s/o: What's your kid's first national park experience

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No brainer in DC. Shenandoah

+1. It’s so easy. And at those ages you can avoid peak times because your kids aren’t in school. We took DS car camping there at 2.5. We had mostly done cabins in state parks before then. He had fun and 6 months later has been asking to go camping again. Of course now we have a newborn so I think it will be back to cabins for a while.

Actually I think his first was Gettysburg when he was a baby because we met my parents there one weekend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No brainer in DC. Shenandoah

+1. It’s so easy. And at those ages you can avoid peak times because your kids aren’t in school. We took DS car camping there at 2.5. We had mostly done cabins in state parks before then. He had fun and 6 months later has been asking to go camping again. Of course now we have a newborn so I think it will be back to cabins for a while.

Actually I think his first was Gettysburg when he was a baby because we met my parents there one weekend.

Oh and we will be staying near the Smokies this summer so will probably do a day trip there.

[Anonymous]

OP don't listen to those saying they are too young. They are never to young to get outdoors and explore! I definitely think the love for outdoor adventure can start early, even before they will remember a trip. Kids enjoy new places and there is also nothing wrong with going places YOU want to enjoy now versus waiting until kids are "old enough to remember."

Our NP/hiking trip list with kids ages:

Big Sur (11 months)- not a NP but did a bit of hiking along the coast.

Grand Tetons (almost 2 yrs old)- son loved this trip- he was in a backpack carrier for long hikes, but often got out and walked the last mile down, also biked with him in a trailer along the park

Arches and Canyonlands (added 2nd kid, kids were 4yrs old and 18 months)great trip for these ages because the hikes are on the shorter side. Took advantage of kids not being in school and went in the fall/late September which was great. 4 yr old hiked on his own, doing 3-4 mile hikes), 18 month old was in the carrier.

Olympic and Seattle (6 and 3 yrs old)- Another great trip for these ages. Explored the coast and tide pools, flat hike through Hoh Rainforest, hike along the beach, did one tougher uphill hike, saw lots of waterfalls.

Banff (9 and 6)- this is a better trip for older kids because the worthwhile hikes are long. We did multiple 7-9 mile hikes.

[Anonymous]

8:32 agian. i also agree with the above that you just need a really good backpack carrier for the younger one. We had a Deuter that we loved.

One thing i love about hiking with my kids is how proud they feel when they do a tough hike. This past summer we did some tough hikes in Banff. My 6 yr old was tired and wanted to stop at times, but he was so proud of himself when he got to the top of particularly hard uphill climb and realized he was the only kid up there and everyone commented on how awesome it was that he did that hike. I also find that kids will hike/walk in nature longer than they would walk around the neighborhood. My kids are kids and whine about walking around town, but on hikes it's a different story, there is so much to see and explore. We also pack lots of snack and candy bars to keep them motivated.

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

Joshua Tree, then Grand Canyon, Redwood National Forest, Yellowstone.

[Anonymous]

Great Falls, then Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion

[Anonymous]

First national park experience: Definitely the Mall. Maybe 3 or 4 months.

First camping experience: Shenandoah River State Park in Virginia, age 3 or 4. Multiple local camping experiences since then -- Greenbrier State Park in MD, Shenandoah NP

First proper hiking experience (not on my back): Sky Meadows State Park, Virginia, Age 3

First challenging hiking experience: South Yuba River State Park in CA, age 4

First Junior Ranger badge: Gold Discovery State Park, CA, age 4

First challenging local hiking experience: Billy Goat Trail, age 4

First camping experience in a national park: Acadia, age 6

First "backpacking" trip: Sky Meadows State Park, Virginia, age 10 (approx 1 mile walk to camp sites)

[Anonymous]

We just took kids to Grand Canyon this year at ages 10 and 14. We had a great experience and did a lot of hiking you can’t do with you her kids. We went in April and it wasn’t hot. Hiking along the rim is mostly flat and they hiked a lot way.

FYI if you have a 4th grade they can get a pass allowing free entry to National Parks for the 4th grade school year through summer. We used it at Grand Canyon and will use again at Acadia this summer. It’s no mistake they offer this to 4th graders 9-10 is perfect age to visit national parks.

Hope to go to Bryce Canyon, Zion, Yosemite and Great Smokey Mountains. Maybe also Mount Rainier if we ever get to Seattle.

Kids have been to local parks - Mall, Great Falls, Shenandoah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:and at what age?

Itching to take my boys (4 and 2) out west to see some great national parks.

Well, given that Rock Creek Park and the National Mall are national parks, it would have been when they were very tiny. I'm not sure exactly when.

If you're talking about a longer vacation, we did Banff (not a US national park, but a very similar experience) when DS was 5. He was old enough to be easy to travel with, and to enjoy things like very low key "white water" rafting (no real white water on the trips that take 5 year olds), horseback riding, short hikes, museums etc . . . Before that we'd done other outdoorsy things in the context of vacations that also included other things, or day trips to Shenandoah.