Last Updated on September 10, 2026
We started hiking with our kids when they were little, and over the years, family hiking has changed dramatically.
Babies were carried. Toddlers stopped every thirty seconds to investigate a stick. Little legs eventually became stronger legs. The hikes got longer, the terrain got harder, and eventually the kids started carrying some of their own gear and helping navigate the trail.
If you are wondering whether your baby, toddler, or young child is old enough to start hiking, our answer is simple: start where they are.
You don’t need to wait until your kids are old enough to hike a certain distance. You don’t need every outing to be a summit. And you definitely don’t need your kids to love every minute of it.
Some hikes will be amazing. Some will involve complaining. Some will end with everyone eating snacks in the parking lot.
That’s family hiking.
The goal isn’t to create kids who think every trail is easy. It’s to raise kids who know they are capable of doing hard things.
Start Small And Build From There
Your first hike with a baby doesn’t need to be an epic backcountry adventure.
Start with a short, manageable trail and use it to figure out what works for your family. How does your baby do in the carrier? How much food and water do you actually need? What happens when someone needs a diaper change halfway through?
The more you hike together, the more you learn your family’s rhythm.
As the kids grow, gradually increase the distance, elevation, terrain, and amount of responsibility they have.
Our kids have gone from being carried to walking trails themselves, and eventually to tackling hikes that would have seemed completely unrealistic when they were toddlers.
There is no single right age or distance. Build hiking ability the same way you build anything else: one experience at a time.
Hiking With Babies
Babies are often some of the easiest little hiking companions because they can be carried.
The biggest thing is making sure your baby is comfortable in the carrier before heading out on a longer trail. Spend some time getting them used to it at home or on shorter walks first.
And remember: babies sleep.
All that movement can knock them out, which can be wonderful during the hike and less wonderful if you start the hike right before bedtime and suddenly have a wide-awake baby later that night.
Dress your baby appropriately for the weather, protect them from the sun, and remember that temperatures can change quickly depending on the trail and elevation.
A comfortable carrier, plenty of water and the basics for feeding, changing and unexpected weather will go a long way.
And don’t feel like you need to wait until your baby is walking to start introducing them to the outdoors.
They are learning that nature is part of their life from the very beginning.
Hiking With Toddlers
Toddlers don’t hike the way adults do.
They wander. They stop. They investigate rocks. They sit in dirt for reasons that make absolutely no sense to you.
Let them.
One of our toddlers once spent about thirty minutes sitting in the dirt on a trail, completely fascinated with getting as dirty as possible. It was warm, nobody was in a hurry, and there was no reason to stop him.
Sometimes the best part of a hike is letting kids explore instead of constantly pushing them toward the destination.
You may cover less ground, but they are learning to notice things.
Look for bugs. Listen for birds. Throw rocks into a lake where it is safe to do so. Look for animal tracks. Find different kinds of leaves. Climb over logs. Turn the trail into a scavenger hunt.
Kids don’t necessarily need entertainment. They need a reason to be curious.
Yes, There Will Be Complaining
Let’s be realistic.
Your kids may complain.
They may say they’re tired. They may ask how much farther you have to go approximately 47 times. They may suddenly decide that the easiest trail you’ve ever chosen is the hardest thing they’ve ever done.
That’s okay.
We don’t believe kids need to enjoy every adventure.
They are allowed to think something is hard. They are allowed to be uncomfortable. They are allowed to be bored. They are allowed to complain.
What we don’t want is for every difficult moment to become a reason to quit.
There is a difference between “This is hard” and “I can’t do this.”
Our job is to help them learn the difference.
Of course, if a child is genuinely struggling, injured, overheated, unwell, or showing signs that something is wrong, you stop and reassess. Resilience does not mean ignoring safety.
But ordinary discomfort?
That’s part of learning what you’re capable of.
Give Them Something To Look Forward To
Sometimes motivation comes from knowing what’s waiting at the end.
Maybe there’s a lake to swim in. Maybe you’ll stop for ice cream afterward. Maybe there’s a waterfall, viewpoint, playground, or favourite restaurant waiting at the end of the outing.
The reward doesn’t have to be food, either.
Sometimes the reward is simply getting to the destination they have been working toward.
And sometimes the reward is something they discover along the way.
The trick is not making every hike dependent on a prize. You want the trail itself to become part of the reward.
Over time, kids start to understand that the hard part is often what makes the destination feel even better.
Teach Them Trail Skills
As kids get older, hiking becomes an opportunity to teach real skills.
Don’t just bring them along. Teach them how to be outside.
Teach them how to read a trail map.
Teach them how to recognize trail markers.
Teach them what to do if they become separated from you.
Teach them basic first aid.
Teach them how to stay safe around wildlife.
Teach them how to dress for changing weather.
Teach them how to carry water.
Teach them how to respect other hikers.
Teach them to leave nature the way they found it.
Eventually, give them more responsibility.
Our kids have learned that if they ever become lost or separated, they should stop moving, stay where they are and use their whistle to signal for us.
The exact safety plan will depend on your children’s ages and the environment you’re hiking in, but the important part is that they know what to do before something goes wrong.
Let Them Take Responsibility
As kids get older, involve them in the preparation.
Have them help choose the trail. Let them look at the map. Talk about the weather. Have them help decide what needs to come along.
And let them carry some of their own gear when they’re ready.
We started small.
Kids can carry a lightweight backpack with snacks, a jacket or a few personal items. You don’t need to load them down just to prove a point.
We’ve even had the kids share a backpack and take turns carrying it. Interestingly, the novelty of wearing the backpack tends to disappear after a while. Then handing it to the next kid somehow makes it exciting again.
Give them age-appropriate responsibility and let them grow into it.
Make Nature The Entertainment
You don’t need to pack a backpack full of toys to keep kids interested on a trail.
Nature already provides plenty to do.
Look for wildlife.
Identify trees.
Listen for different bird calls.
Search for interesting rocks.
Look for animal tracks.
Count bridges.
Find the biggest tree.
Look for mushrooms.
Take photos.
Ask questions.
Let them climb where it is safe.
One thing our kids have loved is taking photos with a small point-and-shoot camera. They get to document what catches their attention, and later we can look through the photos together and figure out what they saw.
It’s also a great reminder that kids don’t have to experience nature passively.
Let them participate in it.
Bathroom Breaks And Pack-Out Rules
Eventually, someone is going to need the bathroom.
If there isn’t a washroom on the trail, know ahead of time what the expectations are for that particular area and come prepared.
And whatever you bring onto the trail needs to come back out with you.
That includes garbage, food wrappers and toilet paper.
With babies and toddlers, bring enough diapers and wipes for the outing, plus a way to pack out anything that needs to come home with you.
We have always believed in the simple rule:
Pack it in. Pack it out.
Beautiful trails stay beautiful because hikers take responsibility for what they bring with them.
What To Bring Hiking With Kids
You don’t need to bring your entire house with you, but there are a few things we never want to be without.
A basic hiking pack for our family usually includes:
- Plenty of water
- Snacks
- A first aid kit
- Sunscreen
- Extra layers
- Weather-appropriate clothing
- Diapers and wipes for little ones
- A bag for garbage and anything that needs to be packed out
- Whistles
- A flashlight or headlamp
- Any medications your family may need
- A fully charged phone
- Navigation tools or a downloaded map
- Extra food and water for unexpected delays
The younger the kids, the more likely you are to carry the majority of this yourself.
That’s just part of the deal.
As they get older, you can gradually transfer some of that responsibility to them.
Don’t Forget The Shoes
Good footwear can make a surprisingly big difference.
Nothing slows down a family hike quite like a kid stopping every few minutes because there is a pebble in their shoe.
Choose footwear appropriate for the trail and weather rather than worrying about having the “perfect” hiking shoe.
If you’re hiking somewhere with water, water-friendly footwear can be useful. If you’re heading into rougher terrain, make sure the kids have shoes that provide enough support and protection.
And always consider the trail you’re actually hiking rather than buying gear simply because it is marketed for hiking.
Water And Hydration
Kids can get caught up in exploring and forget to drink.
Make regular water breaks part of the hike, especially on warm days or when you’re gaining elevation.
As kids get older, hydration becomes another piece of responsibility they can start managing themselves.
We eventually want our kids to understand how much water they need, when they need to drink and how their bodies feel when they are getting dehydrated.
Those are skills that go far beyond a family hike.
Safety Comes First
We love adventure, but there is no view worth putting your family at unnecessary risk for.
Before heading out, know what kind of trail you’re taking on. Check the weather and trail conditions. Understand the distance and elevation gain. Know whether there is cell service. Tell someone where you’re going when appropriate.
And don’t assume that because a trail is popular, it is automatically easy or safe for your particular family.
Kids need boundaries outdoors.
When they’re little, that might mean staying right beside you. As they become more capable, it might mean staying within sight or following specific trail rules.
Those boundaries will change as their skills change.
That’s the point.
The goal is not to keep them dependent on you forever. It’s to teach them how to eventually be capable without you.
Hiking Gets Better As They Grow
One of the best parts of hiking as a family is watching how much changes over time.
The baby who used to sleep in the carrier eventually becomes the toddler who refuses to stop climbing rocks.
The toddler who needed constant breaks eventually starts asking how much farther until the summit.
The kid who once thought a particular trail was impossibly hard eventually looks back and realizes they did it.
And then one day, they’re carrying their own water, helping navigate and pushing themselves up a trail you never would have imagined tackling together years earlier.
That’s why we keep going.
Not because every hike is easy.
Not because the kids always want to go.
And definitely not because nobody complains.
We hike because outside is where they learn that they are capable of more than they thought.
Start with the trail that’s right for your family today.
Let them get dirty.
Let them struggle.
Let them stop and explore.
Teach them the skills they need to stay safe.
And then, little by little, see what they’re capable of next.
Because those little legs don’t stay little forever.