Hiking Elk Country with Kids

This weekend we went out to the property so that we could swap out the memory cards in our trail cameras.  We decided to turn it into a family outing and bring our son along for the hike.  Hiking with kids in elk country can be tricky business, but if you take the time to prepare and pack for the trip things will go smoothly.  Here are my 5 tips for hiking with children:

1. Water, water, water, WATER!
I cannot tell you how many times we have been out hiking with friends and their children only to find out that they did not bring water.  Luckily we always pack too much water so we end up having enough.  Everyone, especially children, need to stay hydrated when out hiking in the mountains.  If kids get thirsty they get whiny and I cannot blame them, I'd get whiny too.  Our friends always say, "it's hard enough to carrying and keeping track of the kids, let alone carrying an annoying water bottle."  I agree 100%, that is why we invested in a few Camelbak water back packs.  They make them in children's sizes so for short hikes we let our son carry is own water.  On longer hikes we don't bring his back pack so that he doesn't wear out early (which usually makes him mad because he loves his water pack and has a serious independent streak).

2.  Bring lots of snacks
While you may be able to hike all day on just your Cliff bar, kids simply cannot.  They need snacks throughout the hike so that they have enough energy to make it all the way, and just like water once they feel hungry they get whiny.  We always make sure to put a few snacks in our back packs, which is another benefit to the Camelbak water packs.  On top of the snacks we also get a treat for our little guy.  This time we packed a little baggie of M&Ms for our son.  We told him that we were going to take a small rest at the halfway point and he could have his candy if he made it there without whining.  Sugar is ok for quick energy, but don't forget to pack protein or something with lots of fiber so that it will stick with them.  Personally I love cheese cubes and apple slices when I hike and the water in the back pack helps keep the treats relatively cool during the hike.  An added bonus to the water back packs.

3.  Have an activity planned
Drop me off in a mountain and I would be the happiest person on the face of this planet for the rest of my life.  However, for kids (and many adults) the beauty of the mountain and the chance of seeing animals just is not enough.  We knew that our hike this weekend would take about two hours so we gave our son a job; official hike videographer.  Part of his duties as our videographer were to get footage of two animals and three different colored wildflowers.  At home we sat down to watch the footage and had a great laugh together.  Most of the footage was 6-10 seconds clips where he announced the discovery of another pile of animal poop (5 year-old- boys, what can I say).  While the footage will never be a world class documentary it is fun to look at together and it kept him entertained for the whole hike.

4. Be prepared for stops and piggyback rides
Little legs are just not strong enough to hike forever.  So we always make sure to stop frequently to give his little muscles a rest.  Make the stops fun and interesting...this time we stopped to take photos of caterpillars, watch frogs hop around, investigate weird looking bugs and so many other things.  This way the kids get to explore the woods around them and stop to rest without knowing it.

 
Anything you can do to make the hike kid friendly and create great memories now will help build a love of the outdoors for the rest of their lives.
Like it or not elk country is full of steep hills and if you want your little one to enjoy the hike you just might have to carry them up the hill when they are young.  My husband and I took turns piggybacking our son up the steep hills this trip.  That way we each had a break from piggyback duties and our son did not burn out on the hike.  Yes it's hard work and I was sweating like crazy on my piggyback hills...but I figured I earned an extra scoop of ice cream for all my work so I treated myself to a root beer float at home.

5.  HAVE FUN!
There are so many wonderful things to see and do out in the mountains!  Take the time to point them out to your kiddos and be goofy (you're in the woods, no one will see you dancing like a fool).  While we were hiking a tiny bright green caterpillar made itself comfortable on the bill of my hat.  Normally I would have flicked it off and moved on, but instead I shouted, "Hey, I have a hitch-hiker here."  My son thought it was the funniest thing ever.  After watching the little bug for a few minutes he set out to find the perfect home for his new friend.  The caterpillar was the same color as some of the bushes nearby so my son looked for the one that matched the bug the best so that he would be camouflaged from the birds and other predators.  Remember, what you've seen a million times they have only seen a few times or never before so stop and watch their faces light up with new discovery.

With just a little preparation hiking with kids is easy,  exciting and rewarding.  Now, by no means am I an expert on hiking with kids (I'm just copying what my parents did for me) so if you have any tips for hiking with kids please add them to the comments section!  Then get yourself and your kiddos to the nearest mountain and have an adventure!