My friend Tom invited me backpacking. My only previous experience was two nights in the backpacking campground at Shades State Park, which is two miles from parking. So four nights at Porcupine Mountains State Park in the U.P. would be more of a challenge.
The drive to get there was long, so our first campsite was only a couple of miles from the Big Carp River trailhead. The views from atop the ridge were breathtaking.
We were both trying out sleeping in hammocks for the first time. It’s more complicated than tent camping, but I found it much easier to relax in a hammock than a tent during the day. And when it rained later that night, I was happy to be suspended above any wetness on the ground.
