Amtrak/Camping Sites

[Rail Freak]

Day Dreamin Again!

Can anyone think of a camp site that is close enough to an Amtrak Station where I could take a small tent with me & get transportation (cab etc.) to/from campsite/station?

Thanx

 

[TinCan782]

Glacier National Park?

 

[SANSR]

Williamsburg, VA. Train station is centrally placed. There is an RV / tent site campground on Route 60 west of the city proper. Anvilcampground..com. Adjacent to the rail line.

 

[Sactobob]

I don't have any specific information regarding camping spots, but doing a bit of research for the following stations may produce some promising possibiities:

Leavenworth WA

Dunsmuir CA

Truckee CA

Flagstaff AZ

Lamy NM

Glenwood Springs CO

Grandby CO

 

[Rail Freak]

Glacier National Park?

I thought about that, I did an Amtrak trip there & stayed at the Village Inn At Apgar (Best Vacation Ever!). There is a camp ground in Apgar, are there others in the Park?

 

[TiBike]

There's a state park close by in Carpenteria, on the Surfliner route. There's another state park, and forest service land, not too far from the Truckee station. Don't know about Dunsmuir.

But that's not a barrier. Train routes in California have become de facto campgrounds for the homeless, who also have a tendency to wander onto the tracks -- accidents are becoming a noticeable problem for the Capitol Corridor.

 

[spinnaker]

Not Amtrak but a number of scenic railroads, including the one in Cass, WV, will transport you to a remote location where you will find cabooses where you can stay for the night.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Not Amtrak but a number of scenic railroads, including the one in Cass, WV, will transport you to a remote location where you will find cabooses where you can stay for the night.

My friends just went on a scenic railroad trip, where they left them with a caboose, on a very rural siding, for a few days.

 

[TinCan782]

Glacier National Park?

I thought about that, I did an Amtrak trip there & stayed at the Village Inn At Apgar (Best Vacation Ever!). There is a camp ground in Apgar, are there others in the Park?

Yes, there are other campgrounds and the park has a shuttle service.

 

[jld]

Mills Norrie and others near rhinecliff / Poughkeepsie. Croton point at Croton harmon.

 

[Maglev]

Larrabee State Park is 4.4 miles from the Bellingham train station on the Cascades route. There certainly are plenty of cabs in Bellingham.

 

[FreeskierInVT]

Little River State Park is 5 miles from the Waterbury, Vermont station on the Vermonter route. A beautiful spot in the Green Mountains with tent sites, lean-tos, remote boat accessed tent sites and cabins.

https://vtstateparks.com/littleriver.html

 

[Bob Dylan]

We've had this thread before, my favorite was the one about Yosemite in California utilizing the San Joaquin Route and an Amtrak Thruway to the Park.( Sorry I can't link it)

 

[Sactobob]

There's a state park close by in Carpenteria, on the Surfliner route. ,,,,

That brings to mind that in Grover Beach, a bit further north on the Surfliner route, there is the Oceano Campground within the Pismo Beach State Park. It is a short distance from the Grover Beach station.

 

[BCL]

It's not necessarily getting off a train, but certainly within the Amtrak ecosystem. Yosemite National Park. You could try getting a first come first served space at Camp 4. However, there's a loophole that allows a single night for someone entering by bus at any one of the backpackers' campgrounds. It's mentioned in the first response here:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g61000-i315-k10520882-Public_transportation_and_camping-Yosemite_National_Park_California.html

I guess another one would be San Luis Obispo to the KOA near Avila Beach. That might require reservations though. It's maybe 9 miles from the station. There's also a KOA in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

 

[caravanman]

I don't think camping near a station would be difficult, I have seen many "tent cities" by railroads in America on my train rides.

Ed.

 

[TinCan782]

I don't think camping near a station would be difficult, I have seen many "tent cities" by railroads in America on my train rides.

Ed.

Well, you are certainly right about that, Ed! Especially here in the Los Angeles area.

 

[Karl1459]

Whitefish Lake has a campground just a few miles north of Whitefish MT, Cab/Uber/Lyft or bicycle should be easy. Chemult Oregon is a wide spot in the back country, a couple mile hike puts you into Forest Service land where barring fire closures you should be able to dry camp.

 

[DCAKen]

The Capitol Limited makes two stops along the C&O Canal, which has campsites every six to eight miles along the towpath. Cumberland MD is the western-most point (Milepost 185) on the C&O Canal. The closest to Cumberland is the Evitts Creek campsite at MP 180. Closest to Harpers Ferry (MP 60) is the Huckleberry Hill campsite at MP 62.9. The campsites are pretty minimalist, with a port-a-potty and water pumps (which are turned off from Nov 15-Apr 15).

 

[BCL]

I don't think camping near a station would be difficult, I have seen many "tent cities" by railroads in America on my train rides.

Ed.

I'm guessing the reference is to legal options.

I was looking for commercial options, although I'm pretty sure there might be nearby state and/or federal campgrounds near certain Amtrak stations. There's a KOA in Winnemuca, Nevada. It may even be walkable from the station.

https://koa.com/campgrounds/winnemucca/

https://goo.gl/maps/N7szpXcBWGN2

Throwing in thruway bus routes would extend the options. Amtrak California does go to South Lake Tahoe via bus, and there are plenty of camping options nearby along with public transportation. Camp Richardson has lots of campsites on federal land, although it's operated by a family business under contract. They're old school - they have a website but only take reservations by phone or email - nothing available online. There might also be a way to get to Nevada Beach, which is a US Forest Service campground near Stateline Nevada.

http://www.tahoetransportation.org/transit/south-shore-services

http://www.camprichardson.com

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/nevada-beach-campground-and-day-use-pavilion/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=71530

 

[jebr]

Winona, MN seems to have a campground along the Mississippi River. There's a cab company in town, along with Lyft. Uber may be available as well.

Link to the campground: https://www.prairieislandcampground.com/

 

[gswager]

How about Surf, CA?

 

[BCL]

How about Surf, CA?

Where is there to camp around there? I'm getting maybe River Park in Lompoc, but they say it's RV camping. The station seems to be surrounded by Vandenberg AFB and I'm not sure there's any cabs or ride services easily available.

 

[BCL]

Thinking of cities, maybe Anaheim? Most of the places call themselves RV parks, but one has tent-only rates.

https://www.anaheimharborrvpark.com/rates/

 

[Skyline]

From the North and Central Districts of Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, Culpeper would be the closest station to catch the Crescent and Cardinal.

From SNP's South District, it would be Charlottesville for the Crescent and Cardinal; Staunton for the Cardinal.

No public transit but cabs, Uber, etc,. are options as are private shuttle services set up to serve Appalachian Trail hikers and others in and near the Park.

Camping in the Park may take place at pay-sites in "front country" campgrounds, or almost anywhere in the more rustic free backcountry. These are perhaps the best option. This link may help locate such services: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/explore-the-trail/transportation-options