Please read!!!
- Unknown light searching our tent
- Stranger walking pass our site
- Minivan pulling up 75 feet within us after midnight
A group of 3 of us were staying 4 nights over Labor Day weekend at a electricity and water campsite. On the 4th day, Monday, most people (90%) at Old Forge Camping Resort have checked out already to return to work on Tuesday. However, we stayed an extra night.
On the 4th night, it was around 11pm when we turned off our lights in our tent and called it a night. About 15 -20 minutes later, there was an unknown light that moved slowly acrossed the base of our tent. It was a constant light, as if searching, and this light appeared 7-8 times. The interval was about 5 minutes apart.
This was not the headlights of a car, because 1. the light would be higher 2. the light would "bounce" with the uneven grounds and 3. we would hear the engine. It was not people holding a flashlight at night walking to the bathroom because we were not in the direction of the bathroom. We were towards the far end of the campgrounds and the sites to the immediate right and left of us moved out. So there should be no one there, "searching" for the bathroom in our direction or around us.
We've camped at Old Forge Camping Resort before so we are familiar with the place. We've also camped at State Parks where there were less people. We are used to being at campgrounds. However, something was wrong about the lights coming into our tent. Something was not right.
Alert in the tent, we all waited for another sign on the light. In the silence, about 30 minutes after the first light, we heard someone walk right past our tent and towards the woods. If you look at the campsite map, you will know that each site is surrounded by scattered trees for privacy. And because we were at the far end of the site, to the back of us were deep woods where you cannot see any campsites. We knew no one was at the site to the right or left of us. No one should be remotely near our site.
It was not a bear because we would have heard the breathing. It was not a deer because we would know if we heard four hoofs. We heard footsteps. You know when someone walks passed you in the dark because all your senses are hightened.
Our errie feeling grew even more. Withstanding the rain, we decided to pack up and checkout. At this time it was midnight already. We gathered everything in the tent so once we get out, we go straight to the car. As hte guys put down the tent, I was keeping a look out of the surroundings near us. We keep the headlights on in the direction of the deep woods as well.
When everyting was packed, we drove to the main lodge where it was better light. It is where the bathroom and showers are located. We wanted to arrange some of the stuff in the car and used the bathroom before we leave. It was already past midnight in this mountainous area. When the guys were arrange stuff in the car, I saw a minivan pull out from the side of the mainlodge. The car was still half hidden by the lodge. The car sat there for about 15 seconds because I was looking at it. The car was probably about 75 feet away from us and i couldn't make out how many people were in the car. I then looked away to see how the guys were doing, and when I looked at the direction where the minivan was standing, it was not there anymore.
I did not think to much about it. Until about 5 minutes later, I see the same minivan appear in the same spot again. At this point, a few senarios went through my head -
1. The person is driving his family to the bathroom (which was at the main lodge) - but the he did not park and no one got out to use the bathroom since the entrance to it was right in front of us
2. The person wanted to take out trash to avoid bears - the car did not pull up to the dumpsite to throw anything out
3. The car came back late and looking for his site - it was after midnight, nothing is open that late. And after a day at the campgrounds, you would have your bearings of where your site is and the signs are pretty clear (e.g., turn this way is site 220-230).
Everything was just not right that night. We left the site and we will not go back anymore.
We have decided not to camp and reconsider our hiking trips as well. There are enough stories about incidents at campsites. Just because it has not yet happend at this site, it does not mean it will not happen.
Please consider renting a cabin or having an RV trailer. At least you have a hard barrier between you and the outside and there is a door!!