May Long weekend camping hot spots? Other then Mclean???

[LifesGrand]

I'm already trying to plan my May Long weekend as my vac time has been approved for an extended few days off..
It's been an annual event to go to Mclean every May Long, but with all the petitions & land issues, I've decided to avoid this area for future camping long weekends & I'm not to familure with any other areas for camping. We have also decided to stray away from a large group of friends this time around & would like to make this trip with our daughter , the Wife & dogs. We never camp in the paid camp grounds that prevent us from playing the radio past 11pm or anywhere that will not allow us from having the dogs off their leash, so we would like to head somewhere similar to the free areas like Mclean.
Fishing & some light trails for the jeep would also be a bonus.. I have never been to Indian graves & from what I hear, it's almost the same land issues as Mclean??? oh yeah, it's just the jeep & our gear also, no trailers or rv's..

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Where does every one go? Fernie? Nakusp?
Thanks!
 

[Hi Lo Silver]

What makes you think that people in the random area want to listen to the music while they're out there trying to enjoy the peacefulness? I know we enjoy random as well, especially the  freedom for the dogs that hang around camp usually, but I've just lost the interest of it due to music cranked up and disrespectful users buzzing around with the quads and bikes all day long.

[LifesGrand]

What makes you think that people in the random area want to listen to the music while they're out there trying to enjoy the peacefulness? I know we enjoy random as well, especially the  freedom for the dogs that hang around camp usually, but I've just lost the interest of it due to music cranked up and disrespectful users buzzing around with the quads and bikes all day long.

I'm not saying that this is the case, I'm also not implying that I want to be super secluded to everyone & just left alone for nature to take over. I'm scared of bears...lol    When I say music playing, I'm not talking about cranking the volume so it can be heard in mountains... Just audible enough for our camp site to enjoy. I'd hate to crank it up only to find myself with a dead battery to get home with. I agree, the atv's & bikes are annoying at times, especially when they are running right in front of your camp site when it's not necessary to do so.. dang peepers.. mind your own... lol
When I say music, it also includes laughter or personal discussion that isn't permitted at times & almost seem like a lock down has occurred at the paid sites.

I'm trying to be respectful in the sense that it's time to move on from Mclean but I'm unsure of where else to go only to find myself gridlocked in some camp site.

[Mudhawg]

not going out on maylong this year i will either go the weekend before of the weekend after and clean up people junk.. sick of all the retarted kids out there who just trash the place and make us wheelers look bad 

[LifesGrand]

not going out on maylong this year i will either go the weekend before of the weekend after and clean up people junk.. sick of all the retarted kids out there who just trash the place and make us wheelers look bad 

Exactly my reasons for not going anymore... 
Every time we go, what ever garbage we take in, we take out X2

[SwampSinger]

It's a delicate subject here mon ami...

We are usually out the 2 weekends after every May Long picking up crap that ravers & May long retards left behind.


Alberta 4X4 Clubs members lose trails every year because of that week-end. The public thinks that all 4X4 enthusiast are all the same (WRONG!)... because of the image that May Long portrais.

Waiporous closed.. people went to Indian Graves.. not long after the government close I.G. too because  of city slickers that goes camping once a year and leave messes out there...

Now lots of people goes to Maclean... It can stay that way...

I don't think you'll get much answer about that subject here.. if you do .. I will personally delete them. We got burn too many time... sorry bud!

I say Stay home... I know I prob. do the same...

It's nothing personal...it's just a touchy subject

Thanks

[LifesGrand]

It's nothing personal...it's just a touchy subject
Thanks

I appreciate the honesty & understanding.. I understand & believe  me when I say I understand!
Like I had mentioned previously, this was just a request so that my family can head out & get away from the city & avoid Mclean May long, even tho I have been going to Mclean for years & years now & don't want to be a part of it anymore... It's not the same place we use to go to...
I'm not some punk kid with all his punk friends blaring music till , trashing everything in site... It's peaceful where I'm at, it's a special place...lol
Thanks anyways...
hmmm... Waterton??? (still trying to decide)
Cheers!

[barmanjay]

I've never been to mclean on a long weekend

this year I'm planning to not even be in Alberta for the long weekend,.. hopefully shuswap for a bit of fishing and maybe a few trail rides as long as I can find a guide or some trail maps.

[JackstandJohnny]

i'm thinking my deck, with a cooler full of beer and about 20 pounds of Alberta Beef marinating, waiting for me while i'm on the golf course..........

[SwampSinger]

Waterton is a beautiful place... I have never been it look nice on the website   .  I want to go canoe there.

Naskup is in the middle of nowhere... They have a nice hot spring there...

If you want to go away in BC... New Denver, BC has a provincial Campground (it's near Naskup.. there is also a ghost town not too far from there). There is a killer mexican restaurant just in front on the camp grounp. It could be kool for your kids...

There might be lots of snow still there in may though.

[SwampSinger]

i'm thinking my deck, with a cooler full of beer and about 20 pounds of Alberta Beef marinating, waiting for me while i'm on the golf course..........

I will smell the BBQ from my house... I should be there 5 min after you put the steak on...

Thx Johnny

[rangerdanger]

Waterton  is a truely beautiful place, you will enjoy it but all of the sites are pay sites and no music past 11. I f you are interested I would book a site now they fill up fast

[LifesGrand]

Waterton is a nice place, never been myself either, so it would be worth the trip out there, but it's a provincial park, so everything cost's money just to camp & yes, restricted noise past 11pm, & it’s not so much that, but I will not & can not leave my dogs behind, camping is where they belong… in the outdoors off leash..

Nakusp is nice from what I'm told, but again for the hot springs..

Thanks for the idea of New Denver, I’ll google some camp grounds around the area, I like the ghost town idea, never been to one & we love mexi-cant food…

But of all things, I think I’ll just tag behind & follow SwampSinger to JOhnnyC's place for the BBQ tho... mmm I can already taste the beef... 

Thanks for the replies...

[Whiskeymetal]

Another good place to check out that I have been too the past few years, is Sibbald Lake.
I don't know about paths for 4x'ing but they do have a nice place right beside the camp ground to fish, and have very private campsites as well. It's a first come first serve booking type situation, so you might want to go early.
I personally think it's a great area, close to Calgary and beautiful scenery for the price!

[hps4evr]

i can gaurantee you'll get all that you are looking for... in your backyard.
sad but true. mclean is a gong show.i went once on may long, and never again. last year wasnt as bad as previous years, but still nowhere near where it should be. personally i think they should ban booze on all long weekends, but ya know, it makes too much sense for our federal gov to figure out;)
one day they will notice it isnt the fourwheel drive community that is ruinning the trails. its the one weekend wonder kids in their hondas pertying all weekend and not cleaning up.
and again we will see it this year. or maybe it wont happen, but i bet the media will be there again and get video of one dumbass out of everyone doing something stupid. maybe they'll take videos of the torched cars again, that have been there for 3 years...
anyways, either way im enjoying the outdoors on may long weekend on my mountain bike.
hope everyone does find something fun to do though. first long weekend after the snow!