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Reviewed 8 September 2010

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!!

Date of stay: September 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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5  Thank AlisonEvans80
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 7 September 2010

First came here 2 yrs ago and had a great time. However this time was different. Was on a recent stay here over the Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately they stuck us out pretty far from the main lodge area even though I requested as close as possible to it . I didn't mind so much until my final night stay there. 3 of us stayed in a tent and it was this past Labor Day. Mostly every vacated the place and the nearest person to us was 2 campsites away however it was like we were all alone anyways because we were pretty far from them. Anyhow it was around 11pm and we were all falling asleep when my brother said quietly, it looks like someone is shining a light in the tent. We looked up and it appeared very much like someone was shining a flashlight inside our tent. When we started talking loudly the light abrubtly shut off. We got quiet again and the light came back on 10 min later only this time we heard footsteps. We made the decision to gather up our stuff, take down our tent, and drive 5 hrs home to NJ. The 3 of us were really creeped out by this experience. We've gone camping plenty of times before but perhaps this was a wakeup call to us. Its no wonder a lot of people that were left there had dogs or RV's. Remember a tent serves no protection. What bothered me a lot was this resort has minimal if any type of security. We weren't even bothered by the reports of black bears everywhere. I know not much crime happens here but we didn't want to end up being the first to end up on Unsolved Mysteries or something. I gave this stay 3 stars based on the fact that this place overall is pretty good. However this recent stay made me realize how naive we've been when it comes to camping out in a tent even at a private camping resort.

Date of stay: September 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
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2  Thank Kevin E
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 23 August 2010

The campground is very nice, but very crowded. Our tent site was very rocky to say the least. Can you say bent tent stakes. Bathrooms were very clean. At night the place was on the loud side, we had neighbors who played loud music until well after 11:30PM, not great for my 3yr. old and my 10 yr. old. We were there for 3 nights and every night there was bear activity all around us. On the last night a bear broke into a food cooler and was scared off by our neighbor, and we could literally hear the bear breathing as it ran past our tent at 5AM. They make you sign a "bear" waver releasing them of all responsibility before you sign in. All their dumpsters have electric wire fence that comes on at 8pm-8am, we heard a bear get zapped in the middle of the night as he grumbled. A tent behind the dumpster was surrounded by a momma bear and her cubs, as she looked for food. While they may look harmless, remember they are WILD animals and totally unpredictable. At no point did we ever see campground staff while bears were present. The staff did make more trips around camp at night, but it was quick and brief. The bus to Water Safari was unpredictable as well either getting at the stops early or late. The quick walk to Water Safari was really to far for our two children, as we did it one day instead of waiting for the unpredictable bus. It's better to take your own car to the park.

Date of stay: August 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
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1  Thank Typical_Mom
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 22 August 2010

We have been coming to this area for 20+ years. We started out single white water rafters, then we came back as a young couple, then came back with our 3 young, young, children, and we have returned many years since until we came back last week with our 3 children who are now 22, 19 and 15.5 years old!

No. 1: If you can go away with your kids on vacation, you are a very lucky family!
No.2: Camping is the best vacation ever for kids and a family!
No. 3: We stayed in the camping cottages: Back in the day, we stayed in tents, then we stayed in camping cabins, now finally, now that we are 45+ we like to stay where there is a bathroom and a semi-kitchen.
No. 4: We have liked Old Forge Camping Resorts since our youngest has been 6 months old and our 3 year old wanted to stay in a :steel tent"~! We love the area, we love the bears, we love renting a boat~
You will not hear any complaints from this family~ We are 20+ year veterans of the area and we love every part of this area!

Date of stay: August 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
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1  Thank mchgh
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 10 August 2010

We have been going here for 20 years. It used to be a KOA and was taken over by someone else. Everything was great as a KOA but things have changed. We had a very bad experience with a very rude staff person which soured our last trip. Be very careful of the reservation procedure - we got there and they did not have our reservation, we were treated like we were lying. If you are not used to wildlife be aware that there are many black bears roaming around and you must protect your food. They should consider fencing off this property. We will not go back unless we are apologized to by this "resort" for the way we were treated.

Date of stay: June 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
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    • Sleep Quality
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    • Cleanliness
    • Service
2  Thank Dragonfly716
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
General M, Manager at Old Forge Camping Resort, responded to this reviewResponded 6 January 2012

Thank you for taking the time to post a review of our Camping Resort. We apologize for the delay in responding. We appreciate your feedback, as it is the best way to know what we need to change about our business. We apologize for the way you were treated upon check-in. Guest service is very important to us, and we are very sorry that you were treated unfairly. We hope that you will reconsider your decision to not stay here again. Our seasonal staff does change from one season to the next, and we ensure you that this experience will not be repeated.

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