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Book Review: Best Hikes with Kids: Western Washington, by Susan Elderkin

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Best Hikes with Kids

When my kids were little, I pored through the Best Hikes with Kids books by Joan Burton. Originally in two volumes, they were combined in 2006 into one large volume, packed full of hikes and tips and interesting trail tidbits. But now the baton has been passed to Susan Elderkin, who has updated the information and created a fresh resource for Washington families. Best Hikes with Kids: Western Washington contains 125 hikes that are fun, scenic, and attainable by elementary-aged children and younger. The book covers territory from the Cascades to the Olympics, the Washington coast to the Columbia River Gorge. You’ll find a smattering of urban and suburban hikes, but most are out in the forests, mountains and wild beaches of our state.

The book begins with a Quick Guide, which picks out the best of the best if you are looking for a hike that fits particular criteria, such as big trees, waterfalls, or trails suitable for strollers. Then Elderkin has put together a hefty section with salient tips and education for hiking with kids. It’s clear she’s a veteran on the trail with normal kids! She covers motivation, clothing and other gear, expectations, and safety, as well as other useful topics. She tries to elucidate our confusing pass system, and spells out very clearly what to pack for a hike. She even has a section on helping kids grow into strong hikers, and gives good advice about hypothermia and dehydration (conditions that both my children have experienced in our years of hiking.)

Once the info and tips are concluded, the bulk of the book begins: 125 hikes that kids and parents will love. They are organized by geographical area, and Elderkin gives a rating of difficulty from a 5- to 6-year-old’s point of view. As with other Mountaineers Books guidebooks, you’ll find trail stats and driving directions, map and permit information, seasons to hike the trails, and other notes, such as whether there is a privy at the trailhead or whether dogs are allowed. A detailed and informative description follows, with notes of attributes of particular interest to parents. She advises about hazards, lets families know where good turnaround spots are for younger hikers, and points out interesting natural features. At the very end is a thorough list of resources families can use to plan hikes and get outdoors more often.

You may be wondering if it’s worth getting this book if you already have one of the previous editions of Best Hikes with Kids. This new edition is definitely worth making space for on your bookshelf. There have been many changes in the road and trail systems since the original books came out. Some roads have washed away, and you can’t access the trails any more.  Some of the harder hikes have been removed, and some new ones have been added in. There were even a few trails I hadn’t heard of yet. This new book doesn’t travel as far east in geographic range, focusing more on hikes that are closer to Puget Sound. There are color maps, more accurate than the hand-drawn ones in my well-loved dog-eared volumes. The mileage has been updated, as well, and there are GPS coordinates that didn’t exist when the former books were published. This is a hefty guide, with color photos, enticing descriptions, and plenty of knowledge and wisdom to impart.

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Author Susan Elderkin

Best Hikes with Kids: Western Washington sells for $21.95, and will be available in bookstores everywhere beginning April 1, 2018. Susan Elderkin will be presenting the book at local bookstores throughout the spring; check out her website for dates and locations.

Book Review: Wild Love Story: Vignettes From Forest and Pond by Bob Jepperson

There is an excitement to exploring new places far away, but there is a different kind of joy that comes from getting to know a place in every season over many years. Bob Jepperson has done a lot of exploring, but he’s also spent over a decade wandering the trails of a wild area close…Continue Reading

Book Review: Discovering Seattle’s Parks

  My family loves getting out into the wilderness, but many times we are not able to go far from town for our nature fix. But thankfully we have an amazing array of local trails to explore when we need some fresh air. Seattle is fortunate to have parks in every neighborhood. Large and small,…Continue Reading

Book Review: Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula, 2nd Edition, by Craig Romano

Mysterious, deep, ancient forests. Coastal beaches and headlands. Alpine meadows with far-reaching views. Lakes and rivers, wetlands and surf. The Olympic Peninsula has a diverse range of habitats and areas to explore. You can research your next adventure to this wild corner of the country by using Craig Romano’s book, Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula. This…Continue Reading

Book Review and Interview: Backpacking 101 by Heather Balogh Rochfort

Summer is in full swing, and our thoughts are full of adventures we’re planning. We yearn to travel far and light, and sleep in the backcountry, with the stars and moon in view. If you’re new to backpacking, or are a dayhiker contemplating the next level of adventure, then you’ll appreciate a new book about…Continue Reading

Book Review: Take A Walk: Seattle by Sue Muller Hacking

  The month of March brought some newly published hiking books across my desk. Take A Walk: Seattle, by Sue Muller Hacking (Fourth Edition, Sasquatch Books) is one that I’m impressed with. I’ve been flipping through this book quite a bit this spring, and am surprised that there are trails near me that I haven’t explored yet.…Continue Reading

Urban Trails: Kitsap by Craig Romano – Book Review

Many of you are familiar with Craig Romano, the prolific and energetic guidebook writer for Washington State. We use his books all the time to plan our hikes to wild and scenic locations. But it’s not always easy to get out to true wilderness. With iffy weather, packed schedules, family illnesses – sometimes we need…Continue Reading

Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail : Washington, by Tami Asars, Book Review

  When I was younger, my biggest dream in life was to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. I was never able to figure out how to tackle that audacious goal, and life moved on, and I set that dream aside. But now Tami Asars has come out with a unique new book about how to…Continue Reading

Book Review: Treecology by Monica Russo

The latest book I’ve reviewed for you is Treecology: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring the World of Trees and Forests by Monica Russo. [Amazon link here.] This thin paperback is accessible for both parents and teachers. It is packed full of the science to understand all parts of trees and the environments they grow…Continue Reading

Book Review: 100 Classic Hikes: Washington by Craig Romano

My bookshelf has two rows of various hiking guides, but recently a new guide came out that will have a prominent spot in the first row. Craig Romano has rewritten and updated Harvey Manning and Ira Spring’s original 100 Classic Hikes in Washington book from 1998, including some of the initial hikes, but adding some new…Continue Reading