We arrived at Pipestem on a Friday in August with our tent, looking forward to a weekend with nature’s family. I requested a spot with electricity for the convenience and quick preparation of meals it affords in case the firewood happened to be too damp or green to start a good fire.
After pitching our tent and unloading the weekend supplies, we sat for a while to relax and collect our thoughts.
The faint, “cheep, cheep,” from what I thought were nuthatches, sounded quite close to our chairs and tent. Undaunted by new tenants on the grounds of their refuge, I knew they must be in search of food. And I assumed they foraged there often, finding leftover food deliberately or accidentally scattered by previous dwellers. They disappeared into the thick layer of dried leaves as they descended upon the crumbs I tossed out beneath the towering trees.
We received a printed schedule of weekend activities, 6and they included an evening talk by a National Park ranger on Friday and a two mile walk along the river on Saturday morning. Since the walk was to take place along the Bluestone River, which could only be reached by the tramway, the fee to ride the tram would be reduced for the occasion. And Saturday night a concert of golden oldies music was scheduled at the amphitheater.
As the day wore on, we began to feel a nip of fall in the air. We kept the eight o’clock meeting with other campers around a fire by the campground office to hear a presentation by the ranger. He presented us with an educational and informative discussion on national forests and rivers along with some local geography and history lessons. A young man from the audience volunteered to assist in giving a live demonstration about the life of John Henry, the steel-driving man.
Saturday, rather than take the river walk, we decide to ascend the lookout tower and linger at the top to enjoy the breathtaking view of surrounding mountains and communities. The air was clear on this day, so our visibility was great! Since the last time we had visited the tower, it had received a fresh coat of paint giving it a fresh look. That night, we planned to attend the concert at the amphitheater, so I tossed a jacket and blanket in the car in case the air turned chillier. This proved to be a good idea, we noted, as we wrapped ourselves in the blanket while listening to the music.
By the time we arrived back at our tent from the concert, the air had become quite brisk. It seemed as if August had slipped out of her summery garb and draped herself with a chilly garment from October’s closet. Yet another extra blanket was needed to shield us from nature’s change in attitude.
I have learned that it’s always good to think ahead when camping in the mountains and anticipate a drop in temperatures. The elevation along with the dense tree growth noticeably reduce the nite time temps.
Underneath the trees is the very place to tune in to the sounds of winged creatures at night. As we snuggled under extra blankets in the dark tent, we listened to what seemed like thousands of insects in the trees! Darkness had settled, and they began to whirr and buzz loudly as if to protest the darkness! The crescendo-decrescendo effect sounded much like an orchestra tuning up for a grand symphony.
Now, I don’t remember if the hush came because I drifted off to sleep or if the creatures had quieted themselves. The next morning, except for an occasional “Caw! Caw!”, our surroundings had become a forest of tranquility. Most of nature and the campers were still asleep when I awoke. The chill in the air still lingered so I thought a fire would feel cozy. I plugged in my electric coffee pot and scavenged the floor of the woods for dry twigs of any size; I managed to gather quite an armful of firewood. Once I had a roaring fire, I couldn’t resist pouring another cup of coffee and pulling a chair up close to the warmth of the blaze and tuning in to the beautiful surroundings.
As I sat there enjoying the peaceful setting blanketed by a wood smoke aroma about me, I began to reflect on the numerous times we had visited Pipestem. When our children were small, it was the perfect place to visit and bring along our family pet German Shepherd, Major. The kids enjoyed the playground as Major cavorted in the field nearby, which on one occasion, had been a stopping point for the trail horses, making a stinker out of the family pet.
We have done some hiking on the trails in Pipestem and rented a paddleboat to enjoy the serenity of the lake. Along with many other family members, we have enjoyed Sunday picnics and swam in the pools.
We have camped on several of the sites in the park either in a tent, or a pull camper. We have stayed at the McKeever Lodge and greatly enjoyed stays at the Mountain Creek Lodge which is in the gorge and accessible only by the tramway. The balcony at the rooms is an excellent place to sit and listen to the rushing of the Bluestone River echo from the mountainside as it meanders thru the gorge.
One year, we rented one of the charming cabins for our family during Christmas and just as we were arriving a light snow began to fall, serving only to increase the joy of the special season.
As we visited Pipestem, if I had to select which visit I enjoyed most, I would ask for a multiple-choice test and then select “all of the above.”
If you would like another perspective, read my daughter’s here.
Ahhh, Pipestem! I was there with you when I read this!