A guardrail guides you the last bit to a rock-walled observation point. Your email address will not be published.

Join the Johnson Farm Loop where you skirt a mountainside then reach the farm, located in a high mountain flat. On many hikes she’s been a mountain goat hoping from rock to rock, and now that her younger sister is old enough to hike as well, we frequently have two mountain goats on our walks. You can remind them of the upcoming river crossing, or to watch for a specific species of tree found in that area, or even hand them the map and have them find their location based on geological features. You’re probably thinking “but I already have to carry so much… food, water, snacks, first aid, phone, jackets, and on and on”. Why Go There: You can make a loop on a peninsula nearly encircled by water. What You Need to Know: Over 400 species of raptors, waterfowl, and songbirds are represented on the refuge’s bird list. Slip on kids' hiking boots for afternoon hikes and exploring the woods. From there, backtrack a mile to the refuge visitor center. The state park makes a great base camp for exploring the lake. More importantly, it will take you back up again. The area was once the site of Fort John Custis during World War II. Sometimes it’ll be a short stroll, my husband and I with our hot coffees in hand. “It is often the mindset that ‘we could never do that’ which keeps families from attempting to get out and hike, to think bigger, to climb higher. The questions can go on for quite some time and it’s just as much fun thinking up the questions as answering them. Views extend through the trees no matter the season and a good vista is a simple matter of walking a few feet to the shoreline. Alphabet games:  Find things along the trail in order of the alphabet (A-acorn, B-blue jay, C-coniferous tree, etc). Instead we will oftentimes bring along a treat that the kids really enjoy to be had at an arranged time or place along the trail.

Or name movies, toys, geographical locations, etc in order of the alphabet. We know some quality family time is needed. Ten destinations are featured. If they feel like the hike was their choice, they may be more invested in completing it fully. Anything to ‘collect’ – preferably specific – seems to work. Required fields are marked *. gathered over the years of all those stick that still made their way to our house.

Hi Miranda, Yes, you’re right, one thing I love about hiking with kids is seeing the world through their eyes. In VeraVise’s post, Amy puts it so well when she shares about the physical and emotional challenges a hike can pose. The others would need to try to spot the element that was photographed as they continue along the walk. "Depending on the time of year the gate to the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center … Also, hikes with lots of animals, flowers, or mushrooms can also be very entertaining for kids. Instead of talking about how much further, talk about how yummy your lunch will be or how nice it will feel to play in the creek at the end of the hike. Although, that being said, we still have quite an impressive stick collection here at home…. Think about ways they can be entertained along the hike with benches, playing in a shelter, or throwing rocks into a pond. The mostly level 1.9-mile loop hike explores about every inch of the park’s shoreline, allowing watery views in all directions. But if you don’t have trekking poles, most kids will be just as happy finding a long stick that they can use for their walk. After visiting the nature center, do a triple loop, circling around each of the three watery destinations on easy level paths. However, more times than not, kids will do a great job of distracting and amusing themselves. See the Natural Tunnel, an immense passageway through which Stock Creek flows. her family has a backpack specifically packed for adventure, Outdoor Families Magazine article about hiking with teens, Appalachian Mountain Club’s post on trail games, how to best prepare for backpacking trips with kids, free downloadable camping packing list to make family camping trips simpler and less stressful, 10 ways to get kids outside (because it’s not always easy! Tell me about it: Maybe you have a Lego or Minecraft fan in your family? Leave directly from the visitor center to join the Butterfly Trail. Is there anyway we can get drop points on Google maps like the previous hiking articles? It can also spark their imagination and easily turn a walk in the woods into captaining a pirate ship through monster-infested waters. Instead, they’re much more interested in the little creatures, watching leaves float down the stream, or finding mushrooms tucked away in the moss? I’ll just mention that the likeliness of meeting others on this path was low so we didn’t have any worries of other people picking up our treats. The bigger babies were strapped into backpack carriers. Outdoor Family Tip: It’s much easier to prevent problems than deal with them on the trail. Kids will be much happier to walk if their shoes fit properly or if they’re warm enough or not too hot. Whether you stop at the nature center or not, make your way to the Potomac River and the heralded Potomac Heritage Trail. It’s another to expect them to hike for 4 hours if they’ve only ever been on short little strolls around the block. My words of caution here are to make sure that the friends joining your hike are at a similar or higher hiking skill level than your family. Start your adventure at the visitor center, where rangers conduct interpretive education programs, and enjoy the displays therein (check hours ahead of time as they are seasonal). Sure, it’s one thing to challenge them. This tip is more about making sure you’re well prepared for the hike.

But kids just keep growing and sooner or later we can’t carry, haul, or pull them any more! Keep a close eye on their energy and attitude and you’ll soon learn how to respond and interact in order to help keep them positive and moving.

Try choosing a trail with lots of rocks, logs, bridges, creeks, or boardwalks. Here are a few of our favourite ideas, and soon I’ll write up a list with many more ways to encourage talking and playing on the trail.

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