Mother’s Day is Around the Corner

Our Camping Club members love spending time with mom on their camping trip!
We received dozens of wonderful stories from fellow campers about what makes camping with mom so special. Read their best camping experiences.

FAMILY CAMPING WITH MOM
Coming from a large family of five children and two wonderful parents, growing up in Central New Jersey was a struggle to provide the best summer vacations for the seven of us. However, every year for 17 years my mother arranged for our family to go camping at Lake Absagami, in southern New Jersey. Camping was the only vacation my parents could afford, however it was always interesting and filled with wonderful events. My mother would take us down to the lakes edge and we would pick delicious blueberries for breakfast. Then, as the day went on, we would go hiking among the many trails the park provided its visitors. Shirley, my mother would then pile us in the station wagon and we would go to the swimming beach and play volley ball, beach ball, and swing on the swings.  The 1960s and 70s were the most memorable years of my childhood because all the camping vacations were wonderful. My mother showed me how camping is inexpensive, provides beautiful memories, allows for fun family time, and provides cherished moments that enlighten children to the wonders of nature. The memories my mother provided for me have etched a desire to introduce the sport of camping to my own children. Camping is not only my love, but that of my sons who want to have an RV as their first car. I do not think that will really happen, but it shows me how much they appreciate the great outdoors as much as I do.
Submitted By: Lori Wareham

WEEKEND AWAY WITH MOM
My mom, sisters and I were camping at Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin - one of our favorite parks.  It was a girl's weekend away.  I was about 7 years old at the time.  While having a great night around the campfire roasting marshmallows, Mom swung her stick over to me, to blow out her marshmallow which was on fire.  Well, she missed and hit me square on the cheek with the flaming marshmallow.  A quick trip to the emergency room and we were back to the campsite.  It's not so much that it was memorable at the time, but we talk about this on EVERY family camping trip we take, which is at least twice a year, and anytime we are sitting around a campfire.  This is definitely a special memory in that we can laugh together often about it.
Submitted By: Shelly Hewitt

MOTHER’S DAY
Mother's Day 2006, I took my mother on an overnight "camping" trip in Itasca, MH.  She was 75 at the time and just barely able to get around with a cane.  She now has to use a walker.  Our trip took us about 35 miles north of Palmer, AK where we stayed at a campground on the Little Susitna River in Houston, AK.  Our camp spot was right next to the river so we were able to sit and listen to the sound of the water bubbling over the rocks that evening.  For her special dinner I cooked her one of her favorite foods.  Artichokes!  Cooking them outside on a campfire was a first for me.  Also, I fixed steaks and baked potatoes.  It was a lovely time for both of us.  She talked about memories she had as a young girl growing up in South Texas and how the river reminded her of when she would play in the water that flowed by her home.  Later that evening, after I had her all comfy in the queen size bed she and I watched the Johnny Carson DVD of his best shows till the wee hours of the morning.  She still talks about that camping trip and the artichokes cooked on the campfire.  I don't think I will be able to take her "camping" again as her health continues to deteriorate so I'm glad we had that time together.  Just my mommy and me.....
Submitted By: Rena Hite

THE GREAT OUTDOORS WITH MOM
My mom and I enjoy spending time together and as a family we go on weekend camping trips with our horses. Lake Somerville, Texas at Nails Creek was always our favorite destination. 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. Seeing my mom enjoying herself and feeling the everyday stress of things just lifting away makes me so happy. 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.
Submitted By: Sheri Wise

MOM MADE IT LOOK SO EASY
My mother always made it look so easy. I grew up camping on Lake George, NY every summer. We camped on the islands for 10 days usually with 2-3 other families.  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.
Submitted By: Christine Matthews

EASTER WEEKEND
Over the Easter weekend we were camping with my parents at Caney Cove RV resort in Malakoff, TX and during our stay, came a beautiful snowfall. As my mom and I were sitting around the campfire wishing we had marshmallows, my mom and I decided to roast Rice Krispy treats, after all, they have marshmallows in them. We had so much fun laughing and visiting around the fire while it snowed it's a time shared with my mom that I'll not soon forget.
Submitted By: Shanna Beard

CAMPING MEMORIES WITH MOM
My mom was so brave to take my brother, sister and I to Yosemite camping every summer. She would let me run wild, I could go swimming, biking, hiking, just have so much freedom and fun. Then I would come back to camp and she would have the best food ready, all campy type food, beans, chili, hot dogs, s’mores! My favorite time was when my sister and cousin and I put on a show for my mom and aunt under the night sky next to the river while roasting marshmallows. This was awhile back and Grease the movie had just come out with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John. We loved the movie so much that we put on our own version and sang all of the songs. Our families just laughed and sang together. It is a memory that I will never forget. I hope to do that with my own kids sometime in the near future.
Thanks for bringing this memory back for me!
Submitted By: Collette Walker

MOM’S FIRST CAMPING TRIP
In the summer of 2005 I took my Mom on her very first "real" camping trip for her 70th birthday. I was nervous about the whole idea for many reasons, but the main anxiety I had was "would we get along for 3 days in the woods?" We went to Letchworth State Park in Western New York. Needless to say, we had a wonderful time. The weather was fantastic, the hiking was spectacular and the food, cooked over the fire, was out of this world. The most special thing was that Mom was no longer just "Mom" to me after that trip. She and I became friends. Now we look forward to out annual trip together.
Submitted By: Jennifer Greenidge

BONDING WITH MOM
I am a mom and the one thing I have always done with my children was take them camping. Usually we go in a large group but last year my youngest daughter, Casey and I went to Big Sur and camped for 3 days and 2 nights. We both commented on how it was a favorite trip of ours because it was just the two of us. We really bonded and just enjoyed each others company. We hiked swam in the river and cooked together. It will always be a memorable experience.
Submitted By: Wendy Sanchez

A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WITH MOM
I took my sons camping for their birthdays. We went to Ruark Bluff East at Stockton Lake. We camped for 3 days and 2 nights. We fished, rode bikes and just had a wonderful peaceful time and the boys had their best birthdays yet.
Submitted By: Christy Wright

CAMPING WITH GRANDMA
I have enjoyed trail riding and camping with my horses for years and I was so happy to be able to go camping with my granddaughter and horses last spring at Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky. My granddaughter was 7 years old and had been begging to learn to ride by herself and wanted to go camping. Just her, I and the two horses set up camp for a week and had a ball! Embry took to riding so well and we had a great time! We would get up early and take care of the horses, then fix ourselves some breakfast and plan our day. Some days were better trail riding days and some were more fit for sightseeing. We enjoyed both. There are bison/elk herds, nature stations and history exhibits of the area. We especially enjoyed the Nature Station, where animals/reptiles/birds of Kentucky were on display. We increased our riding time each day as my granddaughter felt comfortable. The next to the last day, we rode the "Billy the Kid" trail, which was 8 miles through some beautiful Kentucky woods--crossing several cool springs to water our horses in. Embry was a natural and we plan to make this an annual outing! This is why this trip was so special! I think we have started a great tradition that I feel allows me to show my granddaughter my love of horses, trail riding and the beauty of Kentucky trails. It is a memory that I think my granddaughter will cherish in her heart for the rest of her life. I hope that she will want to share it with her children in the future, as well.
Submitted By: Connie Greathouse

GREAT MEMORIES WITH MOM
My mother and I would go camping together while I was in girl scouts many years ago.  I don't remember much about the events while we camped with my troop but I too remember the great times my mother and I had bonding as girls and enjoying each other's company.  During our camping trips I don't remember any stress of everyday life, just time spent with mom.  Those are the times that I will always cherish and times I hope to have with my two daughters.
Submitted By: Whitney Sears

MOM’S TUBING EXPERIENCE
It was a memory I will never forget when I was pulling my mother in a tube across the lake and she flew off in the water. I circled back around and she was laughing so hard she could barely speak. We also had a tough time getting the fire to stay lit. It was a lot of fun. We stayed at Limekilm Lake campgrounds in Inlet NY. We went fishing and tubing.
Submitted By: Jennifer Mosenthin

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