Our Shakedown Trip at Timothy Lake South

Every camping season, we love doing a little “shakedown trip” at the beginning of the year, and this year we chose Timothy Lake South RV Campground.

Since we do not have the luxury of storing our RV on our own property, it is always nice to get everything out, make sure things are working properly, and settle back into RV life again before bigger trips later in the season. For us, these first little camping trips are part practical and part relaxing getaway.

When we bought our new RV, we received a one-year free trial membership to Thousand Trails. Years ago, we had a membership but eventually decided not to renew it. So honestly, we were not sure how much we would use it this time around. But now that we have it again, we are really happy to be taking advantage of the free camping.

One thing we love is that there are several campgrounds reasonably close to home. Since Shawn will be retiring soon and we hope to travel more, having nearby places for little getaway trips is such a blessing. Timothy Lake South RV Campground is only about an hour from our house, which makes it perfect for us.

This year, we decided to reserve two full weeks here, and we are so glad we did. It has been peaceful and relaxing because we practically have the campground to ourselves. We ended up with a really nice wide back-in site, which we always appreciate. There is something about having a little extra room that just makes camping feel more comfortable.

We noticed that some of the bathhouses appear to be under renovation because they are currently closed. That did not really affect us since we usually use our own facilities in the RV anyway. Honestly, we have just enjoyed the quiet atmosphere here. Sometimes the simple things are the best things.

One of the biggest perks for us is being able to camp for two whole weeks without paying nightly camping fees. That alone makes the membership feel worthwhile. Since this is a trial membership, there are a few restrictions. We can only book up to 60 days in advance, and we have to wait two weeks between reservations. Even with those limitations, we still feel like it has been a great experience so far.

The campground also has some really nice pull-through sites. There are annual and seasonal campers here too, but overall they seem to be kept in pretty good shape, which is always nice to see.

Timoth Lake South also has a nice pool area and a whole section with cabins for people who do not RV. One thing I really appreciate is that the campground is fairly flat without a lot of steep hills to climb. I can easily get my steps in just walking around the campground each day. There is also a nice park only a few minutes away that has been great for walking the pups. And if you need groceries or supplies, there is both a Walmart and a Target about a half hour away, which is very convenient for longer stays.

The only downside for us has been the internet and cell service. For whatever reason, the signal here is pretty weak. But in a funny way, that pushed us to finally do something we had been talking about for a while. We decided to get Starlink Mini, and it has worked very well for us so far.

If you camp often, travel in an RV, or just struggle with poor campground internet, it may be worth looking into. We chose the Mini because it fits our travel style really well.

If you decide to try out Starlink, here is my referral link. It will give you a free month.

Sometimes things just work out the way they are supposed to. Bad internet convinced us to finally make the leap, and now we are better prepared for future travels.

If you are considering trying a Thousand Trails membership again, or even for the first time, this campground has been a peaceful little getaway for us. Quiet camping, roomy sites, and two weeks surrounded by nature without nightly fees? That is pretty hard to complain about.