Hiking with a baby or toddler is an excellent way to spend time together, to enjoy nature and slow down. It has so many benefits for both parents and children. Toddlers will love exploring every rock or bug on short toddler hikes. Babies will be content to see the world as they are snuggled up to mom or dad.
We really can’t stress enough what an incredible way to experience nature that hiking can offer. From the most incredible views to having space for toddlers to burn off some energy. When you stop for a snack break, give your baby a chance to crawl around and explore too. They’ll enjoy playing in the grass and feeling new textures.
Because our family feels strongly about getting out and enjoying nature (we’ve been hiking with our kids since they were 8 weeks old), we wanted to put together this comprehensive list of tips, advice, gear recommendations and hiking trails to help other families have similar experiences.
Not only have we been hiking with our kids since they were babies, we have hiked with them in some of the most incredible places around the world like when we spent a week hiking in Cinque Terre with toddlers, when we took a road trip around Norway finding incredible hikes and most recently, hiking to the Lost City in Colombia.
Whether you have been hiking most of your life or are just starting out hiking with a baby or toddler, we are sure you’ll find all the information you need here.
Resources for Hiking with a Baby or Toddler
- Resources for Hiking with a Baby or Toddler
- Hiking with a Baby
- Hiking with Toddlers
- Flying with a Hiking Baby Carrier
- Hiking Gear Recommendations
- Best Baby Carriers for Hiking with a Baby
- Best Hiking Backpack Carriers for Toddlers and Babies
- Best Toddler Hiking Gear
- Where to Hike with a Baby or Toddler
- Best Hikes with a Baby or Toddler in the USA
- Best Hikes with Toddlers or Babies Around the World
- Pin It For Later!
Resources for Hiking with a Baby or Toddler
What if you’ve never hiking with a baby or toddler? What if you haven’t done much hiking before kids?
In all honesty, hiking is just walking just a little more remote. The key is to be more prepared and choose the right trail. If you are planning to be out for longer periods of time, you’ll need to be prepared for the elements.
Hiking with toddlers or babies means you’ll need to be more prepared for not only yourself but with anything your baby or toddler might need throughout the day too.
The right trail will be the right distance and difficulty level for you and your family. It will depend on how much time you have and how comfortable you are carrying your baby or toddler while hiking.
This might sound like a lot, but after a few times it will be second nature. With a little preparation beforehand and the right gear, you’ll be ready to hit those trails.
If you are still feeling unsure, look for stroller friendly hikes. This is a great place to start and build your confidence getting out with your baby or toddler.
We also recommend starting small. Take walks around your neighborhood to make sure both you and your baby are comfortable.
For toddler hikes, start small and see how your toddler does. You can build from there once you see how your toddler does on the hiking trails.
If you are looking for recommendations for the best baby friendly hikes or hikes for toddlers, we have a list of some of the best hikes around the world.
While it’s easier to choose the right hiking trail for hiking with a baby, there is a little more up front preparation. You’ll need to plan out how many bottles to bring for formula fed babies and if your baby will nap while you hike.
You will also be carrying your baby the entire time, so both of you need to comfortable with the baby carrier you choose.
The one benefit is you will still be able to hike at a pace that works for you.
Young toddlers will still be happy to be carried for most of the hike, but they will want to see the world go by. WE also recommend bringing plenty of snacks to keep your little one happy.
As your toddler gets more confident on his feet, he’s going to want to walk more and more. This is when finding the right trails becomes more important.
For parents, hiking with toddlers does take a little more patience as your toddler will truly want to explore, but this is a time to slowdown and enjoy where you are at. Try not to worry if you make it to your destination.
If you are like us and want to continue to explore baby friendly and toddler friendly hikes around the world, we have put together comprehensive list of tips for flying with a hiking baby carrier. We weren’t sure how to travel with a baby hiking backpack, but found it to be pretty simple. Once we had tried it we actually preferred it for traveling with a baby or toddler.
Even in cities, we found it easier than trying to navigate busy streets with a stroller. It was especially good when our toddler decided to walk, since it left our hands free rather than pushing an empty stroller.
Hiking Gear Recommendations
The most important thing you need for hiking with a baby or toddler is a hiking carrier that’s comfortable for both you and your baby or toddler. We’ve used several different carriers with our babies and toddlers and we give all our recommendations in the posts below.
We also include any other essentials for hiking with a baby or toddler. While you don't need to bring a lot, preparation is key to a great experience.
You will be carrying your baby for the entire hike, so make sure you are both comfortable with the carrier you choose. We recommend giving it a try around your neighborhood before heading out on your big adventure.
Once you have the right baby carrier for hiking chosen, you and your baby can enjoy being nature for hours.
While you can get away with a structured carrier for short hikes, we recommend getting a framed backpack carrier for hiking with toddlers and babies. A good hiking backpack carrier has so many benefits for both you and your little hiker. Your baby or toddler will especially appreciate being up high and seeing the world go by.
We give all our recommendations for the best hiking carrier for toddlers and babies in this post. If you plan to hike a lot, this will be well worth the investment.
As your toddler starts to do more of her own hiking, she’ll need her own gear. Don’t worry, it’s nothing ridiculous. We include what we think is necessary for toddler hiking gear with all our recommendations in this post.
Where to Hike with a Baby or Toddler
Now that you have all the hiking tips and all the hiking gear, it’s time to find the best hiking trails. We have a list of some of the best hikes for toddlers and babies. These are hikes recommended by other parents who have already done them, so you know they are good!
Wondering which hikes to start out with? Included in this list are some of the best hikes in the USA done by parents with a baby or toddler. This is a great place to start to find trails near you.
It’s no secret that we love to hike everywhere we go and find it a really incredible way to experience what a country has to offer. Here are some of the best hikes around the world done by parents with babies or toddlers.
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