Photo by North Cascades National Park on Flickr

2009 was a banner year for many popular family camping destinations. Parks in Maine, New York, North Carolina, South Dakota and Virginia all set attendance records last year, with big national parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite also putting in big numbers.

There is a renewed interest, across the country, in family camping trips that offer more bang for consumer’s vacation buck. Vacation hours and holidays have also been under pressure during the economic recession as companies cut expenses, including employee benefits. All of this is leading up to another banner year for the parks, which means the busiest family camping weekends in 2010 are sure to fill up quickly.

Memorial Day Weekend: May 28-31

The traditional kick-off to summer, Memorial Day weekend is always one of the busiest family camping weekends of the year. With many states now accepting reservations up to one year in advance (see Advance Reservations at State Parks for 2010), you are likely out of luck if you have not already made your plans, for this year.

Some states, though, like North and South Dakota, and Wyoming, have 90-day advance reservation windows, which means reservations can be made at the end of this month. Maine, too, begins accepting reservations for their state parks on February 8th and Montana on the 13th.

Independence Day Weekend: July 2-5 (Canada Day: July 1-4)

Independence Day falls on a Sunday, this year, so it’s one of those holidays that might not buy you a long weekend, depending on your company’s policy. Eight states have six-month reservation windows, meaning you can start making your Independence Day plans today.

Despite the popularity of family camping over the Independence Day weekend, I have been successful finding reservations inside the window, before, so don’t think they’re not available without checking, first.

Labor Day Weekend: September 3-6 (U.S. and Canada)

Labor Day marks the end of the camping season for much of the country and it is usually second only to Memorial Day, in terms of family camping popularity. People struggle to make long term plans, though, so even if you missed your state’s 9-month reservations window (Idaho, New York, Oregon and Washington), there’s a chance that some sites are still available.

Backup Plans

If you cannot find reservations for your family camping trip, this year, there are alternatives that you should consider. Many federal and state parks offer a number of first-come, first-served sites. It may sound risky planning a family camping trip in the hopes of landing one of these sites, but if you can arrive on a Wednesday or Thursday, it is a safe bet that sites will be available.

Another alternative is to make your own campsite on federal public land (see National Park too crowded? Try a National Forest Instead). Called dispersed camping, you are guaranteed lots of privacy and one of the best backcountry family camping experiences ever.

Have you made family camping plans for one of the popular holidays, this year?

See also…

• Types of Camping Spots
• Camp Greener to Help the Environment and Your Wallet
• Family Camping – Skip the Campground

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Online travel site Tripbase is putting together a project on “Best Kept Travel Secrets” and has asked me to contribute something from a family camping perspective. This sounds like it’s going to be a really great resource, as I’m just one of over a hundred sources contributing to the effort. I’ll be sure to give everyone a heads-up when they publish the series.

Many parents we have met feel a bit overwhelmed at the thought of spending a weekend in the backcountry with their kids. Camping with kids is a great way for families to spend time together and have fun in a different kind of setting, which helps keep the experience interesting for everyone. Here are three of my secrets to camping with kids.

Choose a Family Campground

There is nothing more fun for kids than…other kids! We go camping primarily in state and county parks, which are popular destinations for families on a budget, who are looking to get away for the weekend. Once we setup our campsite, a quick stroll or bike ride through the campground always turns-up other families with similarly aged kids, which is usually all it takes for new friendships to blossom.

This is particularly true of holidays, when many families plan camping trips in order to take advantage of a three-day weekend. Packing a few extra drinks and snacks can keep the playtime going, just be sure to check with the other parents, first. Whether the kids are playing at our campsite, or their friend’s site, we exchange information with the parents and keep an eye on our kids to ensure that they’re not breaking any of our camping rules:

• Stay out of other campsites
• No loud playing
• Stay within eyesight of adult supervision

Keep to Familiar Bedtime Rituals

Let’s face it, there are a lot of unfamiliar new sights and sounds in a campsite at night, which can make bedtime a challenge when camping with kids. The best way to deal with bedtime is to make things as normal as possible.

If you usually read a book to your kids before bedtime, this is still something that you can easily do when camping. Likewise, if your children have special pillows or blankets that they are used to, there is no reason that these familiar objects can’t be a part of their camping experience.

One area that might deviate heavily from the norm, when camping, is snacks and this can have a big impact on getting the kids to settle in for the night. Campfire s’mores are a big tradition in our family, but we have learned that we need to limit these sugary snacks, and have them early enough in the evening to not impact bedtime.

Encourage Children to Participate in Campsite Activities

Our early family camping experiences were probably indicative of how many parents handle the camping experience. We would park the car, and the kids would run off and play while we found a spot for the tent, setup the tent and arranged the rest of the campsite. We quickly learned the benefits of involving the kids in all of these activities, though, which has proven to be an enriching experience for all of us.

Involving kids in traditional adult activities, like building a fire or setting up the tent, is a rewarding experience that teaches responsibility and valuable outdoor skills. Kids are happy to participate if we just give them the chance, and it helps them feel much more involved with the family camping experience.

Your Kids Deserve an Outdoor Experience

Family camping with kids is a great way to experience the outdoors together and it’s the best way for your kids to develop an appreciation for nature. You can reduce your anxiety about spending a weekend in the backcountry by selecting a family-oriented campground, following typical bedtime practices that the kids are familiar with, and encouraging kids to participate in camping activities. Follow these three family camping “secrets” and your next family camping adventure is sure to be a success!

See also…

• 10 Kids Camping Activities
• 10 Things to do on your next camping trip
• The Camping Gear List

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I love sausage, but I also love getting the most mileage out of the food I pack for camping as I can, so planning a day’s camping menu around a common theme – in this case, sausage, makes a lot of sense. We camp a lot, so even though we like to keep our meals simple, a steady camping meal of pancakes, hamburgers and hotdogs gets old fast. Here is a quiche, a pasta dish and a calzone that will add a little pizzazz to your camping menu.

Breakfast: Impossible Quiche

Impossible Quiche (photo by Marylise Doctrinal on Flickr)

4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
2 Cups Milk
1/2 Cup Bisquick®
2 TSP Butter
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
1/2 lbs. Italian Sausage (precooked, or brown at campsite)
1 Cup Shredded Swiss Cheese

Whisk Bisquick, milk, butter, salt and pepper together. If preparing ahead of time, blend these ingredients in a blender, then store in a resealable bag. At the campsite, preheat a dutch oven or large skillet. Lightly brush the inside (while hot) with olive oil, then pour in the egg mixture and top with the cheese and sausage. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

Lunch: Sausage and Pepper Pasta

Sausage and Pepper Pasta (photo by prettywar-stl on Flickr)

1/2 lbs. Italian Sausage
1 Medium Red or Green Pepper, Chopped
3/4 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Clove Garlic
1 Cup Heavy Cream (Whipping Cream)
1/4 Cup Parsley
2 TSP Butter
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
10 oz. Pasta

Prepare pasta per directions on package. In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. If cooking raw sausage, cook until brown, and then drain grease. Add remaining ingredients, except cheese, and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

This meal, sans-pasta, can be prepared in the kitchen ahead of time, and then frozen in Reynolds® Slow Cooker Liners. The frozen meal can then be reheated at the campsite in the same pot that you use to cook the pasta (see Make Camping Meals at Home to Save Time and Trash).

Toss with pasta and sprinkle with cheese.

Dinner: Calzone

Foil meals on the campfire (photo by dianaschnuth on Flickr)

1/2 Package of Bread Dough (such as Rhodes) or 1 Package of Pizza Dough
1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce, such as Newman’s Own Organic Herb Sauce
1/2 lbs. Italian Sausage
1 Cup Chopped Mushrooms
1 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

Flatten dough onto a cold griddle or cutting board. Add ingredients, reserving some of the sauce to pour over the finished calzone, then fold over and pinch the edges together, sealing them tightly. Poke several air holes in the dough with a fork, to allow the steam to vent.

There are a lot of options, when it comes to cooking a calzone over a campfire. You can use a pie iron, a dutch oven, or simply wrap the calzone in heavy foil and place in hot coals. Cook for about 45 minutes. Top with remaining sauce and serve.

There’s more to camping meals than hamburgers and hotdogs, so when you are planning your next camping menu, be creative and put together something that everybody will remember. Much of the preparation for these meals can be done at home, where you have things like measuring cups and blenders. Incorporating common ingredients, like the Italian Sausage used in these meals, saves space in your ice chest and saves time at the grocery store.

What is one of your favorite camping recipes?

See also…

• Camping Meal menu from Bon Appétit
• 10 Tips to Better Outdoor Cooking
• Dutch Oven Buyer’s Guide

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When is something that is good for a lifetime not good for a lifetime? Evidently when it’s issued by the United States Forest Service. That’s what some holders of the agency’s Golden Age and Golden Access passports are saying, in response to a proposal that would lower the card’s discount on camping fees.

Since 1965 the Forest Service has offered three types of passes valid for free entry into federally-managed parks, throughout the country. The Golden Age Passport, for senior citizens and the Golden Access Passport, for disabled citizens, are both lifetime passes that provide the pass holder with a 50-percent discount on camping fees, in addition to free entry into the parks.

The third type of pass was called a Golden Eagle Passport, and was offered to anyone on an annual basis. Unlike the Golden Age and Golden Access passes, however, the Golden Eagle was not a lifetime pass and it did not provide a discount on camping fees. Recently, the Forest Service has proposed cutting the 50-percent discount to 10-percent, which has people wondering what has happened to their “lifetime” contract.

In 2007, the Golden Age, Golden Access and Golden Eagle passes were replaced by the Senior Pass, Access Pass and Annual Pass. A fourth pass was also added, the Volunteer Pass, for people who volunteer on Federal lands. The Forest Service has continued to honor the 50-percent discount on camping fees offered by the (now) Senior and Access passes – despite the fact that the enabling legislation for the newer cards, the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004, did not provide for this benefit.

There are several issues in play, here. For one, the Forest Service does not operate very many of its own parks, anymore. Private concessioners now manage approximately half of the Forest Service campgrounds and an even higher percentage of the more developed campgrounds that accept reservations.

Second, our nation’s demographics are working against the Forest Service. According to the agency, between 2001 and 2006 the number of camping nights sold to Senior and Access pass holders by private concessioners was 7.4 percent. By the end of 2007 that number had grown to 11.4 percent and the agency is projecting it to hit 17 percent by 2022.

The public has until February 1st to comment on the proposed change. To comment, visit www.regulations.gov and enter FS-2009-0001 in the search box. The Submit a Comment link will be displayed on the search results page, as shown above.

See also…

• National Park too crowded? Try a National Forest Instead
• State Parks Still Under Pressure
• Economic Fallout Coming to a Campground near You

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Continuing our look at some of the highest quality family camping tents on the market, this week we turn to Mountain Hardwear, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company is known for their innovative technology and products, including tents.

While Mountain Hardwear focuses primarily on lightweight backpacking and climbing tents, their Habitat and Casa line are both suitable for family camping. Best of all, these larger tents include all of the great technology of Mountain Hardwear’s lightweight tents, including anodized aluminum poles with clips for attaching the tent body.

Habitat

The Habitat comes in 3-person ($325) and 5-person ($425 – shown) versions. A $60 footprint is available separately. The opaque sidewalls and ample amount of mesh provide plenty of light and ventilation and the design features two doors, for even more airflow.

With the rain fly in place, front and rear vestibules provide room for gear, which frees-up floor space inside the tent. Floor space is always a major consideration for family camping with kids and the Habitat makes the most of it, with near-vertical sidewalls and a 6 ft. 4 in. center height for the Habitat 5.

Casa

The Casa line comes in 4-person ($350 – shown) and 6-person ($435) versions. A $50 footprint is available separately. Like the Habitat, the Casa features opaque sidewalls large mesh windows for interior light and ventilation. The single door is tall and wide, for easy access.

The rain fly also features opaque sidewalls for better interior light. The rain fly also provides a large front vestibule area that is 5 ft. 5 in. long. Near vertical sidewalls make the most of the 6 ft. 4 in. by 7 ft. 10 in. floor area (Casa 4). The center height of the Casa 4 is 5 ft. 3 in.

Three or four hundred dollars is a lot of money to pay for a family tent, but the Habitat and Casa are a far cry from anything you’ll find at the local superstore. Mountain Hardwear uses the best materials and these designs are infinitely more usable and durable than lesser tents, making these great investments for your family camping future.

See also…

• 2010 Big Agnes Family Camping Tents
• 5 Products to Keep You Warm during Fall Camping
• First Look: 2010 Grand Manan Tour

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