Trask River Campground: The First of Many

There's Always a Story Behind It 

My husband has always enjoyed camping. Picky as I am I love the great outdoors, nonetheless! Campfires, tents, warm soups; now aren't those ingredients for a perfect summer. So with that we started to plan for our first camping ever with the toddlers. Rupkatha was 3 and Abesh was 2. Am sure our age doesn't really matter. 😄😉😋

Splash Zone 

We were looking for a campground near home and zeroed in on the 1.5 hours drive away Trask River Campgrounds. Heaps of campsites to choose from, it's right next to the chirpy mountain river, Trask a easy little trail leading to it. There's also a park for the kids and has pit restrooms every now and then. 

Camping with kids calls for packing a varied list of items. Please see this link for my suggestions, successes and flops: WIP. 

Day 1: Lost in the Lumber Woods

It was a Saturday afternoon when we started towards the Trask River Campgrounds. The kids took their good ol' nap in the car as we sped towards our first ever camping experience as a family. We were about just 15 minutes shy of getting to the campgrounds, when GPS asked us to take a certain left turn and we of course obliged. What started as an easy flat semi dirt lane soon tuned into hilly risky full on dirt lane and took us about 30 minutes to reach the campgrounds. Still clueless as to why GPS did that! 

It was happy place! We reached when evening was just about settling in; and so were all the campers. We found our spot and started settling in for the next two days. The kids buzzed around playing with pebbles and chalk, as my husband and I set up then tent and blankets. The family next to ours was a friendly one with two boys. The kids broke the ice and before long we were all chatting away. I'd got some home cooked pasta and that was our dinner. Lucky it was still warm! 

Now when you're camping, you largely depend on natural light and with the sun bidding adieu, you would just call it a night. We all snuggled next to each other and before long were happily asleep. 

There's No Time Like the First Time 

Day 2: Splashing Away!!! 

Well as they say, families with children are always the first ones up. So true! Those little ones don't want to miss out on a single bit of fun in the sun, ever! 😍 After breakfast, our neighbors (who had been camping there for about two days now) took us along on a trail which led to the river. Not a spot for bathing but, it was uncrowded and quiet. It was like little writer's alcove!

Post that, we picked some towels and change of clothes and quickly changed to swim gear. Walk to the other side of the campground, down a trail with low hanging branches and finally were at the rocky beach of the Trask river. The water deliciously inviting for a cool dip in the summer sun. Rupkatha and Abesh sat on rocks and splashed like the world depended on it. Watching them make merry, I relaxed on the beach with occasional ripples of water tickling my feet! It was wonderful. 

By now, we had some firewood and also learnt the art of starting a fire. Lint, who would've thought but, as it turned out they are amazing fire starters! This time we toasted some bread and warmed some tomato soup on the grill on the campfire ring. We also threw in some spam on the bread and what can I say, it was one fine meal! 

We spent the rest of the day exploring the area and when we hopped to the day picnic area, saw a few people fishing for craw-fish; and they caught enough to start a dinner! 😊 Splashed around some more, chatted around some more, walked around some more and before long our evening was lighted by a roaring fire as we heated baked beans and toasted some more bread for dinner. The kids happily colored pebbles with their chalk and once tucked in were snoozing before long. 

Day 3: Curtain Fall! 

It was our final morning at the campgrounds. Fire raging, grilling the last of the toasts we packed our tent and memories in our car and said a sad yet happy cheerio to the Trask River Campground. Honestly, I was nervous when we first arrived, very nervous, not knowing how the kids would react, if they would like camping or not. It turned out I was worrying for nothing, the kids absolutely loved the experience and just had one question, when next! 

A Cheesy Day! 

To make most of our day, we drove down to the Tillamook Cheese Factory next. Like all, saw the oopma-loompas of the cheese world churn out blocks and blocks yummy cheese. Of course, we lunched there and the a rather loaded ice cream made fresh at the creamery there. Soon we were on out way home. A little us in all our heads and hearts already planning the camping for the next summer!