Hiking is one of my favorite family adventures!
I think it’s a great way to bond outside of your home and spend time outdoors together.
However, hiking can be more time-consuming than we expect; so, to help make your adventure a little less hectic, I have put together some of our hiking essentials.
Plus, let’s be honest, it’s 100% free! (Unless of course you need to purchase a few essentials!) But for the most part, you can ransack your cabinets and prepare for a fun-filled day.
Tip #1: Make your family’s hike as seamless as possible:
Plan your trip before you go – I have a hard time with this, because I am SO impulsive! Don’t ruin your own trip by getting lost or changing destinations during your drive, find a spot and stick to it!
Decide what time you should leave; we usually leave early in the morning to beat traffic and the summer heat.
Verify the trails level of difficulty, as certain terrain is just not going to work for a family hike!
Find the parking areas, before you leave the house, so that you a prepared if you have to walk further to get to and from your vehicle! There is no easier way to ruin your own hiking trip, by not realizing you will have to park on the side of a road, at a turn off, etc.
Make yourself aware of the Cautions of the trail (wildlife, poisonous flowers, water, etc.)
Eat a good and filling breakfast.
Tip #2 - Pack healthy, easy to clean-up-after snacks
Water, and lots of it!
Beef jerky (preferably one big bag to avoid extra trash)
Granola (either clusters or bars, I prefer the cluster bag, so we don’t have much trash)
Peanuts
Bananas (for the kids because yuck)
Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches or any kind of sandwiches
Gatorade
Tip #3 - Be Prepared!
Wear good shoes and socks that are comfortable
Bring a flashlight or a battery pack to use your phone’s flashlight
Wear and bring extra Sunscreen
First aid kit - tweezers, liquid bandages, etc.
Extra change of clothes (I leave in car)
Blanket for emergencies (I leave in car)
Eye drops
Backpack
Water bottles
Extra water and drinks in the car
Allergy medication (I usually bring liquid Benadryl so that it can kick in asap if we have any allergic reactions while we are out)
Comfortable clothing
Bring a light jacket
Take your time
Follow the trail!
Take photos of landmarks so you don’t get lost
Enjoy the sounds of nature (usually pretty hard when all four of my kids are talking at once, but ya know, try to enjoy the sounds LOL)
Talk to your kids about being safe! (my 11 year old son loves to run down the trails, jump on and off boulders, etc! this is great, but breaking a bone in the middle of nowhere, not so much!)
Hand sanitizer
Sun glasses
Most importantly! Don't forget to take photos for those memories!
Remember that most of this stuff can stay in the car, but I would suggest one person carrying a backpack with a few of the essentials, for easy access! My husband or I usually carry a small backpack with extra water, the first aid kit, eye drops and hand sanitizer! I hope this helps motivate you to go on a family hike soon!!!
Please feel free to share your favorite hiking spots, essentials and more!!
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