Bates State Park

Have stayed at Bates several times. It's super clean, easy access, and never full (or even half full). Nice easy hiking around the pond with some strenuous hiking spurs too. Locals fish the pond, but no swimming (leaches, etc). Deer and waterfowl are common in the area. A popular spring drinking water access point is on hwy20 1 mile away and the closest Verizon cell is at a turnout 5-6 miles north on Hwy20. No big trees (you'll see why on their history signs), but many sights allow RVs to create their own patio shade and the nights are generally cool. A really nice place for an overnight or a week. Any size rig will fit here.

This is a beautiful facility that will be even better in a few years. We drove through three years ago when it was just opened, and the seedling trees newly planted. We checked in again last week to see how it's going. One bicyclist camped overnight in the hiker/biker section, and the sprinklers were on, giving the slightly larger trees and well-established grass a thorough soaking. Road are paved, the flat gravel pads are flat, and each site is nicely outfitted with fire rings and tables.

There's a single double-sided restroom with flush toilets but it's a bit remote from most of the sites. Plan your spot accordingly.

We were looking for more shade on this very unseasonably hot summer day, so we continued on five miles further down Hwy 20 to Deerhorn Forest Camp where the Ponderosa pines provide terrific shade.

There's no internet/cell service anywhere in this neck of the woods. Bates is right off the road (Hwy 20) and with the current diminutive tree size, privacy will be a bit scarce for some years hence.