A few hiking tips from the Fuentes family
Posted by Jennifer Fuentes on Mon, April 7th 2008 in Family Fun
Love to hike? Want to start hiking but don’t know the basics? Jennifer Fuentes shares some tips about hiking with the whole family in tow.
Although hiking is a year-round activity, it feels like the true hiking season is beginning now. It is sunny (albeit intermittently!), it is lovely, and it is time to hit the trails with your little ones.
There are many wonderful hiking options within one hour of Portland. Here are a few tips to make sure things go smoothly with your little adventurers:
Remember a Comfortable Child Carrier
If you have a baby or toddler in tow, my family has found it is essential to bring along our Ergo Baby Carrier. Our 16 month old son rides in it, and it can easily fit my husband Tony as well. Even when our now 5 year old (soon to be 6! Yowza!) daughter was a preschooler, it was nice to have just in case she became tired on the trail.
Bring Your Flexibility
Flexibility will help ensure that the trip will be a happy one. Before we had children, Tony introduced me to many a hike, but I don’t remember “stopping to smell the roses” very often. Now that Mila and Gael are in our lives, hikes are at times quite leisurely and full of discoveries we might not have otherwise noticed. Sometimes we make a little fairy house from bark and moss, and Mila enjoys being given choices on which fork in the trail we will take next.
Remember Water and Snacks
Not only are water and snacks vital for the trail, but frequently for the car ride as well. Gael is at an age where he does not want to be buckled into his car seat. However, I have learned that if he is handed something little to hold just at that moment before I start to pull the straps over his shoulders, everything goes quite smoothly. Now, we have a new car and it was deemed a no eating zone…until our first road trip. And this week we recently returned to Portland from a drive to Sparks, Nevada. Little toys didn’t hold Gael’s attention during buckling, but little snacks were welcomed. His favorite right now? Freeze dried bananas from Trader Joe’s.
Below are links to some of our favorite hikes. Happy Trails!
Hiking in Portland
http://milagrosboutique.com/?p=482
Hike the Gorge
http://milagrosboutique.com/?p=342
Smith & Bybee Lakes
http://milagrosboutique.com/?p=204
Old Salmon River Trail
http://milagrosboutique.com/?p=119
Hike the Coast
http://milagrosboutique.com/?p=450
