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Where do you like to go to get away? Some people enjoy visiting a specific city; others prefer small towns. For many outdoor enthusiasts, a common destination seems to be the mountains, particularly if they're near a lake.
Every summer, Idaho and Utah residents alike descend on the tiny town of St. Charles, Idaho, population 156, to enjoy the town's excellent camping and RV facilities at Bear Lake North RV Park and Campground. The campground, which is only 10 minutes away from beautiful Bear Lake, boasts 34 hookup RV sites with water, sewer and electricity, 18 tent sites with fire pits and picnic tables, and three fully-furnished cabins that have a double-single bunk bed, a kitchenette, bathroom and carpeted loft area that's a perfect spot for kids to sleep.
Owner Kent Wilkes tells me the majority of his customers come from the area between Salt Lake City and Pocatello, but he also sees many travelers en route to Yellowstone National Park. A high percentage of the business is repeat clientele who come to the campground every year. They like the park's grassy areas as well as the large commons area that includes volleyball, horseshoes and playground equipment.
Kent grew up in St. Charles and was eager to leave after graduating from high school. He went to BYU and then moved to Los Angeles to work in the tourist industry as a guide and interpreter for Japanese tourists. Later, he and his wife moved to Japan to teach English, and when it was time to come back to the United States, they were looking for a nice place to raise their family. St. Charles was the first place that came to mind. He discovered that the Bear Lake North campground was for sale and purchased it. He's been steadily improving the facilities ever since.
Kent would eventually like to expand Bear Lake North RV Park and Campground's offerings to include more cabins, but for now, he's happy on the five beautiful acres the facilities already occupy.
For Zions Bank, I'm Rob Brough. I'm speaking on business.
