The Ririe Family: Summer Camping

Our goal this year was to get out camping at least twice. Depending on your definition of camping, we may or may not have met our goal as we've slept in a tent 3 times. First: we tested out Benson's ability to sleep in a tent in our backyard. Second: We tented it during the Ahlstrom Family Reunion. The tent was on a nice lawn though ... so maybe not true camping. Third: This weekend and it was the real deal!

So I've got a place several friends and I went to a couple of times during our college years. Utah is often one of those places that is hard to find a good secluded camping spot. Most sites are either right along a busy road, or in a large campground with no privacy. This spot is close enough to the road that you can get back to your cars in a short jog, but far enough away that you don't hear all of the noise of other camping neighbors. I've got maps and directions on how to get there below (mostly to remind me). It ended up being a little more difficult camping with the family as we had coolers, firewood, a pack-n-play for Benson, and other stuff to ease the camping experience for the little man. It was still so fun.

Hiking up, a scout troop warned us that they had seen a cave with some huge paws hanging out of it. Yikes! We decided to brave it anyways, resolved to make sure our cooler was clamped shut and placed well away from our tents. Bryan slept in a mosquito mesh tent and we were happy to have him as obvious bait in case something big did end up coming around - no, but we were happy to know that he was okay in the morning.

We spent the night, Lisa, Benson, Bryan, and I, enjoying hotdogs over a nice campfire, nectarines, grapes and 'soldier mountain bars.' While there was a chance of rain, the evening turned out to be beautiful and the temperature just right. As night fell, the stars came out in all their brilliance. The food was great and the company better. We love camping and wish we could enjoy it more often!

Directions: Go up American Fork canyon and take a left at the first real intersection (about 5 miles up). This will put you on American Fork Canyon Road. Continue up this street for miles until you reach Tibble Fork Reservoir (2.5 miles). At the far end of the lake, the road splits. Stay to the right. At this point you will leave the paved road and continue on this dirt road for 1.3 more miles. At this point, you'll reach a point where there is a bathroom and a turn-about. This is the starting point. Just south of the turn-about, there is a log bridge that leads to a trail. Head across the river by way of the bridge and continue only for a couple hundred yards. Using the maps below, you'll eventually leave the trail, cross the small riverbed, and head through some trees to find a small open meadow. That's it! So fun!