Family Hiking Made Simple

Want to hit the trails with your young hikers without the drama? Here’s what really works for successful hikes at any skill level:

🥾 Choose kid-friendly trails with water features and interesting features to keep the whole family engaged

🍎 Always pack plenty of water, fresh fruit, and trail mix for energy levels

🧗‍♀️ Let kids make age-appropriate decisions on easy trails to build confidence

🌲 Teach the next generation trail etiquette and environmental stewardship

🩹 Bring a basic first aid kit for inevitable minor emergencies

Grab a backpack and use these tips to create unforgettable family memories on your next hike!

Make every trail an adventure

Finding the right trail for the kiddos makes all the difference in the world. What we discovered was "right" first and foremost, involved some type of water feature somewhere along or near the trail. It can be a mountain stream, a pond, a creek or a great big honkin' puddle. Ashley and her friends would find it and they would be in it.

We quickly learned to have the girls pack their water shoes after wading into a stream in their hiking boots. Let them play in the water unless there's some kind of danger to playing in the water. Playing in the water is part of the adventure and it captures their attention spans.

For older kids, trails with observation decks, big views on a clear day, and a variety of wildlife provide the perfect opportunity for connection. State parks with loop trails are a good way to start. So are short trails with wooden boardwalks or even a suspension bridge.

If you want to know what will capture their attention, start with hiking local trails close to home and simply watch what captures their interest.

Depending on their age, get kids their own hiking backpack

We never gave this a thought until Ashley said to us "How come you guys get to wear backpacks and I don't?" (Because we never gave it a thought this was an issue and she wanted one?) After she got her own backpack, there were less complaints and less whining on the trail.

Best Hiking Backpacks for CHILDREN

The best hiking backpacks for children in 2026 are designed to be lightweight, durable, and comfortable, ensuring a safe and enjoyable outdoor experience. Here are some top picks that have been highly rated by parents and children alike:

• Deuter Junior Kid’s Backpack: A durable and functional backpack with a capacity of 18 liters, perfect for both school and hiking. It features a spacious main compartment, adjustable padded shoulder straps, and a water-resistant fabric.

  
  

• Osprey Ace 38 Kids' Backpacking Backpack: This backpack is adjustable and designed to grow with your child, featuring Airspeed technology for proper weight distribution and a stretch mesh hip belt pocket for storing essentials.

  
  

• Deuter Schmusebar: A well-made pack that can grow with a young child, featuring creative designs and ample storage capacity. It's a great option for day hikes or rides where kids don't need to carry bulky gear.

  
  

• IVYGREEN Little Kids Hiking Backpack: A lightweight and firm backpack made from water-resistant polyester with a nylon lining, ideal for young children aged 3 and up.

  
  

• G4Free 10L Hiking Backpack: A compact and lightweight pack that folds up small when not in use, perfect for quick hikes or as a backup bag.
  

Pack Smart: Hydration and Snacks

Trust me, about 15 minutes into a 1 mile hike you'll hear "I'm STARVING!"

(Another reason to get your kid their own backpack!)

Pack some trail mix, a couple of granola bars or other snacks they can grab from their pack to munch on. Also give them a water bottle. For younger kids those colorful ones with built-in straws work wonders for keeping them hydrated without constant reminders.

On longer hikes, bring more water than you think you'll need.

Encourage independence

A few years ago I read a Wall Street Journal article that said today's children lack independence. I couldn't agree more. So when Ashley and her friends would forge ahead on the trail, we let them - while staying within sufficient distance of them that if they got in trouble we were there to help. At other times we'd hand them a trail map and tell them "You take the lead. We'll follow you."

Not only did they develop a sense of independence, they developed confidence in their own abilities to conquer just about any trail we decided to hike. They also learned to read a trail map and a compass. They stopped complaining about being dragged along on a hike as they got older. Well, for the most part anyway.

By all means set boundaries - "Stay where we can see you" - but allow them the independence to forge ahead on their own and make decisions.

Provide Positive Reinforcement

How many times have you hiked with your kids to constantly hear "Mom! Look at me!"

Respond with enthusiasm to provide positive reinforcement. "Wow! You're hiking faster than me today!" or "Great job! I couldn't have made the jump to that boulder!"

This instills confidence in your kids and their abilities, especially after completing their first hiking experience successfully.

They'll have the confidence to tackle increasingly difficult trails no matter their age.

Teach kids "Leave No Trace" through your own actions.

We don't need our hiking trails littered with trash. We used to bring a plastic garbage bag along to pick up any trash we found littering the trail, on our return hike. Soon the girls were spotting trash before we were and putting it in the garbage bag.

Beyond trash pickup, we practiced trail etiquette by staying on marked paths, leaving rocks where we found them, and respecting wildlife from a safe distance – no approaching grizzly bears! Observe wildlife from a respectful distance, give wildlife its space.

The girls early on learned to "leave no trace" that they'd ever hiked the trail.

Be prepared for minor emergencies

Carry an emergency first aid kit so minor emergencies don't put an end to your hike.

Ours contain the following items:

• A vairety of Band Aids

• Bug spray for ticks, mosquitos, gnats, etc.

• Tick remover tool

• Sunscreen for entire family

• Alcohol prep pads

• Wet Ones travel size

• Small bottle of Ibuprofen
  

For bigger adventures like backpacking trips, I keep additional supplies in my backpack..

Dress for Hiking Success

Proper clothing prevents many common hiking complaints. Wide-brimmed hats shield little faces from sun and help keep ticks out of hair.

Proper footwear makes or breaks a hiking experience. Since kids gravitate toward water and climbing, we invested in quality water shoes or waterproof boots with good traction for kinds of rough terrain. These dry quickly after creek splashing while still providing the grip needed for rocky trails.

Choose hiking trails appropriate to your kids abilities.

AllTrails is an excellent hiking resource. It provides information you need on just about any trail in America, including trail maps and photos.

hope these tips inspire you to get outside and hike with your kids this summer. I know firsthand that the electronic struggle is real. But hitting a hiking trail with your kids can be a fantastic way to bond with the entire family. And keeping the kids off electronics for an even a couple hours is a very good thing.