Hiking with kids – Trail Reviews

“As a child, one has that magical capacity to move among the many eras of the earth; to see the land as an animal does; to experience the sky from the perspective of a flower or bee; to feel the earth quiver and breathe beneath us; to know a hundred different smells of mud and listen unselfconsciously to the soughing of the trees.”

~Valerie Andrews

All
1 to 2 miles
2 to 3 miles
3 to 4 miles
4 to 5 miles
About 1 mile or less
creek
Easy
Hard
History
Loop
Moderate
North Carolina
Out and Back
Tennessee
VA
Views
Waterfall

Natural Tunnel State Park – VA

The Natural Tunnel State Park is without a doubt one of the boys’ favorite outdoor spots to go. All of our boys love trains, but our oldest is a true train fanatic…

Gentry Creek Falls

Gentry Creek Falls

There is nothing like a beautiful waterfall hike on a hot summer day. Throw in multiple creek crossings along the way and it makes a perfect trek for kids! Our boys love hikes with creek crossings

Road to Nowhere Tunnel - North Carolina

The Road to Nowhere

Bryson City is a town rich with history, however not all of its history has a favorable ending. The Road to Nowhere is a landmark that reminds longtime locals of government promises left unkept. During Word War II, the Fontana Dam and lake were created…

Jacob’s Nature Park

Jacob’s Nature Park is a 28 acre wildlife habitat and level 1 certified arboretum built along Sinking Creek near downtown Johnson City, TN. This park was developed in memory of Jacob Francisco…

Pine Ridge Falls

Pine Ridge Falls is a perfect hike for kids of any age. It is relatively short with a very small elevation gain. There is one small creek crossing along the way that we were able to easily navigate by hopping rock to rock…

Watauga River Bluffs

Watauga River Bluffs Trail is a lesser known trail just outside of Johnson City in Watauga, TN. It sits on a 50-acre natural area in Carter County along the Watauga River. The land was designated as a nature preserve in 1998 to protect the Carolina Pink..

Laurel Run

Laurel Run Trail is a scenic trail within Laurel Run Park in Church Hill, TN. A fun fact about this park is that it was used in the movie, The River, in 1984…

Margarette Falls

Margatette Falls is my favorite waterfall hike near home. The trail follows a beautiful creek, giving you gorgeous scenery the whole way. The first time we did this trail, the boys had just turned 4, 6, and 7.

Sitting Bear Mountain

Sitting Bear Mountain is a relatively short hike with the spectacular views of the Linville Gorge and a really cool rock feature. I would recommend this trail for the age 5 and up group.

Lover’s Leap Loop Trail – Hot Springs

Lover’s Leap Loop trail is a moderately difficult loop that connects with a small portion of the Appalachian Trail. The summit has spectacular views of Hot Springs, NC and the Nolichucky River. Before or after your…

Max Patch Loop Trail

Spring is here!!! We are so excited that we could do this hike on a perfectly clear day. The weather is beginning to warm up but it is at least 10-15 degrees cooler on the mountain, so we still brought light jackets. Max Patch is a great…

Buffalo Mountain to Tip Top

For those of you who live in Johnson City, this trail is a great choice for days when you are looking for something close by. There are multiple routes to choose from on Buffalo Mountain that interconnect. We combined the Fork Knob trail with a section of White Rock Loop to get to the “Tip Top” area…

Limestone Creek Trail

This is a perfect hike for kids or anyone new to hiking who wants to “dip their toes in the water,” both literally and figuratively. The trail is really more like a leisurely stroll along the creek in the woods as there is 0 net elevation gain. Limestone Creek Trail lies within David Crockett Birthplace…

Sill Branch Falls

Sill Branch Falls is an excellent hike for kids in the 0-5 range, while at the same time being lots of fun for older kids as well. It is a well marked and straight forward route. To be clear, we have only been to the lower falls…

Massie Gap Wild Ponies

Massie Gap and Wilburn Ridge Loop Trail

Massie Gap is a well known spot along the Appalachian Trail where you will likely find yourself in the company of beautiful wild ponies. This area is a part of Grayson Highlands State Park which contains…

White House Cliffs – Rocky Fork State Park

Rocky Fork State Park has been recommended to us many times. The first time we attempted to go, the park was closed due to ice and downed trees. We tried again this weekend and were so excited to check out Rocky Fork’s newest trail, White House Cliffs…

Lakeside Trail – Bays Mountain Park

Bays Mountain Park has always been one of our go-to nature outings with the boys. We go at least once a month if not more and have been going since the boys were very small…

Laurel Falls via the Appalachian Trail

I have so many fond memories of this waterfall. Laurel Falls was one of the first hikes that I ever went on. (Fun fact- my first hike wasn’t until I was in high school.) I have been to Laurel falls around 5-6 times, but always took the same trail from the US-321 S trail head in Hampton, TN…

Nolichucky Ridge Cliff via Appalachian Trail

If you are looking for a short hike with incredible views in East Tennessee, this is a great option. Nolichucky Ridge Cliff is part of the Appalachian Trail in Erwin, TN. The trail head is right across the street from the Nolichucky Hostel and Uncle Johnny’s Cabins and Camping.

Blue Hole Falls

Blue Hole Falls is generally referred to as simply, “Blue Hole,” by people in the area. It is a very short an easy hike with a beautiful waterfall view. The unfortunate thing about really short hikes is that they usually come with a lot of traffic…

Beauty Spot via the Appalachian Trail

Beauty Spot is a well known area in East Tennessee because of its gorgeous 360 degree views of North Carolina and Tennessee. There is a parking area close to the main overlook so it gives you lots of options for how far you want to go…

Roan Mountain – Carver’s Gap

Roan Mountain- Carver’s Gap holds a special place in our hearts because it is one of the first trails that we would frequent when the boys were babies. It is especially memorable because when my second son was a few months old…

Devils Bathtub VA

The Devil’s Bathtub

The Devil’s Bathtub is a well known hiking trail that brings people to Fort Blackmore, Virginia from all over the country. In fact, both times that we hiked this trail we met honeymooners from out of state. It wasn’t until after…

Martin’s Creek Falls

Martin’s Creek Falls is a charming waterfall that is tucked into a magical little cove in Erwin, TN. We never run across a lot of people there, maybe one or two …

Rock Creek Falls Trail

The pay-off at the end is beautiful, but I have to say that Rock Creek Falls trail will probably be one we save to do again when the boys are a little older. The falls were gorgeous and it was a beautiful hike along a creek, but…

Hawksbill Mountain Hiking Trail

The Hawksbill Mountain hiking trail definitely falls into one of my top 5 favorites that we have done with the boys. It checks off almost all the boxes that we look for before heading onto a trail with our crew…