Sandra Stevenson, a photo editor at the Times, took her family camping in Brooklyn recently. Here is her report.

With the end of summer fast approaching, I was trying to come up with an economical way to treat my son and nephew to the pleasures of New York City. I wasn’t sure that I could top their summer in Wyoming with their grandparents, but I certainly was going to try.

After a little internet surfing and consulting with my “parent friends,” I settled on urban camping in one of New York City’s parks — Salt Marsh Nature Center at Marine Park in Brooklyn, offered as part of the parks department’s family camping program.

The boys and I gathered our sleeping bags, Swiss army knives and gear, and called a car service (I did say urban camping). The drive took us through several neighborhoods we’ve only read about, but never visited. The driver had never heard of the salt marsh, let alone people camping in parks. Upon our arrival, we followed a stone path to the nature center, which opened in 2000 after the restoration of the marsh, and we were greeted by a friendly park ranger with a tent.

The three of us took a moment to gaze out over the marsh land and the waterway that feeds out to the ocean. The sight was absolutely stunning. Our moment of silence was broken by the arrival of other families eager to get the evening festivities going. Ranger Brook welcomed all the families by giving us a history of the marsh and its inhabitants and fielding questions from the young campers.

Much to my surprise, the parks department provided hamburgers, hotdogs, vegan patties, baked beans, chips and drinks to hungry campers. We joined other families sitting on the stone overlook to enjoy our meal and observe the view. Parents shared childhood stories and tales of raising their children in New York, while kids shared their tales of childhood.

Suddenly the vegetation sandwiched in between the overlook and water began moving. My son chimed in in between bites, “Perhaps it’s a frog …” and another child responded, “Maybe it’s a snake … .” Then a mother screamed, “It’s a rat!”

We calmly gathered our dinners and moved to the other side of the courtyard. I thought to myself, it is New York City after all.

The parks department’s family camping program runs through Sept. 25. Spots are limited and awarded by lottery conducted on the specified registration day. The remaining dates: Prospect Park, Sept. 17 — register on Sept. 8; Fort Totten Park in Queens, Sept. 18 — register on Sept. 8; and Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan Sept. 25 — register on Sept. 15.

The Times is fascinated with the idea of camping in Brooklyn, and can you blame them? The idea seems a little outlandish. But in May, travel reporter Matt Gross spent the night in Floyd Bennett Field, the only park in the five boroughs where camping is allowed year-round. And this August, photo editor Sandra Stevenson spent the night in Salt Marsh Nature Center at Marine Park. Both wrote about their experiences for nytimes.com, marveling separately at how far away from the city one could feel while actually remaining in it.

But it's impossible to truly escape the fact that you are in Brooklyn. According to Gross, his friends had trouble sleeping because of "the whoop-whoop of N.Y.P.D. helicopters flying low nearby, and by the rumble of cars along the Belt Parkway and Flatbush Avenue." Here's how Stevenson tells it:

Much to my surprise, the parks department provided hamburgers, hotdogs, vegan patties, baked beans, chips and drinks to hungry campers. We joined other families sitting on the stone overlook to enjoy our meal and observe the view. Parents shared childhood stories and tales of raising their children in New York, while kids shared their tales of childhood. Suddenly the vegetation sandwiched in between the overlook and water began moving. My son chimed in in between bites, “Perhaps it’s a frog …” and another child responded, “Maybe it’s a snake … .” Then a mother screamed, “It’s a rat!”

What, you thought someplace in the five boroughs that gives away free food wasn't going to have rats? It could have been worse; there could have been a deranged sidewalk person crawling through the bushes toward your child. Or a coyote.

Camping in a Brooklyn Wilderness [City Room/NYT]