Geocaching Camping Trip Summer 2017

Hello Cachers! 

I often wish I could camp all year round that's how much I love being outdoors under the stars and surrounded by trees. When the colder months arrive I love to sit back and remember those fun camping trips. All the amazing memories that were made.
Camping is a great way to spend summer break. Both my kids are always so excited when they hear that we're planning a camping trip. We try to head out as often as we can when the warm weather starts, we have many cool days where we live that we love to take advantage of as many camping days as we can get. Before setting out we made a list of activities we wanted to do while spending some time out in the forest. I find camping and Geocaching are two activities that go perfectly together. Family camping with children can be challenging on its own, but I believe with the right preparation and planning it's something you and your family could love doing. I hope after reading my blog post you will be able to add some of our activities to your camping trip making it a smooth and pleasant activity for your entire family. 

Summer of 2017 was the first year we got to go camping all while Geocaching. It was loads of fun and a great way to see lots of new places. If you're unsure what Geocaching is! No worries, click HERE to read more and find out how we got addicted to this hobby. We went out for a weekend trip with the kids, everyone was so excited to be in a new area, being able to find new Geocachers was definitely exciting for everyone. The great thing about Geocaching is, no matter which campsite you decide to camp at as there is bound to be some Geocaches hidden in your neck of the woods, and you can go find some caches any time of the day or night or day or the week making this hobby very convenient and family friendly. 

The first thing we did when we arrived at the campsite was set up the tent and unpack the car. The kids raced around gathering sticks and twigs for the fire, keeping them busy is a must when out camping. We bring zero gadgets, everything is planned heads of time to keep them entertained the entire trip. We like bringing a game of ring toss with us, that keeps my two kids entertained for hours and it's loads of fun to play. Plastic bowling is another fun activity we loved playing while in the tent lot. Camping Bingo is a must, my kids look forward to playing this game while outside under the trees. We try to stay busy as much as we can. 

Our favourite trail we got to hike was the Bog Trail. This was a beautiful trail in the forest that lead us to a lookout, there was also a Geocache hidden at the very top. We hiked 1.8km into the bog trail, the terrain was very easy and flat which made it perfect for the little hikers. I find bogs are mysterious places. We had never walked a bog before, this was a fun experience thanks to Geocaching. During this hike we got the chance to learn some pretty cool info about the bog, we learnt that Carnivorous plants grow in bogs and that the short shaggy trees may actually be much older than those found in the forest. The plants growing in the bog are floating on top of a pool of dead or very well preserved sphagnum moss. You really want to stay on the wooded trail or you may end up losing a shoe in the squishy dirt. The first part of the bog crossed the forest leading you to a 6-meter spiral staircase.

 We had the chance to climb to the very top of the lookout, being at the top of the lookout gave you eagle eyes of the entire bog. It was so huge and covered a large area of land. Many people get the opportunity to see moose early in the morning, we arrived as it started raining and were not able to see any moose. Maybe next year! You can follow the trail and explore the entire depths of the bog which is really spectacular to see. All through the trail, you can find interpretive panels, which can be very helpful for the little one's curious minds. My children are very curious these signs come in handy as we stop to read each one. I love how Geocaching is a great hobby that can be done anywhere, anytime and it's something the entire family can enjoy without it costing you too much money. 

We got to find a Travel Bug in the Geocache that was hidden at the very top of the lookout. We found it was neat to have a trackable follow us during our camping adventures. A trackable is a tag you attach to an item that then becomes a hitchhiker that travels from cache to cache with you. We found the travel bug a new home (Geocache) before the camping trip came to an end.  

The remaining of the day included a walk to the beach to explore. We ended up seeing a huge jellyfish, there was a guided tour on the oceanfront for the kids to enjoy. They got the chance to learn so many things about the marine life. Did you know a jellyfish isn't even a fish? They're invertebrates or animal with no backbones. The water was very cold, no one wanted to go in, touching your toes in the shallow end was good enough for us. 

By the time darkness hit my children were exhausted by all the exploration they got to do. We came back to the campsite and started with a bonfire. A bonfire is a must during a camping trip, my kids wait all day for this time. The entire trip they ask several times 'when is it bonfire time'. 
Roasting marshmallows and making smores are fun things we love doing the fire. We love sharing spooky stories and talking about the fun things we liked doing during the day. What are some bonfire favourites you like doing with your family? 

Geokids enjoying roasting some marshmallows on the fire. Be sure to check out a future blog post of all other fun activities we like to do while camping.

The following day we got to hike the last trail before making ends to the camping trip. This trail was more challenging for the little hikers, they surprise me with how well they enjoy hiking the more rugged trails. This 5 km trail had five Geocaches perfectly hidden in different spots allowing you to see different views of the trail. It was a beautiful experience. 

 We had so much fun finding all five of these Geocaches hidden so well in the forest. On the way home, we had the chance to make rest stop allowing us to find a few Geocaches on the way back. I like being able to plan my route ahead of time, it allows me to create a favourites list of the Geocaches I want to find during the Camping trip. I like being able to stop at a rest spot to pull out the BBQ and make a quick meal for the family all while finding a Geocache at the same time. Often Geocachers will hide a Geocache at a rest spot knowing a travelling cacher will most likely stop to stretch their legs at one of those rest areas. 

We arrived home when the sun was setting, we often plan camping trips for a couple days at a time with our children since we all love it so much. This trip was a little shorter as it was planned towards the end of the Summer months. We had a great time exploring and enjoyed being able to add Geocaching to our camping trips. We can't wait for the next camping adventures in 2018. 

When was the last time you went camping? I recommended camping as often as you can, it definitely is a great experience certainly with your children. It leaves everyone with so many memories. I'm thankful I was able to experience such fun this year and see so many new areas all thanks to Geocaching.

Thank you for reading! Happy Caching!