We didn’t make it far from our last campsite before we stopped again for the night. 

The twisty windy roads through Clearwater National Forest meant slow going for our top heavy rig, so even though we were on the road over a few hours we only made it a 127 miles. But the kids fell in love with this campground, so we opted to stay for a couple nights. 

We’re once again camped alongside a river, this tie the Lochsa, and I’m learning the only thing my kids need to enjoy a place is some water, it doesn’t matter what form – ocean, lake, river, creek, pool – any body of water will do. 

Here alongside the Lochsa they’ve oenjoyed fishing, splashing about, flexing their construction building skills, and chopping lots and lots and lots of firewood. 

The kids caught minnows, a couple bullhead fish and what looked to be some baby trout – all with their hands and a couple cups. I didn’t catch anything but lost a sandal as I waded out into the river to retrieve a hooked line. 

Along a calmer part of the river where there’s barely a current they built a rock-enclosed pool for Little One to swim and splash about in safely, though they all got in and enjoyed it.

We’ve been learning a lot about the dangers of moving firewood from place to place and how it can introduce invasive species into forests where they weren’t before. Buy it where you burn it is something we’ve been practicing, but at this campsite there was no pre-cut firewood available only felled trees that had been cut into rounds.

We were fortunate enough to snag a spot where a tree had been felled and several rounds of tree trunk laid about. Mr. Stubborn and Mr. Dependable took the initiative to begin chopping them up for us. Miss Drama even joined in for a bit while I supervised and instructed. A fellow camper also came alongside and taught the kids a few things I didn’t know. (If you ever read this Joel, thanks for sharing your knowledge and for all the conversations, applesauce, syrup, and trinkets.)

Not only did they chop enough for breakfast and dinner each day, there will be plenty for the next few campers to come. This made me a happy camper because I love waking up before the kids to sit by the fire while drinking a cup of tea and listening to the forest wake up.

We’ve had a great time in this little spot the last few days, but we can’t stay forever, so we’re hitting the road once again, this time towards Montana to see some glaciers.