Mt Whitney is the highest point above sea level in the contiguous 48 states, Death Valley is the lowest point below sea level – and they sit about an hour away from each other. If you know me and my husband it won’t surprise you to hear that our response to learning this was; “of course we have to drive up and see both in a weekend.”

The highest point of Mt Whitney is 14,505 feet.

The lowest point of Death Valley is Badwater Basin which sits at 282 below sea level.

As you drive between the two you go up and down and up and down mountains. The altitude is posted every time you go up or down 1000 miles. We found this endlessly entertaining.

Our family’s biggest altitude change was about 8,500 miles above sea level to 282 feet below sea level – which we did in one day. I mean, that’s pretty cool, right?

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A Weekend Trip to Mt Whitney & Death Valley

Our trip was kind of a loop. We drove north east from San Diego to Mt Whitney, spent the night, drove South into Death Valley, camped for a night, and then drove back Southwest to San Diego. Below are the parts we loved and a few things we learned along the way.

Read Also: 5+ Kid Friendly Day Trips from San Diego

TO DO.

I think you could spend a whole week in this area if you really like hiking and camping, but a few days is a good amount of time. The different landscapes are fascinating and offer a good range of hiking and other experiences. Below are our favorites.

Things to do at Mt. Whitney & Lone Pine CA with Kids

MT WHITNEY NATIONAL PARK WEBSITE

Mt Whitney can certainly be a trip of it’s own. Many people hike up to the camp, sleep in a tent for the night and then climb the rest of the way to the summit and back down the next day for a long and exhausting weekend. My husband and his dad actually did the entire thing in one day many years ago for an exceptionally exhausting day.

If you want to climb to the peak you need to apply for a pass ahead of time.

With our seven year olds, we didn’t feel ready to summit a mountain so we just did a day hike. You can hike the first few miles without a pass and that was plenty for us.

We got to see Mt. Whitney. We got to experience the upward climb and learn the term “switchbacks”. We got to hop across a couple of creeks – obviously the best part. And we got to see the beautiful scenery.

I think my favorite part about visiting Mt Whitney was watching the sun set. The sun drops behind the mountains well before actual sunset and it is breathtakingly beautiful.

We stopped at Alabama Hills which lies between Mt. Whitney and Lone Pine (a quick drive from Lone Pine on the way to Mt. Whitney) for sunset. The kids got to climb around on boulders and we watched the sun set and explode across the sky.

Things to do in Death Valley National Park with Kids

I was completely surprised by how much we all loved Death Valley. My daughter described it at the “best trip ever!” and she’s not wrong. It was an awesome weekend.

Heading into the park from Mt. Whitney you will pass a ranger station (stop to pay your entrance fee there!) and then the Mesquite Sand Dunes.

These appear out of nowhere which I found fascinating. Our kids loved running up and down them and trying to sled down the sand dunes. Being Midwesterners, we brought actual sleds but we saw a lot of people having success with boogie boards as well.

You do have to hike up and down a ways out to get to steep enough dunes to sled, so I wouldn’t recommend sledding for kids under 5. Just running around on the sand is fun too – especially after you’ve been in the car for a while. (Our favorite dune sledding experience was in White Sands National Park which I also highly recommend!)

Our next stop was the Ranger Station by Furnace Creek. My twins love getting their National Park Passports stamped and adore the Junior Ranger Program at the parks. This is a free program at the National Parks. Just ask at the Rangers’ desk for a Junior Ranger activity book and they’ll tell you what to do from there.

Also Read: How to Make the Most of Your Fourth Grade National Park Pass

My kids liked learning about the different desert animals. Some Junior Ranger Programs you complete as you’re traveling around the park, but this one you could do just in the little museum at the Ranger Station in Furnace Creek.

Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the continental United States. It is a gorgeous place to watch the sun rise or set.

We watched the sun set here on our first day and it was beautiful. My one regret is that we didn’t get there much before sunset and I would have enjoyed walking out and exploring a little more before it started to get dark.

Golden Canyon was our favorite hike in Death Valley. We did that one first thing the morning before we drove back.

My kids loved the random boulders to climb and we were all fascinated by the different kinds of rocks we saw along the way.

Things I Was Grateful I Remembered to Pack:

• Warm layers. Both Mt Whitney and Death Valley were chilly in November, especially in the evening.
• Hats. We wore sun hats during the day in death valley and winter hats from about 3pm on.
• National Park Passports for stamps at the Sierra Nevada Ranger Station in Lone Pine and at Death Valley.
• Rock Guide. My kids are obsessed with the different kinds of rocks and had all kinds of questions. I remembered shockingly little from college Geology. This book was helpful.
•  Soap and hand sanitizer. The bathrooms weren’t terrible at either, but there was no soap at most.
• Stargazing App. This isn’t something I really packed, but I have a stargazing app called NIGHT SKY on my phone and it was an awesome resource at night in Death Valley. The sky was clearer than I have ever seen and we could see a trillion stars in the sky. Either the app or some sort of stargazing aid is helpful if you don’t know the names on your own.
• Sleds. I was on the fence about packing them but our kids had so much fun sledding on the sand dunes. If you don’t have sleds we saw a boy scout troop with boogie boards sledding as well so that looked like another good option.

STAY.

Mt Whitney/Lone Pine

We left San Diego early on Saturday morning and drove straight to Mt Whitney. By the time we had hiked a little and eaten it was almost time for bed.

We spent one night at the Comfort Inn in Lone Pine, the town at the foothills of Mt Whitney. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was clean, offered free breakfast in the am, and was a perfect location.

Camping in Death Valley

Camping in Death Valley was an awesome experience. I wish we had had enough time to spend another night.

Growing up, I always went camping in the Northern part of Wisconsin which is like spending the night in the untouched North Woods of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Joshua Tree was my first desert experience. It felt a bit foreign to me at first but I loved it! This was our first desert camping experience and it made me appreciate the desert even more. The night sky was amazing.

My kids are avid campers. They have loved everything about it from helping set up the tent, to learning camping skills, to walking to the bathroom with their flashlights from the time they were toddlers.

Read Also: Essential Tips for Camping with Toddlers

Our twins are 7 years old now and they are actually a huge help setting up the campsite. Our tent is awesome, but it can be a bit of a beast to set up. However, with four pairs of hands it was set up quicker than ever.

This is our little desert campsite. The sky at nighttime was incredible! I know I’ve said that a few times now, but really it was probably my favorite part.

Good Things to Know:

• Make sure to reserve your campsite ahead of time! We booked ours about three months in advance and it was already filling up.
• Check the average temperatures before reserving a campsite or planning a trip. In November, the weather was perfect for hiking during the day and sleeping at night, but the desert has huge temperature swings during the year!
• There is a shop with some basics and you can buy wood in Death Valley at the same shop as well.
• We stayed in the tent only part of the Furnace Creek campsite and loved the location. This campsite also has flush toilets but no showers or soap at the sinks.

EAT.

• Pizza Factory in Lone Pine was our one restaurant experience. They made good pizza in front of you and were able to accommodate our son’s dairy allergy with a cheese free pizza covered in toppings.
• The rest of our food was carried in a cooler from home. Sandwiches. Hot dogs and baked beans for the campfire. S’mores supplies, of course. Trail mixes, bars, string cheese, and cereal mixes. You can read more about our favorite camping foods in our Camping Trip to West Virginia.

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We like camping. Although it is a completely different experience with kids, family camping is fun. Some dear friends invited us to go camping at Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia.

Camping?

Beautiful Georgia?

Hikes to Waterfalls?

Friends? We’re in.

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Tallulah Gorge State Park

Tallulah Gorge is two miles long and almost 1,000 feet deep. The park has hiking trails and many overlooks where you can spot several waterfalls.

There is also a suspension bridge that swings over the river and overlooks the waterfalls. It is beautiful, green and mountainous.

We arrived around dinnertime and set up our tent right away. We had an easy dinner, roasted marshmallows and watched the kids race around pretending to be fairies.

Saturday morning we headed out for a hike. We hiked down 300 steps to the suspension bridge, across the bridge and then up 300 steps the the other rim.

This was doable for our three year olds, but exhausting. There was definitely some whining in between rock climbing, map reading, and delight. The views made the effort completely worthwhile.

TIPS FOR THE HIKE

• If you are attempting this with younger kids I highly recommend a backpack carrier (I love this one)
• Pack a snack
• Bring Water!
• Go to the bathroom at the visitors center before you head out.
• Wear weather appropriate clothes and good hiking shoes.

Also read: essential tips for camping with kids

Our twins loved the opportunity to read maps. Their interest in maps has dropped into the background lately, but when a natural opportunity appears they are delighted.

The views all along the rim and on the suspension bridge were stunning. The green stretches for miles and the water falls are overwhelming. The powerful sound of water rushing over a waterfall is one of my favorites.

After the hike, we drove a short ways to the lake where we found a beautiful picnic spot. Despite the weekend traffic of hikers, this was a lovely peaceful spot. We were a little bummed that the beach was closed until Memorial Day, especially since we were sweating from the 85 degree heat, but we cooled off in the shade.

For hiking, I highly recommend Tallulah Gorge State Park.

The views really can’t be beat and the trails offer a fun challenge. I didn’t love the camping sites, but they too were decent. The bathrooms were above average for a campground.

All in all, we loved our trip to Tallulah Gorge. Check out the video on their website of the falls if you need a little extra convincing.

Park Details

• 50 Tent, Trailer, RV Campsites
• 63 Acre Lake with a Beach (only open Memorial Day – Labor Day)
• Campsites have electricity.
• Bathrooms have plumping and showers.
• $5 Parking Fee to enter park
• Cash or Check Only
• Playground near the campsites behind the bathroom.

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My skepticism faded the moment we rode up into the hills of western Maryland. Suddenly we were surrounded by bright bursts of Fall colors and this trip to Coopers Rock State Forest in West Virginia didn’t seem quite so crazy.

At the beginning of the summer my daughter had only a few things on her Summer Bucket List. She wanted to;

• swim at the beach. Check.
• go on the rides at Coney Island. Check.
• learn how to do a cartwheel. Ummm…work in progress.
• and she wanted to go camping…

Truthfully I am not a big camping person. I like hot showers and soft mattresses and falling asleep to the hush of a sound machine.

So that camping trip kept getting pushed off.

But she kept after me.

Driving into West Virginia I was glad she had been such a pest about this trip. I was also kind of glad we had waited until Fall.

This part of the country is truly magnificent in the Fall. The mountains, the colors, the blue sky and the trees…

So beautiful.

In case you are headed to West Virginia or Cooper Rock State Forest for some camping or just for a day of hiking, some helpful things to know are below.

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A Weekend Camping in Cooper Rock State Forest

Why Cooper Rock State Forest? Why West Virginia? Good questions.

Since we were going in the Fall we wanted somewhere that would be full of foliage. We looked at upstate New York and Vermont feeling confident in their splendor this time of year, but their cut off for camping is earlier than the 3 day weekend we happened to have free.

ALSO READ: FAMILY CAMPING AT TALLULAH GORGE STATE PARK GEORGIA

So we looked south.

As many super random seeming travel decisions in our house, this one was made because West Virginia was a place we had yet to visit. Cooper Rock State Forest came highly recommended so we booked a campsite and started dusting off our family tent.

STAY.

We camped in a tent in the Rhododendron Campground.

Things We Liked:

These campsites are spaced a little further apart and are a little more picturesque. They are also closer to the trails, playground, and shop.

Things We Didn’t Like:

The other campsites have electric outlets and a bathroom with a shower.

I was happy with our choice, but we did drive over and use the shower one morning.

The kids had a blast helping us set up our monster of a tent. We own this 3 room family tent and although it is admittedly a bit intense I love it.

When my husband and I used to camp pre-kids we had a tiny little two person thing that you basically waved in the air once and it was ready to go. This one is a bit more of an event to assemble, but it is easy to use, well made, and has SO much space.

I’m pretty sure that having their own “rooms” is the only reason my kids finally settled down and went to sleep, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

EAT.

There are some crazy awesome creative people out there that cook amazing things on the campfire but we tend to go simple. Hot dogs. Baked potatoes. We did try a couple of fun treats though you have to try some time!

• Best Snack: S’mores muddy buddies – I used this recipe!

• Best Breakfast: Campfire Cinnamon Rolls – Being honest, these are HARD to get right and I think cooking them on tin foil might have been a better way to go than the skewers but the ones we got right were yummy. Go heavy on the cinnamon and don’t skip the glaze. I used this recipe.

• Eat by lantern light. Not a food, obviously, but we waited until after dark for dinner one night because my kids were so happy playing outside. I can’t explain to you how exciting this was for my kids. Headlamps like these were super helpful.

more recipes & Fun stuff on my family camping pinterest board

TO DO.

There are a lot things to do in the park. Read more on the Coopers Rock State Forest website.

My kids spent the better part of the first afternoon being delighted by everything outdoorsy. Poor deprived little city kids.

Once they stopped bouncing up and down about every leaf and bug, here are the other things we enjoyed in the park.

• Hike the trails. There are a bunch of options (get a free map when you check in at the front) and they range in difficulty and length.

• Enjoy the view. (Full disclosure – I was way more excited about the view than my kids but they tolerated my delight)

• Look for signs of the season

• and signs of life. (They love these bug catching kits )

• play on the playground.

read also: Essential Tips for surviving camping with a toddler

Final Thoughts?

Worth the drive? Absolutely!

We would camp in Coopers Rock State Forest again in a heartbeat. We pried ourselves away earlier than we planned because of an impending storm and it was so hard to say goodbye to all this beauty.

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Nature Shake Paintings are perfect for a lot of kids and situations. They are perfect for…

Kids who are active.

Kids who like to collect rocks.

Times when you are outside.

Times when you are inside.

Times when you don’t have a ton of time.

Times when you don’t want to clean up a big mess.

You get the idea.

This simple activity works great for different ages, inside or outside, and for active boys and girls (aka pretty much every kid under the age of 5).

This activity combines art and movement – two of our favorite things.

We did this Nature Shake Painting activity twice. Once at home with rocks we had collected on a hike and once while we were camping. Both times the procedure was similar.

How to do Nature Shake Paintings with Toddlers

ALSO READ: FAMILY CAMPING AT TALLULAH GORGE STATE PARK GEORGIA

Materials + Set Up:

Gather materials. You will need:

• Box (I recommend 1 box for every 1-2 kids so there isn’t much waiting)
• Construction Paper (cut to fit inside of the box)
• Rocks (gather – or have your toddler help find some when everything else is ready)
• Paint
• Masking TapeMake sure to cut the paper down to fit into the box before hand – again to decrease waiting around (waiting is basically toddler kryptonite).

Activity

Invite your active one to join you for rock painting.

Help them fill a box with a piece of paper, a handful of rocks, and some squirts of paint.

Tape the box shut (very securely) and then hand it back to them for some vigorous shaking.

Encourage them to shake, even run or dance around with their box. When they are done, help them open the box up and discover what their painting looks like.

Easy! So easy you could do it all over again…and again…and again just like your toddlers will probably want.

Clean up:

The rocks are going to need a rinse if you are planning to keep them around. Otherwise, clean up is super simple with this activity.

Hang the paintings, everything else can be put away or tossed.

More A-Z Play Ideas

This week we are sharing ideas for the Letter N.

Naming Game from Teach Me Mommy

How to Make a Potato Clock (with nails) from The Gingerbread House

“You’re going camping with your kids?!?”

If you have ever considered the idea of camping with toddlers out loud around other people, you are probably familiar with this response. Camping with young children can seem daunting. I know that I was nervous before our first trip and may have over planned a bit.

Our first trip, however, exceeded my expectations.

To be fair my main goals were just that no one would get hurt by the fire and that they would successfully sleep in the tent, so the bar was set pretty low. We achieved those goals and kept our toddlers happy and occupied.

Let’s be honest about those concerns after all.

• Will they sleep? I don’t know, but I don’t really consider it a guarantee when we’re at home.
• But they’re potty training! Yup. It’s a nightmare. Anywhere.
• What will they do? They’ll get into trouble. Well first you’re hilarious if you don’t think my kids get “into trouble” at home, but they will play. They will explore.

Camping with toddlers is a lot like life with toddlers. It is messy. It is chaotic. It is exhausting. And at the end of the day it is 100% worth it.

So yes, we camped with our kids when they were toddlers. We survived and you will too!!!!

Essential Tips for Camping with Toddlers

1. Camping + Toddlers = No Sleep?

Our kids actually surprised me. This was my #1 concern about taking them into the great woods, but they took naps and slept through the night.

• Our toddlers slept in their pack and plays in our tent and this was a huge success. Even though they took up most of the tent it felt like the best way to duplicate the crib environment they slept in at home.
• Sleeping bags would make more sense for kids in a big bed. Our 3 year olds did well in sleeping bags like these on our trip to Tallulah Gorge State Park.
• We followed their typical sleep schedule and it seemed that all of the time outside sufficiently tired them out.
• Depending on the time of year when you go camping, bedtime might have to be later due to the time of sunset. That was our one hiccup – when we went camping in June it was still completely daylight at their usual bedtime so we did push it back a little.

2. Camping & Activities for Kids

I recommend bringing along some easy and read-to-go activities for your toddlers to do.

There is a lot to keep them busy with walks to the bathroom, helping with campsite chores, exploring, etc – but it is nice to have something they can sit at the table and do while dinner is being prepared or when you need a little break from running around.

Our Favorite Camping Activity Ideas:

1. Sand toys – they work just as well in dirt.
2. Flashlights – endlessly entertaining.
3. Magnifying glasses – for hunting for bugs.
4. Bug Jar – for when you find a bug.
5. Books – always a go-to for me
6. Cheerio Craft (pictured above) – this is a simple activity. They string cheerios onto pipe cleaners and make a little snack bracelet. It’s easy, keeps them focused for a few minutes and then it’s a snack.
7. Markers and Nature Notebooks – give a prompt, such as: draw what you see above us or just for toddler scribbles.

It is helpful to look for a campground with a playground or beach to have another activity for them to do, but these are all camping friendly activities that work anywhere.

3. Campsite Chores + Kids

My top tip for camping with kids is to involve them as much as possible. This was one of my favorite parts about camping when I was a kid.

It is so easy to just do things for them, but the more you involve them the more enjoyable it will be for everyone – even if it requires some patience.

This true at home as well, but I think when you are camping and life is suddenly much less complicated and distracting is one of the best times to slow down, move at their pace, and involve them as much as you can.

Way to Involve Toddler Around the Campsite:

1. Collecting firewood
2. Filling up water
3. Drying or Washing Dishes
4. Setting the table
5. Sweeping the tent

ALSO READ: FAMILY CAMPING AT TALLULAH GORGE STATE PARK GEORGIA

So, go for it!

Find a campsite that isn’t too terribly far from home that you feel like you’re trapped if it sucks.

Find a campsite with water or a playground – or both.

Find a weekend, just a night or two.

Pack up your gear and go. It will be chaotic and messy and totally worth it.

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The screen door slams and little feet patter into the kitchen. “Mama, look what I found?”

The screen door. The patter. The uncontrollable enthusiasm. The sweet sweaty faces. The expectation.

These are the things that scream summer to me.

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“Look!” That same sweet child thrusts a huge squirmy bug into my face. “LOOK!”

These are the moments that bug jars are made for.

You can definitely find some bug jars online or in stores. This one looks awesome and it’s only $10.

However, if your child suddenly develops an interest in your backyard bugs and you would like them at least contained before they are handed to you or shoved at your face – then this one below will do just fine.

Directions for a DIY Bug Jar

Materials

• Large Empty Jar (I believe ours was an old mixed nuts jar)
• Screwdriver or Scissors (adult use only)

How to Make

1. Punch a couple of holes in the top with your screwdriver or scissors. If you’re handy with tools then a drill would definitely be quicker and easier.
2. Have your child help you find some sticks and leaves to put inside for a bug to crawl on.

Done. Easy, right?

How to Use

• Together search for a bug to put in the jar. We found one crawling on a leaf and added it, leaf and all, into our jar.
• Watch the bug together. Pull out a magnifying glass to look even closer!
• Ask what your child sees. Listen to their observations. Write down or remember their questions.
• Release and repeat!

You May Also Like: Spider Web Hunt with FREE Printables

Want More Simple Play at Home Ideas?

Alphabet Jenga from Teach Me Mommy

Jewelry Making from Line Upon Line Learning

Up-cycled Jigsaw Puzzles from The Gingerbread House

Complete A-Z Ideas for Play at Home

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