First CAMP program a great success!

Last weekend, Mount Rainier National Park hosted the first of three weekend camping trips for urban families from the Seattle area. The "Camping Adventure with My Parents" (CAMP) program is intended as a first experience for families who had never been camping with their kids before. The weekend campout was the culminating experience of a series of events beginning in May that oriented the families to national parks and the camping experience. Eight families participated in the first weekend, with a total of 24 people, and joined ranger-led hikes, junior ranger programs, and evening campfire programs, between learning how to set up a tent, build a campfire, and cook dinner in the woods.

The group also participated in a volunteer project on Saturday afternoon, chipping in to help the Mount Rainier National Park Associates revegetate the landscape around the new Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise.

Another group of campers will arrive this Friday, and the third group will be here on July 31st.

Check out a full set of photos from the first CAMP weekend, or click here for a slide show.