Sunday, December 6, 2009

Family Camping Along the Rogue River By Kari O'Brien

Southern Oregon is home to the World Class Rogue River and it is known for extraordinary scenic beauty, excellent climate, and exceptional whitewater rafting. Take your family camping along the Rogue River and the memories will last a lifetime. It is really an easy task to arrange. Simply contact an Outfitter that specializes in rafting and camping and they will take care of the details from rafting gear to camping supplies. The summer months of June, July and August are outstanding for weather, water flow and warmth. Outfitters generally offer specific dates for Family Camping Trips. Select a two, three or four day trip. Once you have chosen the dates, pack your bags and your dream vacation is about to begin. It is that simple.

Family Camps often begin with a detailed orientation and safety talk. This is important especially when traveling with young children or teens. All of our kids are perfect, but sometimes having the rules and boundaries outlined by a professional makes for better communication! Orientation is a great time for kids and adults to ask questions about the trip and what to expect. You will also be fitted for a life jacket or PFD (personal flotation device) during the orientation. Safety talks often include how and when it is safe to swim in the river, what to do if you fall into the water during a rapid, protection from the sun, hydration and fighting fair. Water fights are usually part of the fun experience on the Rogue.

After the Orientation and safety talk, campers will head to the boat ramp for the first day on the water. Oared rafts, paddle rafts and inflatable kayak may be offered for the Family Camp. If you are traveling with very young children, the oared raft is a must. The guides are awesome with kids and play games with them throughout the day. The parents get to sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery. If your family has a couple of teenagers, the paddle raft may be a great opportunity for some team work. Each person paddles under the direction of a guide who is sitting in the rear of the boat. The inflatable kayak is a great choice that offers an amazing ride through the rapids. Many Outfitters will allow your family to trade back and forth between the rafts and kayaks.

Rafting on the Rogue River consists of deep, timeless canyons, exhilarating whitewater rapids and sweeping, downhill slides with nothing more than a riffle of shallow water. There are many beaches full of sand just right for little hands to create the best sand castle ever or beaches full of the perfect pebbles that lend themselves to inter-generational rock skipping contests. Then there are the shorelines with the mouth of a creek meeting the Rogue and that might just be the spot wear your family strikes it rich with a little pay dirt from gold panning!

Food provided by Outfitters along the Rogue River is notorious for both quality and quantity. Breakfast may consist of farm fresh eggs, homegrown bacon and organic vegetables served with peach cobbler or maybe a delightful stack of fluffy, fresh from the griddle blueberry pancakes to start your day. Juice, coffee, tea and campfire cocoa are also in steady supply. Lunches are packed to serve family style along the river. Usually a selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, a variety of salads, sandwiches with meats or cheese and the ever famous freshly baked cookies. Dinner time is a relaxing event. Guides are usually seen cooking up a special dish of salmon fillets, dutch oven chops, grilled burgers with all the fixings or even freshly made lasagna. Cold beverages are served throughout the day. If you have special dietary needs or preferences be sure to discuss them with your Outfitter. Late evening when stories are getting grand, s'mores are simmering over the fire and the constellations are twinkling over head, you just might want to make a wish on a falling star or two with your family.

The Rogue River Guides are some of the best story tellers around. The whole family will be spellbound by tales of miners and settlers, Hollywood film makers and legends of a time that has passed. You will learn amazing facts about the natural world of geology, flora and fauna and history of the Rogue-Siskiyou Mountain Range. Guides take care of all camp set up, cooking, and packing. You should expect your guide to be well trained and knowledgeable about river safety, navigation and great hosts of the Rogue. If you are looking for an Oregon Dream Vacation to engage all members of your family, reconnect and revitalize you from the hurried work and school schedules, Family Camping on the Rogue River will make memories that last a lifetime!

Kari and her husband Tim are the owners of O'Brien's Rogue River Outfitters. For information on guided Oregon whitewater rafting trips, family raft camps or summer teen raft camps click the following link: Rogue River Rafting. Kari is also the author of the Rogue River Rafting Blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kari_O'Brien

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