camping + hiking

Carter needed to pass off a few things to finish up his Arrow of Light for Cub Scouts so we took our little family camping last week before the weekend rush. The Mr. reserved us a spot in an area of Pocahontas State Park that was really meant for RVs but allowed tent camping if no regular tent sites were available. We paid a pretty penny for our one night of camping and I am so glad we did. Our spot was nice, flat & just a short walk from the bathroom, which was very clean and had flushing toilets. Next to the bathroom is a playground, where the kids released their wiggles just before our hot dog & s'mores dinner.  Those s'mores really hit the spot.  I had been craving them for weeks.
 

Something always goes wrong when we go camping. Always. It's kinda funny. Like we could write a small book about it. This time we had trouble with our fire. Lesson learned? Bring lots and lots of charcoal instead of using their wood like they say you have to, which will probably be wet because it always rains here and it is stored in a not-so-protected area.  Wet wood = no fire + one frustrated husband. The night was calm and just a bit chilly. The Mr. & I cozied up by our dying charcoal fire after attempting to put the kids to bed. They giggled & talked for at least an hour after bedtime. I didn't mind all that much since it is times like these that the kids will remember and talk about together when they grow up. I want them to make all the memories they can together while they are young and all still living at home. The Mr. & I watched an episode of Heartland (thanks to netflix and good cell reception) on the Mr.'s phone while the fire dwindled.
 

The next day, we hiked the Beaver Lake Trail, which is a little less than 3 miles long. We were told by others that the ticks are plentiful in this area.  To be on the safe side, we wore long sleeves and pants, sprayed ourselves with bug repellent and went on our merry way. The trail kept us on our toes, taking us up and down hills, over bridges and around fallen trees. We saw mushrooms, a turtle and a tree that everyone left their mark on (but not us).  The area is wooded enough that we didn't get too hot even though summer is in full swing here.  It felt good to be surrounded by nature and am grateful to live in this part of the country to enjoy it. Virginia is a beautiful state.



The hike was fun and a seriously good workout.  The Mr. has taken an interest in hiking so I think there will be more fun trips like this in our future.

What is your favorite camping spot or hiking trail?