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You’re resourceful. You know how to find trails for yourself and your adult hiking partners for whatever suits your mood. But finding a trail suitable for kids—especially of different ages and abilities—is a different story.
You may be motivated to summit a peak or reach a high alpine lake. But your kiddo? Not so much. “Most kids are not going to be psyched about a hot, uphill slog, for instance” says Dennis Lewon, former Backpacker editor-in-Chief and current director of content for Outside. “That’s an acquired taste. Check the trail stats and understand that a 3-mile trail with 2,000 feet elevation gain is still hard, even though it’s just 3 miles.”
“The more important thing is knowing how to read trail details, understanding the terrain, the elevation changes, and so on,” says Lewon.
Babies and Toddlers
Find trail bliss with expert advice from Hike It Baby’s Jessica Carillo Allatore. Read the full article.
Elementary School-Aged Kids
Choose the right challenge with expert advice from Family Channel editor, Lisa Jhung. Read the full article.
Pre-Teens and Teens
Get your teens psyched on hiking with expert advice from former Backpacker Editor-in-Chief Dennis Lewon. Read the full article.
From 2025