Hiking/Camping?

cliffdog · Sep 17, 2012

I was wondering, is anyone here as obsessed with the outdoors as I am?!

I have always been into camping and now I'm starting to get into hiking... And I'm trying to learn to mountainbike as well. (Yes, yes, I'm 20 and I can't ride a bike... but I am getting there!)

Where all do you guys go camping and hiking at? Do you take your dogs with you? I'm trying to find a new campsite. The last time I went camping I had a small dog but now I have two large dogs and they aren't allowed, and I refuse to leave my girls at home.

SaraB · Sep 17, 2012

Uh ya! I hate spending time indoors when the weather is nice, I feel massively guilty that I'm wasting good weather.

I hike with my crew at a semi-closed DNR park by my dad's house. It's huge, one main "road" that goes through the middle and then a ton of game trails throughout the park itself. You can spend hours getting lost back there. It's an old farm property, the houses are still standing and are super creepy. Because there is very rarely anyone else back there, I let the dogs off leash. However, I'm sad that hunting season is upon us because even though we stick to the main trails, generally the hunters are friends of ours or family members and I feel awful if I end up scaring game away for them.

I have a couple other parks that I hike with my crew. On Thursdays I work a 12 hour shift and get a 1.5 hour lunch break. So I take whatever dog is with me at work that day and we hit a local park for some off-leash hiking time. LOVE this park, and there rarely is anyone else there during that time. It's really busy on weekends as its a popular horse camping area, so we just avoid it during those times.

I have a few other places we go and that I can let the dogs off leash but they are further away.

I love camping and wish we could go more often and most likely will now that we are down to two dogs. I want to try hike-in camping but I don't think the husband would be too thrilled with that.

sassafras · Sep 17, 2012

When I'm camping, I usually go up to the Northern part of the state. Sometimes state park campgrounds, sometimes private campgrounds or cabins. I haven't done wilderness camping for a long, long time, all car camping these days but I still enjoy it. There are some pretty remote and bare bones state Forest campgrounds available, and some pretty swank private campgrounds, and everything in between depending on what i'm in the mood for. And there's tons of places to hike up there, trails and... not so much trails, aheh.

Closer to home, I'm lucky enough to have a very nice wooded off-leash dog park on some acreage on the Mississippi River bottoms just a few minutes away from my house for hiking. And I can take the youngsters scootering or bikejoring at one of two nearby state parks or on the biking trails along the river.

Paige · Sep 17, 2012

I love camping but sadly being carless and pregnant with the combo of a toddler, a dog AND a cat I am kind of out of luck in regards to going right now.

I spend a lot of time hiking though and being outside. On average I do 4-6 hours a day. Briggs loves it too. He is so into the outdoors.

yoko · Sep 17, 2012

I usually go to a place called blue hole. It's a family owned spring fed swimming hole. The let me have yoshi there unleashed.

AdrianneIsabel · Sep 17, 2012

We do, a lot, and it's one of the reasons we're so excited for the Oregon move.

cliffdog · Sep 17, 2012

AdrianneIsabel said:

I've wanted to move to Oregon for such a long time! Boyfriend hates the cold weather though and wants to stay in the southeast. I hope I can at least visit for a camping trip some time.

cliffdog · Sep 17, 2012

SaraB said:

Uh ya! I hate spending time indoors when the weather is nice, I feel massively guilty that I'm wasting good weather.

I hike with my crew at a semi-closed DNR park by my dad's house. It's huge, one main "road" that goes through the middle and then a ton of game trails throughout the park itself. You can spend hours getting lost back there. It's an old farm property, the houses are still standing and are super creepy. Because there is very rarely anyone else back there, I let the dogs off leash. However, I'm sad that hunting season is upon us because even though we stick to the main trails, generally the hunters are friends of ours or family members and I feel awful if I end up scaring game away for them.

I have a couple other parks that I hike with my crew. On Thursdays I work a 12 hour shift and get a 1.5 hour lunch break. So I take whatever dog is with me at work that day and we hit a local park for some off-leash hiking time. LOVE this park, and there rarely is anyone else there during that time. It's really busy on weekends as its a popular horse camping area, so we just avoid it during those times.

I have a few other places we go and that I can let the dogs off leash but they are further away.

I love camping and wish we could go more often and most likely will now that we are down to two dogs. I want to try hike-in camping but I don't think the husband would be too thrilled with that.

I'm glad nobody hunts where I take the girls hiking. I wouldn't want to ruin anyone's hunt, either.

I wish I could let mine off leash but they're not that trustworthy yet. Still got work to do.

SaraB · Sep 17, 2012

AdrianneIsabel said:

And one of the reasons why I'm so immensely jealous of your move!

Doberluv · Sep 17, 2012

Haven't been for a long time, but Mt. Rainier national park (Cascades) (following pics) is something to behold. You have to get use to the high elevation though when you go from sea level. There are other beautiful places closer to me. I just haven't gone since I moved back. I'm not really into camping anymore but love to hike, as long as it's not too long. lol. But Washington state is amazingly beautiful.

Olympic national park (Olympic mountains in Washington on the peninsula)

Renee750il · Sep 17, 2012

Love camping, but haven't been able to go for too long.

One of my favorite places is Cave Springs Recreation Area in Virginia, about an hour and a half from here. It was first set aside during the Roosevelt administration, the trails cut, observation point, a beautiful man-made lake with a weir dam for swimming, and very pet friendly. I took Bear and Gonzo there several times, once shortly before Gonzo died to let him have one last trip.

RBark · Sep 17, 2012

I took Kobe to Yosemite, and it was wonderful!

Renee750il · Sep 19, 2012

RBark said:

So were your photos!

ACooper · Sep 19, 2012

We love camping, hiking, and take our bikes to cruise around the camp grounds while there too! I didn't want to say "biking" because we don't hit the bike trails, just getting around instead of using the car doesn't seem like 'biking' LOL

When the kids were all very small, we camped in a huge 'cabin' sized tent. Now the last two are 12 + 16 and we recently purchased a pop up camper! (reaching 40=sleeping on ground not fun, LOL) We normally hit the state parks and Indiana has some nice ones to choose from. Showers, electricity, activities, etc. Lots of nice trails for both hiking and biking.

Orson (doberman) comes with most of the time. There are no size or breed restrictions, but the dog must be leashed/tied/crated and under supervision at all times.

Actually, we are headed out Friday around 3pm when the kids are home from school...........trying to squeeze at least one more weekend camp out before it gets too cold for comfort! LOL

Have you checked rules at Alabama state parks? I'd be surprised to know your dogs weren't welcome!

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