Camping. Some people love it and some people … well they don't love it. Here at the Squam Lakes Association people are privileged to have a very unique camping experience. We offer 12 campsites right out on the lake, spread out on two islands and a peninsula. These campsites are somewhere that many people have been returning to for years and it is amazing to hear their history. I thought that I might share some information with you, perhaps if you are new.
Traveling from the SLA out of Piper Cove and heading east out towards the camps and islands the first location you come upon is Moon Island. It is a lovely 30-acre island with only three campsites, a caretaker cabin, three small beaches and an interpretive trail (which is short and sweet and filled with information that many might not be familiar with, so of course I recommend going there). When the LRCC members here at the SLA are out in the summer months taking on our caretaking duties, we stay there in the caretaker cabin for five nights. Our duties involve checking people in, hearing their stories and tales of woe, being a face for the organization; and making sure the bathrooms are cleaned and stocked up, the firewood bundles are stocked, the trails are clear, and any other task that we need to do to ensure that everything is maintained. This island and this cabin I will have called home for 15 nights this summer. So far, I have only completed one of my camping duties and I am looking forward to the next two that are quickly coming up.
Bowman island is the island right across the channel; it’s 23 acres and has four campsites, as well as a very popular sunset spot called Sunset Rock, which I can assure you is aptly named. If you ever have the opportunity, it is a great location to watch the giant ball of hot plasma descend on the horizon. This island also has an infamously large raccoon that perhaps could take its name from one of my favorite movies The Princess Bride, from the fire swamp with ROUSs (rodents of unusual size). But please don't take this too seriously as raccoons are NOT a member of the rodent family and are in the family procyonidae. It's true that you are very unlikely to see bears out on the island, but that does not mean that you shouldn't secure your food. The small mammals (smammals for those of you in the know) are plentiful, as is the raccoon.
Wister Point is connected to the great and wonderful Chamberlain-Reynolds Memorial Forest. This location you can actually hike into rather than boat, something that provides access to those who might not want to paddle or boat there. These sites are amazing, and this location will always have a special place in my heart because of the amount of trail work I put into it. The last location is a lone campsite across from Wister Point on Heron Cove. This site is very private and with your own bathroom, dock and camp. A wonderful spot that for me is shrouded in mystery because I never seem to see the campers there when making my rounds, just the wood pile slowly getting smaller.
Some things I have seen while on the islands that break me out of the wonderful are:
A campfire that was left unattended (after drowning the fire in water and making coal soup I then spent that evening telling every camper how to put out a fire)
An LRCC member coming back with two trash bags full of other campers' trash that they left in the bathrooms (we run pack in pack out facilities, that should be your responsibility)
Trash in the bathrooms/ composting toilets (don't do this, not only do we have to pick it out, but there are many signs asking you not to do this)
So, I make this call to those who read this to spread the word and ask everyone to think about their actions. We are adults and shouldn't be treating our environment this way. I love this service position, but it makes me sad when people take advantage of us. Be a steward of the land and follow your principles or others. Protect it so people can keep coming back each year to find and appreciate its beauty. Protect the future memories that people are going to make here. The sweet fern bushes they might find, the wild animals, the loons they hear when tucking in for the night, the clean trails and cared for campsites. We work hard to make it clean for you, but we want to be working with you and not against you.
Love Megan
Megan has been serving at the Squam Lakes Association as a full-term Education and Outreach Assistant. She has been on the hunt for the best dehydrated snack, and is also researching freeze drying. Learn more about Meg here!