8 top tips for hiking with young children

Hiking with small children does limit our ability to explore larger terrain and access certain areas – particularly those in the high alpine or with a significant elevation gain. It is not uncommon to see once avid hikers taking multi-year hiatuses from hiking after having children, as the effort and patience necessary to bring them along in tow can be trying. Understandable as this is, it is unfortunate, as hiking is so beneficial for our physical and mental health and a wonderful world to expose our kids to. With that in mind, here are 8 top tips for hiking with small children.

1. Choose the right hike

The planning is everything. A good plan or a bad plan will make or break the entire experience, and shape how hiking is perceived our children. It is important to make sure you that you know as much as possible about the trail prior to hiking it, including the access, parking, length, elevation gain, trail condition and potential hazards (such…