Less Strict Camping on Current River??

[ttowler]

Does anyone know of camping sites on Current River that have less strict rules about quiet times?

I'm aware of Jason's Place but we would rather find something on the water.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Terri

[Steve King (Admin)]

Your best bet for no quiet rules on the Current River would be to camp along the river in a non-established campsite. Eventhough these types of campsites have no facilities, they are truely (in my mind) the best due to the primitiveness and solitude that they provide. The majority of these sites are only accessible by loading up a canoe with your camp gear and floating down stream (or upstream) to a gravel bar of your choice.

Now, there are some of these types accessible via car, but keep in mind, there still are no facilities. Sites like Parker's Ford below Montauk is one such place. There are 2 campsites there (first come first serve), one being what I would call an AWESOME site with a sand and gravel bar. This spot is usually only accessible via truck, but one can park up from it and haul their gear down the pitted road if they wish. To usually obtain this site in the summer, one would usually have to be lucky or arrive during a weekday when it usually is available. We have arrived on a Friday (early daytime) in the past and it was available due to many opting out trying to get to it due to the road, but arriving any later than that through Sunday it is usually filled by someone who has a 4x4 (like me, hee hee).

The best part of this 6 min. 57 sec. video is from the 5 min. mark on. Before that is just a 4 wheeler ride down to the river. You see the camp area that I'm speaking of after the 6 minute point to the end.

The next option would be a rustic campground were there aren't a lot of facilities. (ie. Cedar Grove). There are campsites and to camp there is $5 per night. A ranger makes the rounds every so often, but for the most part one can be louder than at a NPS campground like Pulltite, Round Spring and Montauk where quietness is strictly enforced.

Jason's Place is still one of the best bets to be loud for a site that has facilities, since they have a section of their campground for those types. However, like you said, it isn't located along the river, but rather a couple of miles up the road from Akers Ferry. All NPS campgrounds with facilities are strictly enforced. Private campgrounds may have less strict rules. I would call around first.

Steve