How many of you have "secret" campgrounds that you don't talk about in order to keep others away?

We found this place 2 years ago. https://juniperridgeresort.com/home/about-us-2/.  

Easy access, cool summers and lots to do in the area. They are deeded lots (most are 40 x 60 a few are larger) so you rent directly from the owner https://www.juniperridgerealestate.com/rental/   White Mountain Lake is 1/2 mile from the entrance of the park. 

Things to do around Show Low: 
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g31356-Activities-Show_Low_Arizona.html
https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Things+To+Do&find_loc=Show+Low%2C+AZ+85901

We have a "secret" camping spot on 4000 acre corporate woodlot that we don't tell many about because they can't use it anyway. Many years ago, the paper company that owned it offered a limited number of lifetime use permits for $100, and we were fortunate enough to get one. The current owner has continued to honor the permits, but each year there have been fewer people registering for the annual stickers and current gate code. Now there are only three permit holders left, and the other two are fall hunters not campers, so we never see them. The site we use is "semi-boondocking" in that there's no electric or water, but there is a septic system left by a former chief forester that lived there in his TT for a couple of years while he built his log cabin a few miles away. We spend a week or so there a few times each summer, swimming in the pond and showering under a small waterfall, both about a 100 feet of our site. It's great to see 6-8 deer getting a drink from the pond in the evening, or a couple raccoons flipping over rocks searching for crayfish.

We have family who own a tiny campground reserved for family use. They put in electric just as we came off the road so it's better than it was when we were last there. Most family that use it are still tent campers. There's now a guest apartment, too, that was built after we stopped traveling. It's a good thing the younger generation are still using it.

Linda

What were some of our favorite BLM, COE and Forest Service campgrounds where you could always get a site have been mentioned so many times on this and other forums that you now can not get in without a reservation and those that do not take reservations are hit or miss most of the time. The internet is great but in my experience it has made hidden gems a lot rarer than in the past. For that reason and the fact that everyone's idea of what is a great campground, I rarely post recommendations for campgrounds that I plan on returning to.

Edited June 25 by trailertraveler

  On 6/25/2019 at 1:50 AM, Velos said:

We found this place 2 years ago. https://juniperridgeresort.com/home/about-us-2/.  

Great, but the purpose of my post was not for you to share your secret spots. Otherwise, they wouldn't be secret.

I was just curious if others were doing what I just started doing -- not sharing great locations.

I found a campground with FHU and cement patios and an indoor and outdoor pool. Once a week, their staff come and clean my RV inside and out. Three nights a week, all campers are invited to an old fashioned cookout featuring freshly grilled steaks, chops and salmon with vegies and salads. The meal is free to all campers There is also an open bar which is open every night. The cost is $5 per person per night for everything. For obvious reasons, I can't disclose the location of this campground .

I chose not to answer as I do not want to disclose what I know or may not know.

  On 6/25/2019 at 7:42 AM, Zulu said:

I was just curious if others were doing what I just started doing -- not sharing great locations.

We don't really have any secret ones now, but we did back when we had boys at home and were camping with a popup, towed with a 4WD vehicle. We spent a lot of time in national forests and on BLM land to access good hiking and fishing. Today we are more for level RV pads & hookups!

When we make a real "find" I will share it.  Of course what I think a good "find" is may not be of interest to someone else.  I figure if I share it on a couple forums only a hand full of people will read it or take advantage of it compared to the millions of RVers out there.

We have a couple but one, on a large lake out in the boonies rocks!  It is set up for semi-dry camping with a pit toilet and elec. if I wanted it (we don't use either one).  In our time of going there, I fish, never another fisherman/woman shows up, I catch nice fish!  Last trip there, one couple showed up late, pitch a tent and was gone by early morn.  It is way out in the sticks so I doubt I will have to share it often.  It belongs to an old sportsman club, most members in their 80s.  I have permission to do as I please out there (have offered to pay but they turn it down).  Has a firing range set up too.  The club pays someone to mow it regularly so it is always ready for us.  We found it by accident while out looking for new places to fish.  It is not on any map, nor will it be from me.  I won't share, it is our personal retreat.

  On 6/25/2019 at 9:15 AM, ToddF said:

I found a campground with FHU and cement patios and an indoor and outdoor pool. Once a week, their staff come and clean my RV inside and out. Three nights a week, all campers are invited to an old fashioned cookout featuring freshly grilled steaks, chops and salmon with vegies and salads. The meal is free to all campers There is also an open bar which is open every night. The cost is $5 per person per night for everything. For obvious reasons, I can't disclose the location of this campground .

This is very similar to mine except they also detail my truck weekly included in price.

I'm a former Boy Scout Camp Councilor, from age 14 I worked the summers for four years on the Aquatic Staff. Really a great experience, even when my boss had to fire me! (I learned at a young age, you can do the right thing, and still have to pay the consequences for it. Always get a chuckle from having to say I was 'Fired from the Boy Scouts!'. It was a true life lesson, that took a few years for me to fully understand... I think he popular word for the understanding part, has recently been 'Process'...). 

This few thousand acres camp in the Southern California mountains, and we'd hav between 1500-2000 kids each week over the summer. The camp has three places for between 3-5 RV's at each place to camp. Water, at each of the three locations has a septic available for dumping. Even now in my 60's, I maintain a relationship with the park. Each only 5 live on site caretakers over these decades - with a good hand off from each caretaker to the next. 

A few us Camp Councilors from the early 70's, show up each year to help do maintenance on the camp. Some can only stay for a few days, but most of us all stay for a full week. (Paint, build new structures, etc.) And we still do campfires on the first night, and embarrass our kids an some with great grandkids - doing some of the old stories and skits.

That is my Secret Campground, a special part of my life, and glad to be able to still give back some, and enjoy the beautiful area. 

Smitty 

  On 6/25/2019 at 9:15 AM, ToddF said:

I found a campground with FHU and cement patios and an indoor and outdoor pool. Once a week, their staff come and clean my RV inside and out. Three nights a week, all campers are invited to an old fashioned cookout featuring freshly grilled steaks, chops and salmon with vegies and salads. The meal is free to all campers There is also an open bar which is open every night. The cost is $5 per person per night for everything. For obvious reasons, I can't disclose the location of this campground .

When did you start staying at Escapees CARE?

Having retired from the Forest Service where my last job was managing campgrounds I really feel weird not telling the public about THEIR campgrounds.  So I even post them on my blog.

There are so many different needs when it comes to campgrounds that I suspect most people will ignore many of the suggestions. This forum, is the exception. You guys camp EVERYWHERE!!

I do want to use Dutch’s campground though....but it sounds like it is in the south.