Troy D. Midkiff (amazon.com/Best-Tent-Camping-Concrete-Portable/dp/0897326660%3FSubscriptionId%3D0N5QXRX66WFDYFJ3X302%26tag%3Dblogcamp-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3) says:

I checked out some of the ‘best’ sites in his book only to be disappointed several times. For example: Mr.Laff gives Mt. Greylock 5 stars for privacy and spaciousness. I even reserved what was supposedly one of the ‘best’ campsites there. These campsites were literally 30 feet from one another, on hard packed dirt with not even a separating tree between them. At night, the access road across the river was busy with traffic, lighting up my tent all night with highbeam lights. It was like camping in a undersized, cramped trailer park.

EDIT: Ok, let me say I was a bit mad after having some bad experiences. Let me stress the good things about this book: As a camping site reference this book is very handy for planning a trip as it has A LOT of information in one place (A very good listing of parks and amenities).

However, I think the review system could use some tweaking. This could be a much better book. Pictures would really sweeten this up. It would also be helpful to know what parks are family parks, or day parks or “rv crowd” parks, etc.. Not an easy task, but still on my wish list.

Also, I think the book is missing a better suited audience: the camping RV crowd (whom the book title seems to disparage a little). I think this book is almost an indispensable resource book for them, far more so than for the backpacker. Many of the parks in this book offer RV amenities which is something I didn’t think I’d see in this book considering the title.

Rating: 1 / 5

dev33 (amazon.com/Best-Tent-Camping-Concrete-Portable/dp/0897326660%3FSubscriptionId%3D0N5QXRX66WFDYFJ3X302%26tag%3Dblogcamp-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3) says:

my husband and i have used this book twice for tent camping in Mass. I’m not sure what the author has in mind regarding his idea of privacy but the two different parks we’ve stayed at, 4 stars for privacy was way off. I don’t call 4 stars being able to talk to my neighbors from in front of my campfire less than 30 feet away with hardly any trees/bushes in between sites. His discriptions of the parks in general are accurate. We are very let down by the descriptions of the sites and privacy. We were suppsose to be “on the river” at Mohawk Trail State Forest but we had to walk through the next site to get to the river.
Rating: 2 / 5

Sharon Dickinson (amazon.com/Best-Tent-Camping-Concrete-Portable/dp/0897326660%3FSubscriptionId%3D0N5QXRX66WFDYFJ3X302%26tag%3Dblogcamp-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3) says:

Since I bought the first edition in 2003 I have consistently chosen campgrounds using this book as my guide and it has never steered me wrong. Lafe Low rates each park according to six criteria (beauty, quiet, security, cleanliness, etc.), provides information on facilities offered, reservations, driving directions, and much more. He even provides guidance on which campsite to choose when making a reservation. A terrific combination resource is “New England Waterfalls: A Guide to More Than 200 Cascades and Waterfalls” by Greg Parsons and Kate B. Watson. My family has enjoyed many wonderful camping experiences using these two books.

If you are a tent camper and haven’t read this book, you’re missing out!
Rating: 5 / 5

Jenny (amazon.com/Best-Tent-Camping-Concrete-Portable/dp/0897326660%3FSubscriptionId%3D0N5QXRX66WFDYFJ3X302%26tag%3Dblogcamp-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3) says:

I’ve stayed at or “checked out” 3 of the campgrounds mentioned in this book, and so I’m sure that as I camp at some of the others I’ll be pleased, as the author seems very fair in the descriptions that I’ve personally witnessed! Car camping is rarely going to be a totally private or secluded experience, but there are wonderful campgrounds with certain sites that come close to meeting those criteria, and this book helps you figure out how to increase your chances of ending up at a site that will please!

Thanks for this book — I appreciate it! If you’re looking for a sequel, I’d love for you to cover a broad range of campgrounds and list the sites at each that come close to matching the “secluded” experience. For example, last year I stayed for three nights at Glen Ellis campground with my two kids, my friend, and her three kids. . . It’s not a “secluded” campground, but we just wanted to take the kids to Storyland, and it was close. . . Actually, though, we found some sites that were very, very nice, even in what was otherwise a large, somewhat crowded campground. . . and honestly, the kids had a blast with all of the play equipment, pool, etc. Generally, I avoid any campground with a pool because it just doesn’t seem “right”, but now I know which sites to reserve if I ever end up at that one again!

Rating: 5 / 5

Lafe Low (amazon.com/Best-Tent-Camping-Concrete-Portable/dp/0897326660%3FSubscriptionId%3D0N5QXRX66WFDYFJ3X302%26tag%3Dblogcamp-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3) says:

Greetings Dev33 and Natureboy,

I’m sorry you had a less than positive experience with the reviews and ratings in my book. I do realize that slapping a numeric rating on something as subjective as impressions of privacy or beauty can be problematic.

I did try to be as honest as possible about my impressions. Perhaps the campgrounds were less crowded when I was there doing my reserach.

Natureboy, regarding some of your comments about Beartown and Greylock, I was never bothered by traffic at night on the Greylock access road. Perhaps there was something going on that night you were there, but that was never a factor when I was there or I certainly would have mentioned it. Also, I did mention that the pondside sites at Beartown are open to each other, but the view of the pond and surrounding hillsides made up for it, at least in my view. I doubt the air traffic that bothered you was from Otis AFB, however, since that is over near Cape Cod. Again, I am sorry your experiences with those campgrounds were not as positive as mine. I wish you better luck and more pleasant camping experiences in the future.

If you would like to respond to me directly, my e-mail address is llow@redmondmag.com. I would like to hear from you and hear your concerns directly. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy some of the other spots mentioned in the book. If you’re ever in Maine, try the Mount Desert Campground. I’m certain you’ll like that place.

Cheers,

Lafe Low

Rating: 5 / 5