Camping with the President

A camping trip with John Muir affects Theodore Roosevelt's decisions on conservation. Imagine a U.S. president on a camping trip. It seems unlikely today, but in May 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt dismissed his Secret Service men to go camping with John Muir, the world-famous naturalist. For three glorious nights and four days in California's Yosemite National Park, the two men talked about birds, giant sequoia trees, glaciers, as well as the importance of preserving wilderness for future generations. They slept under the stars, built blazing campfires, and enjoyed the beauty and the uniqueness of the area. Setting aside new national parks and monuments became one of the cornerstones of Roosevelt's presidency and was a direct result of this camping trip.

Author Ginger Wadsworth and illustrator Karen Dugan carefully researched this true story, a CRA Eureka! Nonfiction Children's Silver Honor Book, relying on primary documents and working closely with experts in the field.

Winner of the 2010 National Outdoor Book Award for Children's Literature

A camping trip with John Muir affects Theodore Roosevelt's decisions on conservation.

Imagine a U.S. president on a camping trip. It seems unlikely today, but in May 1903 President Theodore Roosevelt dismissed his Secret Service men to go camping with John Muir, the world-famous naturalist. For three glorious nights and four days in California's Yosemite National Park, the two men talked about birds, giant sequoia trees, glaciers, as well as the importance of preserving wilderness for future generations. They slept under the stars, built blazing campfires, and enjoyed the beauty and the uniqueness of the area. Setting aside new national parks and monuments became one of the cornerstones of Roosevelt's presidency and was a direct result of this camping trip.

Author Ginger Wadsworth and illustrator Karen Dugan carefully researched this true story, relying on primary documents and working closely with experts in the field.

Children's Literature

Who would have guessed that a sitting president could actually go on a camping trip without an entourage of Secret Service handlers and the press? Teddy Roosevelt, much known for his love of the outdoors and good stimulating discussions, did just that. John Muir's book about Yosemite National Park made the President want to see the walls surrounding the valley, the waterfalls, and the gigantic boulders. Roosevelt wrote a letter (not an e-mail or phone call) and asked Mr. Muir to go camping with him. They spent a wonderful day on horseback and then slept under the stars. The giant sequoias really intrigued the President and he was disgusted when Mr. Muir showed him one that had been cut down by loggers. Roosevelt thought he was alone at Glacier Point, but alas the press caught up with him. He had the Secret Service keep them at bay. Muir kept talking about the need to preserve the forest. The President was interested but seemed to focus more on fixing his own breakfast and dinner and spending a night out, with the snow drifting down over his slight shelter. The President visited other states, territories, and several national parks on this trip out West. The result was the addition of millions of acres added to the existing forest reserves and the creation of five new national parks and sixteen national monuments. He really did listen to John Muir—and one of the national monuments is Muir Woods, a beautiful and serene place to view the giant redwoods. While a picture book, this story and the author's note are appealing and interesting enough for any reader. You cannot help but come away with an appreciation of nature and admiration for a President dedicated to preserving it. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot

Ginger Wadsworth lives in northern California near John Muir's ranch. Yosemite National Park, the setting for this book, is one of her favorite camping and hiking spots. Some of her titles include John Muir, Wilderness Protector; Giant Sequoia Trees; and Words West: Voices of Young Pioneers.�

Karen Dugan has worked on more than twenty-five books, eight with Boyds Mills Press, including If I Had a Snowplow by Jean L. S. Patrick and Tea Party Today: Poems to Sip and Savor by Eileen Spinelli. She lives in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.