We're thinking of walking to Cheakamus Lake with our 3-year old and 3-month old kids and camping there for a night. I'm a little worried about annoying other campers by bringing two noisy kids to a place where I'm assuming most people go for peace and quiet (I've never been there- and we'd only be walking the 3km to the first campground). Also- if we walked in on a Saturday morning, are we likely to find an empty camp site?

Am I crazy for considering this? I haven't done much hiking at all since my oldest was born, and I'm anxious to get back into it and get him involved, too!

Thanks.

Go for it. We need more kids in the outdoors and away form video games. If people want complete solitude, they can put in the effort to walk a little further/higher. Don't leave any trash though (including diapers.)

If you're talking about the kids playing during the day, I think anyone at a 3km-away site can handle some children noises.

If you're thinking that your children make noise in the night and may then interrupt people's sleeps, I would urge you to take them somewhere more secluded where you aren't likely to wake others.

I would disagree. This is one of the most accessible back country campsites in the entire province for a young family. If you don't want the risk of hearing a crying baby at night, then put in a bit more effort and go to Helm Creek, Taylor Meadows, Garibaldi Lake, etc.. since very few people could carry a young family to those locations. Or just put in some ear plugs. Where else should this family go? Bushwhack on crown land to a place where no one will see them?

Exactly! Most likely the kids will wiped and have a great sleep as well.

Yes, absolutely! Many kids (not enough, though) have been introduced to camping there, it's perfect for the purpose, kids are common and welcome. Frankly I'd be more worried about loud non-kids disturbing your sleep.

It can get very busy! Get an early start, and try to find another family there to be neighbours with so you don't get said loud partiers showing up and moving in on you. Even watch for new arrivals and snag them as compatible neighbours.

5 of us camped there for a night and some fly fishing early June and there were several young families. I agree with the other posters- what a fine way to introduce young ones to the outdoors, go for it! If you camp at the close sites and others need a kid-free zone they can continue on to the sites at Singing Creek.

perhaps this is a strong opinion on my part but within reason (i.e. if kids are just being kids in the woods) then I think you have to be a bit jaded to have a problem with them being there. There are few things as lovely to me as seeing children really examine a fern, or pond or rock and exercise their imagination and body.

I err on the side of not taking away from others' experiences. I'm not surprised to be in the minority, because people here have previously said that it's totally cool to bring a crying baby into a backcountry hut, but I think some thinking of others is reasonable. When I go places, I think about my impact, and reducing it, and don't just assume that I should feel free to cause problems and leave it up to other people to have to solve for themselves.
Crown land sounds like a good plan. Or a campground with really widely spaced tent pads where you can have some more privacy. Or just sticking to day hiking until a kid reliably sleeps through the night and you can reasonably predict that they won't wake other campers with piercing cries.


I think it's great to see kids in the woods and I might well agree that it would be problematic to be bothered by a kid enjoying nature, but it's pretty normal and reasonable to be bothered if you are woken up by crying babies at night.

I wouldn't be at all concerned about kids having fun in the day, but if you're a person who can't sleep without making enough noise to wake others (and a young baby generally falls into this category), you're being wilfully rude to decide to ignore everyone else's comfort in favour of what you want when you decide to sleep close to others. Same goes for horrible snorers, late-night rowdy drunks, and night-barking dogs.

Kids are great at easier walk in sites, as the eve nears and people settle in for dinner and enjoying a sunset etc, its a parents job to teach respect for others and tone it down and talk to each other instead of the common screaming matches we get. If you say your kids are loud its up top you as a parent to teach some restriction and enforce them in a understandable manner to the young ones. It can all be fun and rewarding, enjoy.

Go for it. The campsites are spaced quite a ways away from one another. There are natural sounds around - the Helm creek / waterfall, the rush of Cheakamus river nearby, it's not total silence. A baby fussing or a child laughing will not bother anyone. And it's frankly surprising how few people actually stay the night at Cheakamus Lake. Most visitors are day users. There have many times when we were the only visitors there staying overnight.

go for it. i have brought my kids there a few times. Once i pushed a jogging stroller full of gear down the trail. No prob.

The entire thing is very "linear", and you don't have to be near others if you don't want to, and vice-versa. It ain't no hut (no escape).

Heck, let the 3-yr old bring a run-bike. If it doesnt work out...stash it in the woods.

You shouldn't worry much about the kids not sleeping at night and crying. If you care about that, pls talk with some folks who camp near. But for me it's not a big problem when taking kids camping outside.