Welcome to A Crock of Schmidt. Here you will find campground reviews from all my camping adventures over the years. I also share cool attractions and destinations we’ve been to, great hikes we’ve done, and some insights on our hobbies. Once in awhile, I toss in some ramblings on whatever nonsense moves me at the moment. Thanks for coming by and I hope you find something that helps and/or entertains. If you do, kindly tell a friend about this place.
Otter Lake Provincial Park – review
October 15, 2023
The lure of fossils is strong in this household. Well, with half of it, anyway. Our day at American Fossil Quarry only poured gasoline on the embers of this passion. This led to the purchase of a self-published book showcasing rockhounding locations throughout parts of British Columbia as a Christmas gift. That book, in turn,
Knutsford Campground – review
October 8, 2023
If I was still a teen, I’d have stayed at Knutsford Campground because of the name alone. Being an adult, I’m inclined to say I booked here for convenience, with a sprinkling of exasperation, but it was mostly because of the name. Don’t let age mislead you regarding maturity. The first day of our boys’
Buffalo Bill State Park – review
October 1, 2023
Much like the girls all getting prettier at closing time, the campgrounds get a lot more appealing as departure day approaches. This is all the more true when your original reservation gets cancelled due to flooding and you’ve got less than two weeks to find an alternative. For us, Buffalo Bill State Park was that
St. Mary Campground – Glacier National Park – review
September 24, 2023
Perhaps I’m a victim of proximity ignorance, but I had no idea Glacier National Park (the US version) was so popular. Popular and surprisingly difficult to reserve campsites at. I was so worried about getting spots at Yellowstone National Park, I was dumbstruck when my first attempt to book at Glacier failed. Located in the
Lewis & Clark Caverns Campground – review
September 17, 2023
Lewis & Clark Caverns is Montana’s very first state park. Before earning this footnote, the caverns were under the care of rangers from Yellowstone National Park. After a quarter century of shenanigans with local entrepreneurs, the national parks service waved the white flag and offered it to the state of Montana. Montana jumped at the
Colter Bay Campground- Grand Teton National Park – review
September 8, 2023
Go big or go home. When camping in Grand Teton National Park, the “go big” portion of that adage definitely refers to Colter Bay Village and it’s more than 300 site campground. The village concept employed in national parks like Yellowstone and Grand Teton is interesting. Before witnessing them myself, I thought it was nothing
Signal Mountain Campground – Grand Teton National Park – review
August 23, 2023
If Goldilocks went camping in Grand Teton National Park, I imagine she’d choose Signal Mountain Campground. She could, of course, go big (Colter Bay) or small (Jenny Lake, tent only), but of the six campgrounds in the park, Signal Mountain is the closest to being “just right.” I was very much Goldilocks when I booked
Park Lake Provincial Park – review
August 4, 2023
In all my years of searching for campgrounds, I don’t think I’ve been as wrong as I was with Park Lake Provincial Park. In a good way. I had low expectations and came away pleasantly surprised. Maybe it’s the ridiculously unimaginative name? Maybe it’s the small size and apparent farm in the middle of it?
Hunting Opal at Klinker Opal Mine
July 30, 2023
Let’s play word association. I’ll go first. Opal. Did you say Vernon? Huh? Did you? Did you? Huh? Huh? Yeah, I’d have said Australia too. It’s one of those universal geological facts that everyone learns as a kid for some reason. But opal is found in several other locations around the globe, including Canada. And
Two Nights in Cody, Wyoming
July 23, 2023
What do you do when the start of your Yellowstone camping trip is derailed by flash floods a week before departure? First, you panic. Of course. Then, you regain composure and conjure a whirlwind two-day Hail Mary in Cody, Wyoming. The closest urban centre to the east entrance of Yellowstone, Cody is hardly an unknown