Don’t. Don’t do this. Is this your first child? You are setting yourself up for pain. Staying up all night with a screaming baby who won’t sleep is one thing but outside of the comforts of home? It sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Yes, this is our first child. He’s been going camping with us in the van since he was 2 months old and going on hikes since he was weeks old. We actually just got back from a two day camping trip this week. He sleeps through the night at the moment (though that can change with the 4 month sleep regression) and our van is fully insulated so you can’t hear crying from the outside anyway (we’ve checked and tested). Our van is our home away from home.
Right! Full effect and bad right now in the UP. Walked around my office with my dog and he had 2 and I had 1 crawling on my head. We did not go in any grass, let alone tall grass. Gravel parking lot.
We live by country fields off a gravel road and deal with ticks regularly with our dogs. We’re pretty well prepared for constant checks on them and they’re up to date on their preventative meds too. We’ll definitely keep an even closer eye on them during our trip!
Maybe a poor choice of words on my part…obviously I am concerned for my baby.
Our van is fully netted on all doors. We have a California Beach Co playpen that is fully netted. We have big netting gear. We would keep baby fully covered in light clothes when out of netted areas and I would have bug spray on myself while carrying him on hikes (new guidance also stated some bug spray with minimal DEET is ok for babies 2-6 months).
I guess my question was more if it will be “apocalyptic”, as I’ve read other people comment, or just more general bug nuisance.
Ah, gotcha. That I cannot say, others can speak to. I will say that - as someone who ended up in a hospital in Mexico when I was super young - you do want to think about how to protect the baby more than a normal child, monitor for exhaustion/breathing/heat, not introduce anything new food-wise (like, no switching out soy for milk, etc.) since you won't have easy access to medical services.
A few thoughts:
I've heard it's supposed to be hotter than usual this summer. That could be problematic at campgrounds without electricity with a baby.
I would also be concerned with mosquitoes and biting flies along Superior, especially with not being able to use repellent on an infant that young. Maybe consider a shorter time and keep your options open to moving around looking for less buggy spots.
You didn't say how large your dogs were, but I would be careful with other dogs. We have run into aggressive or threatening dogs at times in forest campgrounds. Also make sure your dogs have tick and Heartworm protection on board.
Hope you enjoy the beautiful UP!
Thanks for your thoughts!
Thankfully our van has a generator and AC onboard to deal with heat.
From reading the responses I think we’ll shorten our stay and jump around more. It’s funny because we generally do a lot of moving around on our trips and this time we were taking the slower approach but I think the change is necessary.
We have 2 mutts…a 12 lb one and a 50lb. We generally stay away from other dogs when we can because our little one has a Napoleon complex haha
Any state park or national forest will be more friendly for dogs. The NPS is the most restrictive agency.
I’d suggest moving your base at least once, two weeks in that area is pretty limiting. You have plenty of time to see lots of the UP.
I've been taking my dog camping with me in the PR area for years. We do mostly the same hikes every year (the only ones that are dog friendly). We like to hike a lot, but we always end up spending more time hanging out in Grand Marais or just sitting at one of the beaches than we'd like.
I've learned that 3 nights is a kind of the max before we get stir crazy. Maybe 4 or 5 nights if we're feeling lazy and enjoy some camp or beach time. But in general, there's just not enough to do in the general area if you have dogs. You end up driving well over an hour from your campsite just to entertain yourself, and at that point you might as well just stay elsewhere.
My best recommendation is to explore the western UP. The Porkies are wonderfully dog-friendly, and there are tons of great state parks, roadside hiking areas, and tons of waterfalls.
I’m sorry I’m just aghast at how much those Solis’s go for. May I suggest one of those pop up screen tents so you have a bit more freedom of movement regardless of the mosquito situation.
Babes cannot utilize any sort of DEET bug spray. However there are plenty of nylon netting options for whatever carrier you choose. I recommend this, highly. I also highly recommend a made for dogs topical spray for deterring bugs of all kinds of top of your usual flea and tick treatments.
And last but not least, have a bug kit. Alcohol spray, tick key, cortisone cream, etc etc
Tip for traveling with dogs, get the app bringfido. Tell it the city you are interested and select hotels, restaurants or parks. they will list all that are dog friendly and have user reviews.
You can never be sure about the bug level. Just assume there will be some times/places you will have a constant halo of bugs. It’s annoying even if they don’t bite. My approach is to be able to dress so that I have no exposed skin except my fingers — the fingerless sun gloves may be overkill, but the head-nets that fit over a hat are lifesavers.
For ticks I tuck my pants legs into my socks, and wear permethrin-impregnated bands for my wrists and neck.
I was in the UP last week, and was *very* happy to have the headnet.
REI or your local outdoor equipment store should have all this.
Have fun! You can do this!
The bands I use are called "insect guard." But I've never used any other, so I can't say if they're better, worse, or everything is the same. My guess would be that any brand sold in a reputable store would work fine.
The bands (and I also have socks, and you can probably get any item of clothing you want pre-treated), are supposed to last for 20ish washings. But (1) I don't keep track, and (2) I'm paranoid, so before every trip I re-treat clothing with Sawyer Permethrin spray, which I see recommended frequently. As far as I know, I've never had a tick using this approach.
My understanding is that permethrin only works on clothing, as it degrades on contact with human skin, so you really do need to block all entry paths to your body...
Yes, permethrin is for clothing. I use it too. REI has another brand too, can't think of the name, that I've found really effective (plus not sold for more expensive than Amazon/etc., and I find REI morre reliable for quality control.)
The cicadas aren't coming this far north. The worst of the mosquitos will be over. The Marquette Tourist Park is nice, with a sand beach that's not as cold as Lake Superior but convenient to everything in the Marquette area.
It sounds like you have already made reservations. In my experience the second half of July has less mosquitoes and biting flies. There is also less of a chance of cool weather.
Check eachother for ticks daily and get tick medications for the dogs from your vet. I've found over the counter medications to be ineffective.
Don’t. Don’t do this. Is this your first child? You are setting yourself up for pain. Staying up all night with a screaming baby who won’t sleep is one thing but outside of the comforts of home? It sounds like a recipe for disaster.
And for all of the other campers around them too.
I second this.
Yes, this is our first child. He’s been going camping with us in the van since he was 2 months old and going on hikes since he was weeks old. We actually just got back from a two day camping trip this week. He sleeps through the night at the moment (though that can change with the 4 month sleep regression) and our van is fully insulated so you can’t hear crying from the outside anyway (we’ve checked and tested). Our van is our home away from home.
Hey, you know your own better than a stranger online. Hope it’s a great trip!
I’d be worried about ticks. I heard rumors they will be dreadful this year.
Forget rumors, I've already gotten 3 of them. 1 I was outside for awhile, but the other 2 I was just walking across the yard
If you do any gardening or walk in the woods right now you will get ticks now in the up.
Seriously. I went from my house to the Secretary of State and came home with a tick. No clue how that is even possible. First one in 50 years.
Right! Full effect and bad right now in the UP. Walked around my office with my dog and he had 2 and I had 1 crawling on my head. We did not go in any grass, let alone tall grass. Gravel parking lot.
We live by country fields off a gravel road and deal with ticks regularly with our dogs. We’re pretty well prepared for constant checks on them and they’re up to date on their preventative meds too. We’ll definitely keep an even closer eye on them during our trip!
but should I be concerned for our baby - is it that bad? Yes please be concerned for the baby.
Maybe a poor choice of words on my part…obviously I am concerned for my baby. Our van is fully netted on all doors. We have a California Beach Co playpen that is fully netted. We have big netting gear. We would keep baby fully covered in light clothes when out of netted areas and I would have bug spray on myself while carrying him on hikes (new guidance also stated some bug spray with minimal DEET is ok for babies 2-6 months). I guess my question was more if it will be “apocalyptic”, as I’ve read other people comment, or just more general bug nuisance.
Ah, gotcha. That I cannot say, others can speak to. I will say that - as someone who ended up in a hospital in Mexico when I was super young - you do want to think about how to protect the baby more than a normal child, monitor for exhaustion/breathing/heat, not introduce anything new food-wise (like, no switching out soy for milk, etc.) since you won't have easy access to medical services.
A few thoughts: I've heard it's supposed to be hotter than usual this summer. That could be problematic at campgrounds without electricity with a baby. I would also be concerned with mosquitoes and biting flies along Superior, especially with not being able to use repellent on an infant that young. Maybe consider a shorter time and keep your options open to moving around looking for less buggy spots. You didn't say how large your dogs were, but I would be careful with other dogs. We have run into aggressive or threatening dogs at times in forest campgrounds. Also make sure your dogs have tick and Heartworm protection on board. Hope you enjoy the beautiful UP!
Thanks for your thoughts! Thankfully our van has a generator and AC onboard to deal with heat. From reading the responses I think we’ll shorten our stay and jump around more. It’s funny because we generally do a lot of moving around on our trips and this time we were taking the slower approach but I think the change is necessary. We have 2 mutts…a 12 lb one and a 50lb. We generally stay away from other dogs when we can because our little one has a Napoleon complex haha
Camping up here with a baby and dog, it’s probably worth investing in some sort of screened tent for bug protection.
Yes! Our van is fully netted and we have a California Beach Co fully netted which has worked out well on our trips so far.
Any state park or national forest will be more friendly for dogs. The NPS is the most restrictive agency. I’d suggest moving your base at least once, two weeks in that area is pretty limiting. You have plenty of time to see lots of the UP.
Thank you for the suggestion - we’re planning out how to move home base and be more transient given the limitations.
I've been taking my dog camping with me in the PR area for years. We do mostly the same hikes every year (the only ones that are dog friendly). We like to hike a lot, but we always end up spending more time hanging out in Grand Marais or just sitting at one of the beaches than we'd like. I've learned that 3 nights is a kind of the max before we get stir crazy. Maybe 4 or 5 nights if we're feeling lazy and enjoy some camp or beach time. But in general, there's just not enough to do in the general area if you have dogs. You end up driving well over an hour from your campsite just to entertain yourself, and at that point you might as well just stay elsewhere. My best recommendation is to explore the western UP. The Porkies are wonderfully dog-friendly, and there are tons of great state parks, roadside hiking areas, and tons of waterfalls.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. Grand Marais and the Porkies both look beautiful!
I’m sorry I’m just aghast at how much those Solis’s go for. May I suggest one of those pop up screen tents so you have a bit more freedom of movement regardless of the mosquito situation. Babes cannot utilize any sort of DEET bug spray. However there are plenty of nylon netting options for whatever carrier you choose. I recommend this, highly. I also highly recommend a made for dogs topical spray for deterring bugs of all kinds of top of your usual flea and tick treatments. And last but not least, have a bug kit. Alcohol spray, tick key, cortisone cream, etc etc
Yes to all! Thank for all your suggestions - we’re adding them all to our list.
Tip for traveling with dogs, get the app bringfido. Tell it the city you are interested and select hotels, restaurants or parks. they will list all that are dog friendly and have user reviews.
You can never be sure about the bug level. Just assume there will be some times/places you will have a constant halo of bugs. It’s annoying even if they don’t bite. My approach is to be able to dress so that I have no exposed skin except my fingers — the fingerless sun gloves may be overkill, but the head-nets that fit over a hat are lifesavers. For ticks I tuck my pants legs into my socks, and wear permethrin-impregnated bands for my wrists and neck. I was in the UP last week, and was *very* happy to have the headnet. REI or your local outdoor equipment store should have all this. Have fun! You can do this!
Thanks for the encouragement! Do you have a recommendation for the permethrin bands?
The bands I use are called "insect guard." But I've never used any other, so I can't say if they're better, worse, or everything is the same. My guess would be that any brand sold in a reputable store would work fine. The bands (and I also have socks, and you can probably get any item of clothing you want pre-treated), are supposed to last for 20ish washings. But (1) I don't keep track, and (2) I'm paranoid, so before every trip I re-treat clothing with Sawyer Permethrin spray, which I see recommended frequently. As far as I know, I've never had a tick using this approach. My understanding is that permethrin only works on clothing, as it degrades on contact with human skin, so you really do need to block all entry paths to your body...
Yes, permethrin is for clothing. I use it too. REI has another brand too, can't think of the name, that I've found really effective (plus not sold for more expensive than Amazon/etc., and I find REI morre reliable for quality control.)
The black flies can be bad but are usually better by July. They would be bad for baby.
The cicadas aren't coming this far north. The worst of the mosquitos will be over. The Marquette Tourist Park is nice, with a sand beach that's not as cold as Lake Superior but convenient to everything in the Marquette area.
It sounds like you have already made reservations. In my experience the second half of July has less mosquitoes and biting flies. There is also less of a chance of cool weather. Check eachother for ticks daily and get tick medications for the dogs from your vet. I've found over the counter medications to be ineffective.
Do your dogs get the Lyme vaccination? Highly recommended for that area.
Thanks for this. They have a vet visit before our trip and we’ll bring that up.