Month: July 2016

Go Jump in a Lake!

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If Mountain Dad had an outdoor super power it would be finding swimming holes in whatever place we go. Back on our practice trip to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks we beat the heat by splashing in the Virgin River and exploring behind the waterfall at Mossy Cave. In Yellowstone we swam in the boiling river near Mammoth, the Firehole River swim area and found a secret spot just down river from Ojo Caliente hot spring.

Water is a main attraction on this National Park to Park Highway trip. For that reason I was glad when Safe Spash swim school approached me to review their program a month before we left. Big E and Little G have taken swim lessons before, but Safe Splash’s program is a little different. Instead of a two week intensive swim camp where your kid may or may not advance to the next level, SafeSplash offers weekly classes a lot like piano lessons. Kids go once a week and move up in levels once they’ve accomplished all the skills.

When walking into the swim lessons for the fist time Big E and Little g started complaining. “Why do we have to take swimming lessons?”

I immediately replied, “It’s a life skill.” Swimming is one of the five areas in which I choose to be a pusher parent. It’s a good skill for life, and given Mountain Dad’s love of wild swimming holes, one we will use a lot in our outdoor adventures.
I had to smile when we walked into the 24 Hour Fitness Center and saw the Safe Splash poster that said the exact same thing. See, I’m not the only one. Safe Splash gets it.

What I liked about the Safe Splash program were the small class sizes. No more than four students are allowed at once so that the teacher can give individual attention to each one. I especially liked that for Little G. At only four and a half she still is not trustworthy around water, we always have her in a life jacket at lakes or rivers. She had a watchful teacher that helped her learn to back float on her own, even though it was scary.

Safe Splash is serious about safety, with a deck supervisor on hand to act as a lifeguard and swim teacher assistant. I liked knowing someone else was watching out for my kids.

I thought the $65 per month price tag (less with each additional child) was a bit steep compared to the local rec center lessons we had last year, but the quality of instruction was good. I also would’ve preferred to schedule the lessons online instead of having a Safe Splash employee call to coordinate with my schedule. With that said, they were very adaptable especially when we had to schedule around our practice National Parkto Park Highway trip.

I’ve appreciated their swimming skills on this trip and thanks to one of our trip sponsors I’ve been able to record everything they’re doing. Intova sent me their entry level waterproof camera and I’ve enjoyed putting it to use.

The small Intova Duo Waterproof Camera fits inside a waterproof case that fastens with a wrist strap for gnarly adventures. The big buttons on the top are easy for even kids to use and the quality of the photos are decent. Plus the price can’t be beat – less than $40.

What I don’t like is that you have to open the waterproof case to change from photo to video mode. It’d be super easy to drop that tiny camera in the water while you’re switching modes. Also, there’s no zoom option so you have to move closer or farther from what you’re shooting – not always easily done while splashing in a river or lake.
Because of the big easy-to-use buttons on the Intova Duo Waterproof Camera, on our Zion trip I took thirty minutes of video of the inside of my pocket and had a dead battery when we got to the secret swimming hole we hiked to. That wouldn’t be a big deal except that the charge cord is Mini USB not Micro USB like the rest of the universe. I had to wait until home before I could charge it again.
Overall I’m grateful to have a waterproof camera, but with my smart phone being water resistant it’s not essential.

Water splashing, swimming, exploring is a big part of summer. With an ocean stop scheduled on this trip, I look forward to swimming with my tots in the water and I’m glad we can capture each moment.

Intova is a National Park to Park Highway tour sponsor. Click here to view all of our sponsors.

Top Ten Things to Do with Kids in Rocky Mountain National Park

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Rocky Mountain National Park was the first park the 1920s National Park to Park Highway visited, and for good reason. It’s proximity to Denver and long history of tourist development in Estes Park makes it one of the most highly visited parks with more annual visitors than both Yellowstone and Yosemite.
On our trip we spent most of our time on the east side of the park, as do a lot of visitors.  If you have time explore both the west and east sides of the park, there’s so much to see!

 

Visit the Moraine Discovery Center – With exhibits on the geology of Rocky Mountain National Park this museum in the wild has something interesting for everyone. We went during Discovery Days, a special program for kids that runs on select days throughout the summer. Check the park newspaper for more information.

Camp at Glacier Basin Campground – With easy access to the free shuttle system, a mini ranger station, excellent bathrooms and over 100 campsites, this campground was a great home base for exploring Rocky Mountain National Park.
Ride a Horse – Several trails in Rocky Mountain National Park are open to horseback rides, in fact there’s a livery stable near Sprague Lake.
Become a Junior Ranger – Rocky Mountain National Park has a great Junior Ranger program complete with a dedicated Junior Ranger Station at Hidden Valley.
Hike around Bear Lake – This popular hike is handicap accessible, although steep in certain sections. The tots (including their cousin E) loved scrambling on the giant boulders around the lake and giving the bear paw post markers high fives as they passed.

Swim at Sprague Lake – This shallow lake is great for a cold swim, or rather wade. A sand bar through the lake allowed Mountain Dad, Tio Monte and the tots to walk out to the center of this glacier lake. We also saw canoers and fly fishermen.

Drive Over 12,000 Feet – For a taste of road travel from the 1920s take the 15 mile per hour, unpaved motor nature trail up Old Fall River Road to the Alpine Visitors Center. This one way dirt road gives you a taste of what the 1920s National Park to Park Highway group had to deal with on a daily basis. Complete the trip over the continental divide by driving down on the Trail Ridge Road which connects the east and west sides of Rocky Mountain National Park.
See Snow in July – It’s not every day that you can explore a snowy tundra in mid-July. While driving the Trail Ridge Road be sure to get out and explore the tundra trails up above the tree line. Little G and Cousin E spotted yellow bellied marmots and pikas from the Gore Range Overlook and we loved exploring the area around the Alpine Visitors Center until frozen rain forced us back to the car.
Search for Wildlife – Whether its spotting elk fom the Trail Ridge Road, marmots on the tundra or hummingbirds in the trees, Rocky Mountain National Park is home to a wide variety of animals. My favorite was watching the yellow bellied marmots scuffle on the tundra. Good thing they have furry coats – it’s cold up there, even in summer.
Ride the Free Shuttle – Avoid traffic and parking hassles by catching the free park shuttle from Estes Park or the Park and Ride from inside the park. There’s even a bus stop at Glacier Basin and OTHER campgrounds.

 

Rocky Mountain National Park Photo Journal

Rocky Mountain National Park was the first stop for the 1920s National Park to Park Highway Tour. For us, it was our first Colorado National Park and the one at the highest elevation – you can drive over 12,000 feet! It felt so refreshing to be cold in the mountains in the middle of summer (don’t worry, not too cold). Here are some of our favorite photos from Rocky Mountain National Park. Enjoy!
Bear Lake
Big Mountains, Beautiful Sky
Little G and her Cousin E look for marmots on the tundra.

Elk grazing on the side of the road.

Me and Baby L splashing in the river.
Little G climbs on a log.
Sorry Chipmunk, no food for you!

Alberta Falls

Glacier Gorge

Elephant sized boulders and child size explorers.
Bear Lake
Brother and Sister exploring the river

Hiking Sprague Lake
There’s nothing so beautiful as an alpine lake with mountains in the background.

Get Off the Beaten Path in Yellowstone

For most of the parks we visit on the National Park to Park Highway I will be posting our top ten picks of kids activities, but Yellowstone is a special case. The first National Park is so huge and so popular (especially on Independence Day weekend when we visited) that instead of a top ten list I decided to share some off-the-beaten-path adventures with you instead. As always, follow @mountainmomtots on instagram for daily updates and to see what park we’re visiting right now.
First some tips:
If you’re traveling to Yellowstone save your gas money and choose just one area a day to focus on in the park. Whether it’s Old Faithful, Mammoth or Canyon areas, it’s more fun to get out and explore than hurry back to your car.
Get out of your car and onto a hiking trail. There’s a statistic out there that more than 90% of visitors to Yellowstone never go farther than a boardwalk, road or visitors center. Even if it’s just half a mile off the road, you can find solitude and nature away from the crowds.
Try less well known areas like the ones we visited here:

Firehole Lake Drive – Between Old Faithful and Madison Junction
This short, one way drive off the main road offers great geyser and hot springs viewing, not to mention a surprise spring. The features are similar to other geothermal areas in the park but the crowds are minimal.
Bike off of Fountain Flat Drive –Between Old Faithful and Madison Junction
Fountain Flat Drive is a short road that dead ends at the trail head for a primitive bike trail and hiking area. This gravel bike path is flat and easy to maneuver (except when your son gets a flat tire in the parking lot). Features to see along the 9 mile path include Ojo Caliente Spring, Goose Lake, Sentinel Meadow Trail, Fairy Falls Trail, and the Firehole River Crossing.
Ojo Caliente – 0.3 miles from the end of Fountain Flat Drive
We loved this little hidden hot spring not only for its secluded, off the beaten path location, but also because the hot water empties into the Firehole River. Touching water in the hot springs is not allowed (not to mention its a terrible idea) but you can swim in the river downstream from the spring. Can I just say, it was like sitting in a hot tub in the most beautiful place on earth.
Junior Ranger Station  – Madison Junction
We loved this little gift shop and information station. The hands on exhibits of animal furs, skulls, antlers and horns are great for little (and big) explorers plus you can look for wildlife with their spotting scope. Stay for a ranger talk which happen every half hour throughout the day and enjoy the beautiful views.
Beaver Ponds Trail – Mammoth
Because the Mammoth area of the park is so much further north than the rest of the park fewer people are on the roads to get there so pull over at some scenic overlooks. Once you’re at Mammoth try hiking to the Beaver Ponds Trail to get a view of the hot springs from behind.
Swim the Boiling River – Mammoth
This is a popular swim spot since the hot springs empty into the river. It is not off-the-beaten path but it is still worth visiting, especially if you can catch a glimpse of elk munching across the river like we did.
Do you have any favorite off-the-beaten-path locations in Yellowstone? Share them here.