When I heard “social distancing,” my first thought was, “how far away can we get?” The Yosemite Wilderness seemed like a bit much for a day trip, but could we make it to Death Valley?

After tempering my expectations (and a last-chance date night), Saturday brought rain and chilly weather, so we decided to give our kids their first adventure into the snow. We bundled up as best we could and stocked the car with snacks, then hit the mountains. Up the Angeles Crest Highway, 45 minutes past La Canada, we found ourselves at 7000 feet and Buckhorn Campground. Typically, this would be a pretty nondescript Angeles National Forest camping loop, but on Saturday it was covered with at least a foot of fresh, fluffy snow. Our four-year-old Eloise was overwhelmed with joy, while our 2-year-old Henry was just overwhelmed with the snow coming over the tops of his boots, but the fairly flat landscape made it perfect for exploring.

We encountered one other family there (much better equipped than our Angeleno kids and their native-Texan father), but mostly we had the area to ourselves. A relatively cautious snowball toss led to snowman building, a first for our family. We tracked footprints in the soft snow: were they from people, dogs, or a wild animal? We tried to channel Peter from A Snowy Day, walking with our feet pointed in and pointed out. And we listened to the hush of the pines in the quiet of a snowy forest.

There are plenty of campgrounds and picnic sites along the Angeles Crest, past Mt. Waterman, so pick your own to avoid too many other people. And with rain and cooler temperatures in the forecast for at least a bit longer, there should be plenty of snow for everyone.

Sunday brought us another social distancing adventure at the other end of Southern California’s natural spectrum. On the northwest corner of the Palos Verdes Peninsula lies Flat Rock Point, and we got there just in time for low tide and some excellent intertidal zone investigation. We strolled down a path from Malaga Cove, and picked our way along the rocks below Palos Verdes Beach Club (check out the Bluff Cove Trail for a slightly more strenuous trip).

As the tide rolled out, the spaces between the rocks opened themselves up for exploring. We found anemones and unusual shells left behind by giant sea snails. We raced hermit crabs up and down the rocks. At the end of the rocks, the beach opened up in a sandy expanse, and the kids let loose, pouring out their pent up energy in digging and running. Though we weren’t alone, with lots of paddleboarders and joggers about, it’s a big enough area to keep to yourself.

I’ve seen a few posts about how to structure your children’s day with schools being closed indefinitely. With our preschool shut down, we want to keep to a schedule, too, but many of these suggestions include (maybe) 30 or 45 minutes of “outdoor time” tacked on, almost as an afterthought. Now is the perfect time to #optoutside! You may be hesitant to hit the playground (I am, too), but hike through your neighborhood. Build forts in the backyard. Find your nearest trail, or if you’re off work, find your furthest one. Social distancing doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors, and time in nature is a great stress-reducer, and it keeps you healthy, too.

Andy Kimmelman, Outdoor Dad

Owner & Director, Tumbleweed Day Camp

www.tumbleweedcamp.com