Family Camp 2017 - Johnson Hills Camp

This is the sign at the entrance gate to the camp.

Paul and I went up last Friday/Saturday to check it out.  It is going to be really nice.  It is not the most beautiful place we have ever been, but it has many conveniences and is close to some REALLY beautiful and fun places that we can get to PDQ.  I sent the link to the map and layout, but here it is again:  https://sites.google.com/site/jjandbacresllc/Home/calendar

Now for the fun stuff nearby:

• Red Canyon is run by Dixie National Forest and doesn't take any kind of fee to use. There are some beautiful hikes there.  We may want to take a short hike there one morning.

• Bryce Canyon National Park is also close by.  The must do hike for the camp is here!  It is the Mossy Cave hike which is outside of the park proper up Hwy. 12  at the north end of the park.  It is a .8 mile streamside walk up to a mossy overhang and small waterfall.  We will add to it a little and go up stream to some magnificent waterfalls, views of Hoo Doos and to a really nice place to play in the water.  Christy and Ferf may not want to come on this one...sorry or the other possible ones. So sorry.  

Red Canyon Arches trail - over 15 arches can be seen along this trail.  It's steep and is a 0.7 mile loop.  This is a maybe trail.  Kind of edgy in some places.  Lou and Bryan did it with their kids before.  

Red Canyon - Pink Ledges Trail with interpretive guide.  It is 0.4 miles long. Steep in some places. Very pretty and fun to read the interpretive guide along the way.  

This is the MUST do hike of the 3.  I don't think any of  you have done it (maybe Jay and Brynn).  I don't think they check for park passes out here, so you probably wouldn't need one.  We forgot to display ours in the window, but it wasn't a problem.  If you do have a park pass, bring it so if you decide you want to go into the park and do the drive, which is beautiful, you can.  It will be crowded and you may have to ride a shuttle.  Mossy Cave was crowded parking at first (Saturday), but we stopped to eat lunch down the road and it cleared out.  We may want to carpool some to save parking places.  We didn't go up to the cave this time, so no pics of that.  Wanted to save the fun to do with all of you!

Another fun thing close by is the Thunder Mountain Bike Trail:  The trail passes through ponderosa and bristlecone pine forests at high elevations and pinyon/juniper forest at lower elevations.  Spectacular red and pink rock hoodoos are abundant along the trail with some narrow ridgelines.  Eleveation change:  1,190 ft., length: 7:5 miles one way.  Please check it out on the internet to decide if it is something you want to do and bring your bikes if you want to!  Supe has done it.  Talk to him.

There are a few other foot/bike/horse trails that you may want to check out:  Cassidy Trail, Losee Canyon Trail, Rich Trail.

And foot, bike, horse, ATV trails:  Barney Cove Trail, Casto Canyon Trail.

No 4-wheelers are allowed where we are camping.

There is also the paved Red Canyon Bicycle Trail:  this paved trail begins at the Thunder Mountain Trailhead and extends to the East Fork Road.  Elevation gain is 723 feet, length 8.6 miles one way.   http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/redcanyn.htm

Bring your bikes/bike trailers if you think this may be something you would like to do!


Not too far away is Mystic River Adventures which has ziplines, fishing, etc.  You will have to check that out if you are interested in going there.



Meal sign up:  We have 7 meals and 7 families if everyone is able to come.  Remember, we will all be happy to help prepare and clean up the meals.  You will be responsible to bring the ingredients to make it.  There are electrical outlets, so if you want to use a crock pot that would work.  There is a microwave and a fridge.  One family member told me the fridge has some cold spots, but works well enough.  Not everyone will be able to fit stuff in it, so plan on ice chests.  We can keep them inside the hotel where it may be cooler if you want to I would think.  Please post what you are cooking so we won't have duplicates!  Bring what you need to cook and serve your food.  No sweet cabin utensils here! 

Wednesday evening:  Everyone is on their own for this meal.  Eat in Cedar on your way or bring something to put together there.

Thursday breakfast: Lance and Juge--dutch oven potatoes, eggs, etc.

Thursday lunch: Moss  Hot dog chips and fruit

Thursday dinner:  Jay and Brynn - Meatball sandwiches with other goodness and birthday dessert for Madi and Lance.

Friday breakfast:  Bryan & Lou (something with eggs and other goodness)

Friday lunch: I guess this means the Borrowmans are doing this meal!

Friday dinner: Paul/Bonnie Italian chicken over rice, Caesar Salad, melon/fruit and brownies and ice cream for dessert. (We may do it on pasta instead and have garlic bread too.)

Saturday breakfast:  Derek and kids:  Cold cereal, milk, juice, hot chocolate and Pop Tarts.  Easy meal to get us going quick on the clean up and packing up to head home.




Equipment: 

Camp Chefs with propane: Mom and Dad 

Water jugs w/ice (we can fill them there, but for ease of serving we will want jugs.)  Mom and Dad

Bring your camp chairs if you have room.  You may want to gather somewhere other than the group site.  But there are picnic tables at each camp spot too. You decide.

Dutch Ovens:  If you need them for cooking, bring them or ask someone else to.

Big prep table:  Paul/Bonnie

Etc.:

Bring day packs/water for the hike if you want them for snacks and water, diapers, etc.


Other stuff:  

Let's plan to do a hike on Thursday morning before it gets too hot and be back in time for lunch!

Talent show:  If any of the kids or adults want to bring a talent to share we would like to do that Thursday night. Adn afterwards if Beacher is there to make it happen we could have that dance party!

Movie night:  Friday night (if Moss and Christie are there).  Moss is taking charge.  Maybe we could have popcorn, etc. for dessert that night - whoever is in charge of dinner?

Saturday:  we will need to have everyone's help to clean up really well before we leave.  They didn't charge us any deposit, so we will want to leave it clean, clean, clean!

Bring your games and toys to share!

Horse shoes, board games, cards, etc.

Madi has requested a giant light saber fight for her birthday (Thursday) -- be prepared! (we'll bring everything for it! It will happen when it gets dark)

HOTEL DWELLERS:  Bring your own sheets (queen and twin) and bedding or sleeping bags and pillows.  They have some there, but if you use them you will need to launder them and put them back on when you leave.  They do have a washer and dryer there.  

We did it...and it was fun!  Let's see your pics here!

We had another wonderful Family Camp this year.  We went to Johnson-Hills Camp, which belongs to a family in our ward.  We knew we needed to go early because Christie is very pregnant and due in early July and it needed to be low so it wouldn't still be too cold.  And it needed to be comfortable too since she's not really up to sleeping out in a tent when she's very pregnant either.  So the Johnson's place filled the bill and at an affordable rate to boot.  We went May31st - June 3rd (Wednesday-Saturday).  We had everyone there except Kaebri (on Trek), Supe and Beacher (starting business at Veryo Pool/Crawdad Canyon), and Bean.  Some people couldn't stay the whole time, but it was still a pretty good showing.  We had 36 some of the time.  This year was different because Juge, Lou, Ferf and Derek all had camp trailers.  Lou was in a tent and Moss, Jay and us were inside the "grand hotel".  The camp had bathrooms, showers, water and electricity.  It had awnings and a big gathering area and toys for the kids to play on.  It was like a developed camp ground but private for us.  Very nice and close to Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon for some fun outings.