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| | Author | Messages | |
Cruzin
Posts:136
 | | 09/01/2007 4:05 PM |
 Alert | | DH is obsessed with the idea of camping with our kids and DOGS. The kids are small and it sounds like more work than fun to me. We have no gear and no idea where to go in AZ. Any ideas or suggestions to make this less painful to me? Suggestions where to go? What kind of gear to buy? TIA! | | | |
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| CopaCheer
Posts:59
| | 09/01/2007 4:30 PM |
Alert | well..
not that I have been camping lately..
But I heard a GREAT place to go is show low.
Up there you can either rent a cabin or go actual camping on a camp ground.
You really don't need much when you go camping..
just a ice chest.
some food/snacks.
some drinks.
maybe a couple fishing poles(depending on your childs age)
and bug spray!!
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| | Robert B
Posts:852
| | 09/01/2007 4:41 PM |
Alert | He sounds like me wants you to go but knows you dont want to go. tell him to take his buddy. your off the hook. then they can rough it. Mybe if you want to go there is a place in strawberry called cabins on strawberry hills you get a A-frame cabin that will fit a group and he can drive down the road to hunt, hike, bike, or what ever. has everything in the cabin. its nice. | | | |
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| | njparks
Posts:201
| | 09/01/2007 5:32 PM |
Alert | The few people I know who insist on dragging their wives camping, do all the work themselves. That is the deal. He does the planning, grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning up for the entire trip. He gasses up the car and drives them there. He also sets up camp and puts up the tent. He cleans and cooks the fish! He takes care of the gear including airing out and drying out the sleeping bags and tent when they return, then puts it all away in the garage for the next trip.
It is a total vacation for the wives! I like that!
They usually go up on the rim to an unimproved campground...anyplace in the National Forest is fine. Check on fire restrictions. You may not be able to build a fire exept in a regular campground...or maybe not at all.
Keeping track of dogs up there is not fun. Board them for the weekend, or better yet, send him with his buddy and stay home with the kids and dogs. Let him work out the bugs, THEN you all go as a family sometime down the road. | |
Nancy | |
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| | sarahc
Posts:631
| | 09/01/2007 6:09 PM |
Alert | Check out Crown King Arizona online. There are a few diffrent kind of camping sites up there so you can check out what is good for you guys. We really like it up there!
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| | Nickswebcamfriend
Posts:1292
| | 09/01/2007 7:28 PM |
Alert | Lots and lots of places to camp in AZ. You have several camp sites in the Prescott area that are easy to get to and kid friendly. Showlow - Fools Hollow Lake, good fishing, dock out in the middle of the lake so you can sit with the kids and drop your line in. Also Showlow Lake - nice area and good fishing. Black Canyon Lake is just as you get to the top of the rim. Nice fishing - a little burned out still, but a lot of good sites still. Hawley Lake up above Pinetop /Lakeside. Rainbow Lake - Pinetop, Big Bear and Little Bear lake are both rough sites, but nice and quiet! Crown King is nice as long as the road was recently grated! Williams area- Horseshoe lake, or back behind the Deer Farm for rough camping.
My first camping trip was when I was 3 months old and have gone ever sence! Son was 3 months on his first, daughter was 6 months! | |
Who's using me, what should we do? Because you can't be a pimp and a prostitute too. - White Stripes
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|  | stinkerbell2
Posts:0
| | 09/01/2007 8:38 PM |
Alert | | Yes... the local Hyatt- I make it a rule to do no camping with toddlers- been there done that with a nephew and it was miserable for EVERYONE involved!! Bro in law and sis in law left early cus they couldnt deal with the work. You didnt say how young they were but if they are under 4 I feel for ya!! I really do!!! | | | |
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| | nancyj1922
Posts:148
| | 09/01/2007 11:25 PM |
Alert | Cruzin, we used to camp all the time with my kids. They loved it. Just know NOW that they are going to get dirty and they will live.
YOU NEED A TENT! Nothing can spell disaster quicker to a camp trip than getting rained on. Make sure it is big enough that you won't have sleepingbags touch the walls. You can use blankets instead, but remember check on line what night temps are so you have enough to go around!
I also suggest somekind of blow up mattress so that you are off the ground. Makes a big difference in how warm you are.
Flash light and lantern for after the sun going down.
Ice chest for food. Get one of the cold rated kinds that way the ice really does last.
Coleman stove of some kind. If you get to a campground that doesn't allow fires, this will be the only way to get something hot.
firewood?
Kids love being out in nature if you have fun with it. Look for animals, collect pine cones, play games you can't play in doors at home.
AZ if FULL of camping places. This weekend most are full but next weekend should be nice with people being broke after this weekend. | |
A leader leads by example, whether he intends to or not. ~Author Unknown | |
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| | demonica
Posts:850
| | 09/02/2007 7:19 AM |
Alert | | i would suggest camping at the la posada hotel in winslow. it is the last of the old harvey hotels still being used, it is beautiful and they have an amazing 4 star restaurant. they are also dog friendly. oh, and for hubby, there are tons of outdoorsy things just an hour or 3 away including: meteor crater, canyone de chelle, petrified forest, little painted desert. jack's canyon is a fossil hunter's paradise. also a beautiful lake right outside of town, i'm drawing a blank on the name. la posada is the best thing about winslow!!! | | | |
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| | Cruzin
Posts:136
| | 09/02/2007 7:28 AM |
Alert | Thanks for all of the suggestions and encouragement. DH definitely wants this to be a family thing, not him and the guys. I just don't want the kids to get bored and crazy. That is hard enough at home!
We found a tent we want. It is a coleman and has a space for the dogs to sleep. We own an air matress, but really nothing else.
I just know if I let DH plan this there would be no planning and I cannot do a fly by the seat of my pants adventure with 2 little kids. Anything else I should know? Keep the suggestions coming! | | | |
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| | Tempting Fait1
Posts:728
| | 09/02/2007 7:43 AM |
Alert | You'll need a cookstove, pans to be used just for camping--DO NOT use your good pans, they will be ruined, ice chest(s), sunscreen, bug spray, toys for the kids, toys/food for the dogs. I'd probably get 100' leashes for the dogs to keep them undercontrol but with a bit of play room. You'll also need to make sure the dogs are current on all shots, including Parvo, and have them on Frontline flea control--fleas are NOT the souvenir you want to come back with. Your first trip should be close to home and no longer then 2 nights, 1 would be better. I'd also stick to the "improved" campgrounds for awhile, until you know what you need to take and get used to going. Some of the improved campgrounds are really nice with have play parks and some even have pools, general stores, things like that.
I agree with njparks, at least for the first couple times, leave the dogs at home | |
The red head is BACK!! (and still mouthy)
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| | Java Lover
Posts:0
| | 09/02/2007 1:33 PM |
Alert | For the first time take is slow and stick close to home like someone else said. However I would go for 2 nights not just 1. Once you get there and set up the next day you have to pack up and there is not fun.
We have been camping forever. We have gone with and without dogs. The biggest thing besides shots and flea/tick preventative is to make sure that you have a couple extra leashes to use to tether them to a tree, picnic table, car, whatever. This will free you to do what you need to do. Know that all federal, state and private camp grounds require you to leash your dogs, clean up after them and keep them reasonably quiet.
The kids are easy, get them involved in helping set up camp. Everyone has a job, whether it's holding the tent stakes for dad or helping set up the mess area. Take binoculars the kids love looking at the birds and chipmunks, etc. There is a lot to explore around a camp site and some of the camp grounds are close to lakes, ponds, hilly areas and so on.
If you geocache this is a great this to do while camping. If you don't' you might check out www.geocaching.com .
I find camping very relaxing. We all take books and hang out by the camp fire. I don't even mind cooking or doing the dishes while camping.
Sedona is a nice area, Williams, Flagstaff, Payson.
Good luck you will enjoy it if you give it decent chance.
Oh also, we take baby wipes to clean up with, those are helpful and I also wash my hair every day or every other day depending. You just have to get a little creative and my DH usually helps me with this but I can do it on my own. So you don't have to abandon hygiene in the wilds.
We did a 2 month camping trip when the kids were 8 & 9. We tent camped the western US and our kids still talk about it. We are looking at our next big trip and everyone wants to do the camping this again. It can be a great way to connect and build life long memories with your family.
Good luck and happy camping! | | | |
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| | anewman
Posts:668
| | 09/03/2007 2:42 PM |
Alert | There are some good suggestions in here. Maybe I missed it but how old are the two kids?
A place I use quite often is 15 miles out of Payson called Tonto Creek. It is across the Hwy from Hohls Ranch which has a store and bathrooms for the ladies. There is an area of free camp sites and a campgrpund which you can reserve spaces at.
The nice thing about this location is there is a constant running creek which the kids can play in- throw rocks look for crawdads- etc. If you drive up the road a little ways there is a small waterfall,
another one a little farther up, and if you drive the road up about 5 miles there is a trout farm where you can pay to catch a fish. Not really fishing but for little kids it is pretty exciting. You can continue on that same road another 7 miles or so and there is a fish hatchery where you can feed some very large trout and see the different stages of a trout farm. There is a loop road that is a nice drive and can be made in a stock 2wd truck or suv. This area is at the base of Mogillon Rim so it is not as windy or cold at night as up on the rim.
Tonto Natural Bridge is also close to this area which is a nice little get away
As far as supplies you do not NEED very much and I would suggest not buying much camping gear unless you decide you like it.
Sounds like you have a tent in mind so here are some other suggestions:
If you do not want to buy an air mattress just pack a couple comforters that you can lay down and provide some extra cushion from the ground.
A couple flash lights and a couple lanterns (battery or gas).
Bug spray- sunscreen- trash bags-
lots of water (to drink- wash hands- etc.).
Matches- Firewood- first aid kit
Toilet Paper- pack some rain gear just in case
Food:
2 ice chests- one for drinks and one for food
If going on a minimal plan we buy some fried chicken and eat it cold while camping
Fruit- hotdogs (cook on scewers over the fire) - breakfast bars- and don't forget the marshmellows for the kids
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"The jouney of life is as much in oneself' as the roads one travels"
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| | sarahc
Posts:631
| | 09/04/2007 10:04 PM |
Alert | I was at the bookstore today and I thought of you cruzin I found a book called Camping for Dummies...
I did a quick Google search and found a link you may like:
http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-616.html
It might help.
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| | Cruzin
Posts:136
| | 09/05/2007 7:12 AM |
Alert | | Thanks! Which book store though, I have a GC for Yenni's! | | | |
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| | Takingabreak
Posts:334
| | 09/05/2007 8:22 AM |
Alert | Hey Cruzin,
I too suggest you go minimal, especially on your first time out. I cooked a lot of things ahead of time and we ate mostly sandwiches. I also took a trash bag just for dirty dishes. Who wants to do dishes when there is a perfectly good dishwasher at home.
If you guys decided that you really like camping, I have an off-road tent trailer that is fully loaded for sale.
Have fun and don't fret over the dirt, it washes off. | |
Need a tax write off? Donate to the Maricopa SALVATION ARMY EMERGENCY SERVICES FUND. | |
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| | sarahc
Posts:631
| | 09/05/2007 10:53 AM |
Alert | I found it in town as Bookmans....
Dishes? What are those? We are a paper plate family camping or not! LOL
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| | Java Lover
Posts:0
| | 09/05/2007 12:55 PM |
Alert | Had another thought (I know don't anyone fall over  ). Do you know anyone that camps? You might ask them if you all can go together and they can show you the ropes. Might ask your friends you never know there might be closet campers among them. | | | |
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