The picture above was taken when our son, Squeaks, was fitted with his pack for the first time. It was also the point I knew that my dreams of sharing my love for the mountains through backpacking with him could be a reality.
And how hard could it be, right? I’ve hiked the entire John Muir Trail and much of the cross-country Sierra High Route. My gear list is dialed in. Gordon Ramsey himself ...
April is Month of the Military Child and celebrates all the kids growing up in military families. Many military installations will have events and parties all month long. For those of us living away from a base, things tend to be a little quieter this month, so Hike it Baby is our personal go-to for mini celebrations.
We all know that military children deal with deploying parents ... it's the ...
In our first part of this series, we discussed the backpacking basics with a baby on board. In Part 2, we will be getting knee-deep in gear. To the devoted backpackers, their gear list is the key to their heart. Simply asking avid outdoorsmen to see such a list is not something you do on the first date. That being said, by this point in our journey, I feel like we’ve gotten to know each o...
My son and I just got done hiking in the rain. I'm pulling cold, soggy socks off my 2-year-old in the car and trying to explain why he can’t wear his favorite red boots on the way home. They are wet, muddy and cold, but there is no reasoning with a toddler and he just keeps saying, “Boots. Red. Boots. Red.” We're sitting just inside my Subaru after a morning of hiking on part of the Ice Age Tra...
As children, our siblings had a role in helping mold us into who we are today. They made a big impact on our daily experiences and how we developed emotionally, mentally and socially. As we grew, they helped shape our worldview and how we reacted to our environment. And now as parents, we watch our own children repeat that beautiful pattern with each other.
Not only in the home have I watched ...
Daylight Saving and spring are officially here, and in most places, the snow is quickly being replaced with spring showers (even though we’re still digging out of the snow in Wisconsin!). With the promise of longer daylight, the days are filled with more possibility.
“Where are you? Hello? Come out, come out wherever you are!” I spend most mornings pacing my living room and kitchen repeating t...
Whether you’re new to hiking with your baby or toddler, or you’re looking for a new trail to explore, the Hike it Baby community is a valuable resource for finding family hiking trails around the country. In this article, we share three kid-friendly hikes in Texas to explore with babies and young children.
Hiking with young children (under 5 years old) is different from hiking with school-age ...
Walking deep into the mountains, along rivers to their origins in high alpine meadows where the land meets the sky, I look back and think about how backpacking has made a lasting impression on my life. Since the first time I stepped into the granite playgrounds of Yosemite 15 years ago, I promised my future self that I would share these “yahoo” moments with my kids from the moment t...
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...
If you're gearing up for April's Hike it Baby 30 Challenge or taking it up a notch with the unique HiB30 "Take it Outside Challenge," get some extra motivation with books! Reading these stories with your children and talking about the challenge before it officially begins is a great way to get little ones excited and outside this spring.
Sunset Hike by Dineo Dowd
Sunset Hike tells the story of ...
