Do your teens hike without you? Do you venture into the backcountry as a family? In winter, do you like to snowshoe, camp, or ski off-piste? If you answered 'yes' to any of the above, you've probably considered outfitting yourself or your kids with a GPS device for the field. In our opinion, these two devices are the best on the market for hikers, backpackers, and backcountry skiers. Here's our … [Read more...]
Three northwest backpacking routes for families
July 17, 2017 By
Parents with young children: you absolutely can backpack with kids! Our family has found success by choosing backpacking routes that are short on distance but big on rewards, whether that be in the form of a fun lake or river to swim in, dramatic scenery, or both. The following three northwest backpacking routes for families deliver. Before you read on, check out our tips for backpacking with … [Read more...]
Travel Gear We Use: Top sleeping bags for backpacking families
April 28, 2017 By
It's time to think family camping! Get your family geared up for the summer camping season by snuggling up in a down or down-alternative sleeping bag! Today on Travel Gear We Use, we're listing our favorite sleeping bags for backpacking and camping families, with lightweight and kids' picks. Best sleeping bag we use for kids: We love our son's The North Face Dolomite 20F Youth … [Read more...]
Travel Gear We Use: best overnight backpack brands for kids and youth
May 6, 2016 By
As an editor at Practical Travel Gear and a gear reviewer for OutdoorsNW, I test a lot of travel products and outdoor gear. Some of this gear we keep and continue to use as a family, and some of it gets pushed to the wayside. Some of the most-frequent questions I'm asked on Pit Stops for Kids is related to what to pack, what to bring, and what to wear. Our Travel Gear We Use series will address … [Read more...]
PCT section hiking with teens
August 12, 2015 By
We've been wanting to backpack on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) long before it was cool. This summer, my 16-year-old and I finally set out, tackling almost 70 miles of the PCT in Central Oregon. We built up to this trip with years of family backpacking, including several 3-4 night trips, starting when my son was just a toddler. How did we fare? We had one of our best backpacking trips … [Read more...]
How to plan a multi-night PCT hike with kids
April 20, 2015 By
If you backpack with kids, your family will eventually become interested in tackling an iconic backpacking route such as the Pacific Crest Trail. Unless you have a lot of time and stamina, you probably aren't ready to through-hike the PCT, but a shorter PCT hike with kids is absolutely possible. Planning a PCT backpacking trip is complicated, so we turned to the experts before planning … [Read more...]
Pit Stops for Kids selected as Oboz Footwear Ambassador
February 20, 2015 By
Readers of Pit Stops for Kids know how much we love to cover outdoor travel, and how we advocate equipping kids (and Mom and Dad) in proper outdoor gear in our Travel Gear We Use series. This year, we'll be taking this passion a step further as official ambassadors for Oboz Footwear. If you look on the right-hand side bar of the site, you'll see at glance the brands and … [Read more...]
Where to backpack with kids in Northern California
April 4, 2014 By
Will you be backpacking with kids this coming summer? Most families who love backpacking with kids are familiar with backpacking options in popular regions such as Yosemite National Park, but the following lesser known areas offer backpacking just as scenic and often crowd-free. Tahoe and Northeastern Sierra Nevada: Our favorite section of the Northeastern Sierra Nevada mountain range is … [Read more...]
Uncrowded Yosemite: backpacking Yosemite National Park with kids
April 11, 2013 By
Would you believe that in July, in the center of Yosemite National Park, we enjoyed an entire day where we never saw another soul? It's possible, provided you depart from the usual tourist destinations in the valley and explore Yosemite backcountry. Backpacking Yosemite National Park with kids: We chose to hike a portion of The John Muir Trail, a 211 mile path between Happy Isles in Yosemite … [Read more...]
How to plan a multi-day backpacking trip with kids
July 28, 2012 By
Yes, kids can backpack! And yes, it's a bit more work than traditional tent or RV camping with kids, but twice as rewarding. We've backpacked annually with our kids since Nate (now age 13) was 13 months old, and while older kids make for the best backpackers, even backpacking with babies and toddlers is possible. To ensure a successful backpacking trip with kids, most of the work will take place … [Read more...]
