iPhone is My Co-Pilot

iPhone promoted free applications in honor of Earth Day last weekend and several of them are definitely worth a download for campers / glampers.  The most exciting one for camping is "Oh Ranger".  This fabulous little application provides you with a quick reference to campgrounds around the country and includes a comprehensive summary of perks specific to each park.   

Screen shot of the front page and one of the search option pages

 It's a great resource whether you are already on the road are just planning a trip.   This is a great application and definitely a five star rating across the board.

Here's a view of a park summary

A shout out to Ford for sponsoring this application.  Many of our parks around the country are challenged with budget constraints and it is nice to see Ford stepping up to the plate to support our parks in this way.  This is a great application to plan your family summer camping vacation with tools to assist in mapping the route, planning what to do when you get to the destination and even plotting your next adventure down the road.

More applications to come...

Glamping Review of Inks Lake State Park

Inks Lake State Park

Campsites -

  

Nice campsites with great views of the lake and spaced out for privacy.   

Ease in Access-

Relatively easy to park a motorhome (although I did hit a tree on my second trip there).  Trails are close to the camping area.

Hiking-

Lots of great trails with various degrees of difficulty.  Everything from rock climbing to a casual park road stroll.

Swimming-

Roped area for lake swimming but most of the action is at Devil's Hole where spectators float in the water and watch divers jump from rock cliffs into the water. If you hike to the higher ground above the lake, there are clear water streams and waterfalls - truly beautiful.

Devil's Hole

Bathrooms/Showers-

There are bathroom/shower houses throughout the park. They are kept in pristine condition. If you need more privacy, several of the areas have private locked showers vs. the dorm style.  In the winter the bathrooms are heated.

Park Personnel-

Some of the best employees ever. They work hard and truly seem to love working at the park. 

Fellow Glampers-

Friendly environment with a good mix of happy glampers - everything from the fancy super coaches to the college students in tents. Lots of nice folks always ready to lend a hand if needed.

Activities-

In addition to the general activities (hiking, swimming, etc.), you can rent canoes, kayaks and paddle boats. There is a great park store with food, fishing stuff and camping supplies - a lifesaver for those of us who forget at least two critical items we need. They also have cabins for rent if you don't have a camper or tent. 

Overall-

Just an all around great place to spend a weekend or more. I'm tempted to say something bad about the place just because it is already hard to get a spot there but I can't.

Link to Directions

Link to Inks Lake area

 3630 Park Road 4 West
Burnet TX 78611
512/793-2223

 

     

Glamping: My Maiden Voyage

Hello fellow glampers. The post below is from my alter ego...A Happy Glamper
I hope you enjoy...



A few months ago I bought a 1989 Fleetwood Tioga motorhome.  She was a "mature" girl, but had good bones. My friends saw an eyesore but I saw a world of possibilities. Like any girl her age, she had seen some miles and in need of a  little cosmetic work to get her back to her glory days.  Fast forward five months, 5 gallons of paint, 6 boxes of hardwood planks, two luxury mattresses, a fireplace, curtains and a dumpster full of stinky old carpet - and my love project on wheels was ready to roll. All this girl needed was a name to suit her reputation and beauty.  That was an easy one, of course this would be Miss Betty in memory and tribute to my dear beautiful momma. In future posts I will share the renovations with you.

My first trip was to Inks Lake which is a short trip from Austin, Texas, but a great initiation to the curves and climbs of hill country roads as a novice motorhome glamper. Inks Lake State Park is a beautiful park nestled in the Texas Hill Country between Marble Falls and Burnet. The camp sites are large and have great views of the lake.

The trails in the park are fun and challenging with lots of climbing. The reward is climbing to the next level of the hills and discovering clear springs and waterfalls and gorgeous vistas.  Occasionally, a fellow camper will stroll by, but for the most part it feels like your own private sanctuary.

 Great little slice of paradise with both sight and sound therapy to soak in and enjoy.

The weather was perfect for a campfire dinner with good wine and a view of the sunset.

Of course no glamping trip is complete without a happy hour.

It was a wonderful trip and the beginning of many adventures in glamping.