Minimum age to go hiking

[Gorgiewave]

Hello everyone,

I hope you're all enjoying your hiking.

I became an uncle today. This is the first baby in my family since I've been an adult and I wondered at what age it's usually considered safe and reasonable to take a child hiking or hillwalking. I mean old enough to be able to walk for several hours without needing to be carried or crying and can step over logs, avoid slippy mud and all the other hazards of hikinh. I daresay it varies from child to child but I'm just looking for a ballpark.

[HooKooDooKu]

I read a book many years ago written by a "hiking/camping" mom who was taking babies on hikes before they could even walk.
I wish I could remember the name of the book to give it credit, but I can not.

In any case, the recommended advice she gave was that a child should be able to walk 1 mile for each year of it's age.
So a 1yo (if walking) should be able to walk a mile.
A 2yo should be able to walk 2 miles.
A 3yo should be able to walk 3 miles.
A 4yo should be able to walk 4 miles... etc.

[Gorgiewave]

I read a book many years ago written by a "hiking/camping" mom who was taking babies on hikes before they could even walk.
I wish I could remember the name of the book to give it credit, but I can not.

In any case, the recommended advice she gave was that a child should be able to walk 1 mile for each year of it's age.
So a 1yo (if walking) should be able to walk a mile.
A 2yo should be able to walk 2 miles.
A 3yo should be able to walk 3 miles.
A 4yo should be able to walk 4 miles... etc.

That's a good rubric, thank you.

[lonehiker]

Hello everyone,

I hope you're all enjoying your hiking.

I became an uncle today. This is the first baby in my family since I've been an adult and I wondered at what age it's usually considered safe and reasonable to take a child hiking or hillwalking. I mean old enough to be able to walk for several hours without needing to be carried or crying and can step over logs, avoid slippy mud and all the other hazards of hikinh. I daresay it varies from child to child but I'm just looking for a ballpark.

Post #2 is total crap. You hit the nail on the head. It will vary from kid to kid. There is no ballpark figure for this.

[lonehiker]

As an example, I just saw a 12 year old crying on the High Uinta trail (although they just used it as an avenue to reach a few lakes).

[Gorgiewave]

As an example, I just saw a 12 year old crying on the High Uinta trail (although they just used it as an avenue to reach a few lakes).

OK, I'll wait and see what she's like. She's spent much of her life crying, but for a seven-hour-old, that's allowed.

[Tundracamper]

I think as soon as they turn one you take them to the summit at Katahdin! :)

[Gorgiewave]

While they're still light enough to carry and small enough to fit in a backpack, right?

[HooKooDooKu]

Post #2 is total crap.
It's just a simple rule of thumb... a starting point.

Sure, there are experienced 3yo out there that can do 6 miles. But that's not going to be the norm for a child just starting.

The purpose for the 1 mile/year "rule of thumb" is so that you don't do something stupid like plan a 10 mile hike for the first time you take a 5yo in the woods.

[devoidapop]

My kids are 4 and 2. Both can hike a good distance for their size but it's their personality that determines which hike I take each of them on. My oldest is very cautious, so she gets to go on more rigid trails than her sister, who fears nothing.

Get to know that baby and she'll guide you to the right trail for her at every age. And enjoy being an uncle!

[Gorgiewave]

My kids are 4 and 2. Both can hike a good distance for their size but it's their personality that determines which hike I take each of them on. My oldest is very cautious, so she gets to go on more rigid trails than her sister, who fears nothing.

Get to know that baby and she'll guide you to the right trail for her at every age. And enjoy being an uncle!

I'll do just that, and thanks, I'm enjoying it already.

[RuthN]

Congrats on becoming an uncle!

[randall_mcduberson]

Congrats!!

I am only speculating but I imagine that exposing a child to the outdoors at any age and in any capacity is a good thing. So throw the infant in a kiddie carrier or a stroller on a less backcountry trail. Bring the toddler to the trail that follows the river and do some swimming. Do some car camping, some hiking and camping a mile or two into the campsite. like devoidapop said, enjoy being an uncle and just have some fun!!

[Mugthumper]

I use/used an Osprey Poco for my most recent child starting at around 10 months. On our family hikes she was along for the ride for trips of up to 10-12 miles up until the age of approximately 3. She would get time outside of the carrier, but you have to be very reasonable about the distance a child that young is capable of walking and the speed of which they can do it.

This spring she turned 3. My family tends to get out frequently, almost every weekend up until the face melting heat kicks in. She eventually starting asking to walk instead of being inside the pack. I started with her by adding on a 1 mile bike path at the end of our on trail hikes, so she could walk without tripping over rocks and roots. By this August she was able to work her way up to a 5 mile trail on a relatively flat hike at a local state park. There were a few requests that I pick her up after about 3 miles and she let me know that she was getting tired. But I slowed my pace a little, held her hand and talked about the flowers and butterflies, and sang the ABCs quite a few times and she just kept trucking along.

I did the same thing with my boys. They carry their own water and snacks in lumbar packs and were able to walk 8 miles a day by about age 4 and 10-12 miles by age 5 on some fairly hilly trails. They can keep a very reasonable pace of 2 mph which includes their break times.

[Leo L.]

We were in the outdoors a lot with our kids, from age 0 to ~12yrs.
But we never even tried to aim for a certain milage. Kids are not little grownups, but are - kids, and for kids its all about motivation. A summit in the distance or any other goal so many miles away gives them Zero.

We took it all as one huge playground and invented lots of games to keep the kids moving, running, jumping and climbing, and always took breaks with picknicks.
It was always better if there were a bunch of them, than just a single or two of our own kids, so we happily invited their friends to join us.

All of our kids loved to be outdoors this way, but every single one completely turned away from outdoors and hiking at a certain age. This came before they stared dating. It was very important to find their own way of life.
Most of our kids are grownup now and perform various kinds of outdoor sports.

I would never recommend pushing kids into hiking certain distances, elevations and such.

[Kittyslayer]

The magic age is five(5) years old.

Hey guy with hydration pack, 2 hiking sticks & North Face vest; my 5 yr old walked the same trail in Crocs carrying a naked Barbie. Relax.


Get to know that baby and she'll guide you to the right trail for her at every age. And enjoy being an uncle!

The kid will let you know but remember you will need permission from mom, dad, grandma, etc.

[chknfngrs]

I get more miles out of my kids the more Oreos I bring them.

[Night Train]

I think your question is rhetorical. Use a common sense approach, you, are your own arbiter.

[OCDave]

Hello everyone,

I hope you're all enjoying your hiking.

I became an uncle today. This is the first baby in my family since I've been an adult and I wondered at what age it's usually considered safe and reasonable to take a child hiking or hillwalking. I mean old enough to be able to walk for several hours without needing to be carried or crying and can step over logs, avoid slippy mud and all the other hazards of hikinh. I daresay it varies from child to child but I'm just looking for a ballpark.

As a parent, hiker, outdoorsman, camper, ect. you start taking your child with you on adventures as infants. Their first "hike" will likely be 3-4 steps on a boardwalk holding mom's hands.

As an uncle- expect to wait a decade or more before counting on a reliable hiking partner. Even then, your expectations for a "hike" will need to be malleable.

[russb]

The age dilemma aside, most kids of any age do not care fir just "hiking", there usually needs to be something else. Whether the hike culminates in a cool spot to camp, or a swimming hole, or neat rock formations to play on/around, etc... These provide a "reward" and also help develop delayed gratification. To alleviate the "are we there yets?", add something to the hike such as a wildlife scavenger hunt (actual or signs of animals), a favorite of little boys is a "poop hike", looking for animal scat and trying to determine the type of animal. This helps develop awareness of their environment and grows observation skills. Kids are naturally curious about their environment, and not so much into "just walking". Slow the hike down to access this curiousity.

[tiptoe]

Little girls like poop hikes, too. You are getting really good advice in this thread, OP, and I don't have a lot to add. In my experience with my granddaughters, now 9 and almost 6, the hike has to be "interesting" (wildlife, waterfalls, other hikers, views, a little climbing), and not too long. You can start with short walks in the backyard -- look for bugs and flowers, listen for birds, and so on. If you have a magnifying glass, take that along ,too.

Once your niece can hold her head up well (maybe 6 months of age, but it varies), she will probably enjoy riding in a child backpack. She'll be able to see a lot from her lofty perch, and you'll know she's safe up there.

[Gorgiewave]

The magic age is five(5) years old.

Hey guy with hydration pack, 2 hiking sticks & North Face vest; my 5 yr old walked the same trail in Crocs carrying a naked Barbie. Relax.



The kid will let you know but remember you will need permission from mom, dad, grandma, etc.

I realise I need permission, but her mother is the most relaxed mother I've ever seen and is happy for everybody to get involved. I'm already going to be talking to the child in Spanish to see if she can learn from an early age. Theatre visits and baking cakes together will be pencilled in when I can find a forum to ask the "minimum age to bake a cake" question. I'm really quite excited about the whole thing. Thanks for the congratulations and advice, folks.

[Gorgiewave]

Little girls like poop hikes, too. You are getting really good advice in this thread, OP, and I don't have a lot to add. In my experience with my granddaughters, now 9 and almost 6, the hike has to be "interesting" (wildlife, waterfalls, other hikers, views, a little climbing), and not too long. You can start with short walks in the backyard -- look for bugs and flowers, listen for birds, and so on. If you have a magnifying glass, take that along ,too.

Once your niece can hold her head up well (maybe 6 months of age, but it varies), she will probably enjoy riding in a child backpack. She'll be able to see a lot from her lofty perch, and you'll know she's safe up there.

What's a poop hike? A hike to do a poop or what?

[Gorgiewave]

As a parent, hiker, outdoorsman, camper, ect. you start taking your child with you on adventures as infants. Their first "hike" will likely be 3-4 steps on a boardwalk holding mom's hands.

As an uncle- expect to wait a decade or more before counting on a reliable hiking partner. Even then, your expectations for a "hike" will need to be malleable.

I'm not lookig for a hiking partner, I'm just looking for something nice to do with my niece. If I take her a few hikes, I'm sure she'll let it be known if she likes it or not. And if she grows out of it when Saturday jobs and boys are altogether more fascinating, well, that's fine.

[illabelle]

What's a poop hike? A hike to do a poop or what?

See post #20. Just refers to engaging children by teaching them to closely observe what's around them, including animal poop on the trail.

[Gorgiewave]

See post #20. Just refers to engaging children by teaching them to closely observe what's around them, including animal poop on the trail.

Oh, I see. Thank you. Observing one's surroundings is a good reason to get outside in the first place.

[Leo L.]

One of the games we played with the kids in the woods was, "Bring me 10 plants or other items one could eat" or, "bring me 10 items that are poisonous".
And then we sat down and munched on the samples of task #1.

[Gorgiewave]

I hadn't thought that a child might need entertainment along the way. A good tip!

[tiptoe]

Maybe not entertainment, exactly, but you do need to engage them somehow, either through conversation, observation of nature, map reading, photos, etc. It all depends on the age and personality of the child, of course.

One further piece of advice: make sure they have plenty of snacks available. My grandkids need snacks to a level I hadn't dreamed possible, and if they don't get them, you could be in for whining, and that's to be avoided at all costs.

[illabelle]

...One further piece of advice: make sure they have plenty of snacks available. My grandkids need snacks to a level I hadn't dreamed possible, and if they don't get them, you could be in for whining, and that's to be avoided at all costs.

My husband needs snacks to a level I hadn't dreamed possible, and yes, he whines. He's just a big kid with gray hair. Sigh.

[Mugthumper]

I'm not lookig for a hiking partner, I'm just looking for something nice to do with my niece. If I take her a few hikes, I'm sure she'll let it be known if she likes it or not. And if she grows out of it when Saturday jobs and boys are altogether more fascinating, well, that's fine.

Try not to overthink it.

Even before you can take her on an actual walk in the woods, introduce her to outdoor activities where she will be moving and engaged like camping, going to a local playground or even playing in the backyard with toys. By the age of 3 most children will be speaking their own mind, and telling you if they do or do not want to do something. As long as you introduce hiking as a fun and exciting and are enthusiastic about it, they will be on board from the very beginning. Just make sure to not push them beyond their limits early on.

Plan trips that have a payoff, like a waterfall, an overlook, or even just a creek to splash around in and throw rocks.

Bring lots of snacks and water. Granola bars, fruit, sandwiches, goldfish crackers. A hungry or thirsty kid is a cranky kid.

Teach them to identify things in nature. Animals, birds, insects, tracks, scat, trees, flowers, all sorts of different things that can catch their attention. There are very good field guilds that are available to help with identification.

The biggest thing is to make it fun and enjoyable for everyone.

Like I mentioned in my previous post a child carrier backpack is a great way to introduce her to hiking trails. Ages 1-2 she could easily ride all day watching the scenery and talking and singing with the occasional nap sprinkled in. Right around her 3rd birthday mine asked if I would take her out of the backpack so she could walk like her big brothers. 3 months later as I was driving to the trail, she told me she wanted to walk the whole thing and she wanted to leave the backpack in the car. I was surprised and absolutely delighted. That was the day she walked 5 trail miles for the first time. Previously her best was about 3 miles. Children will surprise you in many ways with what they are capable of. Each one has their own little voice.

[Feral Bill]

My kids started on overnight trips at around 4. Expect to stop and examine every rock, flower bug track, and yes, scat, that you come across. We can learn a lot from little kids.

[Just Bill]

Kids are useless unpredictable creatures.
They are also lots of fun and a solid reminder that it's about the smiles and not the miles.

If anything 2 or 3 and under... you can smack em in the kid carrier and do your thing.
Past that... you do their thing or rue the day you forget it.

Generally... I prefer car camping with day hikes mixed in.
That said, no matter how good or bad the trip goes- kiddos tend to remember the trip as awesome because they got to hang out with you. So don't sweat it.

[Gorgiewave]

Try not to overthink it.

Even before you can take her on an actual walk in the woods, introduce her to outdoor activities where she will be moving and engaged like camping, going to a local playground or even playing in the backyard with toys. By the age of 3 most children will be speaking their own mind, and telling you if they do or do not want to do something. As long as you introduce hiking as a fun and exciting and are enthusiastic about it, they will be on board from the very beginning. Just make sure to not push them beyond their limits early on.

Plan trips that have a payoff, like a waterfall, an overlook, or even just a creek to splash around in and throw rocks.

Bring lots of snacks and water. Granola bars, fruit, sandwiches, goldfish crackers. A hungry or thirsty kid is a cranky kid.

Teach them to identify things in nature. Animals, birds, insects, tracks, scat, trees, flowers, all sorts of different things that can catch their attention. There are very good field guilds that are available to help with identification.

The biggest thing is to make it fun and enjoyable for everyone.

Like I mentioned in my previous post a child carrier backpack is a great way to introduce her to hiking trails. Ages 1-2 she could easily ride all day watching the scenery and talking and singing with the occasional nap sprinkled in. Right around her 3rd birthday mine asked if I would take her out of the backpack so she could walk like her big brothers. 3 months later as I was driving to the trail, she told me she wanted to walk the whole thing and she wanted to leave the backpack in the car. I was surprised and absolutely delighted. That was the day she walked 5 trail miles for the first time. Previously her best was about 3 miles. Children will surprise you in many ways with what they are capable of. Each one has their own little voice.

Some solid advice and what sounds like great fun. This is the kind of thing I'm relishing about having a niece.

[tiptoe]

Here's a nice account of a dad bribing his 4-year-old to walk a pretty good distance:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/opinion/sore-happy-feet-on-the-pacific-crest-trail.html

[Gorgiewave]

Here's a nice account of a dad bribing his 4-year-old to walk a pretty good distance:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/opinion/sore-happy-feet-on-the-pacific-crest-trail.html


That is nice, thanks.

[JPritch]

I took my daughter up Sharp Top when she was 4. A 3.6 mile up and back with 1500' gain! (over 1.8 miles up) and she rocked it out!

Then when she was 5, did a 4 mile round trip from the James River Footbridge with much much less gain, and she became grumpy and complainy on the way back.

So just expect the unexpected. Kids can be fickle and YMMV on a day-to-day basis with them.

[volleypc]

I had a friend in Boone that started doing section hikes with his dad when he was 5. He was a senior in college and him and his dad had section hiked all but the last 115 miles in Maine. When he graduated he started in Georgia and his dad met him in Maine to finish the last 115 miles together. Just passing that on because I thought it was a pretty cool thing his dad planned out for them every year.