we had an awesome time staying in Cabin 2. It’s clean, cute, and built by the CCC in 36.
pros:
- fossil beach. we didn’t find any shark teeth but it was fun to look for them! i found a baby crab and some little fossils. i recommend bringing a colander and being prepared to get wet at the beach (we weren’t).
- the “efficiency” cabin is still an awesome cabin! it’s advertised as cinderblock, but it’s an authentic log cabin. fully renovated kitchen and bathroom, both of which featuring copper fixtures to add to the vibe.
- trails. all the trails were well maintained and had scenic views. despite only having about 15 miles in trails, it was still awesome and pet friendly.
- wildlife. if you want to find some osprey or waterfowl, this is the park for that! deer hang out in the open fields in the park and can be seen during the day.
- helpful signs. tree ID, butterfly info, trail maps, etc were all legible and easy to read
- quiet and dark. the cabins are so so so quiet, quiet enough that our yappy dogs never barked at anything. all the curtains in the cabins are blackout and awesome if you’re trying to take a nap in the middle of the day.
- interpreters. all the park interpreters (we only ever saw Ranger Luna) were very friendly and helpful. The programs were on the “fun” - less educational - side, but that’s okay!
- cell service. it seemed to work everywhere.
cons:
- it seems like everything was closed! the pool is closed, the cliffside cabins are closed, the camp store would randomly be closed throughout the day. i think this park has seen better days, but still had a bunch of visitors everyday we were here.
- we think our cabin had fleas. not a big deal, they’re hard to get rid of and i wouldn’t expect perfect conditions from a cabin in a park. i got eaten up by them every night sleeping on the couch since we had three people.
- fishing in the freshwater pond is spotty. i had my fly rod and only caught bluegill, but i love catching those suckers so it’s alright. the pond had hundreds of red eared sliders, so if you like to nature watch or chill on picnic tables, the pond is perfect and a short walk. lots of frogs too!