Filed Trip lists:

Let's Go MOM!

Being the mom to boys, we like to move and hiking is a great way to get them to move. Not only that you are out in the world seeing the beauty that was created just for us. We are always learning and of course doing it as family and friends makes it even more fun!

Before you set out you need to be prepared, dress properly and take a few items. (Remember we are hiking with little ones.) Or you can go straight to the list of hikes we enjoy (or would like to enjoy.) You will also find a list of books on hiking in Washington here and then scroll down or click on books.

Boots or shoes.

Make sure they are sturdy. Not just for you but for you children as well. Invest what you can and get the best you can. Remember you can pass them down or sell them in a garage sale, but buying new feet is costly (foot doctors are expensive) and taking a child on their second hike after a horrible first hike is next to impossible. I would go to a reputable store with a very knowledgeable staff and collect as much information as you can (and not just about boots)!

Packs

When you go hiking, you have to have a pack, even when you are two! Find one that fits the best and remember the little ones don't have to carry much. School bags work just great for little ones. Your pack needs to fit well if you are going to carry much. I hiked with a child in a back pack that wasn't properly fitted to my back and I was sore for months. The next summer I bought a back pack to carry a child in that fit properly and yes, I was sore (I wasn't use to that kind of exercise) but only for the next 24 hours, not 24 days! It is worth it to spend just a little extra to get a back pack (even if you aren't carrying a child in it) that fits well. Of course on very short day hikes a school type back pack works fine. Just make sure you pack it well. You don't want the end of the flashlight sticking in the small of your back.

The Essentials

This list is taken from Best Hikes with Children Western Washington and the Cascades; vol. 2 by Joan Burton.

1. Extra clothing. Bad weather, the lake that just had to be swam in. I always pack a set of basics with us and leave even more in the car. (Diaper leaking messes are hard to deal with in a hot car for a 2 hour drive home.) And don't forget that if you hike UP the weather may be different there than DOWN at sea level.

2. Extra food and water. There is nothing worse than spoiling the hike back than, "I can't go mom because I'm starving!" Bring plenty of food (good healthy food is best, but don't forget treat for bribing them the last half a mile). You may plan just to go up, look and come back, but what happens if you decide to stay a bit longer. Or what happens if you decide to take the long way back. And my biggest fear--getting lost! Make sure you can feed your hungry cubs. I also leave food in my car as a treat or bribe for making it back to the car. Hungry children are so hard to deal with. I deal with water at the bottom.

3. Sunglasses. Even for the little ones. If you hike to snow it can be blinding, so can glass like water. It can also help shield eyes from dust storms.

4. Knife. This is the hiker's secret weapon. Of course you decide which children in your group get to carry what.

5. Firestarer--candle or chemical fuel. You hope you don't have to use this and it stays in the bottom of your pack for the next hike. But just in case you have to stay overnight, warmth feels real good, especially to children.

6. First-aid kit. Check it before you leave and hope you don't have to use it. Make sure you have extra band aids and put those on the top of your pack. There is some "magical power" in band aids when you put them on a little scrape or bruise. The will also come in handy when blister start to appear.

7. Matches. What good is that firestarter with out matches? Make sure they are in a water proof container. If you have the money visit a camping type store (REI comes to mind) and get a little container. You can also find waterproof matches.

8. Flashlight. You can't walk down a dark trail with children without one of these. There are many cheep ones and kids love to have their own. I would invest in getting the kind that you wear (much like the doctors head lamp) that way you have TWO hands free. Make sure you check the batteries.

9. Map. Please make sure you have a map and a current one. Check before you leave town.

10. Compass. But it won't do you any good unless you know how to use one.

11. Bug spray. Nothing spoils a view like getting bit by bugs!

12. Sun screen. If you are like me, you need it! Lather your children and don't forget to put it on for the return trip, especially if they have been getting wet or sweating a whole bunch. Sunburns are no fun. (don't forget the back of the neck, tops of the ears and the nose.) A floppy hat is welcomed as well for those delicate necks and faces.

13. Long sleeve jacket/sweatshirt. If it gets a bit nippy in the shadows or when the bugs come out, you will be thankful you put the jacket in their packs.

14. Extra water. Do not assume the lake and stream you are hiking to will have pure water! Bring it, drink it and stay healthy. Also carry a few water purifying tablets with you on your hike so just in case; hopefully you will never need them. I also make sure I have a couple gallons of water in my van. We have a very large water cooler in our van and I fill it with ice and then water before we head out. That way the child doesn't need to "save" water on the hike.

15. Diapers/wipes. If you are hiking with a baby, take extra diaper and wipes. I would pack wipes anyway.

16. A happy attitude. Don't forget why you are doing this. Are you doing it to get from point A to point B and then back or are you doing it to enjoy your family.

The list from the Boy Scout handbook:

	Pocketknife
	First aid kit
	Extra clothing
	Rain gear
	Water bottle
	Flashlight
	Trail food
	Matches & Fire starter
	Sun protection
	Map & compass

Hikes

	Toublesome Creek. One of our family's favorite. Link to a Seattle PI page. Easy half mile hike. There is a camp ground near by (primitive--pit toilets) that we usually stay at when we go hiking here, but it is close enough to home that we can do the hike in a day.
	Dorothy Lake. Off highway 2 and then an old logging type road. The last time we hiked this in 1990 the road had been washed away and we had a five mile hike before we got to the trail head. Wished we would have called ahead, but the view was beautiful. The lake is 1.5-2 miles long. You can hike to the other end and then continue on to other lakes. There's lots of camping opportunities along the lake. At the other end is a nice bridge over a creek/river.
	Iron Peak Trail. Link here to Seattle PI write up on this beautiful hike.
	Twin Falls. Out by north Bend and Snoqualmie Falls. Link here to Seattle PI write up on this beautiful hike.
	Esmeralda Basin. In the Teanaway region outside of Cle Elum.
	Gallagher Lake. Teanaway region outside of Cle Elum. Hike in June or early July. Link here to Seattle PI write up on this beautiful hike.
	Thorp Lookout. Above Lake Cle Elum. Link here to Seattle PI write up on this beautiful hike.
	Rachel Lake, Rampart Lake. Above lake Kachess
	Manastash Lake. Outside Ellensburg
	Boulder River Waterfall. Near Darrington is a good destination. It offers 2 lengths; one about 1.5 miles and the other 4 miles. After the first very easy mile there is a nice camping area that's below the trail, from which you can get down to the river. At about 1.5 miles are a few waterfalls. You can see a couple along the trail if you keep your eyes open. The remaining 2.5 is ok and the trail ends at Boulder River.
	Barclay Lake. Near Baring is another easy hike that's 1.5 miles. The lake isn't too big, but you get a great view of Baring Mountain on the other side of the lake that goes straight up. There is camping here.
	Old Sauk Trail. Near Darrington is another easy hike of 3.0 miles. You spend a some time hiking along the Sauk River. There's some camping spots along the river, probably about half way. The swimming and fishing is probably good at these spots, though we didn't do these activities. At the end of the trail there is what we call a hobo camp. It's just a "dispersed campground".
	Lake Valhalla. Near Stevens Pass is a good 5.5 mile hike. The lake is very nice and you can hike all the way around it. There's plenty of camping spots around the lake.
	Goat Lake (or Elliott Creek). Near Darrington is a 4.5 mile hike. The trail is nice, but it starts to fade when you get near the end.
	Eightmile Lake. Near Leavenworth is a strenuous hike, I think about 3 miles. It's very dry because of location. The lake is pretty and camping is available.
	Lake Janus. Near Stevens pass is a 3.5 mile moderate hike. Camping is available.
	Heybrook Lookout. Near Index, 1 mile. It's a mile that doesn't ever seem to end. You can get some great views if you climb the lookout tower.
	Annette Lake, Lake Annette. Near Denny Creek. link

Online Hiking Information

	Washington Trails Association A WONDERFUL resource. Don't go hiking without checking here first.
	List of hikes in Washington, complied by the Seattle PI.
	Hiking information around the Northwest. Discover a new trail or find an old one that was once lost in your memory. There also are a couple of good links to things to take camping and hiking.
	Link to Seattle PI list of hike write ups. What a list of hikes. You won't be disappointed.
	Best hikes according to KIRO TV 7.
	“Leave No Trace” Great article to read before you head out.
	Articles on things you might want to pack and do for your day hike, by LL Bean.

Last update: November, 2006

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