A Weekend of Camping in Canmore"How 'bout this one kids?" my husband asked as we drove around the Bow River Campground, looking to do a bit of camping in Canmore - we were trying to choose the site we'd call home for the next two days. We were surprised by the fact that at 4pm on a Friday afternoon, there were only three sites left to choose from. I guess we weren't the only ones craving a little getaway in the beautiful rockies that weekend. The site chosen, the van parked, we could not get the boys' seatbelts untied fast enough! "Hurry up mom, I want to go see!", they all cried out. It was a fantastic campsite with towering trees up ahead that mesmerized you when you looked up to see them swaying in the wind. Mossy greens surrounded the site and just taking that first breath of fresh, clean air, was refreshing to say the least.
As the August issue of the Canmore Communiqué explained, setting up the tent and everything that it involves was all a little boy could wish for. Learning to be a man, my eldest boy helped to set up the tent and the two others complimented themselves on their big muscles as they helped me unload the van. But the real fun began as soon as the camp was all set up. Smores, a melted piece of chocolate wrapped up in a delicious roasted marshmallow nestled in between two graham crackers, are a must do while camping. Sure, marshmallows on their own are fine too but they just don't get your kids messy enough! The goop of the melting chocolate along with the inevitable stickyness of the marshmallows are a sure hit every time. Mix this with the fun of shining a flashlight through the smoke emanating from the campfire to simulate a lightsaber, and you have some very happy little people. We really had only one full day to spend in Canmore so we decided to take one of the numerous hikes in and around town. We chose the Grassy Lakes Trail. We had two choices: take the easy way up which is basically an old fire road (gravel road) through the trees or a much more scenic route that would be sure to challenge all of us, not only the kids. We decided to take the family friendly route because of the gradual climb. Either way, the trail was around 1.6 km, easy enough for kids 3 years or older to handle, at least with some help from an occasional ride atop mom or dad’s shoulders!
Upon arrival at the Grassy Lakes, we were all in awe of how absolutely beautiful those two tiny lakes are. But what's really fun about this wonderland is how it almost feels like you're in the Shire from Lord of the Rings; everything is so small and hobbit-like. Little bridges lead you through little streams, mini waterfalls and so much luscious greens. My boys absolutely loved walking along the narrow pathways and looking at the lakes that must get their name from the mossy green lake floors that you can so easily see because of the crystal clear waters. We even got to see some mountain climbers taking advantage of the pristine views of the Grassy Lakes and the alpine panoramas from way up. But the most amusing (and challenging) part of this hike was the way down as we decided to take the more difficult route. Even my three year old, hanging on to my hand of course, enjoyed seeing the water running at his feet several times as the the water flowed along the mountain. We even got a few surprises like a large waterfall (flowing from the Grassy Lakes to the Rundle Forebay) and even a deer casually walking through the woods. A morning of hiking and an afternoon at the Canmore Rec Centre set the stage for the perfect day. Just walking around the campground later that afternoon was an adventure all in it's own. We saw the rushing waters of the river and even (GASP!) bear tracks right along the river side. That got some already curious boys thinking a mile a minute. Mom, however, was a little freaked out! Even packing the tent in sprinkling rain the next morning did not put a damper on our camping weekend with the kids. It's time, it's effort, but the smiles on their faces will make you want to come back again and again! The Canmore Communiqué home |
We
are relatively well mannered, classy people but when it comes to
camping with the boys, we let go of the reins a little. The minute
they jumped out of the van, they pretty much all had to pee and
remembered last year that mom let them choose a tree to sprinkle
on. That is the definition of taking a simple daily occurrence,
and transforming it into a wild adventure. 'Look mom, the tree is
soaked now!', my five year old said laughing his head off. Mom wasn't
so proud but dad got a kick out of it!