Hiking with a 4–5 Year Old: The “No Man’s Land” Stage
We have entered what I once feared most: the in-between years of hiking with a child.
The hiking child carrier is no longer viable.
Our four-year-old must propel himself.
And suddenly the questions loom:
- How far can we hike?
- How long will it take?
- Will we make it?
The answers change with the tides and winds of a preschooler’s whims.
And yet … fear not.
Hiking is still possible. It’s just different.
Yes, We Still Carry the Osprey Poco (The Sag Wagon Strategy)
Full disclosure…we still hike with the Osprey Poco Plus child carrier as a sag wagon.
I have in recent history carried West in it for a mile. It’s a ripcord for a tired child and sometimes it helps us eek out a little more distance, but with each passing day he is less likely to take a ride and more determined to hike on his own.
The determination is excellent.
The patience required to hike at a pre-schooler pace is heroic or peaceful depending on your state of mind.
How Far Can a 4-Year-Old Hike?
I can’t give you a perfect equation.
But after hundreds of hiking outings with a preschooler, here’s what we’ve experienced:
- Five miles is still in range.
- This summer we’ll test 6–7 miles.
- But I increasingly prefer planning 3–4 mile hikes.
Why?
Because I’ve shifted the goal.
If it takes us three hours to hike three miles, so be it.
My goals used to be about distance and destination. Now they are centered around something simpler:
We are outside. Often for many hours.
That’s the win.
The One-Mile-An-Hour Desert Hike
A couple of weeks ago in the desert we hiked a secret canyon and we covered one mile an hour.
We climbed every rock.
And I do mean we.
When West gets diverted by a bird, a bug, a rock, I now choose to get diverted too. I climb the rocks. I get down on my hands and knees and crawl in the cave to look at the spider’s web.
I am seeing more of beautiful outdoor places than I ever have before.
And Then There Are the Fast Days
This week we flew through three miles.
West literally ran the final 1.5 miles back to the car. We played hide-and-seek. He sprinted uphill to find the perfect hiding spots.
Some days speed is possible.
Most days?
Slow, glorious outdoor adventures are possible.
And I’ve come to love that version more.
