Fall Break Adentures

Fall Break could not have come soon enough! I felt like I was practically counting down the minutes until I could finally go home and see my family again. This break, we went to Pymatuning State Park Campground. This campground is fairly large and is right along Pymatuning Lake, which is perfect for sunset views and beach walks. 

Growing up, my family went camping for all our vacations. We never stayed in hotels, and we usually camped at various state parks in Ohio. Going camping is one of my favorite things to do. I love the smell of campfires and the sound of other families spending time with their loved ones. It also allowed my siblings and I to explore new sights and meet new people. I still enjoy camping to this day.

Out of all the parks my family has camped at, Pymatuning State Park is definitely my favorite. Pymatuning is the go-to place my family would go when we wanted a quick trip that wasn’t too far from home. It is about an hour away from my house and along the Pennsylvania border. At my house, we live pretty close to the highway, so I am always hearing the commotion of cars. Pymatuning was a place where I could close my eyes and enjoy the sound of nature and wildlife without human-caused distractions. I could simply sit around the campfire and listen to the waves rolling in. It is such a peaceful feeling.

One interesting aspect of the campground that is unique is that it is the home of bald eagles. In fact, half of the campground was closed for the majority of my childhood because a bald eagles’ nest was made in the middle of a campsite. I remember when they opened that side of the park for the first time — it was quite the experience. The land hadn’t been touched in a decade, so the pavement was cracked, the bathrooms were in shambles, and there was debris everywhere. It was fascinating to see what it would look like if nature took over human spaces, which is suchan interesting concept. Normally humans take over natural spaces, but at Pymatuning, nature reclaimed itself.

It was also amazing to see the bald eagle nest. When that side of the campground reopened, the bald eagle's nest was still there and still occupied by bald eagles. The nest was absolutely humongous and took up quite a bit of space in the trees. The area immediately surrounding the bald eagle's nest was closed off, but you were eventually able to camp near the vicinity of the nest. I remember waking up some mornings and seeing the bald eagle searching for fish to hunt. I have one distinct memory of watching the bald eagle swoop down and catch a fish with its feet. It was quite remarkable!

All in all, I definitely feel like Pymatuning State Park campground is a place that helped me find my relationship with nature. Out of all the areas that I've been to, that place feels like home away from home. While there are aspects of the park that have changed throughout the years, it was so relaxing to go back to such a familiar place for a break. 

See you next time, 

Evie