Children on the trail?

[Suzzz]

As I've posted in another thread, I'm currently suffering from a bad case of trail withdrawal.

One way to get back on rapidly would be to bring my children with me. My daughters are 12 and 10. They enjoy hiking and have been asking for more but I don't want to push them... I want the experience to be a positive one. I want them to have fun and want to do it again.

I realize that many sections of the trail are not child friendly. Any suggestions for section that would take us about one week to complete?

[Tennessee Viking]

Many sections of the southern AT kid friendly. You may have to pick and choose small day trip or overnight sections.

Shenandoah
GA/TN/NC/Mt Rogers VA

Alternatives would be Blue Ridge Parkway sections of the NC Mountains to Sea Trail; fairly close by to the AT. Limited overnights to day hikes with easy bailout points.

[Maineiac64]

What do you mean about the trail not being trail friendly? I have been on trails and been plodding my way up steep rocky sections and then a few kids will fly by me and up and out of sight with ease.

[MuddyWaters]

My son was out-hiking most thru hikers at 12. Wondering why people were resting eith boots off...
Keep packs light, which sharing shelter, cooking, fak, etc is ez if try. Wear trailrunners. 25+ mpd is a piece o cake.

[clusterone]

I take my kids out and they have done 10+ miles a days in proper Wilderness Areas. Both girls, 7 and 9.

They will likely out hike you IF:

1) they want to be there (most important as attitude is everything)
2) don't have packs on (yup more weight for you, but then again your kids are older so you might give them a few items)
3) have the extras that most UL hikers leave behind... to make it fun for them (what do they like-- food, books, ipad with movies stored on it)
4) camp at water. Kids seem to love to play in the water (heck I do too!)


I do make them wear helmets and use trekking poles for safety.

Good luck!

[Suzzz]

What do you mean about the trail not being trail friendly? I have been on trails and been plodding my way up steep rocky sections and then a few kids will fly by me and up and out of sight with ease.

Some sections... in my opinion... are probably too hard for younger children. Shorter legs would be at a disadvantage on certain sections. But as you say, kids can and will surprise us.

[Slo-go'en]

One way to get back on rapidly would be to bring my children with me. My daughters are 12 and 10. They enjoy hiking and have been asking for more but I don't want to push them... I want the experience to be a positive one. I want them to have fun and want to do it again.
I realize that many sections of the trail are not child friendly. Any suggestions for section that would take us about one week to complete?

Why leave home? Looks like the International AT crosses your home province. Heck, looking at the pictures of what you have up there, they almost make me want to get a damn passport so I can go to Canada again!

[Suzzz]

Why leave home? Looks like the International AT crosses your home province. Heck, looking at the pictures of what you have up there, they almost make me want to get a damn passport so I can go to Canada again!

I live in New Brunswick, the neighboring province, and I want to do the original At before doing the international one that goes through the province of Quebec.

If you do get get a passport and come up here for some hiking you won't regret it, we have fantastic trails, not only in Quebec but also in New Brunswick.

[Dan Roper]

Unless your daughters are the exception, opening their career with a week-long hike might dissuade them from backpacking ever again.

But if you're looking something that young ladies will enjoy, the Grayson Highlands section of the AT in southwestern Virginia might be the best of all. Wild horses and gorgeous terrain and views. You can hike the AT or combine the AT with various side trails to create loops. You could easily configure something from one to three nights while remaining close enough to bail out locations if it turns cold or wet or hot or just plain not fun.

[red5]

Kids can do amazing things. Mine carry small packs with just a few items (sleeping bag, sleeping pad, a few clothes) and their pack is quite light. In turn I carry their portion of food, shelter, water and my pack gets quite heavy! But it is all worth it.
They started out with a simple one night trip and since have moved up to 10 night trips. They could undoubtedly go on indefinitely (as in thru hike).
The key is patience. Yes they are a flurry of energy but they also have smaller strides and probably a slower pace. While you are taking steps up boulders on steep sections they may be climbing hand over foot. Your daughters are a bit older than my kids so perhaps that would not be an issue though.
Anyways best of luck. I'd definitely take them out on the trail. Just try to ease their way into backpacking. Get them a nice pack that will be comfortable for them. And have fun, that's what it's all about.

[Tipi Walter]

Unless your daughters are the exception, opening their career with a week-long hike might dissuade them from backpacking ever again.

But if you're looking something that young ladies will enjoy, the Grayson Highlands section of the AT in southwestern Virginia might be the best of all. Wild horses and gorgeous terrain and views. You can hike the AT or combine the AT with various side trails to create loops. You could easily configure something from one to three nights while remaining close enough to bail out locations if it turns cold or wet or hot or just plain not fun.

The highlighted blurb got me laughing but it's true, especially in this day and age of constant screen hypnosis and tweet madness. Getting anyone, especially kids to live without electricity for a week in the outdoors could prove monstrous.

Then again, there's a high school in Michigan which has been sending their sophomores out for 10 days in some Southeast wilderness areas and has been doing so for the last 48 years. Happiest group I've ever seen. These pics should inspire you---


High school sophomores coming off Hangover Mt on the Haoe Lead trail.


First day of their 10 day trip.



Happy kids surround Uncle Fungus in Naked Ground Gap in North Carolina.

TRIP 181 (27)-XL.jpg

TRIP 173 059-XL.jpg

TRIP 163 263-XL.jpg

TRIP 120 156-L.jpg

TRIP 131 171-L.jpg

[TKE402]

I did the 100 mile wilderness last year and I past a family doing the whole thing with 7 and 10 year old sons. This family seemed pretty seasoned. Personally I don't think i could have done that with my kids but they seemed completely fine. it was very inspiring. Kids can surprise you!

As I've posted in another thread, I'm currently suffering from a bad case of trail withdrawal.

One way to get back on rapidly would be to bring my children with me. My daughters are 12 and 10. They enjoy hiking and have been asking for more but I don't want to push them... I want the experience to be a positive one. I want them to have fun and want to do it again.

I realize that many sections of the trail are not child friendly. Any suggestions for section that would take us about one week to complete?

[Suzzz]

Unless your daughters are the exception, opening their career with a week-long hike might dissuade them from backpacking ever again.
But if you're looking something that young ladies will enjoy, the Grayson Highlands section of the AT in southwestern Virginia might be the best of all. Wild horses and gorgeous terrain and views. You can hike the AT or combine the AT with various side trails to create loops. You could easily configure something from one to three nights while remaining close enough to bail out locations if it turns cold or wet or hot or just plain not fun.

Their hiking careers are already well under way. They've been doing day hikes and weekend overnights for many years. They also have well fitted lightweight kid's backpacks and walking poles.

Thanks for the suggestion, the Grayson Highlands do sound like the perfect section for them to do their first week long hike. I'll look into it.

[TX Aggie]

Kids can do amazing things. Mine carry small packs with just a few items (sleeping bag, sleeping pad, a few clothes) and their pack is quite light. In turn I carry their portion of food, shelter, water and my pack gets quite heavy! But it is all worth it.
They started out with a simple one night trip and since have moved up to 10 night trips. They could undoubtedly go on indefinitely (as in thru hike).
The key is patience. Yes they are a flurry of energy but they also have smaller strides and probably a slower pace. While you are taking steps up boulders on steep sections they may be climbing hand over foot. Your daughters are a bit older than my kids so perhaps that would not be an issue though.
Anyways best of luck. I'd definitely take them out on the trail. Just try to ease their way into backpacking. Get them a nice pack that will be comfortable for them. And have fun, that's what it's all about.

A second on this. I took my daughters on their first AT section last Labor Day to Annapolis Rocks, MD. They were 10 and 13 at the time and each carried 10 and 15 lbs respectively with their own sleeping bag, clothes, and safely items. (Mine was 60, but I didn't care).

We started out with just the one overnight last fall, did 5.7 miles each day. A perfect introduction.

This past Father's Day we did a 2-night hike, with the first night finding a primitive site off the AT at a national forest, the second night was at a campsite on the AT. This one pushed them a bit more, but they still loved it.

Just be sure and set expectations for them and yourself. Let them go at their pace and have several stopping points planned just in case you go slower (or faster) than planned.

As long as they are interested in it, you'll all have a great time.

Last fall:

WASHINGTON Monument State Park



Annapolis Rocks



Fathers Day
Michaux State Forest





Happy trails! I hope your daughters enjoy the time and experience as much as mine have. Now I need to plan a trip for this fall.


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[saltysack]

The highlighted blurb got me laughing but it's true, especially in this day and age of constant screen hypnosis and tweet madness. Getting anyone, especially kids to live without electricity for a week in the outdoors could prove monstrous.

Then again, there's a high school in Michigan which has been sending their sophomores out for 10 days in some Southeast wilderness areas and has been doing so for the last 48 years. Happiest group I've ever seen. These pics should inspire you---


High school sophomores coming off Hangover Mt on the Haoe Lead trail.


First day of their 10 day trip.



Happy kids surround Uncle Fungus in Naked Ground Gap in North Carolina.

TRIP 181 (27)-XL.jpg

TRIP 173 059-XL.jpg

TRIP 163 263-XL.jpg

TRIP 120 156-L.jpg

TRIP 131 171-L.jpg

Damn Tipi I see you taught them how to go UL!!!


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[ScottTrip]

Highly recommend Shenandoah NP. First you have all the Waysides so the amount of food to carry can be a minimum. Second, since the AT crosses the Parkway several times there are many places to "bail out" if hike no going well. The terrain while can be challenging it is not to steep and trail well maintained.

[Tipi Walter]

Thanks TX Aggie for sharing your pics. There's dayhiking and then there's Backpacking---overnights vs not . . . And I like your comment, "My pack was 60 lbs but I didn't care." Hooray.

It makes me want to share some more kid backpacking pics---


My friend Lindal Newbius bringing in her son Peter on a tough 2 mile trail to Upper Creek in Pisgah NF.


My backpacking buddy Rob bringing in his kids for a couple nights into Slickrock wilderness . . . and on some tough trails.


Mark and his son Riley pulling "the hardest trail in the Southeast"---the Upper Slickrock #42 Nutbuster trail.


Father Mike and daughter Audrey on the toughest trail in the Citico wilderness---coming down the Brush Mt trail.


Good pic of Audrey and Mike after the Brush Mt ordeal.

[blw2]

Timely thread Souzz.
I'm the one that started an almost simultaneous thread about backpacking with kids
https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/sho...king-with-kids

Tipi Walter, that picture of your friend Rob with the red backpack. What is that pack? He could haul a lot of gear + two kids in that thing!!

Anyway, thanks to everyone. You've inspired me to make this happen. Now I just have to figure out how to teach my daughters how to pee in the woods.

[Tipi Walter]

Damn Tipi I see you taught them how to go UL!!!


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Yes, if you mean UltraLoad UL you are right.

[saltysack]

Yes, if you mean UltraLoad UL you are right.

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