Lake McSwain

It was our very first trip with the 5th Wheel...I was so anxious and nervous that when Beth asked if I want some breakfast before leaving I got nauseous.I chose the closest location to home for the first trip so I could test the hitch rail that I installed night before and the trailer itself.

Trailer was stocked with food, ice and liquor the night before, so all I had to do was a quick inspection to make sure all the parts and systems were good to go. Found one of the tires to be at 25psi. I realized that I did not have air compressor and the list of things I needed started without leaving the driveway. Limped to the gas station, got some air and hit the open road.

Got to the campgrounds without any further issues and set up camp. Other than a little snag putting out the canopy everything went well.

2017 Dodge Ram 2500 and 2006 Jayco Eagle 5th Wheel

I will not bore you with all the little things about the typical camping, but instead I will talk more about the campsite itself as it was the information I missed while researching online. I have to admit that MID has a pretty decent website - See Here and pictures illustrate the sites pretty well, but until you walk the sites and check them yourself you never know what you are going to get. So I asked for the map at the gate and walked all the sites to pick the best for my next visit...

LOOP-G is located at the entry to the lake and has full hook-ups. It is also the most crowded and least shaded site on the planet. If you like to be shoulder-to-shoulder with your neighbors and can take Central Valley sun rays all day long...the site is for you.

LOOP-A is my favorite. It's very clean and cozy. Easy access to the water and even the shade is decent. Campsites # 7-9-11 and 13 are located right on the beach but it's all Basic Sites or "dry" camping. My top favorite is site #18. Well shaded and most private from them all... #17 is closest to the water and private, but due to the lack of shade I rated "Second Best".

LOOP-B with only 3 basic sites tucked in the cove on his own. Site #2 sits at the top of the hill and gets blasted by the sun all day long and wind at night...but has a pretty nice view of the lake. While sites 1 and 3 are at the bottom of the hill and...well, nothing really special about them.

LOOP-E - it's all dry camping here. There is a water hook up to fill your tank if needed but no electricity or sewer. Most of the sites are located near the road, dusty and hot with very little shade except couple of sites that probably are one of the best on the lake. Site 1 and 4 are definitely lake view sites, but lack of trees makes them hot during the day. If you like swimming you will have to walk and find the beach that you can enjoy. Site 7 - best of them all. Has shade, lake view and has private beach ! Site 6 - very shady, large site. Has access to neat beach that is being shared with the site 5. Site 5 - very shady and large with the beach access that is being shared with the site #6. This site are on the gentle slope and mostly dirt so if bringing trailer or 5th wheel be ready to put some work in getting all leveled.

LOOP-C was interesting. Sites 1-2 and 5 are located on the hill and have no paved road to them or level pad. So if you are trying to get a trailer or 5th wheel there you will have a lot of work to do by the time you're all set up and having a cocktail. Sites 3-4-6 and 8 are easy to get to, have some shade and are located at the top of the ridge. Pretty sites but some friends of mine who stayed there got wind blasted all day and night long. Sites 11 and 12 are very nice. Shaded, large...but too close to the bathrooms. Site14 was hands down the best. Paved, secluded and double wide...not much shade, but if you park your trailer sideways it would provide shade all day long...

LOOP-F another nice loop. Sites on the right side very cozy with nice views. Site 5 very private and beautiful views. Site 8 is large, shady and backs up to the fields. Not much of the lake view, but I liked it because of it's size and trees. Sites 1 and 4 also very neat and shady with good views, but they both are smaller and if you back in your door will be facing the road while the slide faces the camp. So it's kind of reversed.