Month: June 2016

Stage 2: National Park to Park Highway

We completed Stage 1 of our National Park to Park Highway Tour and learned some valuable lessons. As the BIG trip looms, we are frantically preparing. I thought you’d like to know where we’ll go on our seven week, 5,600 mile road trip tour of the National Park to Park Highway. 

Photo of the 1920s National Park to Park Highway Tour.

Our journey begins June 27, 2016 with our first stop: Grand Teton National Park. I’m glad we’re starting here. After the difficulties of camping on our practice tour, I’m looking forward to staying at Togwotee Mountain Lodge. Their cabins are the perfect size for our family and I need to ease back into full time camping with a shower, flush toilet and laundry services. Apparently camping luxury to me means running water. 

1920s map of National Park to Park Highway

From there we’ll be visiting the following parks. It’s not in the same order as the 1920s group, but we will be visiting all of the original 12 parks on the National Park to Park Highway, plus a few more.

June
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming/Idaho

July
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Colorado
Hovenweep National Monument, Colorado
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Family Reunion, Silverstrand, CaliforniaKings Canyon/Sequoia National Park, California
Yosemite National Park, California
Devils Postpile National Monument, California
Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
Mount Rainier National Park, Washington 

August
Olympic National Park, Washington 
Glacier National Park, Montana
Yellowstone National Park, Montana



We’re excited to take off on this journey and want you to come along for the ride. Sign up for our newsletter below or follow us on instagram, twitter or facebook. 

What’s more, we want your input on what adventures we should experience. Share your favorite hike or bike ride in one of the National Parks on our route. What do you recommend? Leave a comment, we’d love to hear from you!

1920s National Park to Park Highway Tour

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Introducing the Mountain Mom and Tots Book Club

One of the greatest loves in my life is reading. I’m a fan of well told stories, especially if those stories have something to do with the other great love in my life – the outdoors.

Recently while reading How to Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature (affiliate link) I had the thought, “Hey, I bet some of my blog readers would like this book too.” That led to, “Why not start a conversation about good nature themed books.” And you know how trains of thought go, they just keep chugging till they get to their station. “Why not start an online outdoors book club?”

It’s a simple enough idea. And one I hope you’ll love.

Here’s my plan. I’ll chose an outdoor themed book and review it here on Mountain Mom and Tots. You’ll be able to find all the Mountain Mom and Tots Book Club choices under the soon-to-be-introduced Book Club tab on the site.

For every book I will ask one or two questions. Just post a comment and the discussion can grow from there. The questions will be applicable to all, whether you read the book or not.

On this first edition of the Mountain Mom and Tots Book Club I wanted to highlight this great book about getting outdoors with kids. Just in time for summer reading!


How to Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature
Parents of preschoolers are probably already familiar with Dr. Scott the Paleontologist from the PBS Kids show Dinosaur Train. For those of you who haven’t seen Tiny the Pterodactyl and her adopted T Rex brother Buddy, allow me to introduce you to Scott D. Sampson, Ph.D.

He’s an expert in his field of (surprise) paleontology, but more than that he’s an advocate for connecting children with nature. His most recent book How to Raise a Wild Child presents the latest research on kids in the outdoors. It also gives great ideas on how to become a Nature Mentor.

My first reaction while reading this book was “Yeah, I’m doing pretty good.” When Sampson encourages engaging children in wild spaces I look out my window and think we’ve got that pretty well covered living at Sundance Resort. Just the other day Little G pointed at a fuzzy antlered deer walking past our kitchen window.

Then my son complains that “I only got an hour and a half of electronics time today! This is the worst day of my life!” and I realize I might still have some work to do.

At times while reading How to Raise a Wild Child the Mommy guilt of “I’m not doing enough” set in. While the book is mostly aimed at giving suggestions on improving your Nature Mentor skills, the voice in the back of my head kept saying “Ok, here’s another thing I should be doing.” There’s never the time or energy to implement all of the ideas in my actual life.

That’s my take. Now it’s time to discuss. My comment question for you is the same one Sampson asks in Chapter One:

What is Nature, and Do We Really Need It?

Leave your comments below, I’m really curious to know your thoughts.


101 Things For Kids To Do Outside
The other book I’m reviewing in this inaugural Mountain Mom and Tots Book Club post is 101 Things For Kids To Do Outside by Dawn Isaacs. It’s full of fun outdoor activities, many of which kids can do completely on their own.

When Firefly Books offered me a copy to review I didn’t think much of it, other than it seemed like a cool book. When I actually looked through the book I was surprised at how sucked in I got. The photos and illustrations are adorable and I love how Isaacs writes directly to kids.

Each project is just a page or two and there’s a wide variety of activities to choose from. Only have an hour or less? Make flower fairies or rustle up a bird feast like little G and I did (note: birds can tell the difference between lard and bacon grease). Blow giant bubbles, balance stones or take the matchbox challenge. Want a summer long project to engage kids with the outdoors? Plant a mobile herb garden, brew your own plant food or construct a stumpery.

101 Things For Kids To Do Outside is full of ideas on how to have fun outdoors. I like that I can pick and choose which projects would work for our family based on age, season, time and interest. Our current family favorite from 101 Things For Kids To Do Outside is to Go on a bear hunt – basically playing hide and seek with stuffed animals.

Now when Big E complains that he’s bored and there’s nothing to do but play on electronics I can hand him this book and kick him out the door.

Comment Question for 101 Things For Kids To Do Outside:
What is your KIDS favorite activity to do outside? 

Let’s discuss! Leave a comment with your thoughts about either of these great books and be sure to answer the questions. I want to hear what you think!


This post includes affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you purchase something by clicking through these links.

Lessons Learned from a Campout Gone Wrong

Last week we completed Stage 1 of our National Park to Park Highway Tour. On our week long camping adventure to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument we wanted to see just how hard living out of our truck full time would be.

Spoiler Alert: Camping with kids is hard.

Here are the lessons we learned from Stage 1 of the National Park to Park Highway Tour that will hopefully make our big trip (leaving June 27, 2016) a little easier.

Psst…Want to see exclusive photos of the completed National Park-to-Park Highway tour? Check out this FREE Photo Ebook! Sign up right here in the box after this sentence.

1 – Don’t Leave Essential Gear at Home.

In our frantic packing at the start of the trip we forgot our tent poles and our Lightspeed Outdoors Tripod Quick Canopy. I’m embarrassed just writing that. We forgot our tent poles and shade shelter! As a seasoned camping family we know better than that.

Lucky for us Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks are in the high desert region of southern Utah and we didn’t get rained out. Unlucky for us, Zion and Bryce Canyon are in the high desert and we didn’t have any shade.

 

We survived the first half of the trip by spending the hot afternoons swimming in rivers and the nights sleeping under the stars. Big E and Little G slept on the bench seats inside the truck while Mountain Dad and I slept on the Lightspeed Outdoors Air Bed (with Foam Topper) out under the stars. And when she wasn’t crying, Baby L slept on her Klymit Static V Junior Camp Pad next to us.

Did I worry about creepy crawlies snuggling up with my baby? A little, which is why she ended up on the mattress with me and Mountain Dad every night at some point.

Then on day 5 of the trip my sister came to the rescue, bringing our missing poles and Lightspeed Tripod Quick Canopy to us in Bryce Canyon National Park. Her family came to hike and camp along with us and I was so grateful.

On our big trip this will be less of a problem thanks to the truck top we ordered from Sam T Evans Trailers in Salt Lake City. The plan is to sleep in the back of the truck, leave our bed unmade and not have to roll up sleeping bags every single day.

Making due is a lesson that any camping family learns. Luckily we remembered enough gear to make the trip manageable.

 

2 – Be Flexible

A few days before we left for Zion National Park, Mountain Dad got a message from ReserveAmerica.com.

 “We’re sorry, your reservation for Point Supreme Campground in Cedar Breaks National Monument has been cancelled. They are unable to open the Campground at this time due to unexpected snow levels.”

What? The only firm camping reservation we had on this trip just got nixed? It was a bad omen. We were looking forward to attending Cedar Breaks’ Saturday Night Star Party, but without a place to sleep that just wouldn’t be possible.

This is the second lesson any camping family learns. Sometimes our plans just don’t work out.

 

It’s a lesson I’ve learned before, but apparently have to keep learning. We do everything we can beforehand, but as John Steinbeck says in his books Travels with Charley In Search of America, “…A trip…has personality, temperament, individuality, uniqueness…And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless.”

 We decided to cut our trip short by one day since camping in snow didn’t sound that fun anyway, especially without tent poles.

 

3 – Pack and Strap It

A big headache on this trip was packing, strapping and attaching our gear. I’ve realized that the right gear for packing is just as important as the right gear for hiking and biking.

 

Inside our truck bed we installed a Decked system, which is great for keeping our camping gear organized. Our camp chairs, stove, emergency supplies and even food stay neatly in their places and easy to find. But the space between the top of the Decked and the tonneau cover is only about eight inches. That means every sleeping bag, backpack, and baby carrier has to either squish to fit or be strapped on another way.

We’re fixing this in three ways. First, we’re getting a truck top from Sam T Evans Trailers in Salt Lake City. That will give us space to sleep and hang our backpacks so they’re out of the way, helping with the packing and keeping setup and take down work to a minimum.

 

The other two fixes are thanks to our sponsor Yakima. First, the SwingDaddy 4 Bike Hitch Rack has been awesome. Because of it’s unique design, we’re able to move the bikes out of the way of our tailgate without taking them off every time. It’s genius! Fitting our tots’ tiny Woom bikes on the rack built for full sized, adult bikes was tough, but we figured it out eventually. Only after I got home I found out that I’m not supposed to mount bikes vertically on the SwingDaddy. Looks like we’ll have more figuring out to do.

Second, we need a place to pack our bike trailer. While the Burley D’Lite Bike Trailer packs pretty flat, we already had limited space in our truck bed due to our Decked system. Mountain Dad came up with a brilliant solution of strapping the Burley D’Lite on top of our tonneau cover. For our big trip we’ll be installing a Yakima LoadWarrior Rooftop Cargo Basket to the top of our truck cab. This will allow us to pack the oversized items without having them bounce around on our unmade bed.

 

4 – Camping Requires Some Work

Mountain Dad’s biggest complaint on the Stage 1 trip was how often we had to wash dishes. After every meal!

I’m committed to producing as little waste as possible on our National Park to Park Highway tour. That means no paper plates, utensils and paper towels (who wants to use paper plates for 7 weeks anyway?). Mountain Dad, on the other hand, is focused on making our lives as easy as possible, which I also support.

We love the Sea to Summit X series dish sets, I just wish there were a way to make them self cleaning. Washing dishes after every meal adds a lot of time to the work part of camping and less to the play part.

Since our kids are still young (ages 7, 4 and 1) they can’t wash all of the dishes on their own. Big E and Little G have helped with the work, but as most ‘teaching kids to work’ projects go there’s a lot of direction from Mom. It’d be faster and easier (and less whiny) if I just did it myself.

We don’t have an easy solution to this, other than to suck it up and do the dishes. With a family of five this may just be part of the work of camping that we can’t make much easier.

5 – Joy Amidst Work

So if camping with kids is so tough, why do we do it? What is the point of loading up life, driving for hours, and sleeping in your car/tent/on the ground for a few days?

I think that’s best answered by my kids. When my sister came to camp with us she asked Little G the following questions.

Q – What do you like about camping?

A – We do fun stuff all the time.

Q – Like what?

A – Like play.

It’s true we do fun stuff while camping. Swimming in the Virgin River in Zion, riding bikes along the canyon rim in Bryce, even playing with pine cones at our campsite are out of the ordinary, unique experiences. And my kids aren’t the only ones playing. Mountain Dad and I are in the water with them, riding along side, even adding to their pine cone pile at camp.

This is the reason I camp with my kids. There are moments amidst the work that are relaxing, fun and beautiful. I’m present for my family without TV and smart phones distracting me. Nature helps me feel happy.

Twice on this trip Big E and little g said “This is the best day of my life.” Even with the sleeping, packing and cleaning of the trip. They got to do fun things outside. When I think about it, that’s why I like camping too.

Before we leave for our big National Park to Park Highway Tour June 27th, we’ll be working on solutions to our packing dilemmas. I’ve already started on a packing list to prevent leaving essentials at home. The biggest lesson I learned from Stage 1 of our tour is to make the work more manageable, then focus on the joy of being outdoors with my family. That’s what I want to be doing anyway.

What about you? What are your biggest headaches when camping? Why go (or not go)?

 This post includes affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you purchase something by clicking through these links. Thank you to our 2016 National Park to Park Highway Tour sponsors, several of whom are listed here. Check out our Sponsors page for more info about them.

10 Things To Do With Kids in Bryce Canyon National Park

We finished Stage 1 of our National Park to Park Highway Tour and wanted to share our top ten activities to do with kids in Bryce Canyon National Park. I especially liked attending the Annual Astronomy Festival and seeing Saturn and its rings. Enjoy!

Hike Bristlecone Loop – Located at Rainbow Point at the very end of the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, this 1 mile trail passes some of the oldest trees in the west. Some are more than 1,600 years old.

Bike the Multi-use Trail – This was my favorite part of the trip! The 6.2 mile paved trail runs from Bryce Canyon City to Inspiration Point within the park. It passes the Visitors Center, North Campgound, General Store, Sunrise Point, Sunset Point and Bryce Lodge. The paved trail is relatively flat and passes under towering pines. And it’s great for wheelchairs, strollers and pets.

Have Lunch in the Lodge – What makes Bryce Lodge unique is not only that it’s still standing (built in 1923), but its wavy roof pattern is like an optical illusion. The lodge is worth a visit all on its own whether you stay overnight, stop in for a meal, shop in their gift shop, or make reservations for a horseback ride through the park.

Camp at North or Sunset Campground – With convenient shuttle stops and newly renovated flush toilets, our stay at North Campgound was super easy and fun. I know flush toilets don’t often connote luxury but on this trip it was surprisingly nice. Come early, the spots fill up quickly especially on the weekend. There’s also a laundromat and showers available at the General Store.

Visit Mossy Cave – Mossy Cave in the North section of the park is not on the itinerary for most Bryce Canyon visitors. The cave itself wasn’t too impressive, but we loved playing in the Tropic Ditch waterfall. This man made river was carved by the shovel full by Mormon Pioneers over 100 years ago. On our trip the water flowed cool and quick, but in the winter the waterfall freezes into icicles.

Hike the Hoodoos – The special program called I Hiked the Hoodoos is unique to Bryce Canyon National Park. It’s a scavenger hunt and hike all in one! Several popular trails including Queens Garden, Navajo Loop, Mossy Cave, Tower Bridge and Bristlecone Loop have medallions placed along the trail. Hike 3 miles and take a selfie with the medallion and you can receive a reward from the visitors center.

Become a Junior Ranger – Every National Park in the US has a Junior ranger program that’s perfect for getting kids involved in the park. Pick up a booklet at the Visitor Center, complete the activities, attend a ranger presentation and your 4-12 year old can be sworn in as a junior ranger and receive their own badge.

See the Stars – The night sky is brilliant at Bryce. Away from the light pollution of cities, the whole sky is blanketed with stars. Rangers lead astronomy programs all summer long which typically include a multimedia presentation followed by stargazing with telescopes. There’s also a ranger led full moon hike. Check at the Visitors Center for times and sign ups.


Attend the Annual Astronomy Festival – Once a year Bryce Canyon hosts the Salt Lake Astronomical Society in an awesome star gazing festival. Held in early June, the festival includes special events including an indoor planetarium at Bryce Lodge, special speakers like 2016’s keynote speaker Seth Jarvis from Clark Planetarium, and 30+ telescopes for the public to use. Members of the Salt Lake Astronomical Society are on hand to point out the planets, galaxies and constellations. Big E and I loved seeing Saturn, Mars, Jupiter and its moons, the ring nebula and two distant galaxies. It was so cool!
Cross Country Ski – Winter in Bryce is breathtaking, both the scenery and the weather. With snow topped hoodoos at 9,000 feet elevation it’s a cold adventure all its own. The main road is not plowed in some sections, but it is open for non motorized winter use. So strap on the nordic skis and see Bryce Canyon like few others do.

Thanks for following along on our National Park to Park Highway Tour. Stage 2 begins June 27, 2016. It’s a big one, traveling 7 weeks to 16 National Parks and Monuments for a total of 6,000 miles. You can come along by signing up for the Mountain Mom and Tots Newsletter below. Just enter your email and come along for the ride.