Making a Hike Fun

I’ve found that the best way to have fun on a hike is to take some kids along.  Taking children fifth grade and older works well for me - if I can keep up with them.  I remember dragging a four year old on a jaunt and wondering if I would ever reach a hiking destination.  In only a few years, I was trailing the pack, gasping, “Wait!  This pace is too fast!”

In 1997, three of my children and one the kids’ friends hiked the Lower Crow Creek Falls trail.  The only reason we hiked Lower Crow Creek Falls was that we didn’t know the trails yet and had no idea that we were MILES away from the upper trail that led to Crow Creek Fall in only 3 ½ miles.  We didn’t reach our destination.  In fact, I’m not sure we even knew what our destination was, but we had fun along the way.