Chicago Camping

From the Chicago Journal:

Chicago kids hoping to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city to go camping won’t have to go as far soon, the city and park district officials announced Thursday morning.Northerly Island, the lakefront park in the South Loop formerly known as Meigs Field, will expand its camping program in 2013 as part of the city’s plans to rehab the south end of the peninsula into a nature preserve.The park district already offers 320 camping spots throughout the year, most of which are at Northerly Island. But under the new plan, an additional 900 camping spots will be added at Northerly Island, 600 for family campers and 300 for 12- to 15-year-olds in the park district’s wilderness camping program.Some of the new spots will open up in 2013, when the southern end of the park begins to reopen as a nature preserve with multiple habitats; most of them will be in place by 2014.

Interesting view from your tent...

Smuttynose Island

Cold Splinters spent last weekend on Smuttynose Island (yes, that Smuttynose) in Maine, located in the Isles Of Shoals, six miles off the coast of New Hampshire. It's best known for the murders that allegedly took place in 1873, but now it's a private and very primitive 25 acre home to two structures, The Haley House and Gull Cabin, large amounts of loud, angry gulls and a beautiful trail that stretches the length of the island. The public is welcome to use the island during the day to picnic and hike, but in order to camp overnight, you have to be a member of the Maine Island Trail Association. The only other people on the island are the stewards that live in the Haley House for a week at a time.When the boats started go home and we were left to our own devices in the middle of the ocean, I tell you. One of the best sunset/star shows I ever saw. Below is a recording of the crazy seagulls on the north side of the island as went for an early morning hike.MP3: Gulls of Smuttynose Island