The Southeast Tours and Trails committee enjoyed another step forward in their efforts to restore the Roche Percee campgrounds.

Rick and Sheila Farstad became the first campers to use the venue in late July. They opted to park in the larger of the two campgrounds, even though the committee has been working to open the smaller campground.

Tours and Trails chair Mary Rose Boyer didn’t think everything would progress so quickly when the committee started to restore the park earlier this year. She expected that they would be able to have winter activities in the park, such as snowshoeing, and then offer camping next year.

“But with the way that people have come out and helped, and volunteered their time and equipment, and given us a little bit of cash, we can say that we can have at least the spots there for campers,” said Boyer.

She stressed that the sites are not electrified, and are thus better suited to those who enjoy traditional camping, or those whose RVs don’t need a source of electricity.

There are a few sites among the 11 in the smaller campground ready to go, she said. And while the larger campground was home to the first campers, it probably won’t be ready until next year.

“People can go in there (the small campground) and look around and see whether the vehicle or the camping outfit that they have would fit into one of those sites,” said Boyer.

Interest is high, Boyer said. When she was trimming grass at one of the sites in the smaller campground on July 25, she said she had trouble finding time to work because people were driving by, asking when the sites would be ready, and inquiring into the cost of camping.