What Each Chapter Includes

Overview

Each of the chapters for hikes starts with an Overview that give a sense for “look and feel” of the hike.

Key Characteristics

After each overview is a table with Key Characteristics of the trail, including for which ages of children the hike is best.

  • Toddlers: One-two year-olds who can walk some of the trail (being carried for other parts) or all of short trails.
  • Little kids: Two- four or five years who can walk all of short trails and even some parts of lengthier trails.
  • Big kids: Four -eight or nine who can walk longer distances and who are up for bigger challenges
  • Pre-teens and older: Eight or nine and up

Of course, you may also choose to carry your toddler, little kid, or younger big kid for some or all of these hikes.

The key characteristics also include the length of the hike, approximately how long it takes to hike, the elevation change (Flat, Gentle, Moderate, Steep, and Very Steep), whether pets are allowed a parking pass required, and the presence of a restroom. Finally, we also note whether the trail is accessible for those with strollers and wheelchairs.

Trail Maps and Photos

Each hike has a trail maps. These should be pretty straightforward to use. Trailheads—the starting points for the hikes—are marked with a green dot, and the trail is in red, with key features of the trail noted along the way. We also include one or more photos for each hike; we tried to select these to show what makes the hike unique.

Call outs

The hikes are through areas rich in natural and human history, and while we felt comfortable accurately describing many of these elements, we felt we had to enlist the help of friends and colleagues for others—for which we have “call outs”. Look for these in the call-outs in most of the chapters, and consider sharing parts of them with your little hikers.

Doing more

Each chapter concludes with one or more things to do nearby, from places to grab a bite to eat to other, nearby hikes to consider.

The next two chapters provide the key characteristics for all of the hikes in the book as and Top 5 hikes in different categories, respectively.