{"id":6073,"date":"2023-07-06T11:43:09","date_gmt":"2023-07-06T11:43:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/?p=6073"},"modified":"2023-07-06T11:44:53","modified_gmt":"2023-07-06T11:44:53","slug":"family-hiking-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/family-hiking-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Family Hiking Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Looking for a great way to spend a day? Take a hike!
\nThe ideal activity to get your feet moving, your heart pumping and your camera snapping. Whether it\u2019s a local trail or a weekend adventure, it\u2019s a great activity the whole family<\/a> can enjoy.<\/p>\n

Before you start, here are some tips for a fun-filled, safe, adventure:
\n1. Take It Easy<\/strong>
\nChoose a trail that isn\u2019t too long or strenuous, and has interesting features for the kids to explore: a stream or waterfall, a bird\u2019s nest. Children are natural explorers, so give them the time to discover new things.
\n2. Nutrition & Hydration<\/strong>
\nTake energy breaks to avoid cranky kids. Bring along snacks and lots to drink. Freeze little juice boxes<\/a> ahead of time for hikes. They thaw in 2-5 hours and can be used as edible icepacks. Bring a variety of small snacks and make frequent stops.
\n3. Be Prepared<\/strong>
\nHiking preparedness leads to a happy day. Along with the ten essentials to good hiking<\/a> bring along wet-wipes, binoculars, sunscreen, lip balm, insect repellant, band-aids, and your phone for photos. Field guides for many trails can be found online, but printing them off is a good idea in case you lose a signal, or your phone\u2019s battery is low.
\n\"\"
\n4. Dress The Part<\/strong>
\nAlong with proper hiking shoes, don\u2019t forget to bring hats for the sun and rain gear in case the weather turns. Layers are important, as the temperature may change during your hike. And finally, if your youngster likes to get dirty, an extra set of clothes may be in order.
\n5. Follow the Leader<\/strong>
\nLet your kids lead the pack. It allows them to feel in charge, and set the pace. Be sure to rotate, so everyone gets a turn to lead the way.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Let your kids take turns leading the way<\/p><\/div>\n

6. Leave No Trace<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s important to teach kids to respect the land. When on a hike, keep any garbage to dispose of properly. But it doesn\u2019t end there. If you dig a hole, cover it up. Don\u2019t pick the flowers, take a photo instead, and leave the trees alone. For more info on how you can leave no trace visit www.lnt.org<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"

When exploring outdoors it’s important to leave things the way you found them<\/p><\/div>\n

Now that you\u2019re prepared, it\u2019s time to choose the trail that\u2019s right for you. Our communities in Aurora<\/a> and Midhurst<\/a> are close to many family-friendly hiking trails. Here are a few close to:<\/p>\n

Allegro Aurora:<\/strong>
\nAurora currently maintains approximately 62 kilometres of trails<\/a> ideal for hiking. In developing the Allegro Trail System, Geranium worked closely with Aurora\u2019s Master Trail Plan to create a continuous green corridor running from Bathurst Street to Yonge Street, with connections to several existing trails, including the 11.4 km Oak Ridges Moraine Trail<\/a>.
\n\u2022 Highland Gate Central Park:<\/strong> This newly opened park<\/a> next to Allegro has 7.5 km of public trails including a lighted asphalt trail, and a granular trail with fitness benches.
\n\u2022 Klaus Wehrenberg Trail:<\/strong> This trail connects with the Tim Jones Trail in Sheppard\u2019s Bush;<\/a> a 6.6 km out-and-back trail that’s popular for birding, hiking and biking and is part of the Oak Ridges Trail.
\n\u2022 Nokiidaa Trail:<\/strong> (also known as the Tim Jones Trail<\/a>): This 5 km trail runs along the Holland River, and features a mix of paved and natural paths. It’s a great spot for birdwatching and nature observation, and is suitable for older children and adults.<\/p>\n

Download Aurora\u2019s interactive trail map<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"

This overhead shows the many trails located within Allegro in Aurora<\/p><\/div>\n

Midhurst Valley:<\/strong>
\nMidhurst Valley is rooted in the heart of breathtaking natural beauty, so many trails and outdoor activities are close by. Here are just a few:
\n\u2022 Hickling Trail:<\/strong> Part of the Simcoe County Loop Trail, the Hickling Recreational Trail<\/a> is a 1.5km stretch that is accessible and ideal for your first family adventure. Next to Midhurst Valley in the township of Springwater.
\n\u2022 Springwater Provincial Park: This park<\/a> offers several hiking trails ranging from easy to moderate difficulty, including the 2.5 km Lakeshore Trail and the 5 km Little Lake Trail. The park also has picnic areas, a beach, and other recreational activities.
\n\u2022 Copeland Forest:<\/strong> This forest in Barrie<\/a> features over 4,400 acres of trails and conservation areas, including the 3 km Horseshoe Valley Trail and the 6 km Oro-Medonte Rail Trail<\/a>. It’s a great spot for hiking, biking, and nature observation, and is suitable for older children and adults.
\n\u2022 Sunnidale Park<\/strong>: This park<\/a> features a mix of paved and natural trails through a wooded area, with plenty of benches and picnic areas along the way. Their online guided tree walk takes users on an interactive tour and is especially popular with families.
\nCheck out Simcoe County\u2019s Interactive Trail Maps here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Now you\u2019re ready for your adventure. Remember it\u2019s the journey, not the destination. Happy hiking!<\/p>\n

\"\"

Start your hiking adventures early, and remember it’s the journey not the destination<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Looking for a great way to spend a day? Take a hike!
\nThe ideal activity to get your feet moving, your heart pumping and your camera snapping. Whether it\u2019s a local trail or a weekend adventure, READ MORE ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[546,11,189,8,191],"tags":[635,549,937,1060,295,367,1059,1061,914,916,1062,1063,906],"class_list":["post-6073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aurora","category-community","category-midhurst","category-outdoor-living","category-sports-leisure","tag-allegro","tag-aurora","tag-barrie","tag-essentials-for-hiking","tag-family","tag-family-activities","tag-hiking-tips","tag-hiking-trails","tag-midhurst","tag-midhurst-valley","tag-outdoor-fun","tag-springwater","tag-trails"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6073"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6073\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6087,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6073\/revisions\/6087"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}