The park is deserted

The hike is long, wet, cold and uncomfortable but I am nearing the end of what appears to be a twelve hour day. I came out of the woods on Pierce Rd. which over by Benton Lake National Campground turns in to eight mile.

The road commission is either widening, paving the road or both. It is soft sand with a lot of sign of construction. I rested by sitting on the electric junction boxes along the road in front of the properties of the local folks or in front of someone's summer home.

Occasionally, a car would go by or I would see someone in the yard in front of their cottage or home. Very few people are visible today.

At one point I saw a sign which posted left towards the National Park or right 5 miles to Brohman. I continued towards the park.

After what seemed like a long while but actually was only an hour or two I reached the park entrance. It appeared to be deserted. The State Parks and County Parks had been open for weeks. I am very confused by the desolation of the park.

I went to the campground sign up post to pay for the evening's campsite but they were not allowing camping either. The tables were upended and there were signs at every campsite forbidding camping. Panic almost set in at this time.

Upon expoloring the majority of the park I found open restrooms that were actually vault toilets with no running water. I did not find a fresh water source. The only shelter would be unheated restrooms.