Kids of all ages got close to nature and learned how to live in Georgia’s great outdoors during Camping 101, a two-day adventure at Fort Mountain State Park in Chatsworth.

The Oct. 1-2 event was created to teach novice campers the basics of camping and encourage more people to explore and appreciate the country’s local, state and national parks. It was sponsored by Keeping It Wild, an outdoor-advocacy group, and REI, which provided tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment and more for the beginning campers.

The campers, who ranged in age from 4 years old to the mid-50s, learned how to set up and tear down a camp, about basic safety practices and equipment, and how to build, cook on and extinguish a campfire.

Special activities for the younger children included a bug safari during a hike to Fort Mountain’s scenic overlook, from which four states can be seen, and of course hot dogs and S’mores around the campfire.

"Keeping it Wild" Fort Mountain State Park from Dudley Edmondson on Vimeo.