Hiking/backpacking the AT with children

imported
#1

Although our children are far too young right now (6 weeks) my wife and I are looking forward to hiking with them from a pretty young age. My grandparents began taking me when I was about 2, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate them for that.

We’re daydreaming about doing the AT with our twin boys someday. We are both teachers, so we have the summers off. I think we’d be doing it in one to four week stretches.

Does anyone on here have experience backpacking the AT or other significant trails for multiple weeks with children? Have you seen any resources?

We’re trying to imagine at what age they would be ready. With proper training, gradually increasing the length and intensity of hikes, does age eight seem about right?

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

teach

#2

Cindy Ross has a book about backpacking with children. She and her husband hiked the Continental Divide Trail in sections, starting when the kids were about 2. (They used llamas on the CDT, but did a lot of hiking in PA where they lived as well.)

There are many families who have hiked the AT, some with children who were quite young. Some children take to backpacking, some remember it as total misery. I read about one man who had hiked the AT with his parents at 8 or so who hated what his parents forced him to do. It was their dream, not his. OTOH, a father and 10 year old daughter thruhiked the PCT a couple of years ago. They have a book coming out this month called “Zero Days”. It may be helpful.

There is also a “backpacking with children” section on the Backpacker.com forum.

Ginny

#3

AT 06 Anchor, Troll, Oblivious = Mom, Dad, Son most entrys by Anchor son was 10+ but did the whole trail and then Troll & Oblivious did PCT this year entrys by Troll less info about hiking with the son both good reads.

Zirk

#4

Thanks for the replies. Keep them coming!

teach

#5

Plan short mileage and interesting side events. my kids loved watching birds building nests and feeding young , baby animals, plants and even ants. Beetles seem to be exciting too. You will see more with kids with you. Mine are all grown up I envy you. :happy :happy

cowboy

#6

I started hiking with my boys when they were ages 5 and 10. When they are younger than 10 I think the most important thing is to hike at kid pace. I would let my youngest stop whenever he wanted to “look at this mom”. The second most important thing is to make sure you pack them light. A good weight is no more than 15% of their ideal body weight for age. Once they are teenagers you can increase that percentage to 25%. My youngest is now almost 14 and he still loves to go hiking with me. The biggest plus to bringing him along is that he will always spot interesting things that I would otherwise have missed.

SC

Stick Chick

#7

My parents first started taking me backpacking when I was 9, we did a few weekend trips, but nothing too long. I never really got into it; but i suppose as a slightly overweight awkward kid backpacking wasn’t really my forte. They kept trying and each summer we went on progressively longer hiker and i definitely grew to love it. Because they introduced it to me when i was younger it slowly became part of my life (whether i wanted it to or not). Now im thankful that they introduced backpacking to me because its my favorite thing to do. I thru-hiked the LT NOBO '06 by myself and it was the best experience of my life and i continue to hike in any spare time i have. Definitely don’t hesitate to get your kids out on the trail early! if anything, i wish my parents had gotten me out on the trails earlier!

O and making a base camp and doing little hikes from the same spot for a few days is also a great way to get started with little kids. :slight_smile:

Ivory

#8

Mic and Jerrianne Lowther thru-hiked the AT with their daughter Kyra who was 10. Mic wrote Walking North published in hardcover 1990 (only 34 copies!) and in paperback 2001, Elton-Wolf Publishing of Seattle. Originally from Minnesota he now (2001) 'teaches fire safety to children all over Alaska."

I do not think it makes any difference at what age you start backpacking with your children. They will either like it or not. My parents did not start me, summer camp did. My own kids started at 10 and under, I have introduced teenagers and younger to backpacking by organizing weekend hikes from school. I got other teachers to join me. Sometimes we just had 4, other times 8-10. We started with day trips, camping at a base. Take them anywhere near water, pond or stream and you will not have to think up anything to entertain them. We also had touch football games, or ultimate frisebee games at the end of our hikes. Canoe trips are fun, too. Remember, the camping is probably more fun for them than the hiking. My favorite quote overheard when answering a parent’s question about the trip: “We had a great time except for all that paddling.” My three kids are in their twenties and they will still hike with me. One daughter is joining me for an end-to-end of the JMT next summer. She taught me about tarp camping. My son works for a nationally know company that sells outdoor gear over the internet. On a good “powder day”, (Utah), his boss makes them all take a day off to go skiing. The first time he reached a summit, he was in my backpack! In short, start them whenever you can. My kids still remember some of their earliest hikes.

rambler

#9

I started hiking with my son when he was two,when he was 5 we started doing ten day trips evry fall.This contiued until he was a teenager.He is now two days from completing a southbound thru hike,I guess it stuck.

Farsang’s Dad

#10

I hear the AT is swarming with pedos. every shelter comes with a community jar of vasoline.

Billy Rain