Spring break was last week and luckily it happened to coincide with spring-like weather. This result was a relatively peaceful family camping trip to the beautiful Marin County coastline. If you have never explored this part of California, you should. It is compact, diverse, remote-feeling and yet still accessible. And best of all, there are many wonderful food and lodging options if say, sleeping on the ground with neighbors unknown and sharing bathroom facilities is not your thing. I’ll warn you now though, camping is a great way to experience this spot and I am partial.
The campground at Samuel Taylor State Park is about as easy a way to be in the redwoods as you could imagine. Apart from its clean, well-appointed, and shaded campsites, there are miles of paved bike trails and more miles of hiking trails that run around the camp. This year we were also treated to the gurgle of a well-fed stream and the chance to spy baby salmon. (We did not see any but the hunt kept the kids entertained.)
This alone was great, but the reason I chose this park was its proximity to Point Reyes National Seashore. Camping in Point Reyes is hard to come by and there are no drive-in campsites. This is a deal breaker for us so we opted for a lovely 6-mile drive between Sam Taylor and the Bear Valley Visitor Center.
A word about the visitor center – Go there. Walk the Earthquake Trail. See the recreated Ohlone Village. Tour the small but thorough displays on the flora and fauna of the area. The park rangers have loads of information on trails, activities, and general recommendations on all things nature-related. The bookstore leans more toward books (shocker!) and field guides than toward souvenirs. Best of all, they are the source for Junior Ranger booklets.
I was turned onto the program by a friend, who traveled through the Zion-Bryce-Grand Canyon area with her family. Never will I visit a National Park without picking up materials so my kids can participate. You get a booklet that has information about the history, geology, ecology, biology, as well as a sprinkle of trivial knowledge about park that is written for the average fifth grader to understand. This translates to a bit of parent involvement but it is worth the effort. Sprinkled throughout the booklet are activities to guide kids while they are in the park and areas for the kids to record their experiences. Once they complete it, they return to the visitor center to have their booklets inspected or to answer some questions (a mild test to be sure). Then they are “sworn in” with an oath to protect the park as Junior Rangers. For their efforts they receive a special iron-on patch. We collect patches in our family so this was a coveted prize.
Oh, and it’s all free.
You might think that having homework to do on a hike would betray the whole point of being out in nature, but that did not happen. Instead it turned a trip that would usually be fraught with are-we-there-yets and how-much-longers and I’m-hungries into a scavenger hunt. We heard is-that-a-buckeye and I-found-3-kinds-of-flowers as well as I’m-hungry. My daughter took a row of pictures in her booklet and added check boxes so she could mark her finds. My son begged for me to record his finds with my phone camera.
Back at the campground, they worked, with help, on the word search, a crossword puzzle, or drawing pictures to illustrate the answers to their questions in the booklet. My daughter had to bring it into school for show and tell. She wrote three entries in her kindergarten journal about it. My son made connections between the Ohlone information he read in the booklet and learned at the visitor center with the lessons his 3rd grade class has had throughout the year.
They made connections to place that were larger than a single hike and longer than a few nights camping. There was pride in their accomplishments and an eagerness to explore further. We will return, with friends, so that others can see this amazing place and maybe earn their own badges. Regardless, pick up booklets for your kids. Read it with them if needed. If we can get this generation engaged, our National Parks will be even more special when they turn 200.
My only regret is that we did not have one more night at the campground for down time. After the hike, the kids went into the tent and did not emerge until dinner. One fell asleep. The other made a nest of sleeping mats and blankets and rested his sore feet. After all, one of the best parts of camping is relishing the delicious exhaustion of a day spent exploring the outdoors. Sometimes doing nothing is the best way to experience the world.
Pardon the interruption, but... 