Hiking with Kids, Done Right

A trail picked for the legs you actually brought. A meal at the trailhead or in town. A nap window built in for the small one.

The hiking-with-kids problem is not a lack of trails. It is the gap between what AllTrails says is "easy" and what is actually easy when you are carrying a tired four-year-old back to the car.

A good family hike is short, has a clear destination (a waterfall, a pond, a fire tower), is mostly flat or has a graceful uphill, and ends near a place that sells real food. Most state parks have one, sometimes two, that fit. The catch is finding it without an hour of forum reading.

More field entries coming soon.

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Want a day plan built around hiking days?

Tell us about your family on the home page and we’ll send back an itinerary that fits, with food and timing worked out.

Plan our day

Mention the youngest kid's age in your prompt. The trail picked for a three-year-old looks nothing like the one picked for a seven-year-old.

Field 03

Field notes on hiking days

Asked & answered

How long should a hike be for a young kid?

For ages three to five, a mile to a mile and a half round trip is a sweet spot. Six to eight, push it to two or three. Any older kid who is into it can usually do four. The number that matters more than miles is elevation, where a few hundred feet up takes most of the wind out of the smallest hiker.

What about the carrier kid?

Babies and toddlers in carriers travel further than walkers. Plan for the walker, plan for the carrier passenger to be along for the ride, and pack accordingly. The planner uses the youngest age you list to set the trail length.

Where does food fit on a hiking day?

Either a packed lunch eaten at the trail's destination, or a real lunch in the nearest town after. Both are good. We usually plan a town lunch when there is a strong family-friendly spot within ten minutes of the trailhead, and a packed lunch when the trail is the destination.

Do you account for weather?

Yes, when target_date is in your prompt. We do not check forecasts past a week, but the plan can include a rain backup activity (a small museum, a library, a brewery with a kid's room) when you flag a chance of rain.