We just wrapped up a 3-day backpacking trip with our kids that ended in the most epic way —a 9-mile downhill trail ride and a crystal clear creek to dunk in at the finish. It was the kind of adventure that reminded me exactly why we do this: dirt-covered legs, tired but happy faces, and that deep kind of family connection you can only find when you’re off-grid and all in it together.
We didn’t go in blind. We had a few recent hikes under our belt and a couple of overnight backpacking trips to work out the kinks. But this was our first real multi-day family trek—and it was amazing. Not because everything went perfectly (it didn’t), but because we planned intentionally, kept things simple, and leaned hard into the magic of the outdoors with kids.
Whether you’re gearing up for your first night out or dreaming about a bigger backpacking mission with your family, here’s how we plan, pack, and actually enjoy backpacking with kids.
1. Start Small (and Then Go Smaller)
Your kids might crush a five-mile day hike no problem (which is awesome!)—but add a loaded pack, changing weather, elevation gain and the game changes fast.
For your first overnight, aim for 2–3 miles max, ideally with a fun destination—like a creek, lake, or canyon—to keep them motivated. If you make it to camp and they still have energy? Amazing. Drop the packs and go explore together!
When we first started doing overnight hikes with kids, our little guy was 3 and our oldest was 5. We hiked just a mile and a half into a beautiful canyon full of caves, boulders, and hidden nooks to climb through. They loved it (here’s a blog post on it) And because the hike in was short, they had plenty of energy left to play—which, honestly, is the dream.
The goal at this stage isn’t distance—it’s stoke. Keep the adventure light, playful, and totally doable, and you’ll lay the groundwork for more successful trips to come.
2. Map out your route super well
And by “scout your route,” I mean—do the whole thing ahead of time if you can. Whether it’s on foot, bike, or a solo mission, get eyes on the trail and take notes. Stop and mark up your paper or digital map (we use CalTopo) with every possible camp spot, water source, and cool feature along the way. That way, when your kids ask for the 50th time, “When is camp?” or “Can we stop for a break?”—you actually know the answer.
For our most recent trip, Jason and I scouted the entire route the weekend before on a 4 day bikepacking loop. As we pedaled along the creek, we kept saying, “The boys would LOVE this.” So we built the plan right then and there—mapping every swimming hole, waterfall, and snack-worthy overlook in the CalTopo app as we went.
So next time you’re out on a solo run or ride and find yourself thinking, “My kids would be so into this”—don’t let the idea fade. Drop a pin, jot a note, and start imagining how to turn it into your next family adventure. Trust me: future you (and your kids) will thank you.
3. Get them Involved From the Very Beginning
Start talking about the plan as early as you can. While our kids are pretty adaptable, we’ve found that they feel more grounded—and way less anxious—when they have a clear idea of what’s coming up.
For us, this trip was actually part of our summer “goal setting” tradition. Each of our boys picked a family adventure they wanted to do, and Max chose backpacking. So we’d been preparing for it all spring by getting out on weekly hikes.
About a week before departure, we told the boys it was time to start thinking about their gear—what clothes they’d want to bring, what toys they couldn’t leave behind, and (arguably most important) what snacks they wanted to pack. Two days before we left, they laid everything out, and we walked through each item together, talking through what made sense for the trip.
By the time packed up they weren’t just along for the ride—they were invested in it. They carried their own backpacks with pride (for 90% of the time) and were genuinely excited. Getting them involved from the start wasn’t just helpful—it made the trip their own.
4. Make Hiking the Fun Part
Forget about pace. When you’re hiking with kids, it’s not about how fast you move—it’s about how much fun you can pack into each mile. Kids hike for snacks, stories, and stops, not summit views or mileage goals. So get ready.
Play trail games like I Spy, scavenger hunts, or trail bingo. Let them lead the group, even if it slows you down. Look for Geocaches along the way, or set playful mini-goals like: “Let’s snack at the big tree up ahead,” or “Count 20 pinecones before we stop again.”
One thing that worked incredibly well for us: we let the boys pick out their own trail snacks each morning. I’d dump out our snack bag, and they’d choose 5–6 things for the day. We encouraged a mix—fat, carbs, and protein—and reminded them what each type of food helps their bodies do. (Revel now proudly explains that “fats help your brain work!”)
They got to eat their snacks whenever they wanted, as long as they kept moving and listened to their bodies. And honestly? It was kind of magic. No more constant snack begging or hanger meltdowns. They felt in control, stayed fueled, and were stoked to make their own choices.
We also brought a paper map, which I originally planned to use for my own practice with navigation. But it quickly turned into a teaching tool and motivator. Anytime the “When’s the next break?” questions started rolling in, we’d pull out the map, show them where we were, and talk about the next stop. Eventually they got into spotting landmarks and learning how to read terrain—of course it didn’t work the whole time as they got tired of it, but it was great for the time it did last!
5. Camp Chores Are Family Affairs
Once you get to camp, let kids help—pitch the tent, collect and whittle sticks, filter water (Hydrapak filter bags are fun for them to use!), set up the hammocks- give them jobs and responsibilities. It builds confidence and keeps them busy while you cook dinner.
6. Gear Matters (but It Doesn’t Have to Be Fancy)
You don’t need the lightest, newest gear on the market—but you do need to be thoughtful, because you are the one carrying most of it! In general kids sleep colder, eat often, and carry less. Some of our go-to family key gear includes:
- Lightweight sleeping bags – We love the Sea to Summit Spark Down bags—ultralight, warm, and super packable. The boys each have a 30° version, and they compress down to practically nothing. Jason and I share the Big Agnes Lost Ranger sleep system. It’s a 3-season bag that splits in two—he takes the quilt-style that attaches to his pad (he sleeps warm), and I get the cozier mummy-style bag. It’s light, compact, and honestly feels like a luxury out there. Total win-win.
- Back Packs: For multi-day backpacking trips, the right pack makes all the difference. We love The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Wind Rider 70 L pack for it’s ability to carry so much AND still be ultralight. It’s weatherproof design and streamlined function is perfect for carrying all the essentials without the bulk and the back mesh is great for stuffing everything that you forgot.. or your kids in at the last minute. For the kids, Namuk’s Eon Pack is thoughtfully designed with young adventurers in mind: lightweight, comfortable, and built to last. We also have fallen in love with the Near Zero LittleDean, a 20L pack that fits kids ages 4–10 and comes with a hydration sleeve, chest strap, and just enough room for their clothes, snacks, and a favorite stuffy. Durable and well-fitted, it’s a great pack for many years to come.
- One tent that will fit everyone – Young kids do not like to sleep alone, infact I don’t see our kids ever wanting to sleep in a separate tent than us and I’m totally ok with that! For this trip, we used our Hyperlite 2 person UltaMid Pyramid style tent and it was absolutely perfect. We are all on the small side, so while it does say “2” person, we can easily fit all of us, especially since we all like to cuddle. For summer nights, we leave the outer rainfly off so we can see the stars. It’s insanely lightweight ( 541g) and durable thanks to it being made out of dyneema. However, if your family is a bit bigger and you need more space, Big Agnes, Sea to Summit and MSR are our other top choices.
- Hammocks: Max and Jason actually slept side by side in hammocks on the second night of this trip, and they’re now convinced it’s the only way to sleep outside. Our favorite is the ENO SuperSub Ultralight Hammock—it’s featherlight, easy to set up, and doesn’t even require carabiners thanks to its sleek system. The kids claimed both of ours this trip, so I guess it’s time to add a couple more to the gear bin!
- Kid-friendly hydration: We use HydraPak’s Breakaway bottles for just about everything. They are constantly on our bike and now they are on our kids backpacks for all of our outdoor adventures. We brought one 20oz one to share as a family for hiking because we knew we would be along a creek the entire time. When ever it got empty, the boys would fight over who got to go to the creek and fill it up! Hey, if we are all staying hydrated, I’m totally happy with some bickering! At camp we used the Hydrapak 6 liter Seeker filter. If you want to try – use Chelsey10!
- Lights We bring along our BioLite lanterns on every trip for their light weight and bright vibe—but this time, we upgraded to the Luci Charge 360, and it seriously leveled up our set-up. It charged Max’s RC boat battery and our headlamps during the day, and was the perfect night light for their hammock sleep out. It packs down, is waterproof and is pretty light for being both a light and an energy source!
- Pads and Pillows: We use and love Therm-A- Rest pads and pillows. We use the Neo Air XTherm NXT Pads ourselves all year long because we often bring super light weight bags. These pads are much warmer than any other pad out there, which keeps us warm no matter what time of year. Our kids either use the Z-lite Sol pads or if they DEMAND to sleep on a “comfy” pad (even though they always fall off of it) they get their Trail Pro Lite pads. Either way, find a pad that will work, and form a relationship with it! Pillows – we love our Air Head Down pillows, they feel luxurious and help us all get a great night of sleep under the stars.
- Easy, familiar food Keep it simple and comforting. We packed:
- Backpacker’s Pantry meals (big hit with the kids) for dinners and some breakfasts
- Instant oatmeal for easy “first or second” breakfasts
- Single-serve Gnarly protein packets for grown-up energy
- And SOO many snacks – meat sticks, cheese, dried mango, peanut butter crackers, gummies, apples and more Encourage them to snack early, snack often. Hunger is one of the easiest ways to derail a kid’s trail mood, so we packed a variety!
Pro tip: test gear out before you go – especially if you have not camped much. Backyard trial runs are super helpful for this and get everyone excited!
7. Pack Like a Minimalist Parent
It’s tempting to bring everything, especially for comfort, but you’ll regret it on mile two. And remember, the less transitions you do, the less they will want to do. Keep it simple. Focus on:
- Layers: weather changes fast—opt for light, quick-dry options that can have multi uses. For example I opted out of bringing a swimsuit and just wore my running shorts and sports bra for both hiking and swimming, or honestly I just went in naked.
- Choose your footwear wisely: For this trip, we knew we would be hiking along side a creek or in the creek for a good part of the day. So shoes that could go in and out of the water was a must. I brought Salomon’s for the whole family- they go on easy, drain and dry fast, have good grip, are light and are great for hiking and carrying a pack. For the kids we brought their XA Pro V8’s and for us the XLab Genesis. We went in to the creek with our socks on and everything. It was great. No blisters, no slipping and constant comfort for all. For camp we through in their crocs because it’s super nice to have easy slip ons after a big day on the feet.
- One day set and one night set: We each brought one trail / sun top and bottom and one night top and bottom – the only rule was no cotton and you had to have a sunshirt and a mid layer. We didn’t bring rain jackets because we were 100% sure it was not going to rain. My youngest lives in his BlackStrap Sunshirt and Patagonia Baggies the entire time. For PJs, we brought base layers because they are breathable and now signal “camp wind down”. I love Chasing Windmill Merino and Iksplor – both are amazing companies and their merino feels so silky soft on the skin.
- Bug spray, sunscreen, Skin Doctor and a small first aid kit: For bug spray we actually just spray our outdoor clothes with permithrin before our summer adventures start, this helps us stay mostly bug free for the all of our outdoor journeys and it makes it easy for what clothes to pick for our adventures! Didn’t get sprayed? We don’t wear it out! And Skin Doctor, because we use it on everything- dry skin, ouchies and blister prevention. It’s amazing.
- Entertainment: one book (or magazines are light and a nice option!), a few small toys, or card games are what we bring. Again, we keep it light and simple. This last trip, we did bring floaties for all of the natural waterslides. Obviously these are not the easiest to carry, but it was totally worth it.
8. Camp Chores Are Family Affairs
Once you get to camp, let kids help—pitch the tent, collect sticks, filter water (Hydrapak filter bags are fun for them to use!). Give them jobs and responsibilities. It builds confidence and keeps them busy while you cook dinner.
When It Gets Hard (Because It Will)
At some point, things will get hard. Maybe your 5-year-old has a full-on meltdown because they didn’t get to sit in their hammock. Or maybe they stop in the middle of the trail and flat-out refuse to take another step because their legs are “too tired.” (Been there.)
In those moments, dig deep. Take a few breaths. Lean into the process.
Remind yourself that moods—yours and theirs—can shift in a matter of minutes. And when that little voice in your head starts whispering, “Maybe we should just turn around” or “Let’s just call it a day and not camp…”—pause. Have a snack. Sit together. Talk it out.
You already know what turning around feels like. But you don’t know what might happen if you keep going—if you push through the rough patch and stick with the plan.
Spoiler: more often than not, the magic is just on the other side of the meltdown.
You’ve got this.
9. Expect the Chaos. Embrace the Magic.
Someone will cry. Everyone will get dirty. Someone will insist on peeing right next to the trail. But you’ll also get unplugged connection, nature wonder, and real resilience-building for both you and your kids.
Some of our best family memories come from the moments that weren’t perfect—like the time we forgot an extra sleeping pad so Max and Daddy slept in the hammock or we ran out of water for .5 miles and we told survival stories while we walked.
Backpacking with kids isn’t always easy, but it’s always, always worth it. So, prepare to slow down, learn a few things, acquire more patience and get ready for an amazing time. Start small, keep expectations flexible, and pack extra snacks. The rest? You will figure it out as you go.
Questions? Comments? Leave them below, I’d love to hear from you!
