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Maynotbe
07-05-2012, 14:36
Hi,

I was thinking of taking my 5 year old for a short hike (3-5 miles) on the AT, camping one night and headed back. I'd like to ease her into backpacking and thought it would be great to do it on the AT.

Can anyone recommend such a location on the trail? I'll be traveling from Western Mass. to Lake Winnipesaukee so it would great if the location was between (or near) that route.

Thanks in advance!

Cookerhiker
07-05-2012, 15:34
2 thoughts for you, both in Vermont.

1. Hike from Kelley Srand Road - also known as Arlington-Stratton Road - on the Stratton Pond Trail to Stratton Pond. Distance is 3.7 miles. It's not the AT but you'll meet up with it at Stratton Pond. The AT also crosses Kelley Stand Road but it's too long (6.9 miles) plus it ascends over Stratton Mountain. At the pond, your daughter will enjoy swimming and watching the frogs and salamanders.

2. Take Forest Service Rte. 10 - also known as Danby-Landgrove Rd. - to the AT/LT crossing and hike 2 miles north to Little Rock Pond.

Hope it works out. I wish I had taken my daughters on hikes like that when they were 5.

Tom Murphy
07-05-2012, 15:59
My son and I started with day hikes and then did overnights using the AMC hut system before progressing to backpakcing.

These are all good overnight trips.

NH

Sawyer Pond Shelter

Three Ponds Shelter

Coppermine Shelter

Flat Mountain Pond Shelter

Western Mass

Upper Goose Pond Shelter - http://amcberkshire.org/at/campsites, http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/appl_map.gif

Greylock - http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/mtGreylock/camping.htm
(http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/appl_map.gif)
October Mountain - http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/octm.htm

Tom Murphy
07-05-2012, 16:02
How I introduced my son (and myself) to Backpacking

Keys
- Start out each year gradually, have a progression of hikes over the course of the season, and have a "goal hike" for the end of the season
- Also have a progression from year to year, so that the season’s end hike is more challenging each year
- Remember that elevation gain & pack weight add to a hike's difficulty as much as distance does, and maybe more than distance
- Ever hike doesn’t need to set a new record; some of our best hikes were when we did a hike that we know would be shorter and easier than what we had been currently doing
- Know your child. There is a delicate line between a hike that is fun and a hike that causes them to not want to go again. Been there, done that.
- We try to stick with a hike for the first 30 minutes or so; he never enjoys the very start of a hike, if he was not having fun after that initial push, we stopped and turned around.
- We have aborted plenty of hikes very early into it and some right at the trailhead!
- I had to learn to start slow to match his slow starts. I also try to find trails that start with a nice level walk in the woods.
- Adam still doesn’t like a steady slog uphill, he would prefer a rock scramble that gets all the elevation done in one fell swoop
- Enjoy the ride back and forth to the trailhead as much as the hike! I can’t emphasize this enough. He is in the front seat next to me and we talk and talk, mostly we talk about his XBOX games or his sports or Boston sport teams. On long trips, we listen to audio books for books on his summer reading list (most times, after he has read them)
- I am very lucky that Adam loves a restaurant we always stop at on the way back from Mt. Monadnock; they butter the hotdog buns and then grilled them with the dogs
- We play cribbage when we have a long break on the trail or when we are eating at a restaurant
- Kids need the appropriate hiking gear too but it does not need to be a crazy expense; I always buy him “hiking sneakers” that had a vibram sole at the start of each year, that was the single biggest expense and most important item in my mind, a $2 poncho has worked as his rain gear for a number of years, I buy his fleece layer a size too big so it last 2 years; he hikes in swim trunks or nylon track pants so those weren’t special buys for hiking
- I always have a change of clothes, including socks and underwear, ready in the car for him

As a young child
- We went to Purgatory Chasm in Sutton, MA, a couple of times a year.
- Purgatory Chasm is a State Park has a one-mile loop in the woods with very minimal elevation gain but also some fun rock scrambles.

7 –11 years
- The first year we started going to Purgatory Chasm more often; one or two times every month in the late spring and early summer. We built up to a season’s end hike of Mt Wachusett. That last hike was a bit too much for him.
- The second year we started with a few Purgatory Chasm hikes in the late spring, moved on to a few hikes of Mt Wachusett in July and August, and ended with a season’s end hike to Bald Rock on Mt Monadnock.
- The third year we started with a few Purgatory Chasm hikes, I think that is the year we did a night hike of Mt Wachusett, we did a progression of hikes on Monadnock with at least a weekend between each one: to Bald Rock & back once, next time to the first ridge on White Dot & back, another time hiked to Monte Rosa & back, the fourth or fifth time we went to the summit.
- The third year (10 years old) was the first year he started carrying his own backpack with his water, snacks, and his 10 essentials; we both made a lot of progress the third year
- The fourth year we started working on red-lining Mt Monadnock that we haven’t finished. We did a short bushwack on Monadnock. Season’s end hike was in the Whites - from Joe Dodge to Headwall of Tuckerman’s Ravine; which was followed by ride up the auto road to Summit

12 years old
- Mt Wachusett hike to start the year, 3 or 4 hikes on Monadnock, not always going to the summit
- Season’s end hike of the Southern Presidentials via LOC hut and Mitzpah Hut
- This was the year we bought real backpacks; before this we had used hydration packs that had enough room for snacks and layers
- My pack had all of the heavy items

13 years old
- Mt Wachusett hike to start the year, 3 or 4 hikes on Monadnock, not always going to the summit
- Season’s end hike - Galehead Hut to Zealand Hut to Highland Center
- I tried to given him some heavy item but I ended up with all the heavy items from his pack

This year (14 years old)
- Bought the final items we needed for camping - tent, sleeping bags & pads, stove & cook ware
- 3 day/2 night - Alander Mt., 2 miles with pack / 5 mile day hike / 2 miles with pack; we learned that it is easy to knock over a pot of ramon noodles
- 3 day/2 night - Mt Greylock –4 miles, 6 miles, 3 miles
- Greylock was easier for him than for me, so we have turned a corner there
- After writing this, I think I am going to ask Adam about doing Purgatory Chasm, Mt Wachusett, and Mt Monadnock in a single day.

hikerboy57
07-05-2012, 16:04
i dont remember how far it is, but lonesome lake hut i remember being an easy hike. the huts can be a great experience, and you can travel light.

Driver8
07-05-2012, 17:52
i dont remember how far it is, but lonesome lake hut i remember being an easy hike. the huts can be a great experience, and you can travel light.

This is a good one. You can also camp fairly near the hut and save the cost if you like.

I like Cookerhiker's Stratton Pond idea, too. There's a nice overlook point a couple miles north of the Pond on the A.T. called Prospect Rock. I've not gotten there yet, but I hear it's an easy hike, too.

Finally, this is closer to your neck of the woods and probably in the wrong direction for your N.H. trip, but I recommend the Race Brook Falls Trail to the Race Brook campsite, which is about 0.4 from the A.T. The falls are awesome and make for a fun adventure for any age of hiker. PM me if you want details of which route to take to see all the falls.

attroll
07-06-2012, 00:15
Moved to the "General" forums.

Wombat Farm
07-06-2012, 01:56
If you want to give your daugher a real experience...maybe avoid the hut system (and it'll cost you a fortune!). Like you, I started my kids young...around 5 and 7or 6 and 8 (nearly 20 years ago!) and we did Sawyer Pond, Black Mt. Pond (the last I knew the shelter was removed but who knows by now a new one?) in the Sandwich Range. ANd Flat Mt Pond is an awesome area (but could be a bit crowded over 10 years ago so be prepared to tent) Coppermine shelter is pretty cool with the falls but it's far up from Winni. Also, there is awesome options on the Monadnock/SUnapee trail or the Metacomet-Monadnock trails...the both have options of shelters or campsites not really far in from a parking lot and provide beautiful scenery with "minimal" effort. One thing I always found is to make sure there's something kinda cool at the destination to see otherwise there's no "reward" or had them bring friends. LOL It sounds like so much fun...hope you and your daugher have a ball! :sun

verasch
07-06-2012, 07:58
I second purgatory chasm, though there's some sharp rocks there. Maybe wait until she gets a wee bit older to appreciate it and avoid a nasty fall.

The at trail leading up to mt. Greylock is also easy and the end is nice. If you can find a lean to going up, it makes for a nice hike.

It's not on the AT, but Mt. Chicorua in the pemiwigasett wilderness is a really nice hike. It advances through visibly different timber and gives you an accurate description of what elevation your at.

Plus, halfway up there is a big stream to play in. Usually there are hikers with big fluffy dogs to see. At almost the top, there is the camp penacook shelter and fire pit with gorgeous views. Stop there for the night, then summit chicorua the next day. Gorgeous views and very easy if yer in shape.

We used to do this hike twice a year with some friends. Close to Springfield, easy jaunt for smokers, so i imagine it would be easy for a 5 yr old.

Pumba
07-06-2012, 08:27
I took my 12 year old daughter on her first hike this week. We went to Grayson Highlands in Virginia. We hiked for three days and about 15 miles total, and the whole time I let her lead the way. This way, she kept a pace that was comfortable for her. It was painfully slow for me at times, but with this being her first backpacking trip, I wanted her to be in control and be comfortable. This worked out really well as she didn't feel rushed and feel she had to keep up with daddy.

Sorry this doesn't give trip ideas, just throwing out some thoughts on hiking with kids.

Driver8
07-06-2012, 10:30
The at trail leading up to mt. Greylock is also easy and the end is nice. If you can find a lean to going up, it makes for a nice hike.

It's not on the AT, but Mt. Chicorua in the pemiwigasett wilderness is a really nice hike. It advances through visibly different timber and gives you an accurate description of what elevation your at.

I thought of Chocorua as well. It rises to 3500' elevation and is beautiful and a very popular hike. It's not on the A.T., though, and is a bit southeast of the Pemi wilderness for the record.

To the OP, you might also consider hiking southbound on the Appalachian Trail from Crawford Notch, where you can view the Arethusa Falls and other nice waterfalls. I plan to visit that area sometime soon, probably after a good, soaking rain, to take in some of those falls.

Maynotbe
07-06-2012, 10:37
Thanks for all the ideas and tips everyone!

I like the idea of camping near a lake where we can swim and play. I'll look into all your ideas!

Like I said, I just want something easy and fun to get her used to spending the night. We hike a lot and car camp, but this will be the first backcountry trip so I want it to be easy and fun.

Thanks again!

Driver8
07-06-2012, 11:07
Thanks for all the ideas and tips everyone!

Oops, Maynotbe, I just noticed you're from Maryland - had misinterpreted your first post as meaning you were from W. Mass., as I think others did. Anyhow, if you're ever in the Berkshires, the Race Brook Falls Trail is quite a treat. You've got plenty of other good ideas in the White Mtns area - hope you and your daughter have a fun trip.

verasch
07-06-2012, 14:20
I thought of Chocorua as well. It rises to 3500' elevation and is beautiful and a very popular hike. It's not on the A.T., though, and is a bit southeast of the Pemi wilderness for the record.

Meh. It's in the same forest. LOL

And I missed the fact that the OP was looking for something on the AT. Oops.

Driver8
07-06-2012, 14:46
Meh. It's in the same forest. LOL

And I missed the fact that the OP was looking for something on the AT. Oops.

Chocorua, Kearsarge North, Cardigan and Cube are non-4000-footers I want to do up in and near the Whites, as well as Sandwich Dome, the tallest of the short. So many trails and peaks to explore! :)