Some years ago, FamilyFun ran an article about outdoor adventure vacations. One in particular caught my eye: a six-day, 65-mile covered wagon excursion in North Dakota. But with daughters ages 2 and 3, I knew I'd have to wait a while. I clipped the article and filed it away. Finally, when the girls were the perfect age -- Meghan, 11, and Sarah, 12 -- our schedules fell into place. With a friend and her two daughters, we packed some simple prairie skirts, made the trip west, and hitched ourselves to the 36th Annual Fort Seward Wagon Train.What we did: The Fort Seward Wagon Train is a participatory historical reenactment offered every June by a nonprofit group devoted to preserving North Dakota's past. Wagons are driven by experienced teamsters.
What we paid: $425 per adult, $325 per teen, and $275 per child; group discounts are available. All food and activities are included; we brought our own sleeping bags and tents.
Want to try it? Go to covered-wagon-train.com to learn more (registration for next summer's ride begins in January).
1. Wagons ho! Each year, the train's organizers map out a new route. For this year's trip from Jamestown to Streeter, we've been assigned to this canvas-topped box wagon pulled by two draft horses. We'll cover 2 to 3 miles an hour on dirt and gravel roads and through prairie grasses. We can't wait to get to know our "wagon family," as well as others in the wagon train (117 participants, ages 4 to 75, from 20 states) over the course of the six days.
2. Chow time. Each day after breakfast, the wagon train hits the trail. At the noon lunch stop, guides offer activities such as rag-doll making. We travel for a few more hours, then set up camp and eat a delicious dinner cooked over the fire by a group of volunteers. Hand-churned butter and buffalo stew are standouts. In the evening, with the wagons circled, we're treated to campfires, s'mores, popcorn, skits, and songs -- and the sight of millions of stars in the vast sky.
3. The biffy. Dressed in period clothing (nothing too elaborate) and taking on assigned chores (none too strenuous, and always age appropriate), we really get a feel for pioneer life. And without cell phones, headphones, and busy schedules, the opportunities for family time are plentiful. Certain amenities ease the frontier experience, though, including a first-aid vehicle and the "biffy" shown here. It's an outhouse on wheels -- much nicer than a port-a-potty!
4. Trail's end. The week passes all too quickly. When the wagon train rolls into Streeter, we're invited to march in the town's centennial celebration parade. Riding or walking down the main street, we're joyful for all we've shared and the new friends we've made. After a last dinner, we say many fond farewells. And on our journey home, one of the girls calls her grandpa by cell phone: "Will you take me on the wagon train next year?" she asks.
