A primitive campsite… that no one knows exists.

While certainly nuanced, there is generally a good sameness of the people found outdoors across the world. We all find peace and spirituality in being outdoors, regardless of how off the grid the adventure is. As I get older – and nobody in their right might would say cresting 50 is getting old – I’m trying to see things as they are… but in more vivid color. The level of off-the-grid-ness or elevation (insert whatever hashtag here) matters far less to me than simply discovering peace outdoors. I’m finding I can love something just the way it is, remoteness be damned.

Rebecca and I think this newsletter will be a representation of how we can show the scale of beautiful, anti-indoor places close to home, without the need to compare them to any other place.

With kids and without endless time on my hands, I’ve found myself being outdoors in a place in Lititz that few people visit… the Millport Conservancy. I’ve photographed birds, walked trails to nearby foot bridges and waterfalls, fly fished the stream… all the while being just steps from my work and home. From a distance, Everest explorers might not find the Conservancy all that interesting, but up close, there is so much to see here. It wasn’t until recently, however, that I learned of something I hadn’t thought possible in Lititz, from a person I’m very familiar with.

I met Logan Myers for the first time in early 2017, when Bikeworks was asked by township officials to present a plan to install bikes along the WERT. Logan sat on a 5-member committee overseeing the completion of the trail that connects Ephrata to Lititz.

Since 1988 Logan and his wife Lynn have helped transform the generational family land known as Millport Farm property into an educational and recreational experience for students and the public. Known today as the Millport Conservancy, the 85-acre parcel runs north to south along Warwick Road in Lititz.

After a morning fishing at the Conservancy, I ran into Logan and he told me about a campsite that he and a few volunteers help maintain near the north end of the property. He described it as a primitive campsite.

Primitive camping can take different forms but is always a true wilderness camping experience at its core. There are no modern conveniences such as bathroom and shower facilities. You pack in what you need to camp for the night, and you leave the site as pristine or better when you exit. There are 124 state parks in Lititz where primitive camping is allowed, with the closest being 29 miles away at French Creek state park, but now you can experience the same feeling of being off the grid without leaving Lititz.

Logan went on to say the campsite is rarely used, but open to the public to use (provided users follow campsite rules) and encouraged me to let others know it exists.

All of us can find solitude and enjoyment in the outdoors, regardless of how remote or challenging the adventure we seek. If you are new to primitive camping, have kids that would enjoy an evening under a million little lights, or just want to test out some new gear, then give the Millport campsite a try someday. To learn more about Millport and find the rules and regulations for camping there, contact us at Earth to Lititz or visit The North Museum’s website here.