Hiking While Learning

We love going on hikes with our kiddos. We have visited every park and almost every trail around Austin and Central Texas. I've compiled a list of hiking trails that we've enjoyed and conquered with our kiddos!

We love Pedernales and Enchanted Rock! The lower falls at Pedernales are amazing and the Summit Trail at Enchanted Rock is so beautiful! 

Please pack plenty of water, we have kiddie CamelBaks that the kiddos wear and they hold a small snack too. It really helps them feel independent and helps keep our hands free:) 

I use an Ergo Baby child carrier to carry and maintain my 2 year old while we walk, occasionally she'll want down and she'll walk for a few minutes then asked to be held again. The Ergo Baby is awesome in that I can backpack her or side carry her. She's a little to heavy to front carry her on these hikes but I'll do it if she's sleeping (Sophee monster is 30lbs). The older kiddos will do a great job walking and drinking their water, they climb, jog, run, hike, etc right along with us. Often we will head to a place where there's water that they can wade in to cool off and almost all of these trails have benches every so often to rest! 

Like I've mentioned before, hiking gives us the opportunity to work as a team and build our family up! It's also a great way to teach lessons to active kiddos! We've done everything from counting money to inspecting wild animals out on a trail! Right now, it's story telling and multiplication :) 

Here is a list of great hiking adventures in the Central Texas region (Not in any particular order):

Townlake Trail

http://www.texasoutside.com/townlake.htm

Buescher State Park

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/buescher

Bastrop State Park

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/pedernales-falls

Pedernales State Park

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/pedernales-falls

Barton Creek Trail Head

http://www.growingupaustin.com/growing-up-austin-kids-hike-parenting/my-very-favorite-barton-creek-2/

Mount Bonnell 

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Bonnell

Enchanted Rock

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/enchanted-rock

Inks Lake State Park

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/inks-lake

McKinney Roughs LCRA Park

http://www.lcra.org/parks/developed_parks/mckinney_roughs.html

McKinney Falls State Park 

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/mckinney-falls

Shoal Creek Trail Head 

http://www.growingupaustin.com/looking-for-bears-on-shoal-creek/