Family Camping

Of all our outdoor pursuits, camping is the one I enjoy the most but actually participate in the least.  I truly love our time as a family whether sitting around a fire, cooking up a big dinner or breakfast, making s’mores, or wading in a nearby creek.  There is something about the whole experience that just warms my soul.  The problem in our house is that we rarely can find time in the schedule to block off an entire day or two to fit it in.  Often I have to work weekends, almost certainly we have at least one game or track meet to fit in, or the kids have a dance or other social event that wins out.  But it is all good and I have many great memories of past campouts and dreams for future nights under the stars.  

 

As a family we typically tent camp at state park campgrounds within an hour or two of St. Louis on a site near nice restrooms.  We also primarily go when the weather is nice, and rarely risk going if there are going to be big storms or stifling heat. I think that our favorite campground is at Hawn State Park, though Onondaga Cave State Park is also a nice place to go.  We have camped at Meramec State Park, which is fine, but the party goes a little later into the night there than we would have liked, at least when the kids were younger.  We also enjoy Montauk State Park, and it is always a full house while fishing is in season. We did spend a really nice weekend at Bass River Resort (www.bassresort.com) with a large campground on the banks of Courtois Creek, although it seemed a bit pricey.  

 

So, in our experience, these 5 things are the key to a successful camping trip with young children.

 

1. Nice weather.  It should go without saying, but we have found that camping in May/June or September/October you can usually count on better weather in Missouri.  You are guaranteed to be climbing uphill if you have to spend all weekend hiding in the tent to avoid the rain or battling the extreme heat or cold.  This is especially true for younger kids.
2. Good food.  I typically do all the meals and when we camp, one of my early promises to get Debbie to go along.  I use an Explorer stove with a large griddle to make pancakes for the kids, but also am sure to bring along cereal and Pop-Tarts as a back up.  With the large stove there is plenty of room to also fry up some bacon or make biscuits and gravy as well, then of course leave room for some eggs prepared any way you like them. Then we experiment with outdoor pizza, grill a steak and fry some potatoes, and be prepared to make quesadillas or grilled cheese if in a pinch.  And finally, all the snacks, cookies, chips, s’mores, etc. that you can cram into the car.  
3. Activities!  We like to combine camping with a float trip, and fortunately we are blessed with many wonderful rivers in Missouri.  We have had awesome family floats on the Courtois, the Huzzah, the Meramec, and even the Big River.  We have found success hitting the river Sunday morning on the first available float you can avoid some of the wild crowds, yet still be able to enjoy part of this show as you finish out the float in the afternoon.  If not floating, then at least fishing or wading in a creek, riding bicycles around the campground, taking a short hike, or even playing cards around the campsite.  
4. Lights.  Flashlights, glow sticks, lanterns, the more the better.  I am amazed at the self created games and activities that the kids come up with revolving around their lights.  They are also essential when heading to the bathroom at night or even for just alleviating any fear that might come with darkness in a strange place.  
5. Time around the fire.  The kids are mesmerized by campfires, and everyone gets a role in getting it going and keeping it going.  You have to be safe and make sure that they keep a safe distance, but it is also healthy letting them participate in adding sticks or logs, poking logs, or maybe even just lighting the fire in the first place.  The family time is priceless sitting around the fire until we start to nod off, one by one.  By keeping the day full of activities, rarely do we ever have any trouble getting any sleep.

 

Debbie and Billy around the campfire circa 2008

 

Missouri is home to many wonderful campgrounds, many open all year. Most state parks offer full electric and water campsites that often operate at or close to full capacity.  Many of the areas conservation areas offer primitive camping as well as electric sites, and there are always privately owned campgrounds that can be rather accommodating.  So whether you put up a tent or drag a large fifth wheel camper, the opportunity to gather the family and get out MO-Camping is always there and worth the effort.  If you are new to camping, get a tent (doesn’t have to be expensive to start out, our first tent as a family camp from Wal-mart, slept 5 people, came with 2 camp chairs and 2 sleeping bags, and cost about $79).  We still have the tent 10 years later and use it for overflow.  Find an inexpensive camp stove, bring blankets and pillows from home, load the food into some plastic bins and head out to start a new tradition.  Maybe check out this link for more information on camping at Missouri State Parks just as a place to start.

 

https://mostateparks.com/activity/camping

 

What are your favorite places for family tent camping in Missouri?