Family Camping Trips

I think that one of the best things that my family does to connect is time in the woods together. Sometimes it feels like camping is way more work than it is worth – the amount of time it takes to pack and then unpack can be overwhelming but the time in the woods is worth it. Especially these days when the world seems full of craziness it is nice to escape, to have no service and distractions and to get some time to just enjoy each other. We recently went to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and spent the weekend exploring the park. A few things that we have learned over the years (just keep in mind that with kids you’re most likely car camping, so these are car camping hints, not sized for backpacking ) :

1. Get a good tent – and get it much bigger than you think – as in get a tent about 6 times bigger than what it says. We just got the Kingdom 6 from REI for our family of 4. We love the tent and the height of it but are already considering ordering the extender for it.

2. A good sleeping bag is also worth the money but make sure you get a much colder rating than you think. They usually rate them as 30 degree for summer, 15-30 degree for 3-season and 15 degrees for winter camping. However, I always get the coldest rating and have only camped in the winter once!

3. Air mattresses are worth every penny. The newer ones have rechargeable pumps so you can plug it in ahead of time and blow it up right in the tent.

4. Have everything stored in big tubs or drawers so you don’t have to pack everything every time. We have a kitchen bin and a sleeping bin. They save so much time!

5. Prep some of the food ahead of time so you can easily cook while you are camping. I love making breakfast burritos ahead of time, wrapping them in tin foil and just having to heat them up. And kids love nothing more than cooking things over the fire – think beyond s’mores – i.e. hot dogs, baked potatoes and corn on the cob.

6. Most state and national parks take reservations – it’s gotten so popular in Colorado that you need to make reservations up to 6 months ahead of time. So if you’re planning on heading to a popular destination, plan ahead!

7. If it is going to be at all chilly - handwarmers make great sleeping bag warmers. The little disposable ones can be bought in bulk. We have found that the cheaper ones can leak the black powder, so I’m recommend getting the more expensive ones.

8. If you are going to go dispersed camping, you will want a table. We’ve had an old model of this one for over 20 years.

9. Camp chairs are a must. There are a ton of options so think about what you will be using them for. For example, if you will use them at concerts and camping you will want to get lower to the ground ones. Make sure that you get ones that are easy to collapse and carry. We like this one – it’s mesh so it stays cool, has a drink holder on one side and a little cooler on the other. Plus it’s low to the ground, easy to pack and super light.

10. Don’t forget about the headlamps – I like this model.

Enjoy the time, know that it will take way longer to unpack and you’ll have lots of laundry but the memories are priceless!