The first camping trip of 2026–and the first since August 2024 when I did a solo trip to Westmoreland State Park–was to Sherando Lake near Lyndhurst, Virginia. It felt great to hitch up the little Coachmen Clipper for a relatively local trip with unexpectedly nice weather.
A bold little Chipping Sparrow was a frequent visitor at our campsite:
The Sherando Lake Recreation Area is very close to the Blue Ridge Mountains. And with it being very early in May, it got chilly as soon as the sun went down!
So after a delicious dinner of turkey chili and cornbread on Sunday evening, we enjoyed sitting by a small campfire. Inside the trailer, a ceramic heater kept it comfortably warm.
The next morning, omelets were cooked outside in an electric skillet.
Breakfast is served!
We washed dishes and cleaned up outside and in, then we went for a walk along the lake. Spring was putting on a wonderful show, and I took dozens of pictures:
The trail along this side of the lake is generally more level than the trail on the opposite side of the lake, but with rocks and roots everywhere it’s still important to pay attention to where you’re stepping!
In addition to watching out for rocks and roots, there are other reasons to watch where you step when you’re out in nature! Fortunately, this very, very long Black Rat Snake was to the side of the trail–and yes, I used the telephoto lens on my camera for these pictures!
Back at the beach, there was a variety of work happening at the pavilion. This was the first time I’d heard of HistoriCorps and the type of services that volunteers provide in restoring historic places in public spaces. The Sherando Lake recreation area qualified for restoration work as it was created in the 1930s as a New Deal-era project by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
One volunteer was preparing Poplar logs which will be used to replace some of the worn out ceiling beams in the pavilion.
Some of the birds we heard frequently during our stay were Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers and Red-Eyed Vireos. Both nights that we were there we heard an Eastern Whippoorwill, and that was a special treat! We heard many more birds than we actually saw or that I was able to photograph, but a little White-Breasted Nuthatch was very busy looking for insects in this tree.
There were so many wildflowers near the lake! I think I’ve identified them correctly…
We saw a few fast-moving Chipmunks at our campsite, but this little guy or girl near the lake sat still long enough for me to take a couple of pictures!
One of the simple joys associated with camping is to sit near a campfire on a cool evening. We were fortunate to be able to do that both nights. There is such a sense of timelessness and ageless continuity when one feels the warmth of the fire and watches the dancing flames and glowing embers….
I could have easily spent another couple of days at Sherando Lake, but it was a picture-perfect mini-vacation and a great way to start the 2026 camping season!
“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few are dirt.”
~ John Muir