Cool hike-in site but many ticks
I echo others’ thoughts: Cool site, gorgeous valley views, fireflies, stars, welcoming and communicative hosts. We definitely look forward to returning.
A couple insights to help others prepare:
- Walking to the campsite is a bigger elevation gain than we anticipated. 3/4 mile up 150ft. is more than a “10-15 min walk,” especially if it’s sunny, muddy, or you’re carrying supplies like groceries. The hike is still worth it, but also worth being prepared for.
- The campsite is *filled* with ticks. It is situated in a ton of leaf litter, which is ticks’ happy place. Best to treat your tent and clothes with permethrin in advance. Our Picardin body spray couldn’t keep up, as we sweat it off during the hikes up.
- Make sure you request a map or have the water source pointed out to you in person. The tire trough with the goldfish (awesome!) is not obvious from the path, when the meadow has grown to full height. We found ourselves all the way back down the mountain looking for it the first night, as dark was setting in.