–by Adam Polinski
In 2019, CRF spent our “Food Truck Sundays” revenue on materials for tent pads for Rhododendron Campground. We aimed at that target because an abundance of flat, dry tent sites were the only element lacking, when, in 2018, the WV DNR converted what had been managed as a picnic area into an electricity-free tent-camper’s 25-site campground. Tent pads were an obvious way to add value to the campground, because if a camper doesn’t get a good night’s sleep due to sleeping on a sloping hillside, that camper will not be back, and will make a point of exactly why not on a social media campground review. But, on the other hand, if a camper gets a good night’s sleep, on a flat, smooth, dry tent site, and peeks out of the tent in the morning at a view of the forest with the smile of a well-rested adventurer, then many good things will follow, not to mention better reviews. In Autumn of 2019, we built our first three 10’ X 12’ tent pads, with help from volunteers.
The challenges of 2020 hit CRF’s service work with volunteers hard – just like the hits taken to all the annual work typically done by so many WV non-profits. We cancelled everything involving groups of people! Working with volunteers was done, for the foreseeable future. Trailwork typically depends on a crew of many energized volunteers, and it can take that sheer volume of people power in order to make noticeable improvements on trails within the time constraints of a weekend afternoon volunteer session. So, in Spring 2020, our attention shifted away from trails and toward Rhododendron Campground, and to work that one, two, or three of us could do — more tent pads!
Assistant Superintendent Brad Atkins put together a plan after inspecting all 25 sites, which consisted of building a total of 15 pads and leaving 10 sites as-is.
Choosing the precise location of each 10’ X 12’ pad involves imagining yourself as the camper, who wants privacy and aesthetics, while also considering the practical realities of moving timbers, soil, and limestone fines to the spot with a skid-steer during construction. Once that spot is determined, the corners of the rectangle footprints are flagged and the sides marked with paint. The treated 6” X 6” timbers – with their ends pre-notched at HQ –are skid-steered to the site. Then a whole lotta good old-fashioned ‘grubbing’ goes on, digging with shovels, mattocks, rakes, and loppers, through roots and rocks and soil clods, and producing four flat trenches for the timbers. With “build to last” as the guiding motto, the timbers are then carefully seated in their trenches, squared and levelled, and then holes are drilled and each timber is pinned into the ground with 2’ rebar. The inside is draped with weed-stifling landscape fabric, then fill is added on top of the fabric and worked so as to create a soft, firm level bed. Finally, the inside of the levelled 10’ X 12’ frame is thoroughly filled and topped off by 2” – 4” of limestone fines, tamped and graded.
The A-Team* of Aaron Watkins, Adam Polinski, and Assistant Superintendent Brad Atkins of WV DNR State Parks, worked intermittently Spring through Autumn on this project — one, two, or occasionally, three at a time. Key cameo appearances by Ryan Cook, Mark McCoy, and Chris Haddox contributed big chunks of progress (*everyone has at least one “A” in their name, if not two). Their efforts resulted in nine more tent pads for Rhododendron Campground during the global pandemic of 2020. The final three pads of the planned fifteen are planned for 2021.
While numerous further improvements to the campground have been discussed, WV State Parks will maintain the following policies in order to preserve the quiet natural character of Rhododendron Campground: NO electricity provided at sites, and NO generator use permitted. Ideas discussed for 2021 include building a Campground Host Campsite, providing electricity to the restrooms, registration kiosk and Campground Host Site, opening an additional spur trail to Restroom Trail, levelling all picnic tables, installing lantern posts at all 25 sites, privacy plantings of Hemlock saplings on borders of Sites #11 and #15, and conversion into Large Group Sites for #12 and two others nearby.
Rhododendron Campground was closed to the public in the early months of the spread of COVID-19, but when regulations changed, the campground saw a lot of use, even on weeknights, from summer through the end of October. People are recognizing what a great place this is to tent-camp. Climbers, is there any other campground on public land in WV as close to the rocks as this one? Mountain Bikers, you can hop on your bike and hit the trails from the entrance or the exit of this campground, not to mention the trail behind Site #12. Hikers and Trail Runners, the trail system is just about right outside your tent door when you camp at Rhododendron. Everyone, the Coopers Rock Overlook is only a few minutes’ stroll up over the rise. This is the place to camp for the combination of a good day in the forest and a good night’s sleep.
