The 5 Best National Park Hikes For Infants and Toddlers

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Hitting the trail with a baby—and kids in general—can be nerve-racking. From making sure you have the right gear to finding a trail that’s suitable for your young ‘uns, there’s lots to plan for when taking a family adventure. You need to pack water bottles and baby bottles, extra layers and extra diapers, and plenty of sunscreen and snacks. 

The good news is that trails throughout our national parks welcome even the smallest explorers. Parents of wee wanderers and sippy cup scramblers will find an abundance of gentle strolls at doable distances. Whether it’s in well-known national parks like Glacier and Zion or lesser-traveled destinations like the Virgin Islands, you want to avoid picking out a trail that will make you want to throw in the spit-up rag. We’ve found the best kid-friendly national park hikes that will keep everyone happy.

Caprock Coulee Loop

• Length: 4.1 miles
• Elevation Gain: 860 feet
• Location: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
• Trail Type: Loop

Take your baby to the badlands of North Dakota to hike through otherworldly terrain. The changing topography and variation in vegetation will provide a sensory-friendly experience for babies in this unique section of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Along the Caprock Coulee Loop, you’ll duck into (and cool off in) dense juniper forests—a draw of this trail that differs from much of the other sun-exposed hikes in the park. Erosion over the centuries has created coulees, or steep, narrow valleys that mimic the flowing waters that carved them.

Patterns across the landscape are a spectacle for babies and parents alike. If you’re up for wildflower hunting, visit in spring and summer. Bright yellow prickly pear cactus pop against the rugged landscape between late May to early June. And fluorescent pink prairie rose, North Dakota’s state flower, are prominent through July. If you have a toddler who is just getting the hang of walking, hike the Caprock Coulee Nature Trail, which entails the first 0.8 miles of the full loop. This fun-sized portion of the route still gives you an amazing taste of the badlands landscape.

Emerald Pools Trail

• Length: 2.9 miles
• Elevation Gain: 1,171 feet
• Location: Zion National Park, Utah
• Trail Type: Loop

Escape the summer heat in Zion National Park on an oasis stroll with your little one. The Emerald Pools Trail leads to a series of three runoff water basins—Lower, Middle, and Upper—on a loop path that gets gradually more rugged as you go. Start at the Grotto (Shuttle Stop #6) near the Zion Lodge and follow the Kayenta Trail 0.9 miles to Middle Emerald Pool. From there, you can split east to Upper Emerald Pool or west to Lower Emerald Pool. Retrace your steps to the fork and return to the trailhead to complete the loop.

The vibrant oranges and reds of the striated Navajo Sandstone cliffs you’ll walk under will dazzle kiddos and adults alike, and so will the slot canyons you’ll pass through. Before or after your hike, swing by the in-park Zion Human History Museum to browse artifacts and collections documenting the history of people and geology that make up this iconic national park. Note: Swimming is not permitted in the Emerald Pools.

Reef Bay Trail

• Length: 4.1 miles
• Elevation Gain: 1,654 feet
• Location: Virgin Islands National Park, Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands
• Trail Type: Out-and-Back

Want to combine a beach vacation with some hiking? Head to Saint John, where Virgin Islands National Park engulfs two-thirds of the island with tropical forest. Hiking trails here dead-end at postcard-worthy beaches with water as warm as a bath, including the Reef Bay Trail. This 4.1-mile out-and-back trail passes historic sugar mill ruins, ancient Taino petroglyphs, and waterfalls that gush after tropical rainstorms.

You’ll want to bring your baby in a backpack carrier on this route that descends 937 feet to Genti Bay. Keep watch for sightings of deer in the mountains and hermit crabs at the beach. Prepare for a steep ascent back to the top, and if there has been recent rainfall, the rocks surrounding the waterfalls turn slippery. If you don’t want as much of a challenge, hike Cinnamon Bay Trail instead, a 2-mile out-and-back that leads to Cinnamon Bay Beach—with plenty of waterfalls and sugar mill ruins to explore too. 

Bear Lake Corridor Trails

• Length: 1.7 miles
• Elevation Gain: 420 feet
• Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
• Trail Type: Variable (Point-to-Point, Out-and-Back, or Loop)

If you’re vying to raise a mini mountaineer, give them their first taste of Rocky Mountain National Park with a trip to a high-alpine lake (or two). The Bear Lake Corridor, in particular, makes for perfect dayhiking around several glassy lakes surrounded by stunning snow-capped peaks. Popular trails in the corridor include Bear Lake Loop (0.6 miles), Dream Lake (1.1 mile), and Emerald Lake (above). If your baby’s an early riser, that’s great news. Heading into Rocky Mountain National Park at sunrise means you’ll beat the swarm of visitors—especially during peak summer and fall seasons. Post-hike, stop in Estes Park for a sweet treat at Pines & Cones Ice Cream, and keep an eye out for elk in town if you’re visiting between migration season, between mid-September and mid-October. 

Boardwalk Loop Trail

• Length: 2.3 miles
• Elevation Gain: none
• Location: Congaree National Park, South Carolina
• Trail Type: Loop

If stroller hiking’s more your speed, make the Boardwalk Loop Trail in Congaree National Park your pick. An elevated and flat wood plank pathway winds through swamp tupelo forest—the largest remaining old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the southeast. Towering bald cypress and water tupelo trees emerge from the water here. If swampland adventures are new to your kids, they’ll love the unique ecosystem along this trail.

Start your hike from the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. There, you can also browse their kid-friendly interpretive exhibits sharing information about the park’s unique ecosystem and cultural history. En route, kiddos can keep their eyes peeled for wildlife like woodpeckers, spiders, lizards, turtles, and the occasional alligator. (That being said, if your kid can walk, don’t let them stray too far.) Nearby Columbia, South Carolina, offers tons of family-friendly experiences on the tail end of your hike, including EdVenture Children’s Museum and Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, which is home to 3,000 animal species.