Neighborhood Camping: Cascade River State Park

We were home just 1 day after the cabin, and then left the next day to go camping with friends and neighbors.  This year we headed up the North Shore to Cascade River State Park.  Some of us arrived on Wednesday, some on Thursday, and we all stayed until Saturday.  Unfortunately it was pouring rain on Wednesday, so Dr. Peds and another dad took two medium sized boys in a car that left ahead of time, so they could get to the campsite and set up all the tents and tarps and most of us would not have to get soaked while we unloaded cars and set things up.  The  plan was that there would be ready made shelter for little people.  It was pouring when they arrived, and they set everything up in a downpour.  Wouldn’t you know it, by the time I arrived a couple of hours later with a carload of miscellaneous kids, the rain had dwindled to a light drizzle, if that even.  So much for plans!  

There were five families camping together, and it was chaos!  We built a tent city in our group campsite, and constructed an amazing system of tarps over the picnic tables and campfires.  It was a sea of tarp and rope, and it did the job well!  

Some people made their own walking sticks. 

Cooking time was crazy!  The food was delicious, though. 

We actually reserved two group campsites because we had too many people to officially fit into one, however, we set all the tents and cooking up at the first campsite, and let the kids play in the large open space of the second site.  It was perfect.  They played soccer and gave each other rides in a red wagon, rode their bikes, and tried out the slack line. 

Numerous cute and fuzzy caterpillars were spotted. 

A friend who wasn’t able to come sent up AMAZING cut out cookies in the shape of moose and squirrels.  They were shortbread chocoloate chip cookies, and let me tell you, when people heard the name of this friend and the word “cookie” feet came running quickly from all directions.  So yummy!

There were a lot of dishes to do.  

We went on a couple of different hikes.  

There were marshmallows and Smores.  

The tent set up crew was very fast and efficient. Back by popular demand:  Taco night!  The kids LOVE tacos.

I have many, many more pictures of kids doing various camping activities.  I’m just posting a few.  We had a wonderful time.