We have been camping in travel trailers for thirty years. What started out as a simple experiment has now become our mode of vacationing. Over the years our circumstances have changed. Our children are adults now, so we no longer need bunk beds. We travel with dogs so we need more floorspace. The family is growing so we want more living area in the camper. All of these changes gave us a reason to upgrade to different campers. There are many different ways that people come to a decision to purchase a Travel Trailer. This is the story of how it all started for us.
Tammy and I had been tent camping for years before we had children. Our favorite place to tent camp was Devils Lake State Park in Wisconsin. The sites were all wooded and private with a supply of water which allowed me to brew coffee and wash dishes. We loved camping and when Jennifer was born it wasn’t long before she was camping with us. Jeff followed four years later and then the whole family was camping in a big cabin tent with a tent heater (when necessary). Although there was a lot of work involved in setting up camp, we all enjoyed it.
Then came June of 1989. We headed north to do some camping at St Ignace State Park in Michigan. Tammy and I had camped here a couple of times before we had the kids, and really enjoyed it. When I packed the gear for the trip I left the tent heater at home. I was thinking it was too warm to drag it along, and that ended up being a huge mistake.
The first night in the tent, the kids slept like rocks while the temps dipped into the low forties. Tammy and I slept very little primarily out of concern for the kids; but in their sleeping bags they seemed to be warm enough. The next morning as we sat by the fire, the radio announced a freeze warning in effect for that evening. That was all I needed to hear; we packed up the gear and checked into a hotel. It was the last time we camped in a tent; and the first time we talked about getting a travel trailer.
1971 Jayco JayWren and Jennifer and Jeff
As soon as we got home, we started our search for a used travel trailer. Tammy had been camping in travel trailers with her folks since she was quite young. This gave us a good starting point since she had an idea of what we should look for. She thought that we should shop for a somewhat basic trailer at first to make sure everyone liked it. That way we wouldn’t spent too much money on something we might not use.
Our first stop was an large RV dealership very close to our house. After looking at a number of older used units, we settled on a 1971 Jayco JayWren. It was sixteen feet long with no bathroom. Not having a bathroom would be fine, because being tent campers we were already used to that. After all this was an experiment to see if we would like it as much as tent camping. As long as it had the fundamentals like a furnace and refrigerator, I would be happy.
Since it was 18 years old it would need some work. It needed new tires, curtains, and new dinette cushions. Overall it was a nice solid trailer so we bought it. It looked like the days of freezing in a tent were over.
The next few weeks I spent changing tires, wheel bearings, and painting the exterior of the trailer. Meanwhile, Tammy worked on renovating the inside of the camper. Then it was finally time to take the JayWren on a trip and see how we liked that type of travel.
So after a week-long journey in South Dakota’s Black Hills we knew that the experiment had been a success. This was so much better than setting up a tent and screen room; not to mention having a place to cook and eat (and a furnace). I loved the fact that I was no longer packing wet tents. We were no longer waking up with damp clothing. Although we loved the JayWren we quickly realized we needed a bathroom. A year later we upgraded to a 1990 Sprinter Travel Trailer with bunks for the kids. The RV Dealership gave us exactly what we paid for the JayWren when we trader her in.
View of the Campground
For that first trip we decided to stay at the Mount Rushmore KOA . The Mount Rushmore KOA was a great campground in the early 1990’s. Even then there was plenty do at camp like rent bikes, go horse back riding, and spend time at their large playground area. We have stayed many times since and have seen it turn into a much larger campground. It is so large that it no longer has decent sized camping sites. It has become more like a parking lot than a campground. Unfortunately, it is not a KOA we could recommend and not one we will visit. Some people may like that type of camping, but it is not for us.
On our most recent trip to the Black Hills in July of 2018 we stayed at the Fort Welikit Campground. This is a campground located in Custer South Dakota, about 20 minutes from Mount Rushmore. For more information on Fort Welikit campground click here.
Mount Rushmore Monument
Nearby you’ll find the small towns of Hill City and Keystone, and a steam train (the Black Hills Central Railroad) that you can use to shuttle between the two. Round trip tickets are about $28.00 per person but well worth it. Both Hill City and Keystone are very touristy but nice. Don’t underestimate how much you and your family will enjoy the train ride.
Jennifer and Jeff at the Custer State Park Tunnel
Just to the south of the campground is Custer State Park. Winding roads and beautiful views are common place at this park. Over one thousand bison roam the park, along with elk, deer, goats, antelope and Turkeys. Custer State Park also has campgrounds, but we haven’t stayed at any yet…next time!
Buffalo
More wildlife along the way to camp
Visitors to this area can also view the Crazy Horse Memorial, which has been a work in process since 1948.
Jennifer and Jeff in the Badlands
The Badlands – A must see!!!
The badlands are a couple of hours to the east and are a must see! We always make sure that we drive through the badlands on the way to or the way back from camping in the black hills. The Badlands National Park has roads that weave in and around the badlands. There are many areas where you can pull over and take pictures. There is also a restaurant located in the park.
The Badlands/White River KOA in Interior, South Dakota (2006)
If you feel like camping in the badlands (and we did the last time we were there), there are a number of campgrounds either near or inside the park area. We chose the Badlands/White River KOA. We have been here a number of times and have seen it grow into a much larger campground then when we first had reservations there. To learn more about this KOA click here.
Most of the folks that read my blog know that I voice my opinion when a KOA doesn’t meet my expectations. This KOA has exceeded our expectations and I think it will exceed yours as well. It’s very well maintained with room between sites, and very nice owners. I highly recommend this KOA. Keep in mind, you wont be able to see the badlands from the campground but they are only five minutes down the road.
There have been 7 more travel trailers since that first trip with the JayWren, all tailored a little differently to our changing life style. Jennifer and Jeff have grown up and married so the part of traveling with the “kids” is for the most part over. Now we travel with our floor children, Hannah a White Shepherd, and Kendra, a German Shepherd. I’m convinced that there is no better way to see the country than with a travel trailer.
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