Family experiences at National Parks, Monuments, etc

Both our kids were camping by the time they were six months old and at times they thought the truck was home. At naional parks they really enjoyed the junior ranger programs and got badges and patches from about 12 different parks. They also enjoyed the ranger lead programs and hikes.But mainly they enjoyed being out where they could see lots of animals. Our daughter and son-in-law live in Colorado and tent camp all over the state and surrounding states.Our son has finally been able to get a good paying job and is already planing some camping trips for his family. He wants his kids to be able to experience the things he did growing up.

Our children who are now 18 & 20 have been to a lot of places. Yellowstone was their favorite. They have seen the Grand Canyon, rode the mules down the canyon, rocky mt., Pikes Peak, Bryce & arches. Have been to Florida also. It was a great way to spend much needed quality time with them growing up. Camping our daughter still enjoys going with us, she is 20, our son not so much.

We started camping as a family when our girls were 3 & 9. And we are tent campers. We have camped in Arkansas at Lake Catherine SP and DeGray Lake SP and both times spent time in Hot Springs NP. We rented a cabin in Smoky Mountain NP and drove every scenic road and part of the Blue Ridge Pkwy. We rafted in Durango, went off road jeeping and horseback riding in Ouray. We've camped at several state parks and national forests in Texas. Our girls are now 18 and 11 and we have a 1 year old son. Last summer we drove to Minnesota for a friends wedding and ended up driving up to the Chippewa Flowage in Northern Wisconin to camp for a week on an island. The campsites are on islands and only accessible by boat. No facilities but an open pit toilet in the woods and a fire ring. We hung our hammocks on trees out over the water, the kids jumped off the small dock, we fished and swam and just had a fantastic time. My 17 year old daughter didn't even mind not showering or having no phone reception for a week. It was a long drive but that was my kids favorite trip. My husband loves the smokies. I prefer the Rockies and I am hoping to maybe do pikes peak and rocky mountain NP soon.

We took our kids 12 & 14, on a 6,000 mile tour of the US about 7 years ago and we hit several national parks. My daughter's favorites were Carlsbad Caverns NP especially seeing the bats come out of the cave, and Yellowstone NP, due to the thermal features and animals.

My son, who is severely mentally handicapped, also enjoyed the National Parks. He can't talk but I know he enjoyed the trip. He couldn't take his eyes off the Grand Canyon and kept trying to look over the edge (!) He also enjoyed Yellowstone and even now when he sees video of bison at the thermal features he will stop and watch the TV (and this is a kid who does not watch TV or movies.)

My kids did not have video games or smartphones. DD did have a computer so she could watch DVDs, a life-saver when we were crossing the desert for 8 hours. They enjoyed just hanging out with us, swimming, hiking, and even the driving (except for the desert~)

We went to Hot Springs NP when DS was 11-12. He absolutely LOVED the bathhouse tour and the movies about them & the history of the hot springs. We also drank some of the Spring water out of the public fountains.

We’ve been to all the parks in the west except Glacier and Olympic plus the Smokies and many other non-park sites like Shiloh and Amish country in Ohio. I don’t recall any of them ever complying about anything in the parks. We did a lot of hiking and sightseeing and they enjoyed it all. I think they especially liked the nightly ranger talks. We went to Yellowstone when number 3 son was 5. Then he went off to school for an advanced degree for years. When he graduated we were prepared to give him anything he wanted for a graduation present. What he wanted was to make the Yellowstone trip again, so that’s what we did. And Yellowstone/Tetons are definitely his favorite places. What’s he dislike? Country with no mountains and the poor guys in FL where the highest point is a highway overpass.

My youngest granddaughter likes any kind of camping regardless of where we go. But she especially likes Zion and Mesa Verde and Telluride. Oh, and the Siverton-Durando train ride, we've done it 3 or 4 times. She got some of her grandfather’s genes in that she cares little for cities or citified entertainment like Disneyland. My afore mentioned son is going to give a talk in Europe at some sort of neurological seminar in July. Then he’s coming to Phoenix in September for the same and he wants to hike down to the bottom of Grand Canyon and my granddaughter really wants to go with him. She’s a senior next year and far enough advanced she should get her BS in 3 years. So we’re hoping that may allow her to get a couple of weeks off school to go with him and we’re working on that.

So I think the common thread of what my kids liked is the hiking and the outdoor experiences. Regardless, keep up the good work and take them all the places that you can. You never know where it will lead and you’ll give than memories they’ll never forget.

When our kids were growing up, they enjoyed going camping. Whether it was to Yosemite or other National Parks, a State Park, and even the hundreds of forest Service campgrounds, they saw nature at it's finest. They learned to fish, ride bikes, make fires, cook marshmellows, meet and play with their new friends, and most importantly, learn about our family values. All without electronics. They had books to help identify birds, animals, plants, and even the stars.

Now they are doing the same things with their new families.

We took our kids to the following places when they were early teens. Now, as adults, they still want to return often.

Consider Badlands NP near Rapid City SD, where the kids can run and scramble over various rocks and along paths. Nearby is Mt. Rainier NM and the Crazyhorse monument. Also, reasonably close is Devil's Tower NM (the monolith in Close Encounters ...). Hike around the base and learn about the Indian legends. From there you can drive to Cody, WY and see the Buffalo Bill Museum (first-rate IMHO) and the Irma Hotel. Maybe take in a rodeo. Then, just two hours to Yellowstone NP eastern entrance. After Yellowstone, head south to Grand Teton NP. Consider tubing down the Snake River and/or taking a boat ride across Jenny Lake (?), and a short hike to Hidden Falls. Look for Moose and other animals. Enjoy the "gunfights" in Jackson WY, and see the town square made famous in Clint Eastwood's "Every which Way ...".

Have a great trip with your family.

Bob

Both our kids and grandkids enjoyed getting away from areas that had large entertainment facilities and enjoyed nature.
Yellowstone, Glacier, Tetons and Rocky Mtn. National parks.
They all enjoyed the real outdoors on trails and exploring.
Grandson didn't enjoy New England. We went to historic places. School didn't teach much or he wasn't listening to the Revolutionary War. Visited places like Lexington Concord area. Grand daughter and daughter enjoyed not only that area along with Walden Pond and the Boston witch museum and Plymouth Rock
We always tried to do things that THEY would enjoy and NOT what we always wanted to do.