Very conveniently located not just next to the smaller of the two visitors centers of the park, but also close to the trailhead for one of the prettiest walks in the park in July.
The campsites are self-serve, and if you’re not trying to come on July 4th weekend, you probably don’t need a reservation.
You park in the back of the visitor center parking lot, and carry your stuff to the campsite. This is not a long walk, regardless of the campsite.
The restrooms are clean. If they are busy when you need them, you can always try the visitor center where they leave the restrooms open 24 hours a day.
The visitor center is also the only place with any kind of WiFi access, but it’s very slow. We didn’t get any cellphone signal, so we were able to use the visitor center WiFi to send messages and contact family.
The campsites have both sun and shade, and include a strong food locker, fire ring, and picnic table. Temperatures in mid-July were comfortable in short sleeves. We had no issues with mosquitos.
The trail behind the visitor center takes you through a small wooded area before opening on a pretty creek and hills that are just covered in Mountain Mule Ears, which blossom starting in early July. It looks like something out of a musical set in Austria or a Swiss Travelogue. Walking an hour further, you will eventually see a great waterfall that you can walk to the top of.
A short drive away is the Sulfurworks...several geothermal vents and fumeroles. And if you get there early enough in July and depending on the weather, you might be able to take a quick drive to see snow, including ice-covered Lake Helen.
At night, you’ll see more stars than you can imagine. Bring binoculars and a star chart.
One last tip: Download an offline map of the region if you plan to use Google Maps on your cellphone. There is no cell reception in most of the park and surrounding areas.