Hiking Daytrips for Families

My favorite seasons for hiking are summer and early fall, when the foliage is thick and the forest is vibrantly alive.  Collingswood is a great starting point for a variety of hiking adventures. Within two hours’ drive, we can reach mountains, beaches, meadows, gorges, and areas of special ecological interest such as the Pinelands. Family-friendly day hikes abound in our region, and some can be paired with a night of camping. In addition, many areas good for hiking are proximate to historical sites.

I hike quite frequently with my family, and to make sure we are all happy hikers on the trail, I always make the following commonsense considerations:

Make sure the trail is appropriate for children. I think about the elevation changes on a trail and safety. One of my husband’s classmates tumbled to his death while hiking as a child.

Be ready for the weather and accompanying trail conditions. Is there rain in the forecast? Did it rain recently, making a rocky hike too slippery for children? We dress for the occasion and pick the right shoes.

Make sure there is enough to eat and drink. Depending on how long the hike is, we may pack a picnic lunch, or at least snacks. Making sure we have enough water is important. We don’t want anyone miserable or dehydrated out on the trail.

Be prepared for insect and animal encounters. Insects are usually an issue while hiking. We like Herbal Armor for our skin to repel mosquitoes and Essential Oil of Geranium to repel ticks. We always wear hats and check each other for ticks after hiking. As for animals, we tend to be a noisy family of people blundering through the woods, so I would stay away if I were an animal … but with the increase in the Black Bear population, it’s good to know where they may be. Check state park websites. If you are hiking in an area with bears or other possibly confrontational animals, keep your children nearby while on the trail.

So now that you are ready to hit the trail, here are my top five picks for family hiking destinations that are an easy daytrip from Collingswood. At all of these places, it is possible to do more than just hike.

1. Washington Crossing State Park

Washington Crossing State Park is less than an hour’s drive. It is a well-rounded destination, with easy hiking throughout the park that could easily be worked into an agenda of things to do. You may set off for your amble after touring the Johnson Ferry House, a Revolutionary War-era home within the park that hosts living history programs. It has a lovely kitchen garden adjacent to it. Time it right, and you might make it through the woods to the Nature Center in time to catch one of their many programs, ranging from natural dyes to astronomy to primitive fire building. Your hike might also lead to the Open Air Theater within the park, where many Disney-inspired children’s plays are performed. The hiking is pleasant, with well-maintained paths traversing woods and meadows, and some stands of pines.

2. Ridley Creek State Park

Ridley Creek State Park is about 45 minutes away. It is a large state park in Delaware County, PA, offering numerous easy hiking trails and a paved 5-mile multiuse trail. The hiking is pleasant on the White Trail, which follows a creek closely and eventually leads to a picnic area. Also within the park is the Colonial Plantation Pennsylvania, a Colonial-era working farm with living history programs. On a recent trip, my children were enthralled by woodworking demonstrations, historical reenactments, and drawing water from a well.

3. Wharton State Forest

Wharton State Forest is a large expanse of Pine Barrens forest excellent for hiking and paddling. Within the forest are two main locations for recreation and historical sightseeing, Atsion and Batsto Village.  At Atsion, it is possible to hike the Mullica River Trail to Batsto, though this is a 9 ½ mile hike and too far for most families. Doing a shorter section of that trail is a possibility. Atsion Lake is open for swimming during the summer months. Near the recreation area is a short nature trail with scenic views of the lake. At Batsto, it is possible to plan a section hike on the Batona Trail, or to hike a section of the Mullica River Trail. Batsto Village is a historic bog iron industrial settlement. Houses and various outbuildings are open for tours. There is also a nature center at the village. It is possible to camp at either Batsto or Atsion. There are places to rent canoes throughout Wharton State Forest if you wish to combine your hiking with some paddling. Paddling through the winding, narrow rivers of the Pine Barrens is a fantastic way to get away from it all.

4. French Creek State Park

French Creek State Park is the little park that could. It’s not particularly remarkable, but has everything one could want from a state park- camping (yurts!), canoeing, swimming, environmental education, disc golfing, fishing…and over 35 miles of hiking trails! The Boone Trail is a good choice for a longer family hike, as it explores all of the highlights of the park. Parts of the Boone Trail are delightful, as it passes over footbridges and dams and near the turtles sunning themselves on rocks in the lake. You can even hike to nearby Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, where there are living history programs. In the fall, you may pick apples from their heirloom trees.

5. Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain        

The Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain is a county-run park in the middle of Mercer County’s Pleasant Valley Historic District. It has 12 miles of trails crosscutting what used to be the Kuser Family Estate. The trails are mostly within the wooded areas of the estate, and offer some nice views of the surrounding valley. The ruins of various houses and outbuildings unsteadily stand in the clearings on the preserve. Next to the large under-construction visitor’s center, there is a nature center that periodically hosts programs. For now, the most compelling reason to visit the preserve is for peaceful hiking, but it seems like efforts are underway to open the visitor center and expand educational opportunities.

Hope you spend a day hiking in the near future! If you do, let me know about your adventures. For more information and pictures related to any of the locations I recommend, please visit Ramble On Hiking.