Why Camping is Good For You

I am a long time camper. My parents took us camping every year. Their friends owned land in the Sequoias, and we would go up during spring breaks and summers. 

The weather was hot, and the glacier-fed river that ran through their property was icy but refreshing. 

We would go on an annual hike to see the wildflowers. The flowers were blue, yellow, and orange, and the new grass was bright green. 

The kids were told to jump in the river after hikes and rub sand on our bodies to wash off the poison oak. 

There were no toilets yet up there, so I learned early how to squat and hover over a dirt hole. I also had to be the brave one to take my little sister with a flashlight when it was dark. 

I was the oldest of all the kids, so I would lead them on adventures around the property. We would climb over and under rocks, squeezing between trees, and make up stories about ax-murderers that we imagined could also be hiding out in the forest. 

There were long nights by the enormous campfire, while comets shot through the sky above. 

We played crazy eights, spit, and hearts. We ate mac and cheese while our parents drank wine. 

There couldn’t have been a better way to be outdoors.