After 35 years of tent camping on the ground I've finally advanced to a type of camping that is slightly less than roughing it. I've always enjoyed the outdoors and I still prefer to dry camp or "boondock" when I can. But, in July of 2008 I found a local good deal on a vintage pop-up tent trailer and decided it was time to try something more comfortable. This is a 1967 Cox Cadet 220.

It is a very basic tent trailer with only two queen sized beds and a dinette that converts to a smaller sleep area. This pop-up camper is more than 40 years old. There is no sink, stove, bathroom, refridgerator, television, or any of the luxurious amenities like those found in today's camping trailers. I made reservations at a campground near my home in northern Virginia for the first weekend in August, 2008. The weather forecast was predicting temperatures in the high 80's to low 90's with a slight chance of thunderstorms. I was anxious to try out this type of camping.

Located near Front Royal, Virginia, on the banks of the Shenandoah River, The Low Water Bridge Campground aptly gets its name from The Low Water Bridge.

It's a narrow, single lane bridge that is crossed just before reaching the Low Water Bridge Campground's main office. The office includes a camp store, bathroom and shower facilities. I was pleasantly surprised to discover very reasonable prices in the camp store. Disposable grills, watershoes, ice, firewood, batteries, ice cream sandwiches and more were all available at prices more like Wal-mart than a campground store. I hear the friendly staff will even provide a hot cup of coffee in the morning for free if asked.

The campground has a large, level playground that includes a big swingset and very cool digging toys that seemed very popular with kids of all ages. There is ample room to set up your own horseshoes, badmitten, or play frisbee.

Low Water Bridge Campground has both electric and standard camp sites available. The waterfront camp sites do not offer electric hook-ups but they are fairly level and large. They include a cast iron grill and picnic table. They have the advantage of being seperated by rows of beautiful mature trees that provide both shade and additional privacy. The cost is around $30 per night for waterfront camping and about $37 for a site with hook-ups. There is no wi-fi internet access available and we could not get any cell phone service. However, that proved to be a good thing. One less distraction from the tranquility of this privately owned family campground. I did see one huge class A rig in a pull through spot. It must have been an interesting drive trying to navigate the winding turns and low branches through the mountains, not to mention crossing the narrow bridge in that big rig. 

Our first meal consisted of t-bone steaks, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and buttered toast. It was fabulous. There's just something about food cooked outdoors that can't be duplicated by any method I've ever tried. The little tent trailer I purchased was in extraordinary condition considering it's age. The only defect I could find was the zipper being broken on the awning. Which also doubles as the snap on cover. I was able to create an awning with a tarp and a couple of tent poles. I was lucky the awning worked out so well because we had one of the hardest downpours I've ever experienced while camping that first night. We were very comfortable and dry. But the sound of the hard rain was extremely loud inside the tent. It was actually like a train was passing beside us for several hours. We didn't care though. In fact, it was kind of cool to be sheltered in there during the storm. We played cards and backgammon, listened to country music on a little pocket radio I'd brought, and enjoyed being out of the elements.

The river offers a wide variety of activities including fishing, canoeing, kayaking, tubing, wading, swimming, bird watching, and more. The Down River Canoe Company has rentals of anything that floats and is conveniently located just on the other side of the Low Water Bridge. There is also the Front Royal Canoe Company a few miles further from the campground.

We're lucky we brought our own tube because the canoe company was packed with people wanting to enjoy the river. We put our tube in just below the Low Water Bridge and floated for about an hour right back to our camp site. The water was clear and refreshing on a hot August afternoon.

This area has to be one of the most naturally beautiful places on earth. The Blue Ridge Mountains provide the perfect backdrop for the Shenandoah River. The slow flowing lazy river washes away the stresses of daily life, inspires adventure and an admiration for nature.

Based on the location, friendly staff, activities available, and affordable camp store prices, I highly recommend this campground and surrounding experiences to anyone who enjoys getting outdoors and camping. It's a wonderfully peaceful experience.

August, 2008.