Returning to the trail after a big change — one parent's story

I moved to Washington fresh out of college, and was enamored by the beauty. In 2014, a friend invited me to go hiking. She was the type of person to jump into something new headfirst and I was ready for an adventure. She took me to Dosewallips State Park and we explored in our jeans and sweatshirts. We loved it so much that next we went to Green Mountain (Gold Creek Trail) and Fremont Lookout. I was hooked.

As the years passed, I pored over WTA trip reports and Facebook groups, finding so many beautiful places. As someone who was usually a homebody, hiking got me fresh air and the mountains gave me peace from day-to-day stresses. I worked up to completing hikes like Mailbox Peak, summiting Mount St. Helens and scoring an Eightmile Enchantments permit.

Sarah on a climb of Mount St. Helens. 

And then I got pregnant and my focus shifted. I hiked a little while I was pregnant, but then my son was born, COVID struck and I returned to homebody status. I occasionally scrounged up the energy to hike with a friend, dragging my kid along in my not-so-comfortable hiking pack. Yet I missed the hobby I had treasured.

About a year and a half ago, now a mom of two, my work schedule changed, giving me more free time with my daughter while my husband was at work and my son was in preschool. I started taking her on walks through the neighborhood in the backpack, and then trails near home. I enjoyed it so much that I started taking both kids to smaller local trails, like Theler Wetlands and Guillemot Cove, that I never visited as a childless adult with only big alpine views on my mind.

While I was enjoying my return to hiking and sharing that love with my kids, I was regretting that I never fully dove into backpacking. I remember standing in the shower, mourning the lost opportunity and feeling sorry for myself, when it dawned on me that I could just go backpacking with my kids. We had already been car camping as a family, and the kids had the stamina for short hikes. I just needed to decide I wanted to do it — and then figure out how to make it happen. And I did. I purchased the gear I needed for my 4-year-old son, and took him on his first, second and then third backpacking trips. Soon, we were both hooked!

David hiking on Sunrise Rim Loop in Mount Rainier National Park. Photo by Sarah Nordstrom.

By the end of that year, I realized we had done 40-something hikes. I was so surprised and proud of that number.

“That’s not that far off from 52,” I thought to myself, remembering the hikers I knew who had completed the 52-hike challenge. “I bet we could do that.”

Now, my kids, David and Holly, are 5 and 3. And here we are, on week 25, and I’m 27 hikes in, David is at 26 and Holly is at 21. And my daughter will get her first backpacking trip this summer.

Along the way, I’ve been documenting our hikes with trip reports. I like to write trip reports so I can share our experience from the perspective of hiking with kids, since so many trip reports are from the perspective of adults. I try to note things that my kids enjoyed (wildlife, berries, views) or struggled with (terrain, obstacles, stinging nettle) that other parents might find valuable. I also write trip reports because some of the small trails we hike don’t get as much attention, and I hope that writing reports will help put them on the map for other families.
Sarah at Foulweather Bluff Nature Preserve with her daughter. 

Now, as I think about how we got here, I realize the biggest hurdle was myself — it took me a while to convince myself that hiking with my kids wasn’t as daunting as I made it out to be. It helped starting small and then exploring farther out.

Happily, my kids have really taken to hiking with enthusiasm. As the weekend approaches, my son always asks, “Is it going to be a hike day?” and my “Yes” is always followed with cheers. My daughter runs to her boots when she hears we are going hiking.

The hardest part of hiking with my kids has been facing my own impatience. I’m not a fast hiker, but going from being a slower adult to toddler speed was challenging. But the more we get out, the more I enjoy things from their perspective. Kids appreciate so many things about being outside that I never paid attention to. My son has taught me about so many plants (which he learned from my in-laws). I’m looking forward to berry season, which is something I didn’t think much about before having kids.

Committing to this goal has definitely helped me get out regularly. Even with a short, easy hike I still feel a great sense of peace and calm from being outdoors, and the connection it brings with my kids is wonderful.

The best thing about taking regular hikes with my kids is being able to share something with them that I love, and them loving it just as much. That’s such a special bond and I hope we continue to share that passion as they get older. They motivate me to follow my passion and I am so lucky that we can share it.

Sarah hikes regularly with her two kids — she's well on her way to 50 hikes this year. Photo by Sarah Nordstrom. 

Sarah's tips

Start small: My advice for parents who want to start hiking with kids is to start with a local park with a short, easy trail and take your kids on a walk beyond your neighborhood. Pack a bag of snacks (way more than you think you need, and clip them outside your backpack so you’re not taking your pack off every 5 minutes), water and bandaids.

Make a plan: It helps to make a plan in advance. I find I am more likely to get out when I have a plan (even if I just make the plan just the day before). If the weather looks bad, don’t be afraid of it, just plan for it. And, if you’re planning a long car ride, try to time it around nap time.

Find what’s fun: Find activities your kids enjoy on trail — for us that’s role-playing and storytelling. We also like to use the Seek app to identify plants.

Slow is OK: With frequent outings, you’ll get an idea of your kids pace and how far/long they can go, which will help you plan more outings. Prepare for slow — like, an hour for 1 flat mile.

Bring a friend: Invite friends, if that helps you get out (it does with me).

Sarah Nordstrom is a hiker and mom in Port Orchard. This year, she’s trying to hike at least 52 times and go backpacking both with her kids and on solo trips. She hopes her adventures inspire other families to get out as well.