In Maplewood: South Mountain Family Campout Event Set For 2016

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Mountain Conservancy and the Essex County Parks department will be hosting the 2016 SMR Family Campout on Saturday and Sunday, Sept.10 and 11, at Summit Field in the South Mountain Reservation.

According to organizers, the event is tailored to families with young children, generally from four to 12 years of age.

“The goal of this experience is to gently immerse families with young children in nature and to provide them with the tools to take the next steps toward further exploration on their own,” organizers state. “The agenda is intentionally spaced out, with unstructured time sprinkled throughout. Families are encouraged to venture out on mini-excursions of their own or simply hang out around their campsites and relax.”

For the event, a family is defined as one or two adults (21 years or older) with a maximum of four children. A registered adult must remain with his/her children for the duration of the event. No dogs will be allowed.

Attendance for this event is limited to around 45 families, organizers stated. Registration must be completed by Wednesday, Sept. 7.

Find out more information or register online here.

According to the Essex County Parks website, South Mountain Reservation covers 2,112 acres in the central section of Essex County, extending through the municipalities of West Orange, Maplewood, and Millburn, bordering South Orange, between the first and second ridges of the Watchung Mountain Range.

The largest of the Essex County Park system's reservations, it was built from land purchases begun in 1895, county officials state.

Photo: South Mountain Reservation, Wikimedia Commons

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