Hiking Family Checklist

There's nothing scarier than the feeling of being unprepared, especially with kids. Adventuring with my family is my favorite hobby. I dream of our next adventure the minute we get home from one. My 8 years in the Army really taught me the importance of planning and being prepared for the harsh reality of the elements. I never want to be in a situation where I will need my bear spray or where one of us injures ourselves, where we get caught in the rain or get stuck on a trail longer than anticipated, but as long as I plan beforehand, I can hike with a sense of confidence. Safety and prevention are key when adventuring, especially with kids.

From trails to rivers, desert to mountains, my husband and I follow our checklist before heading out into the wild. Here is what we do before a hike and what we pack.

1. RESEARCH THE TRAIL

Difficulty Level: If you are just starting out or even hiking with kids, it's important to know the difficulty of a trail. Postpartum, I knew my body would need time to get back into shape so I started off with easy hikes. As time went on, I began hiking moderately rated trails.

Distance: You of course want to know the distance of your hike. Only you know your capability, especially if you are carrying your kids or they are hiking with you. A short distance, may take longer if you have littles following along. We use the AllTrails app and the U.S Department of Agriculture Forest Service website.

Elevation Gain: You will want to know the incline of your hike. Just because a hike is only 4 miles, doesn't mean it will be a piece of cake. If you have a steep incline, you must take that into consideration. Steeper means harder.

Altitude: New Mexico has some steep mountains. It's important to research the altitude of your hike and ascend and acclimate if necessary. Failure to acclimate your body can be dangerous.

Fees: Does your trail require a fee to park your car? Cash or card?

Pets: Is your fur baby allowed to join you on the trail?

2. CHECK THE WEATHER

We have had to re-schedule several hikes this summer due to rain and/or heat wave. I always check the weather up to the hour before we leave to make sure I don't take my family into what could be a dangerous situation. We have hiked in sprinkling rain before but I would never want to get caught in a wash out with a toddler and baby.

3. TELL SOMEONE WHERE YOU'RE GOING

We have yet to invest in a GPS/Satellite radio. For now, we stay on well marked trails and we always tell my family where we are going, what trail we are hiking and roughly how long it should take us.

4. FOLLOW A CHECKLIST

I remember arriving at the parking lot for a trail I was so excited to hike. We had waited all day for the weather to cool down to hike this trail. When we arrived to the trailhead parking lot, we began getting our packs on and getting the kids ready. We had paid our parking fee and then our baby pooped. We began to change her and realized we had forgotten baby wipes!!! We had lots of diapers but I failed to pack baby wipes. We had nothing to clean her bottom with until we found a roll of a toilet paper in the Jeep (Thank goodness we had just camped a few weeks prior). From that day forward, I follow my packing list no matter how redundant it may become! See our checklist below for more details.

WATER: We pack our hydration reservoirs both of which carry 2L. We also carry a water filter system in case we drink all of our water and need more while in the wild. It's important to remember, if hiking in the winter, you still need water.

FOOD: Even if we are going on a quick hike, I make sure to pack enough food for all 3 of us. (Baby girl is still nursing) I pack lots of snacks like granola bars, applesauce pouches, and things that won't spoil.

When it comes to food, you want sustainable, high-energy foods to keep your energy levels stable.

FIRST AID KIT: As a Registered Nurse, I don't go anywhere without a First Aid Kit. Brandon broke his wrist snowboarding once, Kai has fallen a few times and has had multiple abrasions, I got a nasty blister while hiking once, and the list goes on. For more info on what's in my First Aid kit, see here.

I've been asked a few times, what our must-haves are for toddlers. See that post here.

Some of you might be saying, "wow that's a lot of stuff just for a hike." We hike only marked trails but you can still get stuck out in the wild due to weather or other issues. You never want to be unprepared. I am grateful for all that I learned in my 8 years in the Army and it's because of my training, I never skip a step when it comes to taking my kiddos into the wild.

Happy hiking!