Hiking With Young Ones: Tips & Tricks By Kayla McMenamin
Tips for Hiking with Toddlers and Kids
Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, nature was always present in my young life. My favorite memories always involved adventures outdoors with others—camping with friends in the Cascades, exploring the forests behind our family beach trailer with my cousins in Rockaway Beach, snowboarding on Mount Hood.
Now that I’m a parent, I think about those memories often. I’d love to give my kids those early connections with nature, which is why we get out on hiking trails whenever we can.
For those kindred parent spirits looking to hike with their littles, here are a few tips to get you started.
Find the right kid carrier (at the right price)
There are so many quality carriers on the market, giving parents lots of choices. To decide which would be a good fit for our family, I turned to fellow parent bloggers and online reviews that pitted carriers against each other and gave recommendations (here’s one!). We landed on the Osprey Poco Plus for the back support, ample storage space, and sun shade. You might decide a back carrier isn’t what you need, and something like the Ergobaby 360 might be a better fit – do you.
Here’s the thing: A new Osprey Poco Plus is $395. Yeesh!
After a quick search on OfferUp, I found several people in my area selling Osprey carriers for less than half the price. I was able to snag the carrier we wanted in pristine condition for $150 on OfferUp. Check resale apps in the spring when families are clearing out their basements and purging unneeded kid gear.
**Important note on hiking with a carrier** Make sure the person carrying your kid is wearing solid shoes with good grip. If you slip and go down, your child is going down with you, so you should do everything you can to prevent falls. Don’t take big risks and consider hiking with poles. Hiking accidents do happen, but they can be avoided with extra care.
Choose the right clothing
Take it from us Oregonians—champions of layering. You never know what kind of weather you’re going to encounter on the trail, and forecasts can change at the drop of a hat. Layer that kid up!
Start with light breathable layers on the bottom, add a zip-up fleece, and top it off with a warm but not overly bulky waterproof coat with a hood. You could also consider a rain suit, which allows your kid to feel totally invincible in the elements. We love Columbia’s version, as it has a bit of lining for extra warmth but is still lightweight and packable.
Bring a hat. If it’s cold, make sure you pack something that covers your little’s ears. If it’s hot, bring a baseball cap or sun hat. Lightweight gloves might be a good idea for cold little hands, but careful not to lose them—it’s always so sad to see a lost glove in the mud.
Make sure to pack an extra set of clothes in case of accidents. There is nothing more tragic than a blow-out on the trail... *Shudder* At least one extra base layer shirt and pants/leggings, and at least one pair of extra socks in case feet get wet.
For shoes, durable tennis shoes with some grip will do. The key is that they are comfortable and already broken in. Enemy number one of a good time: blisters.
Packing the essentials and only the essentials
Who packs for a trip and realizes they only used like a fourth of what they brought? *Raises hand* When hiking with kids, overpacking adds unnecessary weight to the already heavy child package you’re shlepping on your back. Cut the fluff and only pack the essential stuff. Here’s what’s in my pack:
Easy-to-eat snacks. Think granola bars, raisins, mandarin oranges. Make sure you’re keeping track of wrappers, or even unwrap the snacks and use Stasher bags to store snacks in reusable packaging.
Leak-free water bottle. You know that your kid has a favored water bottle. Make sure to bring one that you know they’ll drink from, as hydration is very important on the trail. Our daughter loves her Hydro Flask because Mommy has a matching one (we just bring my bigger version and both drink from it).
Travel first aid kit. Bring a small, portable first aid kit that has—at the very least—bandages, antiseptic wipes, tweezers, and Neosporin. It might be a good idea to bring Benadryl to battle an unwanted allergic reaction.
Kid-friendly sunscreen. Picking a sunscreen can be tricky. After the great sunscreen recall of 2021, I’m sure you’re feeling uneasy about what products you’re putting on your skin and on your child’s skin. My favorite consumer advocacy organization, the Environmental Working Group, has several resources on choosing a sunscreen, and their app even lets you scan products in the store. We love Think Baby products!
Diapering and potty needs. If your kid is in diapers, pack a light weight changing pad, diapers, and wipes. I also recommend packing a “wet bag”, frequently used in cloth diapering but a great thing to have when hiking to haul away used diapers or soiled clothes. For potty-trained littles, don’t forget to bring toilet paper or a package of tissues to clean up after a bush wee. And hand sanitizer.
Final words from one nature-loving parent to another: Don’t overthink it, don’t overpack, and above all: have fun on the trail! These are the adventures your kids will never forget.
About the author
Kayla was born and grown in the Pacific Northwest. An avid traveler and advocate for the outdoors, Kayla enjoys soaking up the wonders of Mother Nature with her partner and 1.5-year-old daughter, Iris.
