Seeing Elk!
First time we have seen ELK in the Grand Canyon at Mather campground. We decided to stay in the campground for the afternoon instead of running to the RIM. Great Decision! A herd of about 10 elk walked through browsing and decided to stay a few hours.
Robert Johnston
Cottonwood, AZ

Twenty Years Later
Camping in North Bend Park near John H. Kerr Dam, I met a family whose children were near the ages of my children and through them we became friends. The Dowling’s believe in God, in leaving a place better than you find it and in teaching children respect for themselves and others. Twenty plus years later we still meet there, do volunteer work and enjoy the water and each other. No electricity or running water in campsites and we're loving it! Oldest camper last year was 68, youngest was 6 days old.
Polly Akers
Sandston, VA

Great Times
We’ve had great times with friends & family at Live Oak Ridge ion Belton Lake in Texas. We just started camping together recently and now go 10-12 times a year. Starting to spread out a little bit. It’s just great!
John Koester
Harker Heights, TX

Old Enough to Camp
One summer, while camping with our daughters and two of their friends, all of which were about 11 years old, they decided that they were old enough and ready to sleep in their own tent, instead of the trailer, with us. We were camped in an area where there was a lot of big trees and vegetation. The girls were sleeping in the enclosed part of the tent, and the supplies were in the front screened part of the tent. About midnight, we heard the most awful commotion in the tent, just outside of the trailer. The girls were making all kinds of racket. They were screeching and yelling that something was trying to get into the tent. My husband ran out there just in time to see a raccoon scurry up the big tree next to the girls’ tent. He assured the girls that it was just a raccoon, and that he had scared it away, and it would not come back. As there was no food stored in the supply tent, we couldn't figure out what they were after. We had just settled down, and was just about asleep when we hear from the girls tent "Dad, Dad, he's back!!!!!" in a shrill voice that woke everyone in the campgrounds up!! Doug looked out, and lights and lanterns were coming on and voices were saying "Who’s back?" Then I realized that I had left the cinnamon scented bags in the supply tent, and that was probably what the raccoons were after. We removed them, and had no more problems with the raccoons. You should have seen the looks we got all the next day from some of our fellow campers.
Janel Van Allen
Bakersfield, CA

My Best Camping Story
My wife and I have been avid campers since the early 80’s.

I thought we were in hog heaven until our youngest grand-daughter “wanted to go camping too”. It was a joy always for our grand children to go. God blesses us in so many ways, and sometimes we don’t realize it. She was afraid at first, to go camping and now she is always ready to go.

The best thing about camping is just watching them explore, ask questions about nature and etc. We love it, because there is no stress, aggravation and etc. Just nature, God and our children and grandchildren, they absolutely love it. So the last weekend in June we went to Levi Jackson State Park in London, Kentucky. Cassie, the youngest just started wanting to go fishing. It was such a beautiful thing to watch a four year old cast the reel with anticipation, knowing she was going to catch a fish.

Reason for an Upgrade
I remember camping at Fairview State Park, just a month after my heart surgery. At the time we still had a pop up, so we set everything up, played games, and roasted marshmallows. It was time to go to sleep, and my wife and I were on one side and the kids on the other. About 3 hours later, we heard a knock on the door and someone saying “let me in!” It was our youngest daughter, she had fallen out of the side of the pop up, but we sure are glad she knew how to come to the front door! This is one memory we will never forget.....but we have upgraded to a 5th wheel now!
Submitted By: Lester White, Walker, LA

Picking up Bear Trash
While camping in the Quaker Run area of Allegany State Park, NY, there are always numerous bear sightings. During a hike, I came across a lot of trash behind our cabin. Discouraged at how anyone could spoil this beautiful land, I went back to the cabin to get a garbage bag. As my daughter and I were cleaning up, we came across a lot of pop cans. None were opened from the top, but they all had a large gash right down the side through the aluminum. It was then we realized we were picking up bear trash! It made the task much more interesting.
Submitted By: Lynn Batt, Lockport, NY

Longest Camping Trip Ever
A couple of years back, we loaded up our two boys and set out on our longest camping trip ever, from SE WI to Minnesota, where we were to meet up with my wife's cousin and her family. We camped at Bluff Valley in Zumbro Falls. We had a great time. The days were warm and sunny--just right for swimming, and the nights were just cool enough to "require" building a campfire--like we needed any coaxing!!
The scenery around the campground was breath-taking. Huge bluffs and deep valleys everywhere you turned. We'd swim everyday, and did a lot of hiking around the bluffs as well. We didn't want the week to end. The picture included is from that week in Bluff Valley.
Submitted By: Dave Verbanac, Hartford, WI

The Murphy’s Annual 28th Reunion
We "The Murphy Bunch" are very very lucky in that we have a large and close family that enjoys camping. We had our annual reunion campout in July at Green River Lake State Park in Kentucky and had 12 campsites in the same area so we could have a big campfire in the center and tables gathered up for family meals together. Friday night is the big fish throw down with my sister and brother in-law providing fresh crappie from Florida. Saturday breakfast always includes dozens of eggs, pounds of sausage etc. Saturday afternoon we have 4 freezers full of homemade icecream and Saturday evening we grilled some food and fed 53 people for dinner. Our parents who are now gone started this thing 28 years ago and we are now training our children to please keep it going after we are gone. They all love camping so we feel sure it will continue. Family camping...It's great!
Submitted By: Gerald Murphy, Bardstown, KY

Wonderful Memories
I look forward to going camping every summer with my 3 boys and my sister-in-laws 2 boys. All the guys get along great together and we have a blast. We are totally relaxed as we sit around the camp fire laughing and telling stories. As cousins they play basketball, swim, bike, hike and we will plan a day trip for all of us. The ages range from 15 to 24, we have been camping together for about 6 years. As cousins they have learned to grow and appreciate each others company and friendship. I for one love to get away from the everyday chores at home, there are no schedules to keep, eat when you want, go to bed when you want and just plain have a great time! I really hate packing up and heading back home. We already have our reservations for this summer and we always accommodate everyone's schedule in order to get all together every summer. The reason why I take my kids is because my dad used to take me camping along with my brother and sister when we were kids and we had such a great time that I wanted my boys to experience the same great time I had. Besides I just love being out with my boys and my nephews they are all a great bunch of kids and they just love to see how many times they can scare us moms. They are wonderful memories.
Submitted By: Susan Sulliva

Talk about Exaggerating!
We were tent camping with our kids, all four of us in one tent. My husband, Karl, was sleeping and felt something on his leg. He freaked out and threw whatever it was against the tent wall. The next morning he was telling everyone that it was something that was at least a foot long. We finally found it. It was a tree frog that was about 1/2 inch long! It was okay and we released it back outside. Now we always bug him about the killer tree frog.
Submitted By: Anita Weinreich

Memorable Family Reunions
We have a family reunion every September with my brother, his wife and my sister-in-law. We all head up to Nickerson State Park on Cape Cod. There are always others that follow along, such as adults, children and others. My sisters and our Mom usually stay at a cottage on the Cape and we make sure we have one day at the campsite for steak and lobster dinner! This year, my Mom, husband and I rented a house on Martha's Vineyard and took the ferry over for the celebratory tradition. Mom got a canoe ride with my brother as the foliage was just starting to show its colors around Flax Pond. Then came the best part, the steak and lobster dinner! There were several birthdays being celebrated and a great time was had by all. We love the park and the opportunity it presents for memorable annual family reunions.
Submitted By: Lorri Shearer-Fuentes

It’s a Small World
My husband, Rick and two children, Jeremiah and Rachel went on our second camping trip to CO. We set up camp at the Lowry Campgrounds near Frisco, CO. Shortly after setting up camp we met the couple who were camping right next to us who were from Hot Springs, AR. They happened to be the parents of the pastor at my parent's church in Heber Springs, AR. By this time, our children had already befriended our new neighbor's grandchildren who were camping a few sites away with their parents (our new campsite neighbor's daughter). After agreeing how small the world is, we all enjoyed an evening of s’mores and our children made new friends to play with for the next few days. To make the world even smaller, we found out our children’s new friends live near us in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area!
Submitted By: Amy Elliott

Our Adventure Ran the Gamut
My family and I spent our 2007 summer vacation in SW Colorado and the adventure ran the gamut! We spent time at Mesa Verde and Ute ancestral sites, then off to Durango to ride an old coal burning train to Silverton, Cowboy cookouts, white water rafting, and driving the 60 plus mile Alpine loop which is mostly over 11,000ft and all dirt backcountry Jeepin’. Then off to Ouray to camp along the River and the towering peaks surrounding; relaxing in the hot springs, old fashioned 4th of July, small town style, then off to the mountains for the day and a snow ball fight at 12,000ft in July! Watching the fireworks light up the surrounding mountains was incredible. Mine tours, more Jeepin’, exploring ghost towns and hiking to Box Canyon Falls. I feel lucky that my two young children are able to experience all this! For being so young, 7 and 3, they travel well on long trips (we’re from California) and they are true adventurers. They continually “bug” me, wanting to know the next trip. These are the types of trips I remember most as a boy as well..
Submitted By: Chris Chase

Camping Partners
I love camping with my grandchildren, Romeo (4 years old) & Saniya (2 years old). So far it has only been in our backyard, but I have plans to take them on a real camping trip this coming year 2008. In the past (1985 to 1995) I loved camping with my husband and two sons; we loved to fish, swim, hike, horseback riding, cook over a open flame, and sleep in a real tent! Picture attached is of my sons, niece and nephew at a very special camp site located at the "Avenue of the Giants" in Northern California's largest redwood trees, back in the 1990's.
Submitted By: Pauline Csech

Cosmic Campout
This year was our 30th annual Cosmic Campout.  It all began as a few co-workers deciding to go camping at Manistee National Forest Lake Michigan Recreation Area.  We had so much fun together we decided to do it again the next year -- and the rest is history.  Rain, shine, hot, cold, it doesn't matter.  It's all good.  Can't wait until next year!
Submitted By: Charlene Whittaker

Family Reunion
I would have to say that the best camping trip that we have had was 2 years ago. We went to Rhode Island for a family reunion.  My family traveled from Florida, and my brother’s family traveled from Nebraska.  My brother arrived one week before us.  When we arrived at Hope Valley RI there were a total of 18 kids.  I have to admit, they were getting under the adults skin. We got to a point where we were tired of listening to all of them, so my brother and I decided that we would take all 18 kids to Pachuage State Forest for the week.  It was the greatest time ever! All of the kids seemed to get along great. There was no fighting. I couldn’t believe it. The older kids took care of the younger kids. We all had a great time.  We plan on camping on are next reunion. I’m sure it will be just as memorable.
Submitted By: George Olsen

Camping Retreat
My husband, daughter, son-in-law, grandson and granddaughter spent four days camping at Green Lakes State Park in Fayetteville NY.  The Lakes are actually green in color and offer a spectacular view surrounded by hills of green foliage.  A swimming beach (w/lifeguards), picnic area, and playground are located at one of the lakes. My husband enjoyed the fishing. We all went out in paddle boats and had a grand time.  The scenery is simply breathtaking.  We also hiked around the lake - a beautiful hiking trail is available surrounding both lakes.  Picnic areas are available in abundance throughout the park.  We observed a Deer feeding her fawns and saw many forms of wildlife throughout our stay at Green Lakes.  This trip was extra special because our grandchildren ages 13 and 15 joined us and actually said they had a great time.  It is refreshing to know that they actually enjoyed being outdoors, hiking, swimming, boating, sleeping outdoors, cooking outdoors and just enjoying mother nature in this fast paced world of computers, television, and expensive entertainment. We stepped away from this "give me world" for a short time and realized that there is so much to enjoy and learn from the "non-material" simple way of life.  Camping affords us the opportunity to "simplify" and realign our priorities.  Our "camping retreats" are revitalizing in nature and get us powered up to face the real world again.  We have been to hotel resorts, on cruises, and recently spent time at the Villages in Florida, all of which were enjoyable. However, we always remember our camping trips with a fondness that no other get-away can offer.
Submitted By: Cindy DeVoldre

Family Time
We met a group of friends at Tippy Damn, a State of Michigan Forestry Service area.  It was just memorable because we all got together and had such a great time...family time!  That's what camping is all about, making and sharing memories!!
Submitted By: Michael Tull

Tubing War
We recently returned from a camping trip at DeGray Lake south of Hot Springs Arkansas.  The group consisted of three bumper pull campers with 8 adults and my 10 month old grandson.  We enjoyed horseback riding, swimming, site seeing, go cart riding, fishing, and of course camping, but our favorite activity by far was the day we spend out on the lake.  We rented a party barge and a giant inner tube and literally spent the entire day in the water.  We took turns pulling everyone on the tube and when we started pulling two at a time, that’s when the craziness started.  Of course the younger men (16 & 17) were a little rough, the father and son pair ups were hilarious, but when the married couple started, a battle of the sexes began.  As you can see from the photo Derrill may have won this battle, but Peggy finally got her revenge. 
Submitted By: Tammy Lemaire

Camping with Friends
The summer of 2006, a bunch of friends and I went camping at Stony Brook, NY. We headed out on a Friday evening and got to the campsite just before dark. We were nervous that we wouldn't have everything set up in time as we heard the thunder rolling in. Sure enough, as soon as we pitched the tents and set up the canopy it started to rain. It continued to rain through the night, which provided soothing sounds as we slept, and miraculously stopped before the morning came. The next day was beautiful. We spent the day splashing around in the creek, hiking through the woods and taking naps. The next night we sat by the campfire making s'mores and enjoying nature. Ending our weekend we played into the wee hours of the night a very addicting game of Blokus.
Submitted By: Cathy Reitz Rochester, NY

Not So Brave
We planned a Camping trip for the whole family at Kendall Campground here in KY.  We also invited another couple and their children to come with us. We laughed and relaxed all weekend long.  It was nice to have all of us and our children together.  We watched the kids try to scare each other.  We had a skunk come up into our campsite.  I yelled out Skunk, and you should have seen them run.  I threw my coke into the air.  Nikki jumped clear over the picnic table.  Then we all laughed for hours about the whole ordeal.  The men always want to stay up later then the children and wives.  My husband stayed out a while relaxing in the lawn chair.  All was quite inside the camper and then here he comes.  "You will never believe what just happened.  I was sitting here in my chair, when around the camper comes the skunk.  It looks at me, I look at him."  And next thing, I know he is in the camper.  Oh, so much for the strong and brave.  I will never let him live that down.
We had a very nice weekend.
Submitted By: Rhonda Roberts Columbia, KY

Just the Girls
The best time I had camping was this past June 2007 at Carter Caves in Olive Hill, KY. It rained all the way to the campground and it took us about 3 hours to get there. But once we pulled up the rain stopped. We had an all girls campout with my best friend and youngest daughter. Everyone told us that there was no way we would be able to camp without the help of the men. Boy did we show them we had a blast putting up the tents, cooking over the fire that my daughter started and roasting marshmallows and hotdogs around the campfire at night. We never missed a beat and even told scary stories but the best part was we proved that we are women and that we are strong and had a great time. We bonded like the sisters that we are and the men felt left out when we came home telling what a success our camping trip was.
Submitted By: Carol Pollard, Florence, KY

We Locked Ourselves Out!
Well. My husband, mother-in-law and I set up camp at Jedediah Smith State Park amongst the beautiful redwood trees. We heard there was a campfire with a Ranger telling stories of Jedediah Smith. We were all set up and started walking to the campfire when I told my husband I wanted to put my purse in the car, he gave me his keys and back I went.  I put my purse in the car and came back. Then my mom-in-law wanted to put hers in. I looked at my husband felt my pockets and discovered I locked both sets of keys in the car. We told the Ranger. He said after the campfire he'd come and get them out. He came in his truck. The truck had been in an accident and when you shut the door the latch falls and locks the door. Guess what??  He left the truck running, slammed the door and ... you guessed it...he locked his keys in the truck with it running! His buddies (other Rangers) were coming up and he said "shhh please don’t tell my buddies" but... too late they figured it out... It was a good laugh amongst the stress!  We still laugh about this every time we go camping.
Kathy Fields, Washougal, WA

Why we love Camping!
I love going camping with my family! It’s great! We slept in a tent outside! We hiked up a big hill, walked through a river and went fishing! Austen caught his first fish. We saw a turtle! I helped Daddy cook meat outside. It was awesome! I can't wait to go again.
Submitted By: Jordyn, Austen and Debbi Dietz

Grand Lake with Dad
My Dad was playing with his Bagpipe band in a Grand Lake Colorado parade. We decided to make it a camping trip too. After the parade we set up camp on the bank of the lake and launched the canoe. We caught our limit and headed to shore. When Dad stood up the canoe tipped and we went in with all our gear I grabbed my father by the back of his belt and kicked off the bottom about 10 feet. We came up gasping for air, but Dad had a firm grip on the creel so we started a fire, stripped to dry our cloths, sat in our underwear and enjoyed a laugh and fresh caught trout dinner.
Submitted By: Patrick Sullivan

Just the Boys!
I remember when I was much younger, Dad used to take us four boys, plus two of the neighbor's boys to the beach. It was just us guys. Mom stayed home. I remember one time, it rained all week and everything got soaked. We went home two days early. Mom swears when we got home I was still wearing the same clothes I left home with five days earlier. It was one of my favorite trips of all time.
Submitted By: Henry Donald

Like Father, Like Daughter
Although I grew up in a home surrounded by countryside and abundant wildlife in the backyard, I looked forward to every family camping trip I went on. My father has a deep appreciation for the outdoors and has shared a wealth of information with me that I have passed on to my own children. I can remember learning how to bait a hook and patiently wait for a fish to bite, the time at Limekiln Lake where my dad and I proudly rowed to shore to present a stringer full of perch to my mother who would later make her version of "poor-man's shrimp."

Camping brought an otherwise very busy family closer with evenings around a fire and family stories shared. Now, as a mother of 2 boys I can truly appreciate the time my father spent with me as a child teaching me the "way of the woods." I try to take every weekend in the summer and head out camping. I am forever grateful to my father for the lessons learned and my present ability to set up a camp, build a fire and take the boys out fishing. I think as a mother of boys this has enabled me to make a very close bond with my children and I hope that the experiences we have shared in the woods will carry through to their children in a world that seems increasingly dedicated to technology and rapidly moving away from "nature" and the idea of camping.

I feel as though in wonderful experiences I have shared with my father and the bond between us created by his teachings, that I have truly been a lucky girl. Thanks dad for taking the time and teaching your little girl that a daughter can be just as tough as a son! A lesson I will carry with me forever into the woods!
Submitted By: Lauri Dwyer

Enjoying the Sand
We stayed at the Defeated State Park’s beach near Carthage with the family. My youngest daughter had a blast playing with the sand and being near the water. It was a great sight to watch her fall in love with the great outdoors.
Submitted By: Tisha Sturm

The Motor Boat Stalled!
One of my fondest childhood memories is camping with my family. My dad loved fishing and would always put out trot-lines. He would get up early every morning and go out and check them. One morning he went out before anyone else was up. We awoke to dad trying to get back across the bay with nothing but a gallon bucket to propel the boat. The motor had stalled and he forgot to take a paddle. All he had in the boat was the bucket. So we stood on the bank laughing and watching his journey back to shore.
Submitted By: Gina Neal

Afraid of Lightning
We had just bought a new Jayco pop-up camper and we decided to camp at Stone Mountain, Georgia. We were just learning to put up the camper and Dad, like many great dads, wanted everything done just right! We had just put up the camper and he was attempting to put on the screen room that attaches to the canopy, when a bolt of lightening struck the lake next to us. You could almost feel the vibrations, and the sound seemed to reverberate around us. Suddenly, rain began pouring down! In seconds (it seemed like only an instant!), he was inside the camper with a frantic look on his face. With eyes bulging, rain soaking his head and clothes, and yet attempting to appear in control of the situation, he strove to reply calmly, (but with a note of fear in his voice), "That'll be good enough for now!" We all burst out laughing because the storm was the only thing that would have kept Mr. Perfectionist from finishing the job at hand. We still tease him when we are too tired to put up the screen house by saying, "Hey, we think we hear thunder in the distance. It's time to quit!" He laughingly jokes that we need a lightening rod, but we tell him we don't need one because we already have a human one - him.
Submitted By:
Becci Tatum

Dad Grilled a Bagel!
My best camping moment with dad was the year my dad figured out how to grill me a bagel with cream cheese on the campfire. It was morning and I was a very picky eater at the time. My dad, Robert, knew how to grill a bagel on a stick and manage to put cream cheese on it without burning his fingers - it was delicious!
Submitted By: Mabel & Jesse

Getting Lost
While camping with my girlfriends one summer on a site with no electricity and water, I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I usually know my bearings pretty well, so rather than wake my roommate to inquire where the flashlight was, I decided I could find the bath house without the flashlight. WAS I WRONG! I was lost for about 30 minutes wandering around our area of sites. I would be walking on pavement one minute and dirt and leaves up to my knees the next. I have never experienced pitch black darkness before, but this was definitely it! When I finally made it back to our site, my roommate says, "There you are! I was beginning to worry about you!" After being gone a total of about 45 minutes to go to the bath house, I replied "BEGINNING to worry?? How long do I need to be lost for you to actually worry???" From that trip on, I ALWAYS carry my flashlight. Even if our site is right next to the bath house!
Tracey Jarrett
Farmville, VA

My First Camping Trip
As I began to go on my first official week long camping trip, I packed for myself, husband, and two boys as if we were going to a 5star hotel. Once there everyone was laughing to my frustration of not being able to get wireless connections on my laptop. I have now learned - to camp is to be one with nature not corporate nature.
Sarah Maietta
Kennett Square, PA

Mom Made Camping Look so Easy
I grew up camping on Lake George in NY every summer. We camped on the islands for 10 days usually with 2-3 other families.  My mother always made it look so easy. She really made it feel like home on the island.  As an adult, I started camping with my husband, children and friends on the lake as well. And to this day, I can say, how in the world did my mom do it with 3 young children for 10 days.  Bless her heart.  A few years ago, I took my mom and my girlfriend with her mom back to Lake George to the islands for a girls camping trip.  It was nice to be up there again with my mom since she hadn't been in many years.  I'll always remember what a great time we had.
Christine Mathews
Flemington, NJ

A New Trailer
I bought a new camping trailer on Friday afternoon. We drove 200 miles to Fort Bragg. We set up in the dark ands were exhausted, so we went to bed.  The low temperature and high humidity made it unbearably cold. The next morning it was colder and misty. Read manual on new trailer and found out all we had to do was to set the thermostat to a comfortable 75 degrees!! Never listen to a wife that says don't touch anything until we read the manual!!
Alan Ameneyro
Rancho Cordova, CA

An Unexpected Friend
We were traveling from Pennsylvania to Texas going home from our two week long vacation.  We were entering into Kentucky when our cat sitter called with some bad news.  Our fifteen year old cat had passed away. We stopped for the night in Louisville, KY and rested.  The next day we decided to visit St. Louis as a side venture.  We got to the St. Louis site earlier than we normally did, so I decided to catch up on laundry.  While doing laundry, the weather changed from cool to dark and cold.  I was leaving the laundry area and I saw something move quickly toward me.  I could not see anything but little specks of white.  When I got into the light I saw this beautiful creature.  She was a tuxedo cat.  I inquired about her at the store. I was told that she had been left behind, but adapted to everyone who worked there and some that had visited.  The clerk asked if we wanted her.   I was a little hesitant because we did not have the items needed to care for a cat on the road. The next day my husband packed the car along with our new friend, Ms. Burbank.  We stopped and got the items we needed to travel with her.  She is a great traveler.  She now lives in Texas with us.
Lisa Cobb
Texas

Camping with Mom
My Mom and I enjoy spending time together. As a family we go on weekend camping trips with our horses. Our favorite destination is Lake Somerville, Texas at Nails Creek. They have a wonderful horse friendly camping area with great trails for both hikers and horses alike. When we are out camping and spending time together the rest of the world seems to float by. We forget about work and worries. I enjoy watching my mom enjoy herself and feeling the everyday stress of things just lifting away. We cook out, ride the horses around the lake and have a wonderful time telling stories of our family and friends. I love my Mom very much and treasure all the times we get to spend together camping and just being with one another. I hope we get to experience many more of those times to come.
Sheri Wise
Bastrop, TX

The Best Trip ever!
I was 7 years old and my dad and step-mother had plans for us to go to the coast. So we packed up for a 4 day weekend at the beach! I had never seen the ocean before. We drove for two hours and finally we were in Crescent City. All of a sudden there was the water to the right of me as far as the eye could see.  My parents kept driving and the water disappeared and I could not see anything but trees. We arrived at the Mill Creek camp group just south of Crescent City, CA. It was so awesome! Setting up camp was fun too. I had never done it before. We stayed in camp that night and made dinner on the camp fire and played games. There were three families all there together so I had kids to play with and we had the coolest tree stump in our campsite. All 5 of us kids could stand on top of the stump and there was plenty room for more kids. It became our fort for the weekend. The next morning, we had to wash up from breakfast, get our bathing suits and a change of clothes. My mom was busy getting sun block, towels and a football. We all got into the cars and away we went. We were headed to the beach! We parked the truck and I headed towards the water. My mom grabbed the camera and got pictures as I left a trail of clothes from the parking lot to the water. This was the most exciting thing ever in my whole life! I played in the water for hours! My parents had to drag me off the beach. I will never forget that trip. It changed my whole life. I fell in love with the outdoors that weekend, and I will spend the rest of my life exploring all that nature has to offer. 
Britni Wilson
Medford, OR

My Favorite Camping Story
My favorite camp story is about the time we shared our s'mores with the raccoons. We were at Wellesley Island State Park in New York State. It was campfire time and we were settling down to an evening around the campfire. Of course we had all the supplies for s'mores. There was a neat ledge behind the campfire pit that was just right for setting out all the s'more stuff. As we were chatting and enjoying the fire, all of a sudden the marshmallows disappeared!  Next thing we knew, away went the graham crackers and we saw two little bandit eyes take off with them. I wasn't about to let them have the chocolate bars too, so I grabbed them! I'm sure our little friends were waiting to catch us off guard again but we were saving the chocolate for another night of s'mores! We have laughed about those little bandits many times over the years.
Debby Allen