First, know yourself. How rugged of an experience are you, your vehicle, and companions prepared to have? Maintained campgrounds offer easier road access, water, fire rings, vault toilets; they are also the first to be notified in the event of fire danger. Are you heading for the solitude of the backcountry? While the rewards are great, dispersed campers’ responsibilities and capabilities must be much higher.

Know the area, fire danger, weather, and restrictions of your destination by contacting agency headquarters for information, including existing campfire restrictions, closures, and existing fires.

Know locations of alternative trails, nearby campgrounds, and roads, as trail or road closures may occur. Don’t rely solely on electronic mapping; bring a compass and paper maps of your area.

Know the weather forecast for your destination; and keep an eye out for changing weather, lightening, and smoke.

Let others know, too. Notify family or friends about your destination and expected time of return. Sign your party in and out at campgrounds and trailhead logbooks. If you change your plans en route, leave a note on a trail sign.

The post Know Before You Go appeared first on Out There Venture.

A highlight of the design of VanDOit’s vehicles—the base model is the Ford Transit—is how they can be customized to fit purchaser needs. They can seat anywhere from two to eleven people, and all elements, from seats to kitchens to shelving, are removable. Beyond the base setup, customers choose their features—whether they need a kitchen or a bathroom, for instance, or what their electrical or solar system is like. Because a single company is providing both the van and the build-out, they’re able to keep costs well below industry average, Chapin says, with the cost of the van plus full customization starting around $55,000. Plus, as a family-run company with dealership roots, VanDOit is able to accept trade-ins, which can further alleviate costs. “We’re able to package the van and the build at an affordable price so the end user isn’t paying retail for anything.”

Customers have included everyone from a guy who lives in his van in Alaska six months out of the year (he needed features like a built-in desk, as well as heat and water) to a couple in their 70s who wanted a vehicle they could drive to the Bay Area to visit their kids and grandkids; they plan to occasionally sleep in it overnight and think it will work well for an occasional nap along the way. The vans are well equipped to haul everything from kayaks to mountain bikes to skis to surf boards; the option of a hydraulic rack eliminates some of the hindrance of getting things on and off the roof. The pull-out gear slide is another nice feature. Learn more about VanDoIt and check out pictures of the vehicles in action at Vandoit.com, and come check out one of their vans at the Spokatopia Outdoor Adventure Festival July 13-14 at Camp Sekani Park in Spokane. 

The post VanDOit: Modular, Customized Adventure Vans appeared first on Out There Venture.

Maddie Seipp—2003 Volkswagen Eurovan

“I’m actually in the van right now,” says Maddie Seipp. We’re talking about the van she grew up adventuring in with her family, which is now the daily get-around vehicle for Maddie, currently a high school senior doing Running Start through SFCC. “I drive it every day,” she says.

Maddie, her parents, and her younger brother have logged a lot of miles in the VW. “I’ve been pretty much everywhere,” she says. “I think I’ve been to over 40 states in the van.” Her parents purchased it around 2008 and they’ve traveled broadly: down to Ensenada, Mexico; up to Banff, Canada; to California to visit family; to Montreal; and Maddie’s personal favorite, “the great American road trip, as we call it,” which took the four of them all the way over to the Florida Keys and then up the east coast the summer before her sixth grade year. Seeing the world and the country this way meant “I was exposed to more of American history hands-on,” she says. 

The family culture of van adventuring has shown her the possibilities—versus the limitations—of travel on a budget. “I feel like it taught me you don’t really need to spend a lot of money or be super extra about it to travel and get exposure to different places,” she says. “Having the van be my adventure vehicle or my introduction to the lifestyle has been really good, and I know that it will definitely inspire me to continue on this path as I progress in life.”

Recently, Maddie and a friend road-tripped to Portland over spring break. “That was the first trip I was able to take in the van without my parents.” She has plans for a trip to Seattle with friends in a few months; she also hopes (if she can convince her younger brother that the van is hers for the taking) to bring it along to college for more “outdoorsy adventuring.” Wherever she ends up (when we spoke, she was debating between Western Washington University and the University of Montana), she knows the van is just as good for getting out to “explore close by you” as it is for grander-scale excursions. 

The VW and her family’s time in it have changed Maddie’s life for the better. “I feel really lucky,” she says.

Matt Jones—(Temporarily!) Built-Out University Motor Pool Van

When a tight budget meets a big idea, it can be the catalyst for something great. That’s what happened when Matt Jones was conceiving of a large-scale research project as part of his graduate studies in entomology (bugs) at Washington State University. 

“My research was looking at how dung beetles and soil bacteria biologically reduce the amount of foodborne pathogens on farms,” he explains. “I was designing this really huge field project to study dung beetles from central California up to British Columbia. I was thinking about how I was going to pull off this huge project singlehandedly by myself on a budget.”

As he considered where he’d be traveling for research, he also “realized there was this incredible opportunity to surf and ski and hike basically along the entire west coast.” But how to cover the cost of all of that?

Enter the unexpected hero: a university motor pool van. For a six-month research season two years in a row (2014 and 2015), Matt rented and lived out of a WSU-owned Ford E350. He kept his plans vague with the university. “I said I’d be camping, but I didn’t say I’d be sleeping in the van,” he confesses. 

Not wanting to do any damage to the vehicle, “essentially I had to find a way to build out the van in a non-permanent way,” Matt explains. A rocket box on the roof, attached with a painters’ rack, held his skis and climbing gear. Inside the van were two huge coolers, “one for food and one for science.” He strapped an old dresser behind the driver’s seat and built a platform bed with space beneath for Tupperware storage bins, and two surfboards. “A critical detail is that my mother, she sewed me curtains so that people wouldn’t stare at me in rest stops when I was sleeping,” he says.

Matt traveled the coast, collecting samples from farms and sleeping in rest stops and on forest service land, climbing, swimming, and surfing along the way. Though the temporary way the van was set up meant it wasn’t the most comfortable (for instance, the van wasn’t tall enough to stand up in), it worked. Bathrooms were primarily rest stops and restaurants and “I didn’t shower much,” he says. Every couple of weeks he’d spend a night in a hotel “to just refresh, start over, get organized,” he says.

One of the biggest risks was stench potential: In the “science cooler” were lots of frozen cubes of pig excrement—the baits used for collecting dung beetles. “One of the more stressful things about that whole situation was that it might thaw out,” Matt says. The dung beetles he caught were put on alcohol, and anything sensitive, like the soil DNA samples, was put on dry ice and shipped overnight to the university. “That was actually really expensive, overnighting boxes of dirt,” Matt says with a laugh. “In some ways it’s priceless, but in other ways it’s worth nothing.”

Was it worth it? Would he do it again? “A hundred percent, yeah.”

“It absolutely allowed me to balance my work and pulling off this huge project with having lots of fun along the way,” he says. “It was really good. Actually, I miss a lot of elements of living in the van. It was a really good season of life.”

Kirby Walke and Family—58 Heald Teardrop Trailer by Overland Trailer

The Walke family—parents Kirby and Jenifer and their two young kids—had long been into tent camping when they started looking for a trailer their four-cylinder Subaru could pull. That’s when they discovered the 58 Heald teardrop trailer, built by Hayden-based company Overland Trailer, which they were fortuitously able to purchase used from its original owner. 

Kirby praises the sleek, light trailer, which they use for everything from “goofy family weekends” at the state park to solo trail running trips. It’s bear-safe and cozy, with a queen mattress and a bunk that’s been claimed by their older daughter, but the small interior encourages them to spend most of their time outside. The smaller profile and lighter frame makes it easy for the Subaru to pull, and it fits on dirt roads and pullouts, places larger trailers and campers wouldn’t. Weighing in at around 800 pounds, it’s easy to hook up for quick trips, and, oncee unhitched, “you can easily move them without having to hook it up,” Kirby says.

The Walkes have taken many adventures in the trailer, hitting up national parks and beloved local spots like Farragut State Park. “Every one that we go on is a favorite adventure,” Kirby says. Recently they’ve been to Rainier and the Cascades and to Icicle Gorge near Leavenworth, where Kirby was able to run the Alpine Lakes route.

The two-burner Coleman stove and an oven—built into the tailgate of the trailer—enable delicious, outdoor-cooked meals to be a big part of their time together. “We make pretty righteous breakfasts,” says Kirby, who notes the family camping menu often includes things like cinnamon buns, cookies, and homemade pizzas.

For the Walkes, the trailer is just right for this stage of life. “It’s sort of that in between. You’re getting the camping experience, but you’re also getting a great night’s sleep,” he says. He also admits to being a bit relieved the family dog has opted to sleep in the back of the Subaru rather than squeezing into the trailer with the four humans. “And the car you’re driving on a daily basis isn’t dictated by your trailer.” 

When spring hits, the trailer is ready for action. “On April 1, we put it back in the garage so it’s always stocked and ready.”

Henry Hagood and Mallory Koula—DIY Tiny Home

It’s a big project, crafting a tiny home. That’s the current undertaking of Henry Hagood and Mallory Koula, who are spending their evenings building a tiny home that they’ll be moving to Missoula this summer when they relocate there from Spokane. He’s heading to physical therapy school, and she will be doing a residency in family medicine. 

Henry first got the idea in 2016 from friends who’d handcrafted their own tiny home. Knowing he’d later be enrolling in a three-year program, he wondered how he might do something more cost-effective than pour money into three years’ worth of rent. A tiny house seemed like the answer.

In 2017 he purchased the bare metal trailer that’s the base of what’s now a gorgeous, cedar-planked work in progress. “It was supposed to be a six-month project,” Henry says with a laugh, since work was still well underway as of April of 2019, with elements like the kitchen and bathroom still coming together.

“The tiny house was his first partner,” Mallory jokes. The two of them have worked on it off and on together when they could over the past couple of years, often with the help of family and friends. “We’ve done it all,” says Henry.

The small footprint—22 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 13.5 feet tall—means “everything had to be multifunctional,” says Henry. A ladder to the loft area would have made sense, but stairs are even better because the space beneath them can become contained storage. The plan is for the dining table to serve as a guest area, building it on “a telescoping post that can drop to match the height of the bench area to make a guest bed,” Henry explains.

With a traditional home, customizing everything would be cost-prohibitive, but the reduced square footage means that’s not the case here.  “It’s likely the only time I’ll be able to build a fully custom home for myself,” says Henry. This has led to features like the hot and cold water spigots on the exterior for rinsing off the dogs, Grouper and Wizard, a double-hung door for the main entrance, and stained leaded-glass windows, which Henry and Mallory learned how to create from a local glassworker. There will also be a shower and a deep Japanese-style soaking tub; the kitchen will have a propane stove, built-in spice shelves, a washer/dryer unit under the counter, and “a not so tiny refrigerator.” They had fun learning about environmentally responsible materials and incorporating them, like Western Red Cedar, and looking for old things they could give new life, like old doors they’ve reused.

“A lot of the idea behind having minimal stuff is to not be attached to things,” says Henry, but having poured so much work and vision into this home, “it’s definitely the one thing I care the most about among material things.” Having worked commercial fishing in Alaska and living in tight quarters “with a bunch of stinky dudes” Henry’s fears aren’t about tiny house living, but about transporting the beloved project safely across three states. “I’m incredibly nervous to move it,” he says. The destination is the backyard of a young Missoula family they connected with through Craigslist.

Mallory’s concerns are more about day-to-day tiny living. She’s thinking ahead to crazy work hours and sharing close quarters—hoping she’ll be able to get enough rest and “feeling like it’s a space you can come home to.” 

Before long the final components will be coming together—countertops, shower, furniture—and it will be time to hit the road. In the meantime, the work continues—and that’s something they’ve really enjoyed doing together.“It’s been super fun,” says Mallory. 

The post Adventure Homes on Wheels: Tiny Homes, Custom Vans, and More appeared first on Out There Venture.

Begin with a “backcountry lite” experience, or seeking out enough primitive wilderness without totally roughing it. This includes staying at remote and rustic National Forest Service campgrounds accessible by car. You have no cell service and are many miles from the closest small town, yet you have potable water and vault toilets.

Another way to teach children about the rigors and requirements of backcountry travel is with day hikes. Kids can carry their own small pack with supplies, learn map and compass-reading skills, and practice Leave No Trace principles, including sanitation guidelines. Hiking round-trip in a day and returning to a campground, hotel, or returning home, is a significant accomplishment.

For any hike, always carry the “Ten Essentials,” which includes 10 gear categories: navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first-aid supplies, fire, repair kit and tools, nutrition, hydration, and emergency shelter.

Accidents happen and the power of nature can foil plans.

When your family seems ready for an overnight backpacking trip, begin with a one or two-night itinerary to a kid-friendly destination, such as a lake. Experts say that a child’s pack should weigh no more than 10-15% of his or her bodyweight. Find packing list ideas in guidebooks and from Washington Trails Association’s website (wta.org).

My friend and fellow Spokane mother Rebecca White recommends bringing special treats. For her kids, she packs M&Ms, freeze-dried astronaut ice cream, and tinfoil S’mores. Also, she packs extra clothes that remain behind in the car at the trailhead—“so you know everyone has a clean set when you’re done,” White says. She and her husband, Chris, first took their two children backpacking when the kids were about 10 years old. She recommends destinations like Plowboy Campground at Upper Priest Lake, which provides vault toilets. The 3-mile Navigation Trail is flat and easy, or you can boat in.

Parents Joal and Elizabeth Lee, from Pullman, chose Upper Priest as their family’s first backcountry destination. “Our daughters were 5-years-old, 2-year-old, and 6-weeks-old [at the time],” says Joal. “Elizabeth was able to carry a fully-loaded backpack while pushing our baby in a jogging stroller.” Accompanied by another family, Joal and the other dad canoed to the campsite with most of the gear. “It went really well, though, thinking back on it, I wouldn’t recommend taking a child that young. Even if a person is well-prepared, there is a lot that can quickly go wrong with infants,” he says.

The Lee family has since experienced three more backpacking trips, including to the Seven Devils in Idaho and the Eagle Cap Wilderness in northeast Oregon, where they summited the 9,572-foot Eagle Cap peak. “The farthest we’ve backpacked in a single day is 8 miles,” says Lee.

In the backcountry, be sure you’re prepared to respond to serious injuries. Consider registering for Wilderness First Aid or a Wilderness First Responder course, both offered locally by Peak 7 Adventures. There’s also the more comprehensive Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) course designed by National Ski Patrol. For families living in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, an annual Life Flight network membership is a wise financial and peace-of-mind investment should emergency air transport ever be needed.

To reduce heavy gear requirements, families can hike to a backcountry cabin or yurt. To reduce hiking mileage, consider traveling by boat to a backcountry destination, such as a cruise across Lake Chelan to Stehikin Village, a gateway to North Cascades National Park. There are four primitive wilderness campgrounds (permit required) located 0.5-5 miles from the boat landing. In Glacier National Park, Glacier Park Boat Company provides trips across lakes where you can then hike to backcountry campsites. Local guidebook writers Harvey and Abby McAllister have published family guides to Glacier, Yellowstone, and Utah’s Big Five National Parks—all part of the Adventuring with Kids series from Mountaineers Books. Another good resource is “Babes in the Woods: Hiking, Camping & Boating with Babies & Young Children” by Jennifer Aist.

As Amelia Earhart famously said, “Adventure is worthwhile in itself”—especially when that adventure is in a thick forest, along a quiet trail, or near an alpine lake with spectacular star-gazing views. //

Amy McCaffree is Out There’s special section editor. Her all-time favorite backpacking trip was in Glacier National Park’s Belly River area.

[Feature photo: White family backpacking in Hoodoo Canyon. // Courtesy of Rebecca White.]

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Albeni Cove:

A small rustic campground located near Oldtown, Idaho, along the Pend Oreille River, near Albeni Falls Dam (overseen by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). Enjoy mountain views, fishing, and wildlife. Recreation.gov

Bannack State Park:

On the way to Yellowstone National Park, near Dillon, Montana, is “Old West” Bannack—the state’s best preserved ghost town and site of a 1862 gold rush. The campground, along Grasshopper Creek, which includes a rental tipi, is just down the road from this National Historic Landmark. Stateparks.mt.gov

Beaver Creek:

Priest Lake, big beach, and national forest backcountry where you can hike or bike or paddle the Thorofare to reach Upper Priest Lake. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ipnf/recarea/?recid=6770

Big Arm State Park:

Enjoy Montana’s Flathead Lake, the West’s largest natural freshwater lake. This park offers three rental yurts, and is on the way to Glacier National Park. Stateparks.mt.gov

Charbonneau Park:

Located along Lake Sacajawea in Walla Walla County, east of Pasco, Wash on the Snake River, this day-use park and campground is overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and includes a playground and marina. Usace.army.mil

East Sullivan Lake:

A rustic campground with a big beach and access to Colville National Forest hiking trails. Located near Metaline Falls, Wash., it’s close to Crawford State Park and Box Canyon and Boundary Dams for day trip outings. https://www.recreation.gov/camping/east-sullivan/

Fort Spokane:

Most beloved for boating and fishing opportunities, this campground is near the confluence with the Spokane River. Visit the historic Fort Spokane Visitor Center and Museum. Nps.gov

Heyburn State Park:

Located near Plummer, Idaho, choose from three campgrounds. Bring gear to enjoy paddling or boating in Chatcolet and Benewah Lakes, hiking, biking, and fishing. Bike the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, and visit the playgrounds—one each at Chatcolet boat launch and Rocky Point Beach. https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/heyburn

Indian Creek:

One of three campgrounds within Priest Lake State Park, situated along the lake’s east shoreline, families enjoy the sandy beach, sport courts, and rental cabin options. https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/priest-lake

Kit Price:

River tubing and fly-fishing families revere this quiet, rustic campground along the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River, in the Panhandle National Forest. https://www.fs.usda.gov/

Pioneer Park:

Close to Newport, Wash., this Colville National Forest campground along the Pend Oreille River boasts good fishing and the Pioneer Park Heritage Trail. https://www.fs.usda.gov/

Riverside State Park:

Choose from three family campgrounds—Bowl & Pitcher, Nine Mile Recreation Area, and Lake Spokane’s primitive campsites. Enjoy hiking, mountain biking, paddling, fly-fishing, and rock climbing in the area. Be sure to visit the Spokane House Interpretive Center at Nine Mile Falls. http://parks.state.wa.us/573/Riverside

Round Lake State Park:

Included on Reserve America’s 2009 list of Top 100 Family Campgrounds, you’ll find a quiet fishing lake and hiking trails at this campground southwest of Sandpoint. https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/round-lake

Sam Owen:

Situated within the Panhandle National Forest along Lake Pend Oreille near Hope, Idaho, families enjoy stunning lake views and a dog-friendly beach. https://www.fs.usda.gov/

Whitetail:

This campground in Farragut State Park, near Athol, Idaho, is popular because of its playground and access to Lake Pend Oreille, and close proximity to Silverwood Theme Park. https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/farragut //

5 Family Camping Gear Favorites

Above and beyond the essentials, bring these pieces of camping gear along on your next trip to make your overnight out in nature more fun and comfortable.

LED lanterns and headlamps: Lanterns light up large spaces (including the interior of a dark restroom), and headlamps provide hands-free convenience. Most have at least three light modes: high, low, and night-vision red. Equip each child so he/she can be more independent after dark.
Hammock: Good for napping, reading, and swinging, a lightweight hammock delights both kids and adults.
Water sandals: Rocky shorelines with jagged or slippery rocks require safe, comfortable, waterproof, strap-on footwear. Keep flip-flops for hanging out at the campsite.
Handheld two-way radios: Older kids can experience more free-range independence with a walkie-talkie as they bike or walk around a campground. At remote campgrounds without cell service, these allow family groups and friends to stay in contact.
Portable charger: If you plan to use your phone for its camera and apps, like a GPS, throughout a multi-day trip, you’ll need to re-charge your battery. Which is difficult at a rustic campground with no electricity. You could use your vehicle charger, or bring along a small portable charger or solar charger with built-in USB ports to keep your phone, two-way radios, and any other devices ready to use. //

Feature photo: East Sullivan Lake Campground // Amy McCaffree

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What happens when four families—including eight adults and 10 children ages 1-11—go camping together over Memorial Day weekend? Fun, adventure, and lessons learned. Here are fundamental ideas that helped our trip succeed.

1. Plan a trip with like-minded families. My three girlfriends and I are all like-minded women—outdoorsy, non-makeup wearing women in the 38-42 age range; our children attend the same school; and we live within a half-mile radius of each other. Our children and husbands mesh well too.
2. Choose a kid-friendly campground and reserve campsites next to each other. Kid-friendly means lots of activities that children can easily walk to: a lake with a dock and small beach, hiking trails, meadow, etc. Reserve sites next to each other or across the road so it’s easy for kids to gather and play.
3. Keep expectations simple and plans easy. Every family was arriving to the campground at different times or days. We decided that Saturday would be the day to stay around our campground to swim, kayak, fish and hike.
4. Establish rules and boundaries for the children. Our group rules were: 1. No child can go to the lake without an adult; 2. You must wear a PFD whenever you’re on the dock, in the water, or in a kayak; 3. You cannot enter another family’s trailer or tent; 4. Tell an adult when you’re going somewhere else, whether it’s to another campsite or bathroom.
5. Be a village safety-net. Everyone kept their eyes on each other’s children and practiced fresh-air parenting—allowing kids to be independent (toddler excluded) and free to explore while hovering as needed to ensure safety and well-being, whether it was around the campfire, in the hammock, at the dock, or in a kayak.
6. Treat all the kids as if they were your own, and understand that no one’s children or marriage is perfect. Help each other as much as you can with child supervision and attending to needs (e.g., Band-Aids, applying sunscreen). Also, don’t take parenting so seriously that you can’t laugh at yourself. Give yourself a break: everyone’s child sometimes (or often) doesn’t listen to his/her parents, and all couples have their flashpoints and pet peeves with each other.
7. Plan only one shared meal as a group. For Saturday night we had a BYO food for campfire cooking (e.g., hot dogs) and side-dish potluck. For S’mores, each family contributed ingredients to the community table.
8. Bring supplies that can be shared. Hammock, water squirters, swim floaties, sand toys, glo-sticks, art supplies, stuffed animals, books, scooters, kayaks.
9. Decide which gear items are non-negotiable, and don’t over pack. With a toddler along, my friend Erin regretted not bringing their stroller. “I never got to sit down,” she says. For my family, our PFDs, Frisbee and art supplies are never left behind.
10. Plan easy, off-site excursions. At Heyburn State Park, this meant a quick scooter ride for the kids while parents walked along the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, followed by picnic lunch and swimming at the beach.
11. Be flexible, creative, and intentional about meaningful conversations and activities. Kids bonded over fascinating, yet simple experiences such as poking a dead catfish with a stick or spotting a muskrat. Around the campfire, we asked questions: Who can tell us a good joke? What is your favorite camping memory?
12. On check-out day, everyone keeps to their own schedule. Parents are busy packing-up and loading vehicles after breakfast. Our only official activity was to take group photos, because by then it felt like camping with a big extended family. 

Amy S. McCaffree is Special Section Editor and “Out There Kids” columnist. You can follow her on Facebook @AmyOutdoorsSpokane.

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Road trip after road trip, I’ve realized how reliable and necessary the family car is to successful outdoor adventures. Of course, there’s the gear it carries – camping supplies, bikes, alpine skis, double kayak (not all at once) – thanks to various roof-rack systems and a cargo box as well as a hitch-mounted bike rack. When tent camping, the car becomes a storage container. We took trips with two large dogs in the back before kids came along. Then the dogs stayed behind to make room for five-point harness child carseats and baby gear. How my husband expertly loads our car for big trips is a skill that still astounds me.

Dependable in any weather and with five-star safety ratings, “Subie” earned my respect and, dare I say, love through the years. Its trustworthy performance boosted my confidence, especially when driving on snowy roads. But it was more than that. It was where we listened to our favorite songs. Where we shared contented silence. Where my husband and I had uninterrupted conversations. The family car felt like home away from home.

It surprised me to realize how much a car became entrenched in my family’s narrative – a background character in our travel stories. Yet it was the constant element as we ventured to various Pacific and Inland Northwest destinations and back home again, whether it was to western Washington’s San Juan Islands or Sisters, Oregon, or Montana’s Glacier National Park. Subie was a conduit for adventure. With its dents and scratches, eventually it started to feel like part of the family – a team member fulfilling a valuable role. So much so that when it came time to get an upgraded, newer model, it was bittersweet after 10 years to say goodbye to the “family car” – the one we had from the pre-newlywed stage of life through early parenthood. But of course a different car only started the next chapter of travel memories when we returned to parks and campgrounds and ventured to new destinations.

Perhaps it’s silly to feel this way. It’s just a car, a machine, a piece of utility gear. Yet there it is, heavy with memory. My family car became a symbol, a catalyst for nostalgia: “Remember when we went to …camped …skied …biked …kayaked…?” And don’t we all get emotionally attached sometimes to certain gear? Bikes, boats, skis, lake cabins – these all hold memories.

Ultimately, though, what’s most important is the family inside the car. After an exhausting day of recreation or during a long road trip, I like to look at my children sleeping peacefully in the back seat. It’s these quiet moments of reflection when I better understand that the journey, however long, is always good. //

Amy Silbernagel McCaffree writes our Out There Kids column. She enjoys sharing stories that inspire people to be more active and adventurous.

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Sam Owen Campground 

Located near Hope, Idaho, this semi-rustic campground sits on a peninsula of Panhandle National Forest land on the northeast side of Lake Pend Oreille. One of the best amenities is the dog-friendly beach. (There is another beach where dogs are not allowed.) While the bathrooms don’t have showers – only flush toilets and sinks – when you’re swimming every day, who cares? Bring blow-up floatables and kayaks or stand-up paddleboards and enjoy the ocean-like expanse of Idaho’s largest and deepest lake and the wilderness views across the water. Don’t miss: Sunset view from the beach or dock. Watch out for: Black bears – keep a clean campsite and secure your food. Recreation.gov.

Beaver Creek Campground 

Located near Nordman, Idaho, off Highway 57 about 90 miles northwest of Spokane, this rustic campground is on Priest Lake’s northwest shore. This U.S. Forest Service campground is known for being well-maintained with clean vault toilets. Kids will enjoy riding their bikes around the campground loops, swimming, playing at the beach and hiking in the woods. Don’t miss: Hiking or mountain biking either the northbound Navigation Trail or southbound Lakeshore Trail.

Bonus adventure: Hanna Flat Cedar Grove Interpretative Trail to see 200- to 800-year-old western white pine and western red cedar trees. Fs.usda.gov and recreation.gov. 

Edgewater Campground

This rustic campground within the Colville National Forest provides a base camp for exploring north Pend Oreille County. Situated on a 2,000-foot bluff of the Pend Oreille River’s east bank, Edgewater Campground provides opportunities for hiking, boating and fishing. In July, September and October, the North Pend Oreille Valley Lions Club hosts scenic 90-minute train rides that will make everyone in your family feel young at heart (Lionstrainrides.com). Don’t miss: Visiting Box Canyon, Boundary Dam Vista House or Gardner Cave at Crawford State Park Heritage Site near the Canadian border (tours available Memorial Day through Labor Day). Look for: Wildlife – you might see moose, deer, elk, bears and many species of birds and other wildlife. Recreation.gov.

Heyburn State Park

Located 37 miles south of Coeur d’Alene, between the towns of Plummer and St. Maries, Idaho, Heyburn is the oldest state park in the Pacific Northwest. It encompasses over 5,000 acres and includes waterfront on Lake Chatcolet and Benewah Lake – two small lakes located south of Lake Coeur d’Alene. Choose from three campgrounds within the park. There are also rental cabins and cottages available. Amenities include a marina and boat launch, docks, playground and restrooms with showers. Rocky Point Marina rents canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and rowboats. Don’t miss: Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes for biking or walking. Watch out for: Mosquitos. Parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/heyburn.

Farragut State Park

Located at the southern end of Lake Pend Oreille near Athol, Idaho, 20 miles north of Coeur d’Alene, Farragut is a long-standing summer camping tradition for many Inland Northwest families. This 4,000-acre park, converted from a World War II naval training station, has four campgrounds. Whitetail is the primary one for tent camping and is geared toward families with its playground suitable for small children. The small lakefront town of Bayview and Silverwood Theme Park and Boulder Beach Water Park are both only minutes away, in opposite directions. Don’t miss: Playing at one of the three disc golf courses and touring the Museum at the Brig. Watch out for: Crowds at Beaver Bay Beach. Parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/farragut.

Riverside State Park

Washington’s second-largest state park is a short drive from Spokane’s urban core. There are four campgrounds within its 14,000 acres, the most well-known being the Bowl and Pitcher campground. It offers tent and RV campsites. There are also the Equestrian, Nine Mile Recreation Area and Lake Spokane campgrounds, the latter having 11 primitive campsites and two boat-in only sites.

Don’t miss: Mountain biking or hiking the park’s trails, especially in the Deep Creek Canyon area. Look for: Wildlife, including osprey birds and their nests in trees along the Spokane River. Parks.state.wa.us/573/Riverside. //

Tips For Fun Family Camping

• Travel Time and Location: A seemingly short road trip can morph into one that takes twice as long when traveling with young children. This can complicate your entire schedule, especially with meals and recreation. Other important considerations when camping with kids include access to grocery stores and urgent care clinics near your final destination.
• Reservation Options: There is no greater disappointment than getting to a campground only to learn that all the sites are full. It’s best to choose one that allows you to reserve a campsite online or by phone; many popular campgrounds fill up during the summer, especially on weekends.
• Bathrooms: Flush toilets vs. vault toilets? Hygiene routines can make or break a camping trip. Warm showers are nice but not always essential. Vault toilets are not too bad, despite their ominous descriptor.
• Safety: Campgrounds aren’t childproof; there are always inherent risks. Establish and communicate physical and behavioral boundaries for your children, and get to know your campsite neighbors. Camping provides practice in fresh-air parenting – giving your kids freedom to explore and experience appropriate risk-taking, like climbing and jumping off big rocks.
• Recreation Opportunities: Pick a campground that offers activities you know your kids enjoy, like swimming and biking, and ones you want them to try, such as fishing and geocaching.

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Also known as the Upper Coeur d’Alene River, this “cleaner” river fork – the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River is the one still impacted by mining-contaminated sediments – is known for its clear water and warm temps during shallow summer flows.

To get there, head up the north fork near I-90’s Kingston exit, which is 28 miles east of Coeur d’Alene. From here, head north on the Coeur d’Alene River Road (forest road #9 and then #208) to access abundant camping and river recreation opportunities.

Only 1.5 miles from I-90 is the Snake Pit restaurant, otherwise known as the Enaville Resort. Children will be intrigued by this historic building and its eccentric interior décor. The Enaville Trailhead for the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, a paved trail for biking and other non-motorized recreation, is also nearby.

Continuing up river on the river road, past the privately-owned RV campgrounds and the town of Prichard and Lutherhaven’s Shoshone Creek Ranch, you’ll travel further north into wilder country. Long past the point of losing cell phone coverage is where a truly peaceful camping experience awaits you at one of the four U.S. Forest Service campgrounds – all located more than 35 miles upstream from I-90.

Kit Price, at 2,550’ elevation, is the largest one, with 52 campsites; Devil’s Elbow, Big Hank, and Bumblebee are the three other Forest Service campgrounds. (Be sure to check campground updates for seasonal and maintenance closures before planning your trip.) All are rustic, which means there is potable water, vault toilets, and campground hosts, but that’s it – no sinks, shower facilities, or electric hook-ups for RVs.

While weekends are typically full, Kit Price is quiet and sparsely populated during weekdays. The North Fork borders Kit Price Campground’s east side, with easy access locations interspersed between campsites. It takes about 15-20 minutes to float from the main campground swimming and tube launch area to the campground’s most downriver take-out point, before the forest road #208 bridge. When not swimming or tubing, my kids were bike-riding the campground’s flat loops.

My family also drove upriver from the campground to explore further – while my husband went fly fishing, I played river guide for my two children and our dog. The freedom and fun of tubing expanded my children’s wilderness awareness. We enjoyed bucolic views of mountain peaks and rocky riverbank outcrops and a mosaic of greens from the surrounding conifers and aspens. We caught a frog, saw trout and skipped rocks.

My children floated on cheap, brightly-colored tubes (well downriver of Daddy’s fly line), while I guided them through riffles and small rapids by walking alongside them (only calf-deep water in some places) or sharing a tube with my daughter and holding my son’s hand. A found “river stick” was used to push through the slowest shallow sections, as a walking stick for the slippery riverbed, and for reaching out to my kids and pulling them along when needed.

Although the river can be exceptionally low in some spots by August – more so this year – it’s a natural playground for all ages.

Children should always wear PFDs and remain within an arm’s length of an adult while tubing. There are occasional deep swimming holes along the river. And be aware of and avoid “strainers” (downed trees in the river) and “sweepers” (overhanging branches that can knock you off a tube, leading to entrapment or drowning). Both parents and children should wear durable sandals that attach with straps – no flip-flops.

While tubing, if you encounter anyone fly-fishing, be respectful and don’t disrupt the upriver riffles or fly-line. This typically means exiting the river and carrying your tube downriver, or passing behind the person fishing.

Be sure to follow Leave No Trace principles, especially outside of established campground areas. The riverbank and forest land continues to be abused by litter and unsanitary hygiene practices in primitive recreation areas. Remember: pack it in, pack it out.

Visit the Idaho Panhandle National Forest’s website for more info. Campsite reservations available from Recreation.gov.

Visit the Out There Kids column for more stories about ideas, activities, and recommended adventure travel for families and children.

For more stories about fly fishing, visit the OTO archives.

[Feature photo by Judd McCaffree. // Floating on the North Fork of the CDA River.]

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