With 3 boys in our family, camping is a regular activity. October is still a great time to go camping because in many places the weather is still mild (although unpredictable), camping sites are easier to find, and camping gear is often on sale. As we were planning a trip to the White Rim in Moab’s Canyonlands National Park, we knew that once we were on the trail there was no way out so if bad weather hit we were stuck. Since we were going to have 7 kids with us in our group, it was really important that we were prepared for anything that could come up and had the supplies with us that we needed.

Family Camping Supplies

We took Kelty 20 degree sleeping bags for the whole family with us (kids size bags for the kids and a double for my husband and I). We brought food that probably would have lasted a week if it needed to. That was probably mostly for my benefit. Hungry kids are not very fun to be around (and I have to admit that a hungry mom isn’t too fun to be around either. We carefully planned a menu before we left, being sure to include backup meals just in case the coolers didn’t keep the food at a safe temperature. Each meal was packed in a separate cooler to avoid opening them any more than necessary and more perishable foods like meat were packed on the bottom.

I’ve enjoyed camping my entire life but I have to admit that I prefer it in campgrounds with real bathrooms and real showers so I was a bit nervous about spending 3 days in a truly isolated area without access to any sort of conveniences. My husband and I had a good laugh a few days before we left googling “how to pee in the woods”. There were some interesting results (which I highly recommend reading after 2 in the morning for a good laugh) but during our “research” we discovered a unique little portable device to help women pee in the woods. After making fun of it for a while, we decided that it was actually a pretty good idea and went out and grabbed one for our trip the next day. We purchased the Little John and the Lady J. The Little John was actually great on it’s own for camping with little boys, especially a newly potty trained preschooler who was scared of what might lurk in the bottom of the pit-toilet. The Lady J, despite it’s slightly obscene appearance, was really useful for avoiding squatting over anything that bites and pit-toilets.

Camping on the White Rim

We got a last start the first day, which was probably our first mistake. Since the camping sites we had booked a year in advance, we had to be at the Canyonlands visitor center before they closed or our camping permit would be passed on to someone else. We were rushed to get there but managed to show up 1 minute before they closed – talk about a close call. Once we had our camping passes, everyone had a last potty break since they would likely be the last ones we saw for a few days with the exception of a few scattered pit toilets.

Because we picked up our camping permit late, we were still on the trail when it got dark, which isn’t ideal. We drove slowly and eventually found our campsite and set up camp in the dark. After cooking a late night dinner on the camp stove we all went to bed. The next morning, the kids were shocked at the beauty that surrounded them. Since we came in at night, all they had seen was darkness. The majesty of the Colorado River and the towering red rocks stunned them and I wish I had the reaction on video.

My 6 year old found a nice rock seat to settle in for his morning of homeschool math before he started with his very hands on desert science unit. I couldn’t resist sitting and watching him for a few minutes because the ability to take school with us and make learning a lifelong pursuit rather than an assignment to check off is one of my favorite things about homeschooling. We read book after book at our campsites and in the car, talked about the desert as we drove through the impressive landscape instead of looking at photos in a book, and completed math assignments surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

Off-Roading with Kids

My kids have enjoyed off-roading since they were old enough to do it safely. They always ride in carseats and we take more difficult trails slower, sometimes having the kids get out of the car if there is an especially challenging spot. We got a late start our first morning (because with kids, everything just takes longer) but the kids loved watching the scenery and chanting “bump, bump, bump” as we went along the trail.

Not long after we started out on the trail we were stopped by a ranger. Our second campsite was 50 miles in on the White Rim. The ranger was concerned that we had a 10 hour day in front of us with several, which put us driving in the dark for several hours after our late start. Several sections of the trail that were normally fairly easy had been made more difficult by the fact that several vehicles had gotten stuck on the trail and damaged parts of it in their effort to get out. She gave us an alternative option for a campsite in a sandy wash near a cliff edge, but camping without even the benefit of pit-toilets next to the edge of a cliff with 7 kids didn’t sound appealing to us. After some deliberation, we decided to turn around and go back the way we had come (which was still several hours back to the main road) and try and get to Arches National Park early enough to get a campsite, something we had always wanted to do.

We stopped to have a roadside picnic and then headed towards Arches. We’ve been to Moab many times before but on this trip we discovered that the National Parks have Jr. Ranger Programs that allow kids to checkout Jr. Ranger backpacks filled with materials to help explore the park including, books about the desert, educational activities and experiments, binoculars, games, and more. We checked out a backpack for each of the older kids when we got to Arches are were thrilled to find out that there was one last available campsite.

As we set up camp, one of our camp neighbors told us how lucky we were to get a campsite in Arches. The previous occupants of our campsite had young kids and had decided to leave when the winds had kicked up the sand and blown their tent. There was no wind at the time so we decided we were pretty lucky and set up camp. That night the kids enjoyed running in the sand, looking for lizards, and doing activities from the Jr. Ranger backpack. We cooked a quick dinner and settled in for the night.

The wind kicked up about 4 in the morning. We toughed it out for a bit, listening to the wind beat our tent like a wild animal. Around 5 a.m. when the wind started to literally rip the tents apart we decided to load the kids in the car and pack up the camp. Amidst the craziness, it was funny to note the differences between girls and boys. The little girls in our group had not slept all night. The wind had made it impossible for them to sleep and by the time it was tearing the tent apart they were in tears. My little boys slept through the storm and only woke when we decided to put them in the car. The only reaction we got from the little boys when we woke them up was not shock that we were taking down the tents in the middle of the night or that we were trying not to blow away in the process, but hunger. My 6 year old woke up, rubbed his eyes, asked which bush he could pee on and said “What’s for breakfast?”

Camping with kids is always unpredictable and when the weather doesn’t cooperate you really don’t know what to expect. We enjoyed our trip, despite the unexpected twists and the kids are already asking when they can go back again. Taking trips together as a family helps my little band of brothers to grow closer to each other and creates wonderful memories as a family.

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