The Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid: The Winning 25

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I'm disappointed nothing in Utah was listed. And not from the "I live there and think its the best" point of view. Within 30 minutes of anywhere in the Salt Lake valley you have access to thousands of miles of hiking, mountain biking, off-roading, hunting, 3 blue ribbon trout streams, 5-6 world class ski resorts. Expand your area to a 4-5 hour drive and you've got Moab, Yellowstone, Zions, Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, Slot Canyons, Desert, Salmon River ID, Wind Rivers, Green River(arguably the best fly fishing river in the world) you name it. SLC SHOULD have been in your top 5.

I'm a high school student living in Upstate New York, near Glens Falls. I found it funny that this town is on the list because I was researching colleges and Burlington, VT and Boulder, CO are big places of interests for me. I think because I live in this type of surrounding that I am more attracted to living around here.

Um, nice list but some of us are not dot-com millionaires.

I live in Wheeling, WV and am very happy to see us on this list! We have 4 children - cost of living here accomodates larger families (jobs don't earn as much, but housing etc is a LOT less than the rest of the country, and jobs aren't extinct) The outdoor space is BEAUTIFUL, although many don't take advantage of it (hence the high #'s of obesity in adults in children) I SEE THE TREND CHANGING! Am involved in community work to get people walking/biking - and there is quite an enthusiastic "movement". Working to connect the last 6 miles of trail to the Allegheny - and we'll have the longest continuous trail in the country. Public schools are ok, and are trying to improve - academics as well as healthy communities. LOTS of great programming for kids through the parks, and opportunities galore for lower income folks. West Virginia University is only an hour away (Pittsburgh too) so healthcare and research are improving, ongoing, and accessible.

Park City is beautiful, but real estate is incredibly expensive and employment is scarce.

We were thrilled to see Durango make the list. It is also a great place for students looking to get a degree in Adventure Education at Fort Lewis College. If you would like to learn more about it visit their website http://explore.fortlewis.edu/adventureed/index.asp

I live in Utah and am very surprised that Utah did not make this list in any way! I also live in Juneau, Ak for the summers and can't say that it is that great. Most of the local people I know from there are not the outdoor type at all!!! The people that do most of the hiking and playing are visitors, except maybe in the winter. It is a town of drugs, drinking and sex!
Utah on the other hand has so much more to offer. Park City is amazing, but even Salt Lake City is a great place to raise on outdoor kid!!!

Matt, that's the median home price not avg income.

Just FYI: the average income in Wheeling is closer to around $30,000. I don't know anyone who lives in Wheeling that earns $80,000 unless they live in 'Wheeling'...areas around Oblebay and Wheeling Jesuit.

I live in Franklin, NC, in Macon county, about an hour west of Asheville and, depending on the route you take, about 45 - 60 minutes from Brevard. The Appalachian Trail runs right through Macon county. (Franklin is one of the first few resupply stops for most north bound AT thru-hikers and a regular "town day" location.) Macon county is loaded with hiking trails, including the AT and the Bartram Trail, and has 10 peaks over 5,000 ft. The Great Smokies are also less than an hour away, entering through Cherokee, NC or Bryson City, NC. There are plenty of camping, fishing and white water activities near by. It is within 45 minutes of the Nantahala river for rafting, an hour from the Chattooga and about two hours from the Occoee. Franklin is located 2-2.5 hours north of Atlanta, and just under an hour to some decent skiing and snowboarding in the winter (Cataloochee in Maggie Valley) (The Boone/Banner Elk ski areas are about 3 hours away) and yet our year round climate is on the mild side. Although we do usually see a little snow in the winter, the coldest temps only last a day or two at a time. Our usual winter highs are in the 40s to low 50s with some days in the upper 60s. Summers typically see highs in the low 80s with a few days creeping up into the 90s. Housing can run the gamut depending on where you look, but most family type housing will run from $175,000 to $250,000 with some lower and some higher. There are theaters, golf courses, great restaurants, a family fun center with games, go-carts, lazer tag and bowling and a brand new fine arts center with weekly events including big name concerts, local theater troup productions and comedy nights. Franklin in also only about 40 minutes from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC.
All in all...a great place to live!

I live in Franklin, NC, in Macon county, about an hour west of Asheville and, depending on the route you take, about 45 - 60 minutes from Brevard. The Appalachian Trail runs right through Macon county. (Franklin is one of the first few resupply stops for most north bound AT thru-hikers and a regular "town day" location.) Macon county is loaded with hiking trails, including the AT and the Bartram Trail, and has 10 peaks over 5,000 ft. The Great Smokies are also less than an hour away, entering through Cherokee, NC or Bryson City, NC. There are plenty of camping, fishing and white water activities near by. It is within 45 minutes of the Nantahala river for rafting, an hour from the Chattooga and about two hours from the Occoee. Franklin is located 2-2.5 hours north of Atlanta, and just under an hour to some decent skiing and snowboarding in the winter (Cataloochee in Maggie Valley) (The Boone/Banner Elk ski areas are about 3 hours away) and yet our year round climate is on the mild side. Although we do usually see a little snow in the winter, the coldest temps only last a day or two at a time. Our usual winter highs are in the 40s to low 50s with some days in the upper 60s. Summers typically see highs in the low 80s with a few days creeping up into the 90s. Housing can run the gamut depending on where you look, but most family type housing will run from $175,000 to $250,000 with some lower and some higher. There are theaters, golf courses, great restaurants, a family fun center with games, go-carts, lazer tag and bowling and a brand new fine arts center with weekly events including big name concerts, local theater troup productions and comedy nights. Franklin in also only about 40 minutes from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC.
All in all...a great place to live!

Asheville is great! I have lived here over 15 yrs. There is so much to do around here. We have Bent Creek, Tsali and DuPont close by for awesome mtn. biking. Nantahala is a little over an hour away. GSM Nat. Park is close enough for a day trip. I was in the park just yesterday with my parents. It was their 55 wedding ann. They wanted to see Catalooche valley. We were on an easy trail just a few hundred yds. up the trail and came face to face with a big bull elk. We moved off the trail for him to pass. It was fantastic! The Green River Gorge is close by as well for some wicked fun kayaking. I recommend it 100%. Not to mention downtown Asheville is a great place to eat and unwind after a long day on the bike. My husband and I usually go to Barley's Tap Room for pizza and beer.

Gotta say that after 33 years in the Pacific Northwest, PARK CITY UTAH IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO RAISE OUTDOOR KIDS. 300 days of sunshine, 4 seasons, only a few hours Yellow Stone, Moab, Bryce Canyon, Zion or a few more hours to great Colorado adventures, Glacier, or The Grand Canyon. Plus top ranked schools in the nation. Kids have access to trying out all the winter olympic sports for free in 4th grade. 5th and 6th graders get a free pass to ski all 13 of Utah's ski resorts! Hundreds of miles of trails right out my door for hiking or biking and we can walk to the ski lift! My kids don't know how good they've got it!

Gotta say that after 33 years in the Pacific Northwest, PARK CITY UTAH IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO RAISE OUTDOOR KIDS. 300 days of sunshine, 4 seasons, only a few hours Yellow Stone, Moab, Bryce Canyon, Zion or a few more hours to great Colorado adventures, Glacier, or The Grand Canyon. Plus top ranked schools in the nation. Kids have access to trying out all the winter olympic sports for free in 4th grade. 5th and 6th graders get a free pass to ski all 13 of Utah's ski resorts! Hundreds of miles of trails right out my door for hiking or biking and we can walk to the ski lift! My kids don't know how good they've got it!

I am from the Jackson area and agree that it would be an excellent place to raise kids. However, the housing pricing is way outdated here as well. Let's keep in mind that the $495,000 price listed would barely get you a 20 year old 1000 sq foot condo. For those of us who want a little more space - we travel the mountain pass into Victor, Idaho. Many of the families enjoying Jackson Hole as their stomping grounds make Victor & Driggs, Idaho their home.

I live in Durango, and the cost of living in Durango is exorbitant! The data listed is outdated. Durango has a current population of 16,000 (with a many out-of-town vistors since it is a resort community), and the median house price today is $439,990. Good luck trying to find a house for less than $350,000. If you do, it will be very small, old and require a lot of repairs. It is a great place to raise outdoor kids if you come here with existing wealth. Durango has few employers, and in this economy the jobs are scarce. The jobs that have recently become available are not paying enough to live here. Do solid research before you make a decision to move to here. Many people move here and find within a year or two that they have to move out, because they can not afford to maintain a good standard of living here for their families. It's a great place to visit and backpack for a week or two but not to live here and try to maintain a good standard of living. As others have said about Juneau, Durango is expensive to fly in and out of and it is so remote that the closest big city is Albuquerque 3 1/2 hours drive away.

I was born & raised in Juneau & still live here. It is a great place live. There are always going to be pros & cons living anywhere. Drugs are everywhere in this world not just Juneau. We have had a awesome SUNNY summer here. The rain is nice & refreshing too. Lots of things to do like fishing, hunting, hiking team sports the list goes on. The lower 48 has nothing on
Alaska.

Yes, Juneau is wet and expensive, but where I lived in downtown Juneau, you could walk from those expensive homes straight to a network of hiking trails, ranging from easy to very difficult. Plus, there's kayaking and fishing in the summer and cross-country and downhill skiing in the winter, all very easy to get to.

As a resident of Lebanon, NH I'm happy to see it on the list. I love living here, but no place is perfect. Median home $190,000? I wish. For that price, expect to live in a trailer or a home that is old, small, and needs a lot of work. For a 3 bedroom house you'd actually want to live in, the price is more like $250,000. Also, daycare costs are astronomical, $1600 a month for ONE child at some places. Employment may be low, but it is also limited and the better places are very hard to get into. "Complaints" aside, living here really is great with all of the outdoor options so close and I can't imagine living anywhere else.

I'm looking for the outdoor life with my horse where a woman my age (70+) can continue to enjoy riding the trails living with low property taxes and near hospitals/large markets/repairman but still not living in the middle of high populations.

My husband and I just left Juneau after 20+ years. The cost of living is exorbitant, no fresh produce, the annual dividend oil check won't cover the difference in cost of living expense, housing is astronomical, even renting, and it rains over 200 days of the year. The weather is over time getting progressively worse. The school system is also poor and drug use is rampant even in middle school to the point where drug testing in the schools is now being considered. Add to this that you have to shop online for many things, and cannot drive out of there. Alaska Airlines has a monopoly. Expect to pay $550 or more for a round trip flight just to Seattle. Remember you can't drive out of there! I suggest visiting, yes, but that's about it.

I've lived in Boulder and grew up in Juneau... and now raise my eight-year-old in Juneau. I think they are both great places to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. Juneau is lacking when it comes to malls, stores, roads, entertainment and restaurants, but I don't miss the congestion in Colorado; there are just too many people in the "lower 48"!

What about Park City, UT???

Angela, How are the schools in you area? We have thought about NC.

I'm living in central NY, and am looking for a place to move my 2 children that has great outdoor adventures and great schools.

I live in Morganton, NC which is just a few miles from Asheville. I have to say it is one of the best places to raise kids. My kids are never bored because there is always something to do. We live in the foothills of the great Blue Ridge Mountains. There's plenty of hiking, camping, canoeing, bike trails, water activities galore, and in the winter there is sking, snow tubing....ect. ect. So how can a kid be bored? When we moved here 10 years ago I realized it was a going to be a great place to raise a family..and it has been!

I love Durango. I have an 8 year old that loves all the lakes, streams and rivers, mountains... but they didn't mention Purgatory, the ski area. The best powder and best kept secret in North America. Shuushh, don't tell anyone.

My only other problem with this list is that all but one is in a cold area. Not really any places in this list are in all around warmer areas. That doesn't give the person looking for a warmer year round enviroment many options.

I may have been born in NJ, but I have lived everywhere. I agree with the guy that said, "what about Bend, OR?" One of the best. Santa Cruz is great as well. Pretty much Northern Ca to WA is great for kids and any age. So much to do, and the people are great. Tahoe is another fantastic place, all year round.

I love love love Juneau, AK. I grew up there and now live in Durango, CO. I am planning on moving back to Juneau next September to expand my daughters outdoor life from wildlife, glaciers, hiking, snowboarding, icefields, ocean life, and great people. Such a great place to grow up, I couldn't have asked for more except maybe a bit more sun ;-)

Where is Bend, OR on this list?

Ugh, seriously, Colorado Springs? That place is a hell hole. I grew up there but would never go back. Religious fanatics, rednecks, blizzards for half the year and tornados for the other half. And don't even *think* about trying to grow a garden!

I totally agree with Oak Harbor being on the "NO" list...I grew up there, and yes it is beautiful...during all four weeks of nice weather! It is ALWAYS windy there, and there is nothing for kids to do in that town but get in trouble! You would think being on the beach and close to lakes and climbing there would be all kinds of clubs and activities, but the reality is there simply isn't. I moved off that island two days after I graduated high school and haven't regretted it a day since! Bottom line: nice to visit on a sunny day...

My kids are 3 and 6 and love all the outdoor activiities that I wish I had growing up in New Jersey. They love doing the camps put on by the MT Outdoor Science School (MOSS) that is mentioned in this article, and Bridger, our local ski mountain, is a great, safe place to learn skiing.

@Johann -- I've got to stand up for Seattle here. Traffic can get bad, but not that bad. I live in Fremont, ten minutes from downtown. Last Saturday I drove for 35 minutes and spent the day rock climbing. Last Sunday I rode my bike 30 miles on awesome paved trails that run two blocks down from my apartment. I just drove twenty minutes home after spending the evening wakeboarding after work. I can ride my bike for five minutes to multiple kayak rental places. The only time I've ever driven two hours for a hike is when it's two hours away, not because of traffic. There are so many options so close -- mountains, fresh water, salt water, islands, rain forest, bike and running trails. Oh, and every I know who works for Microsoft or Amazon or Google doesn't go into work until about 10am on an average day.

Bozeman is a great place to raise kids! We use the free Outdoor Recreation Guide at BozemanPassage.com to help us develop our nearly 2 year old son's outdoor portfolio!

Yeah Bozeman! But you missed the Main Street to the Mountains trail system which has grown to more than 50 miles in length, in town groomed Nordic skiing, and probably the cleanest air of any of the cities listed!

I would have to disagree with Seattle. Microsoft doesn't provide any points since they have their employees working so many hours, no one can enjoy the outdoors. And being close as the crow flies to great adventures doesn't mean you can actually get there and back with the horrible Seattle traffic. Sitting in traffic for 2 hours to get to a hike is not my idea of fun.

oops i meant students from other countries!

the popualation at 59,607 for rapid city, sd was from 2000. the estimated population now is around 65,000. and for a small midwest city. there is plenty of diversity there. the air force base is close by. and the sd school of mines has spme out of country students as well.

i lived in rapid city for the first 32 years of my life and miss it and the black hills very much! i never realized how spoiled i was till i moved away. i agree w/ marie. your son is so lucky.

I am raising an outdoors boy in Rapid City...It is an excellent place to raise children. There is so much to do indoors and outdoors. My son especially loves hunting!