Hiking with a Toddler: A complete guide

Hiking with a toddler comes with its own set of challenges and joys. I’ve been hiking regularly with my son since he was an infant, and in my opinion hiking with a toddler is definitely more challenging than hiking with a less mobile baby.  I’m a mom who has hiked both with others and solo with my toddler multiple times per month, and here are some of my best tips on how you can better enjoy hiking with a toddler. Learn about what to bring, how to plan a toddler hike, advice for toddler hiking, and more.

How to plan for your toddler hiking adventure

Choosing a toddler-friendly trail

Hiking with a toddler means you will probably want to be selective about what trails you’ll be taking (you may not want to take your toddler up an exposed 10 mile trail with volcanic ash, for example). What you are comfortable with can and will vary depending on your own physical strength, your confidence, and your toddler’s personality. I like to use AllTrails and Washington Trails Association to help me find trails. Some things I like to think about are the following:

• Is the trail length reasonable? Generally speaking 8 miles is about as far as I will go with a toddler while hiking. This is for two reasons. First, my toddler will only put up with being in a carrier for so long. I don’t want to spend so long on the trail with him that he gets super cranky. Second, I’m only so strong. It does become type 2 fun at some point if your shoulders and and thighs are burning up. I recommend 3-5 miles as the sweet spot for toddler hikes.
• Are there areas my toddler can run around and play? The trail should not be sharp drop offs the entire hike; I prefer trails that have areas where he can safely play and run around.

 

• Fun destinations are a serious perk: arriving at a lake in the summer, or somewhere with water to play in, makes the day a lot better for everyone. Mountain passes and peaks are beautiful and probably my personal favorites, but lakes are better for kids’ enjoyment.

 

• Distance to the trailhead. How far are you willing to drive with your toddler to do a day hike? For us, the limit is 2 hours for a day hike. If we want to hike in farther destinations, we will camp. Between four hours in the car and the time in the hiking backpack, it’s already a lot.
• Your own strength and elevation gain. Definitely be sure to check the elevation gain alongside the distance of the trail, because climbing uphill with a 40-pound pack is a serious challenge. You want to be sure you can actually tackle whatever trail you pick! We generally limit elevation gain to about 2,000 feet, because that’s about as hard as I want to work.

• Make sure someone knows where you are going, especially if you’re headed out solo with your toddler.

Hiking with a toddler gear

There are certainly some things that are more essential than others, but here’s my must have list for hiking with a toddler gear. You will want to be prepared for success on the trail with the appropriate gear for your hike.

• A high quality kid carrier: I have the Deuter Kid Comfort and love it. I also have heard great things about the Osprey Poco and would like to try it someday. This is the most valuable piece of gear I own; I could not hike with my toddler without it! Get yours here.

 

• Soft sided carrier: I bring a soft carrier on short trails (generally 1-2 miles) when I know my toddler will likely want to walk as much as he’s allowed to walk. The carrier is in case he gets tired or to keep him safe if there are drop offs. It’s nice to not have to lug around a big carrier for small hikes like this.

 

• Hiking poles: If you aren’t already using them, you will want to. Hiking poles help so much with balance, which is critical when you’re carrying a lot of extra weight.
• Sturdy hiking boots: I prefer the stability of a boot when hiking with my toddler instead of a hiking shoe. I recently got these award-winning boots and am loving them.
• Water reservoir: You will not want to have to stop and remove a water bottle from your backpack every time you want a drink. Definitely get a water reservoir.
• Sun hat for you, and sun hat for your toddler. Super important when there is sun!
• Toddler sunglasses: I’ll be honest, we are still working on getting our son to keep these on, but I am hopeful that as he gets older it will get easier!
• Toddler hiking shoes: Our son absolutely loves his hiking shoes and when given the choice generally picks these over any other pair of shoes, even for day to day activities. They fit really well and are comfortable for him. I will be getting him the next size up in these.

 

• Toddler hiking clothing: I love keeping him in lightweight wool in the summer, but I also use things like this toddler playsuit and pair them with a toddler sun hoodie. In cooler weather, we start with a base layer (either synthetic like this top and bottom, or wool). Wool socks are always a good idea. A fleece set is perfect for a mid layer and if it’s really cold you can add a down jacket or down bunting for up to 24 months.

 

• If it’s wet, I always pack my toddler rain suit and rain boots so my son can still get out and play without getting wet.
• Plenty of snacks and a snack container: Toddler parents know that toddlers like to hold their own food, so I always bring a snack container my son can hold onto.
• A headlamp in case you get caught in low light conditions.
• Water filtration option in case you need more water than you packed (check before you hike to see if there is water on your chosen trail!)
• Emergency bivy. Super lightweight and affordable, great for peace of mind.
• Bear spray. I like to bring this even when hiking in areas with low bear risk in case we encounter other unfriendly beasts.
• A personal locator beacon. The Garmin Mini Inreach is the ultimate safety and peace of mind gear. It’s an investment, but could save your life. It allows for offline map downloads, satellite text messaging, and can send out an emergency signal for 24 hours in case you need a rescue. I got this especially for when I’m hiking with just my toddler.

On the trail while hiking with a toddler

Once you’ve planned your hike, it’s time to actually hike that trail! Here are my best pieces of advice for hiking with a toddler while you’re on the trail.

• Nap time: When possible, plan to drive to or from the trail during nap time if your car ride is longer. This will help enormously! If your drive is shorter, make sure your toddler is comfortable in their carrier for a trail time nap.

 

• Start off the trail with a happy tummy. I like to offer a hearty snack right before we set out.

 

• Let them hike: As tempting as it can be to keep your toddler in the kid carrier pack so you can cover ground more quickly, it’s essential to give your toddler plenty of time outside of the pack to walk and play. Not only will they have a lot more fun this way, they’ll also start to learn how to hike on their own, forming the foundation for strong hiking legs a couple years in the future. I usually let my son hike from the beginning of the trail until he gets tired, unless it’s an unsafe area, and I also let him hike at the halfway point/turn around point when it’s safe to do so.

 

• Bring more water and snacks than you think you need: We have had situations where I wish I had brought more water (and I have a 2.5 L hydration pack) and more food. With a toddler, more snacks is always a good idea. Some snacks I like to bring for him are peanut butter sandwiches, puffs, canned chili beans, blueberries, apples, goldfish, and fruit and veggie pouches.

 

• Play with your toddler: Toddlers can get bored just sitting in a hiking pack. I often sing to my son, or offer him little trail treasures like rocks, sticks, or leaves to hold or play with. When he’s out of the pack, I encourage him and challenge him (“Can you climb up those stairs?!”) and also let him do some exploring and pausing.

 

• Let your toddler down for the challenging part of the trail: It may sound counter-intuitive to some, but my son actually tends to be more engaged when the trail is more difficult. He likes to scramble over roots and rocks, or climb big staircases. It’s more intriguing to him than a flat forest path, so when safe, I let him out of the pack for these types of areas.

 

• Let them get dirty. I don’t love seeing my kid covered in dust, but I also don’t want to restrict him too much and he likes getting down in the dirt to play. I just bring a change of clothes in case the dirt or mud gets to be too much.

 

• Prepare with rewards when necessary. We try not to give our son too much sugar, but we do have lollipops as a last resort motivator when he starts to get cranky and nothing else is working.
• Combine a hike with park time or a bike ride: One of my favorite ways to make sure my son has a good day is to take him to a park or on a bike ride. Especially if your little one is in a hiking carrier for a good chunk of the day, taking them to do something just for them feels really nice. When we go camping I always have my toddler ride his bike in the morning before the hike and in the evening after the hike, because it’s active and he loves it.

 

• Lower your expectations. Toddlers are unpredictable. You may have some trail meltdowns. You may not be able to spend as much time at your destination as you wanted to.You may be sore from carrying all the extra weight and near tears by the time you make it back to your car (not speaking from personal experience or anything…). You will likely get home and need to take care of business while exhausted, and your toddler is still probably full of energy. Knowing there will likely be bumps along the way will make your time hiking with a toddler more pleasant! Try to be flexible and go with the flow.
• Remember that hiking with a toddler is a long game. Some days you may be marveling at the beautiful of an alpine like while dipping your toes in with your joyful toddler. Other days you may be caked in dirt and sweat and have a cranky little one for a two hour drive home. Keeping the perspective that developing a love of the outdoors is a long game is a good motivator to keep trying even when things don’t go as well as you’d hoped.

Final thoughts

I’ve taken countless hikes with my toddler at this point, and have no plans to stop anytime soon. Hiking with a toddler requires more preparation and patience than hiking solo, but I feel so good knowing that I’m helping my son develop a deep joy in the outdoors. In taking my toddler hiking, I am hopeful that I am planting the seeds for lifelong love of nature.

 

Do you have any questions about hiking with a toddler? Let me know in the comments or connect with me on Instagram @elizabethseeks!

Did you know I also have a guide on hiking with a baby? Read the guide here!