“I also think it’s pointless for a human to paint scenes of nature when they can go outside and stand in it.” – Ron Swanson
Pictures of nature are nice, but I kind of agree with Ron. Go outside. Seriously. It will do you a world of good. Adam and I spend the weekend at Rock Cut State Park in Rockford, IL and it was just delightful! 
Before this weekend, neither of us had been to Rock Cut, although my dad used to camp there as a kid, and we were both pretty happy with the experience. I loved that it was just a little over an hour away. We don’t keep our car in the city (too expensive), so whenever we go on a trip we have to go to my parent’s house in Mount Prospect. It adds about an hour of travel and I like when our destination is fairly close.
Using our new propane stove! We cook 90% of our meals over a campfire, but this is nice to have when you want to boil water fast or cook a bunch of things at once.
Rock Cut is a pretty large park and they have a TON of campsites. I think like over 300 or something. There are spots designated for RV’s and tent only spots, which is where we stayed. I will say this park was one of the more crowded we have been to and the sites are a little on top of each other. I like a little of seclusion when I camp (I live in a busy city with a ton of people… I want to get away from the people) but it wasn’t a deal breaker. If we go back we know which sites have a little more privacy and we’ll try to reserve those.
Fun tree we found along the trail
Back end of the lake. I think that’s a birdhouse out there?
I did love the amount of hiking trails in the park. There are over 40 miles of trails for hiking and/or biking, so there is plenty to see. We did two hikes on Saturday, one around Olson Lake and the second overlooking some of the plains in the area. According to my dad, there is an actual part of the park with cut rock (hence the name) but we didn’t make it to that part. The lake was a fairly decent size and you could rent kayaks and paddleboats, which we might do next time we’re there. The trails were fairly easy with a few hills, so good hiking all around.
Thanks butterfly for holding still long enough for me to take this picture!
Adam and I are pretty sure this is the hungry, hungry caterpillar.
The weather was GORGEOUS for this time of June. 70’s and sunny during the day and 50’s at night. No humidity whatsoever and there was a nice little breeze that kept the bugs away. Seriously, you could not ask for better camping weather. Saturday night we did get a few storms, but the were short and not super intense.
Surveying the lake. I love how much he loves camping! ❤
Looking out over the entire lake.
The spillway that regulates the flow of the lake… and looks like a fun water slide.
I know camping isn’t for everyone but getting away from technology and regular life for a while is a must. You can’t be constantly chained to your phone/computer/iPad/whatever you use and expect to be 100% happy. You don’t have to give up your phone for an entire weekend if that gives you anxiety and you don’t have to turn into Beary Grylls and live outside for the rest of your life. Just get a little fresh air every now and then and leave the phone at home for a few hours. You’ll be surprised at how refreshed you feel when you get back.
Brave little bird that was literally right next to me!
Check back on Wednesday for a camping edition of “What I Ate Wednesday”. I made some tasty new meals this time around and they were even husband approved!
Have a fantastic Monday friends!
Life Healthfully Lived 