When you go to a large campground these days and see huge RV's, 4-wheelers, jet skis, etc., do you ever wish for a chance at the "good ol' days", when camping was simpler, less crowded and perhaps with less noise?
You can still find places where you can go tenting, canoeing, hiking and cooking on the open fire. Sing around the campfire, maybe with a guitar or ukulele - some of the old songs. That might mean camping to you.!
Even today, you can take different types of camping vacations. Some like to hike the Appalachian Trail, or tour along the many branches of the Erie Canal and its tributaries in New York State.
There you can find places to just pull over and look, hiking and biking paths, tent campsites and the chance to watch a boat being "locked through", or taken to a higher or lower water level by going through one of the many locks.
The New York State website, on its Tourism and Recreation page, mentions that recreational boating on the canal is becoming more popular as canoes, kayaks and motor boats of various types go through the locks.
The Appalachian Trail goes all the way from Mt. Katahdin in Maine, to Springer Mountain in Georgia. Skirting many towns and cities along the way, it runs for about 2160 miles. There are places to get off close enough to walk to businesses to get supplies, but there are also wild places all along the way, as well as magnificent views.
Some hardy souls have hiked the whole trail in one year, starting in the early spring and ending up in the fall, going through three seasons on the way. Others prefer to do a smaller portion of it at a time over several years.
