Category: Bike

What To Do with Kids at Crater Lake National Park

Our trip to Crater Lake National Park was spectacular. Those views! That water! Some scientists believe Crater Lake is the largest, clearest, cleanest body of water on earth. We already know it’s the deepest in the US at over 1,900 feet deep. Oregon’s only national park sure is a good one, but what can you do there with kids?

Hike – The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) crosses into Crater Lake National Park and many through hikers camp at Mazama campground at the park’s entrance. When we were there a wildfire closed part of the PCT so many hikers were forced to change plans. I wouldn’t attempt the massive 2,650 mile scenic backpacking trail with my three tots, but I would try the six mile alternate hike with views of Crater Lake.

Drive – The rim drive is the highlight of any Crater Lake visit. Even the original National Park to Park Highway tour had the chance to drive around this beautiful blue, since building a road around the rim was a top priority when the national park was first formed. It’s a beautiful scenic drive, but be aware that parts of the road are closed until mid to late June every year because of snow.

Bike – The 30 mile ride circumventing Crater Lake was well beyond my family’s abilities, but it’s definitely something I’d like to try in the future. While the road is open to cyclists all season long, you may not enjoy the small shoulder, heavy traffic experience. Well, you’re in luck! Twice a year Crater Lake hosts vehicle free on the East Rim Drive. It’s a perfect chance to get out without all the car traffic. This year the vehicle free days are September 17 and 24, 2016.

Swim – Jump in the bluest water this side of the Caribbean, only don’t expect it to be that warm. The water in Crater Lake comes solely from rain and snow melt and surface temperature averages only 55 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. The only access to the lake is via Cleetwood Cove trail, a steep 1.1 mile hike from the rim. Even so, we HAD to swim in Crater Lake. It was too beautiful to pass up and I highly suggest you make the effort to jump in. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the trail is closed for maintenance from August 2016 through summer 2017.

Ski or Snowshoe – With over 500 inches of annual snowfall, Crater Lake is a great place for winter recreation. Parts of the rim drive are closed to vehicles in the winter, but cross country skis and snow shoes are allowed in those areas. Strap some on and see Crater Lake in a whole new way.

Boat – Private boats are not allowed on Crater Lake, but craterlakelodges.com offers lake cruises or tours of wizard island. This is the only legal way to experience Crater Lake by boat, but be aware that children under three are not allowed.

Camp – Mazama campground at the southern entrance of Crater Lake National Park has over 200 camp sites, a camp store, laundry and nearby restaurant. There are also backpacking campsites available, but permits are required. Check out all the camping options here.

Crater Lake was so beautiful, I kinda wondered why it wasn’t as popular as Sequoia or Yosemite. Now that I’ve been there, I think it should be on the list of every outdoor traveler in the US. Why not visit the deepest lake in the US? It’s pretty amazing.

Have you ever been to Crater Lake? What was your experience?

Baby Safety: Hiking and Biking

Thanks for following the Owlet Baby Care Baby Safety Month Blog Hop! Every day in September a new blogger will post on a baby safety topic and give you a chance to enter Owlet Baby Care’s Baby Safety Giveaway with BIG PRIZES (see below)! Did you catch Amy’s crafting baby safety tips from TheHappyScraps.com from yesterday?

Alright. Let’s talk baby safety in the outdoors. Baby L has hiked, biked and swam with us through our entire National Park to Park Highway tour. It’s only been possible thanks to being prepared. Here’s what we do to keep our baby safe while hiking and biking.


Hiking

The American Hiking Society recommends taking these ten essentials on every hike. Bringing baby along means you’ll need these essentials as well.

Baby Carrier

  • For kids under six months – Use a wrap or front carrier designed for young babies. Newborns lack muscle coordination in their head and neck so it’s important to provide support. Babies this age should not face forward as the jostling involved with walking can be dangerous for their developing necks and spines, and if the baby falls asleep there’s a danger of airway obstruction. Also, a baby carrier with leg support is recommended since legs dangling for too long can affect spinal development and circulation. Some brands include Baby Bjorn, Moby Wrap, Tula, or Boba.
  • For kids over six months – If baby can hold their head up on their own you can carry them on your back with either a soft sided carrier like Ergobaby, LILLEbaby or Onya Baby or a framed hiking pack like the Kelty Pathfinder, Osprey Poco or Deuter Kid Comfort. Those little ones get heavy so a pack is important. Our favorite baby carrier reviews can be found here as part of the great baby wearing project from TalesofaMountainMama.com.
Other Baby Hiking tips
  • Bring drinks and food for everyone in your group. A bottle or breast milk for baby and food for you give you both energy for the hike.
  • Keep it short, keep it happy. It’s physically demanding to carry a baby while hiking so start by doing hikes of three miles or less. 
  • Know where you’re at and where you’re going and always tell someone where you’ll be and when you’ll be back.
  • Here are more tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics A Minute for Kids.

Biking

Although it may be tempting, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend biking with kids under the age of 12 months. Younger babies don’t have the neck strength to support their head wearing a helmet, and as tempting as it might be to bike with a baby in one of the carriers listed above, it is not safe for you or the baby. Maneuvering a bicycle with a baby strapped to you is awkward, not to mention the added weight increases braking time.

Baby Bike Seats

  • Child Bicycle Trailers – The American Academy of Pediatrics states that it’s preferable for children to ride in a bicycle-towed child trailer. Trailers are lower to the ground so in the case of a crash the child would not fall as far. We’re a fan of our Burley D’Lite, but whatever bike trailer you choose, make sure it meets ASTM standards for safety. Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a Burley Solstice Jogger!
  • Rear Mounted Bike Seats – If you prefer a rear mounted bike seat make sure it attaches securely, has spoke guards to protect hands and feet and a high back and sturdy shoulder harness that will support a sleeping child. 
  • Cargo Bikes are not recommended for carrying children.

Helmets

  • Babies should be at least 12 months old and able to hold their head up well. Always put a helmet on baby when biking.
  • Get your child a well fitting helmet that meats CSPC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) guidelines. Follow these recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
  • Never buy a used bike helmet. Do not use bike helmets that were involved in a serious bike crash.
Other Baby Biking Tips
  • Plan a safe route. Riding on the road with baby on board may not be the best idea. Look for bike paths and smooth pavement for traffic free biking.
  • If you must ride on the road ride with the flow of traffic, stay to the side and wear bright colors for visibility.  
  • Don’t ride with kids at night. Reflective clothing and bike lights may not be enough for cars to see you.

    Now that you know how to keep baby safe hiking and biking get out there and have some fun! But before you do enter the giveaway below and don’t forget to visit TastefullyFrugal.org for tomorrow’s baby safety tips.

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    This post is sponsored by Owlet Baby Care makers of the Smart Sock which is designed to alert parents if their baby lacks oxygen. Other items mentioned in this post were given to me to review. This post also includes affiliate links. Burley Design is a sponsor of our National Park to Park Highway tour. 

    Why I Hate Yosemite National Park

    I hate to be a hater, but nobody should visit Yosemite in the summer. I don’t care if that’s your only free weekend, if the President is going to be there, or you got in for free. Visiting Yosemite in the summer is a recipe for frustration. It’s just not worth the hassle.

    I say this from experience. We visited Yosemite because it was a stop on the National Park toPark Highway, but it was by far my least favorite park.

    The crowds were the worst. Perhaps it would’ve been different in another year. This is the National Park Service centennial, so naturally more people have been visiting the National Parks. In addition to that, one of Yosemite’s main attractions – the Mariposa Grove of Sequioas – was closed this summer for renovations. Had that been open, maybe the crowds of people on the trails, in the parking lots, in the campgrounds, at every lake, turn out and road would’ve been a bit smaller, but I doubt it.

    I get it, Yosemite Valley is beautiful. The sheer cliffs and exquisite waterfalls are breath taking. But with so many people crammed into the relatively small space of Yosemite Valley the prevailing feeling was one of claustrophobic encroachment, not peaceful wilderness. Call me jaded, but I don’t like my National Parks to feel like city streets.

    I wonder what John Muir would think of this wild space now. On one hand it is protected from people who want to exploit the natural resources, but on the other it’s been ruined by the huge numbers of people. I know, I contributed to that crowd. I know, everyone has a right to our public lands. I don’t have great answers, but I do think the shuttle should be mandatory and a parking area should be available at the entrance of Yosemite Valley.

    The one redeeming activity we enjoyed in Yosemite was riding our Woom Bikes along the well developed bike trail system on the Yosemite Valley floor. On a bike you can visit Mirror Lake, ride over to Yosemite Falls, travel between campgrounds or visit a Visitors Center without having to fight traffic or tour buses. The trails are flat, paved and offer great views of the valley. I just wish there was a little more solitude. No, actually a lot more solitude.

    At every National Park on this Park to Park Highway journey, I’ve tried to get out on bikes with the kids. Little G first learned the art of pedaling at the Grand Canyon. Now that I’ve had a taste of my whole family on wheels, I want more and more. 

    The key to our success with biking as a family has been our Burley D’Lite Bike Trailer and Woom Bikes (pronounced Voom). Baby L rides in the trailer along with extra bike tires, a pump, snacks, water and often times Little G as well. Since the Burley D’Lite can handle up to 100 lbs and has adjustable suspension I don’t worry about how the ride is for them, I just worry about how much it’ll work my thighs. No uphill please!

    Ideally Little G would ride her Woom bike along with Big E. Woom designs their bikes with kids in mind, even down to eighteen month olds on their tiny balance bike. Their bikes are light weight, easy to handle and durable.

    Big E is already a pro, and even though Little G gave up on the Yosemite bike ride before it really began, I know she’ll get the hang of riding her Woom 3. The bike seems perfectly made for her. Others must feel that way too, because a family we passed cheered when they saw our bikes saying, “We love our Woom bikes too! Woohoo!”

    After the valley bike ride, I was ready to get away from the crowds and explore Tioga Pass. The Tioga Pass road was purchased a century ago by Steven Mather, the first National Park Service director and one of the advocates of the National Park to Park Highway. Because of that I was interested in driving through the northern part of the park. I also hoped the crowds would dissipate further from the valley. Not a chance.

    Unfortunately we got stuck in traffic. A car accident held up a long line of cars for more than an hour. Even after that, any parking along the Tioga Road was taken, including near Tenaya Lake, which looked like a fun place to swim, but not worth the hassle of fighting the crowds.

    Our trip to Yosemite included being stuck for an hour on the road to Tuolumne meadows because of a car accident, and another hour of trying to find a place to park in Yosemite Valley. Once we did find a spot, we rode our bikes along with a million other people to Mirror Lake, which was more of a wide spot in the river than an actual lake.

    All in all I was glad to get out of the park and to the peaceful campground at Devil’s Postpile National Monument. Although the bike ride was fun, if we ever visit Yosemite again it will be in the spring, fall or winter. I’m done fighting crowds to see beautiful spaces, there are more beautiful spaces in the world with less people.

    Three Must Do Activities at Mesa Verde National Park

    In 1917 Horace Albright described the road to Mesa Verde as “…one of the most disrreputable, dangerous, fearsome bits of slippery, rutted miseries I ever had the misfortune to travel.” Thankfully the quality of the road has improved since that time.
    On this update of our National Park toPark Highway tour I will focus on my top three activities to do with kids. Other National Park posts list our top ten picks, but I really wanted to focus on these three things because they were so awesome. They require a bit more time and effort, but are totally worth it.

    First some information – Mesa Verde is a World Heritage Site, meaning it’s so cool, interesting and important to human history that people have banded together to protect it. Part of that protection is that no food or drinks other than water are allowed in any cliff dwelling.

    Also, most of the Native American cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde require a ranger guide to explore close up. You can purchase tickets for a ranger led tour a day or so in advance at the Visitor Center when you first enter the park or online through the Mesa Verde website. Tickets are $4 per person. The tours require some physical ability – you must be able to climb a ladder and fit through some tight spaces for a few tours such as Balcony House. Baby carriers are not recommended.

    Balcony House – Touring this cliff dwelling was like exploring an ancient jungle gym. Before the tour started our ranger described the thirty-two foot tall ladder, eighteen by twenty four inch wide tunnel and steps carved in the rock by the Ancestral Puebloan people that we would be expected to climb.

    I was nervous that Big E and Little G would have trouble on the route but I should’ve been worried about myself. Some of the spaces were so tight, I had to take Baby L out of her carrier and squeeze us through. I would not suggest taking a baby carrier on this tour. Seeing the ancient Puebloan homes was really cool, not to mention a great lesson in history. The shade in the cliff dwelling felt great on a hot summer day.

    Cliff Palace – The overlook to Cliff Palace does not require a tour ticket, but to really experience it you should take a ranger tour here. This tour had fewer physical demands than Balcony House (no tiny tunnels thank you). If you bring young children here be sure they stay away from the edge – there are a few sections where the trail got close. Cliff Palace is a huge ancient site with kivas, towers and rock walls built from meticulously shaped rocks. It was fascinating to see up close.

    Whetherill Mesa – My favorite part of our Mesa Verde visit was the bike ride on Whetherill Mesa. More remote than the other areas of the park, this adventure required an hour and fifteen minute drive from the campground just to get there, but once we were there we had the place almost totally to ourselves. We rode our bikes on the five mile, paved, multi-use trail, stopping at various places to see some of the ancient architecture close up.

    Little G rode her Woom 3 with the pedals removed so she could use it like a balance bike. She loved the downhill sections, but without pedals she was by far the slowest one on the trail, requiring bucket loads of patience as Mountain Dad and I helped keep her moving. Despite protests before hand, she biked a full mile on her own before we locked her bike and put her in the Burley trailer.
    Big E rode amazingly well. I’m still shocked that just this spring he transitioned off of training wheels. He can ride like a beast and I credit that to the Woom 4. It’s the perfect size for him and the easy gear change lets him be in control.
    We finished our visit to Whetherill Mesa with a self guided tour of Step House. This cliff dwelling is near the parking lot and does not require a ticket, although a ranger is on site to answer questions. After a morning bike ride I was especially surprised that none of our kids complained on the one mile round trip hike, even with the sun bright on our backs.

    Mountain Dad’s Corner – As I was writing this post, Mountain Dad said he wanted to share his Pros and Cons of visiting Mesa Verde. Here’s his takeaway.
    Pros:

    • Ridiculously cool native american ruins.
    • Huge laundromat, free showers and a general store within walking distance of our campsite.
    • Balcony House Tour was a cool historic jungle gym.
    Cons:

    • There was a lot of driving to just get to the Native American sites.
    • Weird camping reservation system – you can reserve a spot but you have to choose it once you get there.
    • Long line for tour tickets at the Visitors Center. Why was there only one ranger for all those people?
    • Hot, Hot, Hot Even though the temperatures never went over 85 degrees the combination of high elevation and direct sunlight made it feel hot.