Adventure, learning - all in a day's work at family camp

0 Comments | Insight on the News, June 12, 1995 | by Candyce H. Stapen

The family vacation is taking on new meaning. Organizations from the Sierra Club to the Smithsonian Institution offer activities on subjects such as archaeology, conservative and space exploration.

This summer don't let your children have all the fun. If you've missed the excitement of fishing and hiking, now you can explore the great outdoors with the family. A variety of family camps cover a range of interests, from archaeology to outer space, and enable parents and kids to turn summer into a learning adventure. Here's a roundup of some of the more intriguing ones:

If your kids liked the movie Jurassic Park, then they're sure to love Dinamation International Society's family Dino Camp and the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, both in Colorado. Dino Camp consists of five days at the Mygatt-Moore Quarry, where families learn research and excavation techniques. Children work in a simulated quarry with authentic casts of bones, while parents dig through the real thing. Other activities include a trip to a dinosaur museum, lectures and hikes.

Dino Camps start June 17; July 1, 15 and 29; and Aug. 5. The cost for adults is $775; for children, $550. Children must be at least 6 years old. For more information, call (800) DIG-DINO.

At the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, budding paleontologists do lab work and field excavation, examining artifacts and reconstructing the pre-history of the Southwest while learning about the ancient American Indian inhabitants, their pueblos and the early geology of the region. At the end of the week, families tour Mesa Verde and put their new skills to work. Evening lectures also are offered throughout the week.

The dates are Aug. 6-12. The cost is $795 for adults and $475 for children. Kids must be in the seventh grade or higher. Call (800) 422-8975.

For families who wish to behold Mother Nature in all her glory, the National Wildlife Federation offers two programs. At one of several conservation summits, families can enjoy a week of wildlife field trips, environmental-issues classes, nature hikes and geological and environmental

This year, summits are offered in Colorado's Rocky Mountains from July 1-7; among the volcanoes and rain forests of Hawaii, July 31-Aug. 6; and in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, July 8-14. Program fees, which include all activities, are $325 for adults, $275 for teens, $250 for youths and $150 for preschoolers. Accommodations are extra and vary with each summit. Call (800) 245-4584.

Nature Link, also a program of the National Wildlife Federation, provides families an affordable and educational weekend in the outdoors - a great idea for city slickers who want to learn weekend wilderness and outdoor recreational skills such as hiking, fishing and canoeing. Each family has a mentor to guide them throughout the weekend. Evening activities include campfire sing-alongs. Ideologues, beware: At the weekend's conclusion, everyone is asked to make an Earth Pledge, a simple promise to continue in their everyday lives what they have learned with Nature Link.

Nature Link weekends are offered in 14 states throughout the summer. Some sites are: Lebanon, Pa., June 24; Seattle, June 9-11; Eureka, Mo., July 7-9; Hendersonville, N.C., July 28-30; and Nelsonville, Wis., July 28-30. Prices vary with location and activities, but the goal is to make programs affordable. Rates range from $50 to $100 per person per weekend. Call (800) 245-5484.

Another conservation group, the Sierra Club, offers 25 family trips this year on everything from colonial history in Maryland to river rafting in Utah. Hike and camp in the Stehekin Valley in the North Cascades among Washington's glacial mountain peaks and waterfalls. Trips are offered Aug. 6-12 and Aug. 13-19. The cost is $760 for adults and $505 for children. Kids must be 6 to participate. Explore Alaska from your base camp in Chugach Forest and enjoy hiking, fishing an kayaking. Trips are offered July 8-14 and July 22-28. The cost is $635 for adults and $425 for children.

If your kids are younger, take a Toddler Tromp at Acadia National Park in Maine. Activities include hiking, biking and canoeing, all suitable for children 2 through 14. The trip is offered Aug. 13-19. The cost is $470 for adults and $315 for children.

The Sierra Club also has some special outings just for grandparents and grandchildren. These cross-generational best-of-friends explore the Tahoe Forest in the Sierras, Aug. 27-Sept. 1. This lodge-based trip offers swimming, hiking and other activities for both generations. The cost is $315 for adults and $215 for children. Call (415) 923-5607 for a complete list of trips.

The Smithsonian Institution offers several trips that combine family fun with science, nature and history. Explore geology and ocean life at Woods Hole on Cape Cod, Mass., including a hike to a salt marsh and a walk to a cedar swamp. The dates are June 22-25. The cost is $615 for adults and $200 for children 7-14.

The temperate rain forests an glacial peaks of Olympic National in Washington state are the perfect background for a wilderness education. The dates are Aug. 5-11. The cost is $895 for adults and $825 for children 8 through 17.