When 5-year-old Ansel was born, he came two months early and was just over 3 lbs. We were nervous because he was so small, but we were also eager to get out of the house. We waited until he was about 4 months old to head outside. For our first outing, we went to Yosemite National Park and got him his first mile hike in. We played it pretty easy that first time and hiked to Mirror Lake and back....
It's important we Leave No Trace when exploring outside, which can be hard when hiking with toddlers and children. This video walks you through having a successful hike with little ones who might have a hard time not picking up rocks and flowers or leaving their new favorite stick behind.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
When planning your outdoor adventure, have your child research the weather forecast an...
If you love to hike but run short on ideas when the snow starts to fly, here are some great ways to enjoy the winter with your entire family. And if you need a few good reasons why you should brave the winter cold to go outside and play, here’s some motivation.
1. Some basic outdoor winter fun ideas include going on a scavenger hunt, building a good old-fashioned snowman, or a snow fort. You c...
“And Into The Forest I Go, To Lose My Mind And Find My Soul” ~ John Muir
Camping with kids can sometimes feel like we are losing our minds! Although, I’m sure when John Muir originally wrote this he was not referencing parenthood, but rather a more sophisticated scene where one can tune out and find new perspective.
Either way the quote is fitting. Camping with kids in a tent, in a car, with ...
This year, Dec. 21, not only marks the first day of winter, but also the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. While those long hours of darkness can make us want to take after the bears and hibernate inside until spring, we have another suggestion for you: Get outside and enjoy it!
Need some ideas? We've compiled a list of fun ways to take advantage of the long nights of win...
As we head into winter and have the added challenge of trying to stay warm, one of the most common questions we get is, “How do I dress my family for outdoor adventures in the cold, and what other gear do we need?” While the answer depends largely on where you live, we have compiled some helpful tips, gear suggestions and links to past blogs so that you have all the information you need for ge...
Between the mild, mainly sunny climate and the close proximity to the scenic Front Range Rocky Mountain landscape, Colorado Springs is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. There are over 350 miles of scenic trails throughout the city, ranging from short and easy to very challenging. It's no wonder that tourists come from around the world, starting around the time of the Air Force Academy graduatio...
“Go outside, you need the fresh air!” I can’t count the number of times one or both of my parents would yell that phrase to me and my older brother while growing up. It was the norm for us to explore near the creek or trails behind our house, play flashlight tag with the neighborhood kids or just generally be outside whenever possible. At the time, this was fairly common for families in our are...
A year ago, Hike it Baby launched the 10,000 Women Trail Project, an initiative funded by REI's Force of Nature Grant, in an effort to get more girls and women on trail all across North America. The project offered an opportunity for women to encourage and bring other women and girls to get outside and spend more time in nature.
100 Trailblazers signed on to help get the project started and ke...
This summer, due to various circumstances, we decided to become a one-car family, temporarily, from early summer until fall. We live in Portland so it's an easy transition. Luckily, the roads have special bike lanes and whole streets are dedicated to only bikes. While I know this isn’t the case everywhere, we see this trend growing – especially electric bikes. Many cities are embracing biking a...
