Five Ways to Choose Kid-Friendly Hikes (Plus a ton of hike suggestions!)

 When we started traveling, we had an odd combination of kids who had hiked a lot but not recently, and kids who had never hiked, plus ages from toddler to teen. We learned a lot- picking hikes that failed plus some that were big hits. Now, we are pretty good at knowing what hikes will be enjoyed by the whole family. I've learned that kid-hit hikes usually fall into a few specific categories, and keeping these in mind help me choose great trails.

 

Atop Sentinel Dome

 

1. The "Prize at the End" Hike

This might be the easiest hike to find, since there are a lot of these. A Prize at the End Hike is any destination hike- a waterfall, an old cabin, a place to play, a great view. Kids might not appreciate the view as much as you, but a huge waterfall or  a ghost town can make all the walking worthwhile to kids. Bonus: find a waterfall they can play in and they will never remember the tiring trek.

Try these Prize Hikes: 

Sentinel Dome (Yosemite National Park, CA) A fun hike for kids- a climb at the end which will make them think they're rock climbing, but is perfectly safe, and then a giant rock to run around on while you enjoy the view! 

Porters Creek Trail (Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC and TN) Take this trail to Porters Flat where you will find an old homestead. You will find a barn, house, and springhouse, as well as a cemetery part way along the hike. Keep your eyes open, there are remains of other buildings in the area as well. 

Double Arches (Arches National Park, Utah) A very short walk to two massive stone arches- your kids won't believe how big they are till they see them! 

Long House (Mesa Verde National Park, CO) This ranger-guided tour of a huge cliff dwelling lies at the end of a short hike. You can look around the dwelling, and it's big enough for a crowd without feeling crowded. 

 Anhinga Trail

2. Boardwalks

For some reason, kids love walking on boardwalks. Maybe it’s the novelty. Maybe it doesn’t “feel like” hiking. Maybe it’s because they are short. Maybe it’s because they are usually over water, and water= cool things to see. Whatever the reason, we’ve never been on a boardwalk hike that the kids haven’t liked.

Try these Boardwalk Hikes:

Anhinga Trail (Everglades National Park, FL) If you want to see wildlife, this is the place to go. The hike is around a mile long and you can expect to see alligators, turtles, fish, and plenty of birds. 

Canopy Walkway (Myakka State Park, FL) Get into the tree tops on the first public canopy-level boardwalk in America. This 100-foot-long elevated boardwalk includes an observation tower where you can look DOWN on the trees.

Interdune Boardwalk (White Sands National Park, NM) Take this boardwalk through glistening white heaps of sand. After your hike, visit the dunes with your toboggans for better-then-snow sledding!

Boardwalk Loop Trail (Congaree National Park, SC) A short boardwalk trail through a pristine cypress swamp.  

 Sougahoagdee Falls

 3. The Journey Hike

This is like a prize hike with a twist- instead of one awesome destination, there are fun things to do all along the way. Kids love these hikes because they can play along the way- Usually complaining kids are bored, not tired- keep them interested with activities along the way. Maybe it’s a hike with several waterfalls, or an area covered with boulders that you must scramble over, or a slot canyon. Maybe there are huge stumps to climb on, or a creek to play in- with these hikes, it’s all about the journey, not the destination.

Try these Journey Hikes:

Big Stumps (King's Canyon National Park, CA) This hike is just fun. Here, you can see massive stumps from past logging- but you don't just have to look at them. You are allowed to climb them- including a stump with stairs, and one trunk that forms a bridge for your path! Kids love this one. 

Echo Canyon Grotto (Chiricahua National Monument, AZ) On this trail, you will pass under and around (and sometimes over) massive, towering rock formations. It's magical and majestic and very, very fun. Make the hike longer by taking the Echo Canyon Loop.

Sougahoagdee Falls (Bankhead National Forest, AL) On this hike you get to see not one, but many waterfalls- including a massive one that you can go behind, and many smaller ones along the way that are perfect for playing in. This is a longer hike, but it's completely worth it (our kids agree- even the littlest ones.) Don't stop till the end, the last waterfall is the best! 

 West Thumb Geyser Basin

4. The "Cool Stuff" Hike

The cool stuff hike is easy- it’s any hike where you can see stuff that is cool and new. If you’re used to amazing mountain views, like us, mountain hikes might feel boring. But our kids can wander along the beach for hours. Seeing a lot of wildlife or watching for geysers makes a Cool Stuff Hike for almost all kids.

Try these Cool Stuff Hikes:

Stout Grove Trail (Redwoods National Park, CA) What is cool about this hike? Try giant trees, giant slugs, and giant ferns! With the sunlight slanting through the trees and the ferns along the paths, Redwood feels prehistoric. With the banana slugs to spot and burnt-out trunks to explore, your kids won't be bored. 

West Thumb Geyser Basin (Yellowstone National Park, WY) This is a combo hike- a Cool Stuff hike (mud pots and hot springs) and a boardwalk hike. Add in great views of Yellowstone Lake, and the whole family will enjoy this one. Also keep an eye out for wildlife. 

Caves Trail (Craters of the Moon National Monument, ID) How fun! Take a short hike through acres of twisted black lava, and end with a cave excursion. If you aren't into caves, it's still a good hike and there are other short hikes here- this is one of our kids' favorite parks. 

Beach Walks: In many places throughout the country, the beach is public- if you can get to it, you can walk for miles... and miles. Find public beach access, park, and take a long ramble. 

 Visiting a botanical garden

 5. "Not-a-Hike" Hikes

You can get out and “hike” in a lot of unexpected ways. A zoo is pretty much all the different hikes combined! If you live in a city, this is a great way to get in hiking practice without the long drive or planning ahead.  

Try these Not-a-hike Hike ideas:

Botanical Garden

An Outdoor Museum or Historical Village

Downtown District or Shopping District

An Outdoor Mall or Flea Market

 

 

BONUS: Loop Hikes

This bonus hike can be combined with any other hike to make it more appealing to kids. A loop hike is simply a hike where you don’t travel the same path back to your car. Whether it’s a circle, a loop, or two hikes joined together, loop hikes add extra interest and make that “trudge back” nonexistent. My 7 year old always asks if we’re doing a loop hike- he loves them!