camping!

Our sojourn into the wilderness was a success. After some discussion about where to go, my boyfriend and I decided to go to Burr Oak Cove in the Wayne National Forest. So we headed up Rt. 13 to where Athens County meets Morgan County, just north of Glouster. Burr Oak is also the name of the state park adjacent to the Wayne forest. Both campgrounds are near Burr Oak Lake, which was created by the Tom Jenkins Dam. The forest service has a page for the campground, but it's not the greatest. So visit it I'd you'd like, but I'll be trying my best to give you all the details you'll need if you're going to take a trip there.
The campground is primitive - for you non-campers, that means no hook-ups to water or electricity at the sites. Every site has a gravel parking spot, a dirt patch for putting a tent on, a fire pit and a picnic table. Pit toilets are spaced out along the road; the same goes for water spicets. We apparently were there just before water becomes available for the season (May 15-Sept. 20), so be aware of those dates if having access to water is important to you.
I'll admit right now that my camping experience would have been much different if I hadn't gone with my boyfriend. As I've alluded to before, he's a bit of an outdoorsman - a recreation management major and Eagle Scout, if those labels are any indication. So his equipment and expertise definitely helped make our night work. If no one in your group is an experienced camper, your trip might be a little different.
We picked site 12, which was the farthest from the entrance but also right on a clearing, so it didn't feel too secluded. Some firewood was available close by, which was also a bonus. It was also the closest to the main road, which ensured that we heard traffic until late in the evening. But it wasn't too distracting; you could hear plenty of wildlife as well. We arrived at about 7 p.m., so getting ourselves situated before dark was priority No. 1. After the tent was up and the fire started, it was time for dinner - hot dogs (and veggie dogs) cooked on sticks over the fire, baked beans and carrot sticks - yum. It also became clear about this time that we had not prepared very well for our trip. We packed just bare essentials, and unfortunately our choice of essentials did not include any sort of hand-cleaning or paper product. I can't remember the last time my hands felt so dirty. Fortunately we found a roll of shop towels in the truck, which made life much easier. Next we wanted to check out the reservoir, but because it was already getting dark, we drove over there. The lake is beautiful - very pristine and unspoiled by development. There's a big dock and a beach, and people were fishing from the banks.




We sat by the fire by awhile later - until we heard some rustling in the woods, that is. Thinking it was a raccoon, we sat in the truck for what felt like forever, hoping that it would wander over and then leave for good. No dice. Eventually we gave up and climbed into the tent. Later on, when I had to use the restroom, we peeked out to find a small cat sitting by the truck. So there was our little buddy. It didn't hang around for very long.
Other than that, the overnight was rather uneventful. The bright sunshine woke us up in the morning, but without a clock in sight, we managed to sleep until almost 10 (hey, all that nonsense with the rustling was tiring). Because we both had to get back for class and other obligations, all we had time to do was pack up and get on the road. If we had been able to stay longer, I would have liked to hike the Lakeside Trail that curves through the words to the lake.
Overall, it was a good experience. The campground was just what we were looking for, and the Burr Oak area is gorgeous. It's only about a 20-minute drive from downtown Athens, so it is a great escape for students or anyone looking to spend some time in the outdoors. Just remember to clean up your site!