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My family of five has just returned from spending the weekend at Family Camp at the Mountain Park Environmental Center, affectionately known at the MPEC. Family Camp is held at the MPEC each season, with the next one happening in July. Luckily for us, the winter camp had plenty of snow, snowmen were built and much sledding occurred. After spending the afternoon outdoors, we enjoyed a scrumptious homemade meal with other families and then closed the evening by the campfire roasting marshmallows. My husband and our three little ones spent the night in the newly renovated rooms of the Horseshoe Lodge and much to the delight of my children ours had a bunk bed. If you haven’t made it up to Beulah, the Wet Mountains filled with Ponderosas and the valley, let me tell you a little more about it. The park is actually owned by the City of Pueblo and run by a wonderful team of MPEC employees and volunteers. The 600+ acres of wilderness is only 45 minutes from Pueblo West and 25 minutes from Pueblo, with virtually no traffic once you head west on Northern Ave. The Mountain Park has a plethora of activities like guided dog hikes, a monthly Nature for Toddlers program, a walking labyrinth, women’s retreats, playgrounds, trails, a low element outdoor challenge course and yoga retreats and classes to name a few. As we get ready for spring and summer, there are several camps and opportunities worth checking out. The MPEC has Spring Break Day Camp from March 25th-29th. At this camp, children will spend the week in the woods playing nature games, hiking/snowshoeing, building forts and much more. Registration is already open for the MPEC’s summer camps, too. These camps fill up fast. There are a variety of camps for all ages. Personally, my children have done the Little Kids Camp for the past two summers and I would highly recommend them. When it gets hot in Pueblo, it’s nice for children to head up to the mountains. Conveniently, round-trip transportation from Pueblo is provided for campers. Scholarships are also available for camps.

With the renovation of the Horseshoe Lodge, the MPEC is now an ideal place for family reunions, organizations and corporate retreats. The lodge is historic, inspired in part by Arthur Carhart, recreation visionary and built by the Workman’s Progress Administration in the 1930’s. The entire inside has been renovated and is now a “green building”. One wing of the lodge has 11 overnight bed and breakfast-style rooms and the other has dorm rooms that are designed to give groups of 12 or more an overnight experience. Retreats can be provided with catered meals, as well as guided hikes and other outdoor and indoor activities. The Mountain Park Environmental Center is one of area’s jewels and definitely one of the things we love most about living in Pueblo.

For more information, visit hikeandlearn.org or call 719-485-4444

Author: Megan MurilloBlog: mymoon.typepad

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