Blackhawk Memorial Park- Camping Time!

Yay!!!  We finally made it camping this year!

Our favorite go-to campground is Blackhawk Memorial Park, in  Argyle, WI.  It’s approx 3 hours away from Chicago, very close to Monroe, WI.

Without a doubt,  Blackhawk Memorial Park is a hidden gem found off the beaten camping path! It’s volunteer run, and you pay on the honor system. Just drive in, find your campsite (over 30 to choose from), fill out the small registration, put your money in the box, and away you go!!!  It’s $10 per night on the weekends, I believe $5 during the weeknights.

They do not take reservations, it’s first come first serve.  We’ve gone camping there 4 times now, and never had a problem.  We even found a great camping spot over Labor Day weekend last year.

Note, BRING LOTS OF WATER. Blackhawk has a water spout so you can get free water, but I wouldn’t necessarily trust it for drinking water, other than that, the park doesn’t have running water of any sort.  You will need water for cleaning, drinking, putting out the campfire, ect.  A week and a half before our trip, we’ll start filling up leftover soda, juice, and milk bottles with water from our own house to ensure we have enough.  The local store in Monroe, Piggly Wiggly, does sell water but I prefer to be thrifty and bring as much as I can!

Upsides to the park……..

1. The campsites are spacious and spread out.  We had 4 other campers in our area, and besides seeing the light from their campfires, you couldn’t hear them.  One year 6 of us went camping and we had 3 big campsites all to ourselves.  You’re never on top of other campers at this place (unless you want to be).

2. The stars……OMG the stars. On clear nights, when the moon isn’t out, you can actually make out the Milky Way!

3. This is real camping without showers, with one exception, they DO have a port-o-potie close to the sites. Hands down, the 4 times we went, it was the cleanest, best smelling port-o-potie I have ever used. They always have a roll or two of TP stocked inside (bring an extra roll…just in case). When I say best smelling, I’m not joking. It smelled like perfume and flowers! And not like the “smells-like-perfume-and-flowers-to-cover-up-the-­horrible-poop/pee-smell”, it was extremely pleasant!

4. One night, a truck pulled up at our site. He volunteered for the campsite. He let us know a storm was coming in, and it would probably rain in the morning. He wanted to ensure we would prepared. We made precautions and put everything we had out in the car. Sure enough, it poured rain in the morning. He drove up with this truck to ensure we were OK.

5. They have a cute park with a pavilion area. They have jungle gyms for kids and it’s next to a lake/river. The benches are under the pavilion so you’re protected from the elements and we often see big groups/families laughing, grilling, eating, and drinking.

6.  Monroe, WI is a half hour away that has a full equipped grocery store (Piggy Wiggly) and a fabulous fresh fruit and vegetable market (Brennen’s Market). Every time we go camping, we stop in Monroe to get what we need for our trip.

7.  Fire wood, if they have it (see downsides about fire wood below), is $5 for 20 pieces of wood!

Downsides to the park….

1. No showers…..this doesn’t concern me any, but I wanted to give fair warning to the people who need showers when they camp.

2. They do sell firewood, but sometimes they have a shortage.  Next to a big shed, near the entrance of the campground, there is a sign that states you can purchase firewood between 5-7pm.  Paying for wood is based on the honor system, people are suppose to pick up some wood, and place money in the box on the shed for it. I think people get a bit greedy with the wood as it’s been empty 2 out of the 4 times we camped there.  Some of the gas stations in Monroe and sometimes the Piggly Wiggly sell firewood.  If you are driving in and planning on setting up camp at night, be sure to stop in Monroe for firewood just in case, at least for your first night!

Hands down, Blackhawk Memorial Park is a favorite campground of mine and I strongly recommend it for anyone who enjoys tent camping!

This particular trip was extra special because we got to try out our new camping gear!!!

1.  Self-inflatable (single person) air mattresses: OMG..these are the best camping invention EVER!!!  At the end of each mattress you’ll find a cap.  You simply twist open the cap, let the air flow in (can take an hour to fully inflate), twist the cap shut, and place your sleeping bag on top!  They only inflate to about 2 inches, but that’s enough to protect you from sleeping on rocks, that may be under your tent.  They were soooo comfortable, I haven’t slept better while camping, I highly recommend them!  Find self-inflatable mattresses here.

2.  Tent fan with light: Ever wish your tent had better circulation?  These battery operated tent fans are fantastic.  Not only do they help with tent air flow, but some come with lights too!  It’s much easier to change in your tent at night, when you don’t have to hold a flashlight!  Check them out here.

3.  Campfire grill:  This is a staple when camping and every camper should have this in their gear.  In the past our friend’s always brought theirs along, but we finally got one of our own and it worth every penny!  Find grill’s here Campfire camp grill.

4.  Portable, single burner, camping stove:  Having this item is more of a luxury than a necessity, but it’s extremely handy to have around….especially in the morning when you want a quick cup of coffee.  I also love using it for dishes.  The campground doesn’t have hot running water and after I’m done cooking, I prefer hot water to wash my dishes with.  I just fire up the stove, warm up water with dish soap in a pot, and wash away!  Find single burner stoves here.

Another amazing factor for this trip was the food.  OMG the food.  This week I’ll be posting about:

Campfire Spinach and Artichoke Dip:

 

Campfire Breadsticks:

Cajun Crusted Filet Mignon Wrapped In Bacon:

And finally an easy DIY project, Fire Starters:

I hope all my fellow campers out there enjoy this camping season!  Stay safe, bring bug spray, have fun, and munch yer face off!!

Sincerely,

Christina and Kieran