Mammoth Sees the Manatee Day 9

Tuesday 12/7/2021

Salt Springs Recreation Area to Lake Fausse Pointe State Park
Plannned: 5:19
Actual 6:48 ?

Weird day. We got an early start, leaving the campsite at 8:50 and being out of the park before 9 o'clock. Unheard of. But traffic was heavy, it was a long hard drive . and we had to take I-12 through Baton Rouge, which sucked horribly. We never had to come to a complete stop, but traffic kept slowing us down. And it was misty, rainy foggy dreary all the way.

The dogs got a tiny walk at the Love's during our gas stop. When we arrived at the campground at two-thirty or so, it was so dark and cool that I had to force myself to give Molly a long walk. We meandered around and took one trail halfway, but at the bridge across to the "trail system" we paused and returned. The sign there had been defaced with crude paint saying something like 'psychd' and I just didn't care to go walking out there.

The campground needs a review update. Points: hookups at the FRONT of the sites and on the wrong side of a very, very narrow pad. If we'd realized we weren't going anywhere, we'd have parked the Jeep in the back so the RV could be at the front edge.  The electric cord and water hose ran right in front of our door, very inconvenient. Picnic table ancient. Oh, and the electric box is so close to the ground that you could barely flex the 50-amp cord enough to hook it in. What were they thinking, putting a box that close to the ground with a one-direction electric outlet to which you have to attach a big, thick cord?

But the place is in the middle of a swamp, which explains the crumbling roads, soggy state of wooden fences, and general swampiness of the air. The fishing piers, one for every campsite or so, are in perfect condition. I can imagine this place being very beautiful in the summer. Racoon in the trees; barred owl; frogs. Ancient cypress trees everywhere.

There's a pretty large playground and a tiny little kiddie water park, too.  So I'd rank it 3 out of 5 stars--nice place but some serious issues.

Needless to say, after the the long drive down a narrow "levee" road to get to the campground and the difficulty in doing hookups, plus the cold, swampy air all around, we were not happy campers. But Mammoth was warm and dry and we had good leftovers in the refrigerator. So we cocooned.