at Fornella also has small motorboats available for rent for those less interested in plying the winds.
Whether you sail, windsurf, or take an excursion boat, you’ll want to voyage to Isola del Garda, an island in the southwestern section of Lake Garda (not far from Fornella Camping) that’s rich in both beauty and history. St. Francis of Assisi visited the island around 1220. Recognizing its isolation from the hubbub of daily life, he established a simple hermitage here for his monks. The island stayed in church hands for the next five hundred years and eventually came into private ownership. In the 1890s, the villa that marks the island today was constructed in lavish neo-Gothic–Venetian style. Isola del Garda was initially barren, but its inhabitants conveyed soil to its shores, slowly transforming the rocky landscape to a lushly forested setting that includes formal gardens and a park. Today, the island is owned by the Borghese Cavazza family (who owns Fornella Camping), and guided tours (in English, Italian, and German) are offered from April through October. One stylish option for touring Isola Del Garda is via Siora Veronica, a two-masted gaff schooner that once served as a barge for Lake Garda residents before roads were constructed along the lake’s perimeter. Concerts are also offered on the island throughout the summer.
Italy is a land of gastronomic delights, and the Lake Garda region is no different. Olives are one of the most important crops in the area and are pressed to make extra-virgin olive oil. The Borghese Cavazza family has been olive farming here since the late 1800s. (Oil pressed in this region is celebrated for its delicacy and lightness.) Lake Garda is also known for its lemons, which were introduced in the thirteenth century from the Middle East and now find their way into a number of local recipes, which include lemon cream, a popular soft drink, and Limoncino liqueur. (Lake Garda’s citrus crop inspired the region’s “lemon houses,” large structures with removable roofs that were built to shelter the delicate lemon trees during the winter months. Several lemon houses have been restored and may now be toured.) At the dinner table, you may encounter salada, a salted beef that’s often served raw and tortellini, delicate handmade pasta rings filled with meat or cheese and served with melted butter, sage, and Parmesan or in soup. Fish harvested from the lake—whitefish, pike, perch, and trout—also make their way onto the menu. Grana Padano is a favorite cheese produced in the region. Any Lake Garda meal can be enhanced with one of the fine wines produced in the area, which include Nosiola, Cabernet, Vino Santo, and Classico Groppello della Valtenesi. Grappa is a favorite aperitif, sometimes flavored with herbs, berries, juniper, and dried roots.
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RUSSELL WHELDON is commercial director for Alan Rogers, which organizes and books camping and caravanning holidays throughout Europe. The company represents more than five thousand locations.
If You Go
Getting There: Visitors can fly into Verona, which has service from many European cities on a number of different airlines. It’s roughly an hour’s drive from the airport to Fornella Camping.
Best Time to Visit: The camping season around Lake Garda runs from mid-April to mid-October. Summertime can be hot, but the lake remains refreshingly cool.
Campgrounds: Fornella Camping (+39 0365 62294; www.fornellacamping.com) comes highly recommended. Tent sites during the high season begin at €13.50 per adult, €8.70 per child. Booking is available through Alan Rogers (+44 1580 214 000; www.alanrogers.com).
Activities: Swimming, boating, fishing, biking, hiking, and cultural sightseeing.
Tours of Mammoth Cave are an essential part of the Mammoth Cave National Park experience.
Kentucky
MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK
RECOMMENDED BY Vickie Carson
“The beauty of Mammoth Cave is that it’s two parks in one,” began Vickie Carson. “First, there’s the underground park. Mammoth is the longest known cave system in the world, with over four hundred miles of subterranean habitat that have been explored. The cave has wonderful historical, geological, and biological assets. The other park at Mammoth is aboveground. The surface world here is really closely connected to the underground world. The rugged karst topography illustrates how water drains and creates rock formations. There are two beautiful rivers flowing through the park, the Green and Nolin. They provide kayaking, canoeing, and fishing opportunities. There are also miles and miles of trails that lead people into the backcountry. It’s hard to find solitude in today’s world. At Mammoth, you can find such solitude in a cave, on the river, or in the woods.”
Mammoth Cave National Park encompasses more than fifty thousand acres in central Kentucky. Human presence in the cave (technically known as the Mammoth–Flint Ridge Cave System) dates back more than five thousand years, though its discovery by Europeans did not occur until the 1790s (one story goes that a hunter came upon an entrance while chasing a wounded bear). Soon after, saltpeter—a key component of gunpowder—was discovered in the cave and mined. By the 1830s, the cave’s value as a tourist attraction was beginning to be exploited. (The very first cave tour was offered in 1816.) A slave named Stephen Bishop discovered many of the passages that are shared today. By the 1880s, a railroad line had been established to bring visitors to Mammoth. By the 1920s, acrimony between competing tour operators led to the so-called Kentucky Cave War. “I first visited Mammoth as a child, and then later on a trip with my Girl Scout troop,” Vickie recalled. “The park is near Interstate 65, and many people first come upon it as they travel north or south on longer trips. Seeing the cave is a memorable experience that brings people back . . . often with their kids or grandkids.”
Most who visit Mammoth Cave National Park wish to experience its subterranean wonders. “There’s really something for everyone in terms of interests and activity level,” Vickie continued. “The Frozen Niagara Tour is well suited for people who have trouble walking or families with young children. It’s almost all flat, goes only a quarter mile and takes less than one hour and a half. It gives you a great taste of the cave’s complexity, including the Frozen Niagara formation. At the other end of the spectrum, there’s the Wild Cave Tour, a five-mile, six-hour expedition where you crawl, climb, stoop, belly crawl through dry, dusty areas, water, and mud. People come out so dirty, but they’re proud of their dirt. There’s also the Trog Tour, a kids-only expedition where everyone gets a hard hat, coveralls, and a headlamp and travels along routes off the main trail. My personal favorite is the Historic Tour. This takes you through the parts of the cave that have been toured the longest. You’ll hit all the famous landmarks—Bottomless Pit, Fat Man’s Misery, and Mammoth Dome, the gymnasium-size chambers that gave Mammoth its name. Whichever tour you take, there’s usually a moment when the tour leader turns off the lights. Suddenly there’s no natural light, and little sound. It’s a multisensory experience. The darkness and quiet leave a long-lasting impression on visitors. The cave is an alien world, like nothing on the earth’s surface. Down below, you lose sense of time and direction. It grabs your imagination.”
The fun at Mammoth Cave National Park doesn’t end when you return to the light. While conditions may be quite a bit warmer and more humid when you leave the cave, you’ll find many ways to cool off. “Some trails lead to cave springs that run out of the side of hills,” Vickie said. “The water’s a pleasingly cool fifty-four degrees; these little streams are emptying water out of the cave and into the Green River. It is a great river to play in; there are islands, gravel bars, riffles, pools, but no scary rapids. It’s good for people
of all ages. There are several liveries where you can rent a canoe or kayak.” The park also has trails for horseback riding and mountain biking, and many road-biking opportunities.
There are two campgrounds at Mammoth for individual parties and one group site. Vickie described the options: “Mammoth Cave is the biggest campground with one hundred and nine sites. Though it’s close to the visitor center and there’s a store and showers nearby, it’s very serene in the evening. We’re not that far from populated areas, but the hardwood forest blocks the horizon, so the star viewing can be impressive. There’s quite a din at night between the frogs, bugs, and birds. If you pass by in the morning, the smell of campfire and bacon will pull you in. Houchin Ferry is the other campground for individuals. It’s much smaller—just twelve sites—and is a little more secluded. Houchin Ferry is right on the Green River, so fishermen can cast right from the bank for bluegill, catfish, bass, perch, and crappie. There are also twelve backcountry campsites north of the Green River and a group/equestrian campground at Maple Springs. The campgrounds in the park are fairly primitive in terms of amenities. Private campgrounds outside the park offer more services.”
Mammoth Cave National Park is open to camping from March through November, and each season has something different to offer. “In the spring, the wildflowers are in bloom,” Vickie continued, “and they are easy to see before the green foliage comes off. In the summer, the woods are dense and junglelike. In the fall, the foliage is beautiful—oak, gum, dogwood, tulip, poplars, and sassafras, all in brilliant colors.”
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VICKIE CARSON is a public information officer for Mammoth Cave National Park. She has worked for the National Park Service for thirty-six years, most of her career at Mammoth. Vickie considers herself a grown-up Girl Scout.
If You Go
Getting There: Mammoth Cave National Park is equidistant from Louisville, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee (roughly ninety miles), both of which are served by many carriers.
Best Time to Visit: The park is open March through November. Summers are busiest, though spring and fall have cooler temperatures. Most cave tours are offered throughout the year.
Campgrounds: Of the three campgrounds at Mammoth—Mammoth Cave, Houchin Ferry, and Maple Springs Group Campground—Mammoth Cave offers the most amenities. Site fees range from $12 to $20.
Activities: Cave tours, hiking, canoeing/kayaking, mountain biking, and fishing.
Mount Katahdin looms over Daicey Pond in Baxter State Park.
Maine—Millinocket
BAXTER STATE PARK
RECOMMENDED BY Greg Blanchette
“I grew up in southern Maine, and my father was an enthusiastic hiker and camper,” Greg Blanchette recalled. “When I was seven or eight, he took me on my first camping trip to Baxter State Park. I mostly remember it being a very long ways away, one dirt road after another. My dad died when I was nine, and it took some time before I made it north to the park again. When I was twenty-one, I went up to climb Mount Katahdin—a rite of passage for a Maine kid. A few years later I began going up more frequently, both in the summer to hike and fish and in the winter to cross-country ski.”
Baxter State Park occupies a 209,501-acre swath of north central Maine. Once the domain of the Wabanaki Native American tribe, moose, and the Great Northern Paper Company, the region’s mountains, lakes, and possibilities for nature-loving first came to the attention of Percival Baxter in 1903 during a fishing trip. Baxter, a scion of a wealthy Portland family, was taken with the area’s beauty and utter wildness, and as his political influence waxed, so did his efforts to have the area preserved as a park.
As governor, he was unable to sway the legislature, but Baxter would not be deterred. His opportunity came with the crash of 1929. In 1930, cash-poor Great Northern Paper Company agreed to sell Baxter the 6,000 acres of land that included Mount Katahdin for $25,000. Baxter in turn deeded this land to the state of Maine, with the proviso that the land “shall forever be used for public park and recreational purposes, shall be forever left in the natural wild state, shall forever be kept as a sanctuary for wild beasts and birds, that no road or ways for motor vehicles shall hereafter ever be constructed thereon or therein.” Over the remainder of his life, Percival Baxter purchased nearly 200,000 more acres of land west and north of his original acquisition, deeding it to the state. Upon his death in 1969, he bequeathed $7 million for the park’s ongoing maintenance.
Baxter’s assertion that Katahdin would one day be viewed as the state of Maine’s crowning glory received a most powerful endorsement a few years back when L.L.Bean adopted the mountain as part of its logo.
Baxter boasts eight front-country campgrounds and a number of backcountry sites. Greg has sampled both. “When my children were younger, we’d often head to South Branch Pond Campground,” he continued. “It’s at the northern end of the park, away from Mount Katahdin and its many day-trippers, so it’s pretty quiet. It’s a great spot for kids. The campground rests on two ponds. There’s a beach where kids can go swimming. Canoes are also available for rent (for a dollar an hour!), and the ponds are small enough that kids can paddle across and have an adventure without being too far away. There’s also fishing for brook trout. A number of trails depart from the campground, and some are flat enough for easy family hikes; on one trail, along Howe Brook, there’s a spot where you can ride down a natural rock slide on the brook. One of my favorite backcountry sites is Russell Pond. It used to be a logging camp; on the way in, you pass old cellar holes that used to be a school for loggers’ children, and some contain discarded logging tools. You can almost envision the thriving logging camp that once occupied the area. It’s about seven miles in, but not arduous at all; I think a ten-year-old could do it without much trouble, as you’re going down an old logging road and there’s no elevation gain. Though it doesn’t take an expedition to get there, it feels very remote. The fishing on Russell Pond (and some of the other nearby ponds and streams) is very good, and there are canoes for rent. There are some tent sites at Russell as well as some lean-tos. There’s also a bunkhouse that can accommodate eight people who don’t want to bother with a tent. Each of the campgrounds in Baxter—even the backcountry sites—have a bunkhouse. This is really handy in the winter, as it allows you to cross-country ski across the park and have a warm place to stay.”
There’s abundant wildlife in Baxter State Park, including deer, black bear, and Maine’s iconic ungulate, moose. Maine bull moose can reach weights up to 1,500 pounds and stand seven feet at the shoulder; populations are quite healthy in the park, and they can be encountered anytime and anywhere. If you don’t come upon Mr. or Mrs. Moose on the trail, you have an excellent chance of finding Maine’s totem mammal at Sandy Stream Pond near dusk.
There are nearly two hundred miles of trails in Baxter State Park and eighteen peaks that exceed three thousand feet. Like his father, Greg has encouraged his children to take an interest in hiking. He’s found a willing taker in his daughter. “For the last four years, my daughter and I have hiked in different parts of Baxter,” Greg shared. “A few years ago, we knew it was the last trip for a while, as she was heading off to school. We were hiking a route called the Classic Loop, which offers some incredible views of some of the park’s iconic landmarks—Knife Edge, Baxter Peak (the highest point on Mount Katahdin), and the basins that surround Katahdin . . . the Northwest, North, and Great Basins. We hiked into Russell Pond, and then on to Davis Pond, which is the only spot in the park where you can see the Northwest Basin. When we woke up that morning, we were completely socked in by thick clouds. We resigned ourselves to missing these incredible views, and as we descended the Hamlin Ridge Trail, I began describing what we’d be seeing if it were clear—Knife Edge would be here, Baxter Peak there. Suddenly, the clouds lifted, and there were the Knife Edge and Baxter Peak. It was an incredible moment and the one I wanted her to experience. I have a photo of her looking up at the mountain on my desk.”
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GREG BLANCHETTE is inventory manager for L.L.Bean, Inc. An avid hiker and backpacker, he has completed Vermont’s Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, and has climbed all the four-thousand-foot peaks of New England. Greg also enjoys fly-fishing.
If You Go
Getting There: Baxter State Park is approximately 160 miles north of Portland, which is served by many carriers, including Delta (800-221-1212; www.delta.com) and United (800-864-8331; www.united.com).
Best Time to Visit: The summer camping season is from May 15 to Oct. 15. The winter season runs from December through March. September is a wonderful time to visit.
Campgrounds: There are eight campgrounds in Baxter State Park (www.baxterstateparkauthority.com). Campground lean-to or tent sites are $30 in the summer; bunkhouse beds begin at $11. Cabins are also available.
Activities: Hiking, fishing, canoeing, cross-country skiing.
Isle Au Haut is a remote outpost of Acadia National Park that can only be reached by ferry.
Maine—Mt. Desert Island
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK
RECOMMENDED BY Charlie Jacobi
Viewers of the ABC program Good Morning America named Acadia National Park “America’s Favorite Place” in 2014. Charlie Jacobi isn’t surprised.
Fifty Places to Camp Before You Die Page 10