Table of Contents
Foreword Tyler DeWitt viii
Introduction x
Camping
1 Learn how to build a good campfire 2
2 Set up a tent in less than 15 minutes 5
3 Sleep outside under the stars 8
4 Invent your own s'mores 10
5 Cook an entire meal over the campfire 13
6 Camp off the grid 15
7 Create your own campfire song 18
8 Camp in a hammock 21
9 Try ultralight camping 23
Gardening
10 Plant a bird and butterfly garden 28
11 Learn the difference between flowers and weeds 31
12 Grow your own herbs 33
13 Try growing a garden in a box 36
14 Grow your own tomatoes 39
15 Plant something for 5 years from now 42
16 Design your own garden bed 45
Hiking
17 Go on an amazing day hike 50
18 Create and complete your own triathlon 52
19 Find a fossil 55
20 Hike to one of the tallest points in your state 57
21 Make a hiking stick, and use it on a hike 60
22 Find a hiking trail to go bouldering 62
23 Conquer a 10-mile hike 65
24 Go on a full-moon hike 68
25 Go spelunking 71
26 Hike in the Grand Canyon 74
Traveling
27 Visit at least five national parks 80
28 Spend an entire day searching for waterfalls 83
29 Plan a road trip into nature 86
30 Visit every park within 10 miles of your home 88
31 Watch the sunrise and sunset in a single day 91
32 Go stargazing in the middle of nowhere 94
33 Visit a hot springs 97
34 See the northern lights 99
Biking
35 Bike to a picnic lunch 104
36 Learn how to change a bike tire 107
37 Bike to a farmers' market 109
38 Try mountain biking 112
39 Complete a century ride 114
Wildlife Watching
40 Go bird-watching 120
41 Find a bald eagle's nest 123
42 Identify animal tracks 125
43 Search for a monarch, a caterpillar, and the eggs 128
44 Find at least three traces of animals in the forest 130
45 Discover at least three different creatures at the water 133
46 See an endangered species 135
47 Spot an owl 138
Fishing
48 Learn how to take a fish off the hook 142
49 Fish for salmon 145
50 Try fly fishing 148
51 Learn how to identify different types of fish 151
52 Find your own bait for fishing 153
53 Go deep-sea fishing 156
Backyarding
54 Create a bug home in your backyard 160
55 Build a backyard fort 162
56 Fly a kite in your neighborhood 165
57 Watch a meteor shower 168
58 Chase the glow of fireflies in your yard 170
59 Learn how to attract bats 173
60 Learn backyard yoga 175
61 Learn how to find the North Star from your backyard 178
Water Adventuring
62 Try paddleboarding 182
63 Float down a river 184
64 Travel by canoe 187
65 Kayak across a lake 190
66 Learn three different swim strokes 193
67 Try waterskiing, kneeboarding, or tubing 196
68 Try sailing 199
69 Go Whitewater rafting 202
Mountaineering
70 Spot a mountain animal 206
71 Pan for gold 208
72 Summit a mountain 211
73 Capture an amazing view on camera 214
74 Go rock climbing 217
Beaching
75 Explore the tide pools 222
76 Look for whales or dolphins 225
77 Search for sea glass 228
78 Help with a beach cleanup 230
79 Go shelling 233
80 Skip a rock at least ten times 235
Wintering
81 Go snowshoeing 240
82 Try cross-country skiing 243
83 Try downhill skiing 245
84 Go ice fishing 248
85 Make a snow fort 250
86 Go sledding 253
87 Have an epic snowball fight 255
88 Go ice skating 258
89 Make a unique snowman 260
90 Have a winter bonfire 263
Cooking
91 Create your own trail mix 268
92 Make your own salsa 271
93 Learn how to make jam 273
94 Cook with your garden herbs 276
95 Dry your own fruits or vegetables 278
Creating
96 Mold an animal track 282
97 Make a birdhouse 284
98 Paint a garden planter 287
99 Make sugar water for hummingbirds 290
100 Make mud slime 292
101 Invent your own outdoor game 294
About the Authors 297
