Camping at Hanging Rock State Park

We were LONG overdue for some time in the woods so we escaped for a quick camping trip at Hanging Rock State Park this weekend. It was marvelous!! We had such a great time and very much enjoyed being in the great outdoors.

Friday:

I was able to get off work a little early so we hit the road about 3pm. 2-1/2 hours later, we were backing in to our camp site and setting up our weekend home. The drive was fun because the boys were chatting away - silly chatting, like Abbott & Costello were in the back seat. You never know what you'll get from these two! We were in campsite 63 and it was a pretty good one. The campground was really nice. Each site had a great flat tent pad, a picnic table and a gravel drive - which is where pop ups set up. It didn't take long to set up, the boys explored and we had dinner. One of the great things about camping is going to bed with the sun. We all got to bed by 9pm - much needed for Mommy and Daddy!

Abbott and Costello in the back seat

Camper-sweet-home =)

Happy boys - outside AND with our own rocks beside our campsite.

We put the screen house over the picnic table.

Real life Walking Stick - pretty cool, have never seen one before

Saturday:

Of course, going to bed with sun means also getting up with the sun. Eli and Cole were both up before 6:30am and we tried to contain them until Quiet Hours ended at 7am. After breakfast, we headed out to explore the Visitor's Center and hike / hunt for waterfalls. We went to two waterfalls (one had two levels so we called it three waterfalls) and had fun exploring. After lunch and a welcome nap, we found the lake and went swimming. It was Eli & Cole's first time swimming and playing in a lake and my first time in a LONG time. They had a lot of fun catching newts and making mini-pond homes for them. They played with a lot of other kids in the area. The water was super cold at first but we eventually got used to it. We stayed at the lake for a good long time and then headed back to grill out for dinner. Full tummies and tired little people, it was bedtime again. The boys decided that they wanted to sleep with Daddy so I got my own end of the camper! They stayed there all night!

Eli & Cole were catching centipedes and making rock houses for them. They also gave them leaves to eat.

Camp Site No. 63

Anti-gravity Centipede

These boys love bugs!

Playing on the tent pad with their new bug friends

Even little boys need a red Solo cup....with orange juice for breakfast.

Crazy Cole

So BIG! Spread out on the bed.

Ready to go hiking - new Camelbak and hiking poles.

Hiker pose

Ready to go Mom!

There were some cool exhibits in the Visitor's Center - check out the bear!

Be still my heart.....

Big bro helping Little bro

Does it get any cuter than this?!

What goes down, must go back up!

"Picture frame" in the rock

Happy Daddy with his boys

I climbed behind the waterfall and took this shot

Just like old times!

Rock climbing boys

Daddy did some exploring

We all went through this little crack to see what Daddy found.

Another waterfall! Hidden behind the rock.

Family self portrait

One of my favorites from the weekend. They're getting so big! And fun!

Up and out again....

Cole decided his legs didn't work any more and then went off trail to sit on a rock. Eli went back to convince him to walk some more.

Hidden Falls (1st fall we saw) and Window Falls (2nd one)

Love our State Parks

Time to swim in the lake

Even had diving boards

Ready to get in the water

It's fun to shoot everyone else...

but not to get shot with cold water!

Ooooooh, it's cold!! Would be great for the legs post ride.

Making friends, playing with newts

Our site rocks

One of our nice camp neighbors brought us some watermelon. The boys were excited.

Sunday:

Sunday morning we woke up with plans for a yummy pancake and egg breakfast. Well, that kinda got foiled when we forgot to bring butter and pancake batter just stuck to the griddle. The boys settled for cereal and Tim & I made do. We then headed out for another short hike - to another waterfall!! This time was to Upper Cascade Falls and to find the Rock Garden. Eli & Cole thought it was a great idea to wear their swimsuits on our hike so they could play in the waterfall. And that was a GREAT idea. They had so much fun playing in the water - apparently it was pretty cold but they forgot about that quickly. Then, just like yesterday, Cole's legs quit working when it was time to hike (uphill) out. Silly boy!! He's got to learn to conserve energy and not use it all up during the 1st half. Then we went to explore the rock garden and the boys loved climbing around some more. We eventually made it back to camp and then had to pack everything up and head home. The drive home was pretty easy so that was good. We are very thankful to have had some quality time in the woods and just get away. The boys will tell you that their favorite parts of the weekend were swimming in the lake and playing in the waterfall. Thankful and refueled after enjoy nature's simple pleasures.