Backpacking with Kids

By Jen Aist

Your Challenge: Take your kids backpacking for a few days and nights.

Who’s Done It:

Kelly Silva Fine  | Bass Lake, CA

We took our daughter for her first backpacking trip when she was 4. She didn’t carry anything, and I hiked ahead leaving little animal toys on the trail. I would signal my hubby when I put one down so he would go extra slow and make sure my daughter found the toy. It turned into a fun treasure hunt and kept her going!

Shawna Andreasen  | Glen Ferry, ID

We took our sons, ages 7 and 9, on their first backpacking trip to Utah. Kronk, the 7-year-old, carried 14 lbs. in his pack; Doober is 9 and carried 24 lbs. Some gear eventually got transferred to dad’s pack to lighten their load. We set up a camp and then did daypack hikes to get more mileage and enjoy great views. We were probably a bit too zealous and picked a trail with too much elevation gain for the kids, at least for the weight they were carrying. But for a first-time trip, they had a lot of fun. One lesson that came out of the trip: Get dad a pack goat for Father’s Day.

Mapping Out the Perfect Trip

From newborns on up, kids of all ages can go backpacking. You just have to consider different distances, total days, locations, personalities, and patience with each age. Here are some recommendations to help you plan your first or, better yet, next trip.

“Backpacking is the art of knowing what not to take.”  —Sheridan Anderson, Sharon Von Mabel’s Backpacking

Age group: 0–1 year

Terrain: Anything goes if you are packing the baby. It’s more about considering if you can handle varying terrain with the added weight and, of course, your baby’s temperament.
Trail distance/length of trip: Factor in more breaks while hiking to feed/change diapers. If you used to do 10-mile days, try 7 miles to start out. 1–2 nights is a perfect length.
Max. pack weight for the child: -

Age group:1–6 years

Terrain: Pick a trail with interesting things to look at along the way without much elevation gain. Bridges, beaver dams, and berry bushes all hold lots of excitement. Watch out for narrow trails along cliffs or raging rivers. Smooth trails pose fewer tripping hazards. Avoid river
Trail distance/length of trip: 3 miles/day is about max for most kids. 2 nights is enough for the younger kids. Consider hiking out one day and staying a couple nights in one campsite.
Max. pack weight for the child: 5–10 lbs.

Age group: 6–12 years

Terrain: These kids are ready for a challenge, but they can wear out quickly. Avoid major elevation gain—500 ft. total is a good start. Look for campsites with something fun to do, such as a lake to swim in.
Trail distance/length of trip: 5–7 miles/day. 3–4 nights.
Max. pack weight for the child: 10–15 lbs.

Age group: 12–18 years

Terrain: Bring it on! 40+ mile multi-day trips are no problem. Loops or through-hikes are more popular than in/out trails.
Trail distance/length of trip: 7–12 miles/day. 3–7 nights, longer for more experienced kids.
Max. pack weight for the child: 15–40 lbs.

Tips

From moms who know:

1. Ask questions. Talk with other parents who have already hiked the trail. Local information is always the best.
2. Involve kids in the planning. Let them know just what to expect on the trip.
3. Don’t overdo it. Better to come home wanting more than to drag your kids mid-meltdown back to the car.

Slumber in the Wild

When you’re away from the comforts of home and regular beds, getting a good night’s sleep in the wild can be a challenge for kids—and adults, too. Here are some tips to help everyone catch some good ZZZs.

Infants: Babies can fit snugly in your adult sleeping bag with a Sweetie Pie Bag Doubler or Expander from Functional Designs ($49–$59; functionaldesign.net). Not a co-sleeper? Consider the Peapod Lite from Kidco. It’s a mini tent weighing just 1.4 lbs. that will fit into your tent and provide babes their own sleeping space ($39.95; kidco.com). An insulated snowsuit will also work great as a sleeping bag.

Toddlers/Preschoolers: Youth sleeping bags are all about 5 feet long—too long for young kids. So use a belt or a strip of webbing to tie off the bag at your child’s height. This will prevent them from getting lost in the bottom of the bag and keep them warmer at night. Buy a synthetic bag, not down. Chances are high of the bag getting wet from water bottles or potty accidents. Down offers no insulation when wet and takes time to dry. Sierra Design’s Dragonfly 20 sports many kid-friendly features such as fun fabric, a built-in pillow, pockets for special things, and a stuff sack that never gets lost ($99.95; sierradesigns.net).

School-Age Kids: If you’re buying a sleeping bag for the first time, consider an adult bag to get more use out of it. The Ultralamina 32 from Mountain Hardwear is good choice for damp and chilly environments. At just 1 lb., 15 oz. for the long version, it won’t break your kid’s back to carry ($200; mountainhardwear.com).

Tips From moms who know:

1.Keep your routines. Toddlers are very sensitive to their routines, so keep routines going even when you are camping. Look at your home bedtime routine and see how you can modify it in the field. For example, if you read a book before bed at home, do it in the tent too. If you use a white noise machine at home, download a white noise app for your iPod and play it in the tent.

2.Set yourself up for success at night. A hungry toddler is generally unpleasant to be around. Fill them up! Daytime naps are critical to a good night’s sleep. Don’t skip them!

3.When it all falls apart. Worst-case scenario, the kid screams all night. Most parents have survived nights like that at home, and they will survive nights like that in the woods. You can always pack it up and go home. Some kids only sleep well at home—others do fine anywhere.

What’s On the Menu?

Food will make or break your trip, so don’t skimp on meal planning. Bring along more tasty snacks than you think you will need. Try out recipes at home to make sure your crew will eat it. Freeze-dried meals are expensive and heavy on sodium, and most kids don’t like them very much. Check out the grid below for a sample menu.

Just for Babies: If you are formula feeding, consider bringing along all water from home for mixing formula to ensure a safe water supply. Breastfeeding moms are good to go. Or try organic dehydrated baby food for the trail from a company like Miles Outside Organic (milesoutsideorganic.com).

Day 1

Breakfast: Oatmeal with cinnamon, butter, chopped fruit leather, brown sugar, and almonds (mix at home and put in Ziploc bags).
Lunch: Tortilla roll-ups with cream cheese or peanut butter and fruit roll-ups (less messy than bringing jelly).
Dinner: Pesto pasta with parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and pine nuts.

Day 2

Breakfast: Whole wheat pancakes with fresh-picked berries or dried fruit stirred in the batter.
Lunch: Hummus on multi-grain crackers. Store crackers in a water bottle to keep from crumbling.
Dinner: Chicken and rice soup. Use the rice that comes already cooked to save time, fuel, and water.

Day 3

Breakfast: Cream of wheat cereal with almonds and maple syrup.
Lunch: Bagels with melted pepper jack cheese. You must use a nonstick pan to make these.
Dinner: Chicken quesadillas with dried bell peppers and grilled onions.

Snacks: Lara bars, LUNA bars, Salty trail mix, Dry cereal

Drinks: Hot cider, Hot chocolate with butter, Hot Emergen C