I Thought I Didn't Like Camping...I Was Wrong
I’ve always loved the outdoors and being in nature, but the one thing I never really liked was camping. Don’t get me wrong, camping has always been a fun thing for me, but every time I’d go, there would always be something that took the fun out of camping. Whether that was swarms of yellow jackets, tons of spiders getting in our tent, getting rained on, (and don’t even get me started on all the work it takes for one night), camping typically ended up happening in the backyard a few summer nights or in a facilitated environment. I thought that all hope was lost and that I wasn’t the type of person to enjoy all that came with camping until I went with a group of my friends.
It was our senior year of high school, spring break, and we had all decided we wanted to go camping. So what else was there to do but pack up some backpacks, grab a few sleeping bags and drive three hours away to Stone Mountain State Park. This was the start of the best spring break ever. Our adventure started the second we got in the car. My GPS rerouted us a few times down random dirt roads. We eventually got lost from the rest of our group but ended up making it to the park. The drive was beautiful. Open roads, cool air, windows down, music playing through the radio. After setting up camp we hiked to the base of Stone Mountain where a small boulder field is located. While there are a few boulder projects marked out on Mountain Project, for the most part, we made up our own routes, exploring through the rocky abyss around us.
Next adventure stop, a natural waterslide at the base of Widow Creek Falls. A short path from the side of the road leads you under a trail of trees to the waterfall. There are pools at the top and bottom of the slide for swimming. Sliding down the rocks can be done in an inner tube or with nothing at all. The cool water feels amazing on a hot day or after a long hike. If you’re feeling adventurous, wander behind the top of the waterfall for a hike along a creek (just be advised, I’m not sure if it’s still an actual trail or not).
Once we tired ourselves out, we headed back to the campsite for some food and a campfire. Add in some card games, Cheerwine, Eno’s and ukulele for extra memories. We sat around the campfire and talk for hours about everything. S’mores are also a must when camping so you know we ate plenty of those. (Not necessarily a must, but I highly recommend trying to see how many marshmallows you can fit in your mouth). Fresh mountain air mixed with campfire smoke is now one of my favorite smells. Soon the sun slowly set and the stars started to twinkle around us. We then had no choice but to find the best place on the campground to stargaze. After walking around for a few minutes we found a street that looked abandoned and all laid down on the sun-warmed pavement staring in complete awe of the stars dangling above us. Every constellation, every single star, big or small, can be seen by the naked eye…or at least that’s what if feels like. Pure bliss overwhelmed me. We soon got lost in time, realized it was super late and headed back to the campsite. (Don’t worry, that lady that yelled at us to be quiet while we were laughing while brushing our teeth forgot all about it in the morning). That night we all slept peacefully, in our tents and hammocks. Under the mountain stars, everything felt utterly perfect and safe.
As the birds start to chirp and the squirrels began to find their breakfast, we started to wake up too. Pancakes were thrown on the griddle, syrup was poured and exciting chatter about the day’s adventures filled the air. The first adventure of day two led us up to the top of Stone Mountain. Hikes typically are a struggle for me with my tendentious plagued knees and asthma, but this hike was way too pretty (and too rewarding) to be a pain to complete. With every turn we took in the trail, there was one view after another that took my breath away (and no it wasn’t the asthma).
As we go to the top of Stone Mountain, life seemed to fall perfectly into perspective. Being so high up, over towns, farmhouses and millions of trees, it made you feel perfectly invincible. For a while the gang sat up there, high up on the rocks, taking it all in. Every single breath of fresh air that made our lungs feel fuller than they’ve ever been, the refreshing rocks underneath us cooling our sweaty bodies, the curiosity of exploration below filling us up inside till we were whole.
After we descended the mountain, we decided to keep going on our hike, heading to another waterfall. This part of the trails was relatively easy and full of so many dogs, all of which were completely covered in dirt and leaves. And you bet we stopped to pet every single one. The second waterfall we stopped at, Stone Mountain Falls, allowed for much more exploration. Fallen trees made bridges, boulders made perches for weary bodies, and the creek below welcomed waders into its cool waters. Once we were cooled off from our hike, we started the trek back to camp, up multiple staircases, so long we lost count how many steps we climbed.
Then came the moment nobody wanted to come. “Time to break everything down and pack up.” It felt like some of the magic had slipped away, through the cracks in the pavement we were walking over. Gloomily we began to pack things up, shoving backpacks and sleeping bags in every empty trunk crevice we could find. In our typical fashion, we stalled as long as we could and decided to not start the drive home just yet. Instead, we had a picnic lunch, played Uno, and threw a Frisbee around. A few hours and some food later, we said our goodbyes and drove back home.
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I’ve now since learned that I actually love camping. Maybe sometimes it just takes one trip to go right to change your whole perspective about something. Here’s to many more sketchy Eno stacking, humid hiking, stargazing in the middle of the road, chilly waterfalls, and memories made in tents in the middle of nowhere in a small campground that will forever be my favorite.
