This summer escape the heat (and ditch the gym) and take the family hiking. The WHOLE family. That's right, even your littlest hikers can find some joy toddling along the trail. Although it may feel daunting to let your toddler find their own rhythm along the trail—yes, you will move MUCH slower—encouraging independence builds confidence.
Green Pond Trail
If you plan to head to Snowbasin Resort for the Blues, Brews & BBQ series with your family this summer, stop and hike the Green Pond trail along the way. The Green Pond trail is a great first hike for young children. Because the trail is nearly flat, your child will be able to easily enjoy stopping to look at the wildflowers and giant fern leaves along the shaded path. After less than a mile, you’ll see a “picnic area” sign on the left. As your family hikes up the trail towards the picnic area sign, you’ll find a beautiful mountain pond tucked within a meadow. Stop to catch water striders, skip stones, and enjoy a family picnic. The Green Pond trail is perfect to start fostering independence on the trail, without committing to a big day of hiking.
- 1.5 miles, easy
- Length of time needed for toddlers: 2 hours
- Shaded and cool on hot days, dog-friendly
- Tip: You will often encounter mountain bikers on the Green Pond trail. Help your little ones learn to watch out for other travelers on the trail. This can be a good opportunity to teach trail etiquette.
Donut Falls Trail
Donut Falls is one of the classic family friendly trails in the Wasatch. Find the trailhead 9 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon, just past the Jordan Pines Picnic area near Solitude Mountain Resort and Brighton. The trail winds through aspen and evergreen trees while rolling up and down with mild elevation changes. Even the littlest hikers will be able to independently hike most of the trail. That being said, you will need to plan to help young hikers with the last 50 yards of the trail, navigating over slippery rocks and logs, and traveling through moving water as you cross the bottom of the falls. Most parents will want to bring a child pack to be able to carry toddlers and use their hands to hold to rocks for balance. We recommend bringing a child carrier pack like this one if your tot is three or younger. Donut Falls is a short hike, but you can easily spend a whole afternoon photographing the falls, collecting pinecones, and spying on chipmunks.
- 1.5 miles, easy (with a short difficult section at the end)
- Length of time needed for toddlers: 2-3 hours
- Shaded, cool on hot days, no dogs allowed
- Tip: After enjoying a snack next to the falls, help your little ones learn “Leave No Trace” practices as they collect and store any garbage they find along the trail.
Cecret Lake
Cecret Lake has been called the most beautiful trail to observe wildflowers in the Wasatch. The trail begins at the Albion Basin Campground above Alta, and moderately climbs towards a beautiful alpine lake at the bottom of Sugarloaf peak, Mount Wolverine, and Devil’s Castle. Starting from the campground, head west up the trail. Little hands will want to pick the beautiful wildflowers, but instead, parents can use this hike as an opportunity to teach children about respecting the delicate ecosystem. Interpretive signs about the trail have information about the geology and ecosystem of the area. Be prepared to see some crowds on the Cecret Lake trail during peak wildflower season- there is a reason this is one of the most popular trails in the Wasatch. New this season, the Sunnyside lift at Alta will take hikers up to Albion basin on weekends (be sure to check out the live music on Saturdays)
- 1.7 miles, easy
- Lots of sun exposure, no dogs allowed
- Length of time needed for toddlers: 2-3 hours
- Tip: Bring a Polaroid or a disposable camera for children to photograph the beautiful wildflowers along the trail!
Stewart Falls
Stewart falls can be a great goal for your family, with a BIG reward at the end near the beloved Sundance Mountain Resort. Your children will be talking about the astonishingly tall waterfalls for weeks. The trail weaves back and forth through aspens, evergreens, and thick foliage. There are several exposed sections of sun—be sure to wear sunscreen. Although the trail seems to have only mild elevation gain, be warned that the majority of the hike out is a climb. While this is a trail that the whole family will enjoy, this is not a great FIRST hike for toddlers. For children younger than 3 years old, consider bringing a child pack to give little legs a rest on the way out. This can be a good goal to build up towards as a family throughout the season. The reward of the towering waterfalls is something your family will always remember.
- 4 miles, moderate
- Length of time needed for toddlers: 3 hours
- Sections of sun exposure, dog-friendly
- Tip: For some extra fun (and a shorter hike), ride Ray’s lift from Sundance, enjoying the beautiful views of Mount Timpanogos on the ride to the trail.
Red Reef Trail
If your family is craving a road trip down south to ski Brian Head Ski Resort, be sure to cruise over to Leeds for a day to explore the Red Cliffs Area. Skiing AND hiking the desert trails during the winter is one of the unique perks southern Utah has to offer! Beginning at the Red Cliffs Area campground in Leeds, the Red Reef trail travels through the beautiful desert terrain to a small waterfall. Although the trail is fairly short and relatively flat, you’ll want to plan a few hours to explore the water pools and red rock features along the way. The Red Reef trail has minimal elevation change and is perfect to get everybody's wiggles out during a road trip.
- 2.2 miles, easy
- Lots of sun exposure, dog-friendly
- Length of time needed for toddlers: 2 hours
- Tip: Remember to keep the whole family well hydrated in the desert climate. This is a great hike to encourage your toddler to try carrying their own hydration pack and snacks!
Looking for more fun ways to keep your family busy this summer? I've put together my family bucket list to share with you!
