Backpacking With Children

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I meet a lot of parents who want to take their children backpacking, but aren't quite sure where to begin. Many used to backpack in their pre-parenting days, and decided it would be too complicated with kids along. There's the matter of gear, and then the matter of complaining or unwillingness on the children's part. I always tell them to go for it anyway! I grew up backpacking. When I was six, and my brother was three, I recall ten mile trips where we would stop at lunchtime, set up a tent, have a nap, and then get back on the trail in the afternoon. We hiked the Tetons, the Olympics, Yosemite, the Eagle Cap Wilderness, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and a whole array of other beautiful places. So, I always knew it could be done. There is that time period with babies that I think gets most parents off track. See my Backpacking With Babies post for some tips about that. If you have children old enough to walk and carry their own pack, however small and light it may be, I can offer you a few words of advice to get you going down the trail.

Selecting your hike is important. The goal is for your kids to like backpacking so they will be cheerful and willing to go again. If you're trying this for the first time, ease them in. A one mile hike would be fine for younger children the first time out. It's just far enough to get into the woods a ways and feel like you're out there, but not too far to hike in and out. I generally shoot for three miles a day as an average base number. Younger kids might need two miles. Older kids, or ones who are more seasoned backpackers can do more. My parents did 10 mile trips split up with a nap in the middle of the day. We took our kids on an 18 mile round trip hike (9 miles a day) when they were four, but they had a rough time. I wouldn't recommend it. I like to do some research on where to go. Ask friends, look on the Internet, and check out books on backpacking with kids in your region. Try for something without a lot of elevation gain that's rated easy to moderate. Beach hikes are a known quantity because they're mostly flat, and you can hike easily on the wet sand. Lakes and rivers are also good destinations. Having somewhere exciting to walk towards is a big motivator for kids. It helps them to know, "When I get there, I can go swimming!"

A few tips for going down the trail: stories, snacks, rest breaks, and for the smaller child, shoulder rides.  There will be complaining, and there's no getting around that. I complained, my kids complain, my friends kids complain. But, when you ask them how they liked it at the end, they almost always say they loved it. Your work will be reducing the complaining by keeping them engaged and occupied. Storytelling is a great way to make a long walk seem like nothing. My dad used to make up stories about magical creatures and kids with magic powers who went on adventures. I've heard my friends make up stories incorporating the interesting things we've seen on the hike. It's also fun to look around and talk about the wildlife and interesting things you encounter. Squirrels, slugs, birds, elk...you name it, your kids will probably be excited by it while hiking. Snacks are another big one. My parents always got some sort of very motivational gummy fruit treat. I always get a good bag of trailmix for snacking on when we stop to rest. We dry our own fruit, and I have friends who dry their own delicious tomatoes. The possibilities are endless. Sometimes it helps to let them hike at the front of the group. Ask who wants to be the leader. Most kids will jump all over that opportunity. Going with friends helps. If they have friends along to chat with down the trail, time and miles will fly by. Resting is another key. Stop, take off your packs, and rest ever so often. Let the kids run around and play without a pack on for a while. At the top of a long hill, or in a spot where there's a stream or water are always good refreshers. Very little children will get tired and may need to be carried sometimes. I have one friend who hiked all the time, just himself and his toddler on his shoulders resting against the top of his backpack.

Gear can be as basic or fancy as you want to make it. Basically, kids need a pack, sleeping bag (the lighter weight, the better to carry), a sleeping pad for comfort and insulation from the cold ground (this can be lightweight foam or inflatable, like a Thermarest), shoes that are comfortable and won't give them blisters, good socks, warm layers for cold nights, a water bottle, and that's about it .  They can sleep in a tent with you, and beyond that need only their own dish and utensil for eating. As far as packs, there are adjustable child sized packs available. Our kids have some Deuter packs, some friends got an REI pack for their daughter that looks like a good one. Younger children can use a little day pack with their clothes and snacks. When I was growing up, there weren't really any kids overnight backpacks out there, so I used a small adult pack, and my brother used an old canvas Boyscout pack. With a more substantial pack, expect kids to carry their own bag, pad, clothing, snacks, and water bottle. As they grow, older children can help carry some of the family's gear and share the load.

When it's all said and done, kids really love just spending time together with you. When you're out backpacking, there are no televisions, computers, radios, phones, or any of the other things that take our attention away from one another. It's quiet. You can really talk and really listen. After a day of walking and playing, and  a warm meal by a crackling campfire, nothing in the world compares to snuggling up with your kids in a tent out under the stars. They will have seen things they could never have seen from a car, and really gotten some first hand experience of the terrain of the earth. They'll remember it forever.