Parent & Tot Hiking

Parent & Tot Hiking

Got an adventurous tot? Join Abby and Hazel on Sundays for hikes around the Nelson/Castlegar area with the Kootenay Mountaineering Club (KMC). We’ll send out an email on Wednesday mornings with the details for the upcoming Sunday hike. The hikes will be at a slow pace, with time for toddler-led hiking. However, you should be prepared to carry your tot if needed.

Join the Kootenay Mountaineering Club

Sign up for a membership with the Kootenay Mountaineering Club ($50/year per adult, children free). You can complete the adult liability waivers online. The “KMC Risk Agreement for Minors” needs a hard copy signed and mailed in for your child each year- copies will be brought to each Parent & Tot hike.

Sign up

Your membership is good until December 31st and gives you access to the entire KMC trip schedule for adults, plus outdoor skills courses and discounts at local outdoor stores. Once you sign up, you’ll be added to the KMC mailing list and get invites to all the trips, including Parent & Tot Hikes.

Spring 2025 Schedule

  • April 6th – Slocan Pools (Junction)
  • April 13th- Kokanee Creek (Grassy Trail and Beach)
  • April 20th- no hike (Easter long weekend)
  • April 27th – Antenna Trail (Montrose)
  • May 4th – Selkirk College Trails (Castlegar)
  • May 11th – Lower Sentinel Bluffs (Castlegar) (Mother’s Day)
  • May 18th – no hike (May long weekend)
  • May 25th – Morning Mountain Trails (Nelson)
  • June 1st – Merry Creek (Castlegar)
  • June 8th – Badger/Rail Trail (Nelson)
  • June 15th – Kokanee Old Growth Cedars (Father’s Day)
  • June 22nd – no hike (Abby away)
  • June 28th/29th – Overnight to Pilot Peninsula – Sawmill Cove

What to bring

You need to bring everything your family needs to be outside for a few hours, including weather-appropriate clothing, snacks, water, and diapers/change of clothes. Bringing a structured or soft carrier is a good idea if you’re unsure whether your little one will be able to walk the distance. Most hikes are 1-5 km.

For this age range, some tots will hike themselves, some will need to be carried, and some will do a combo!

FAQ

What times are the hikes? Most hikes will be Sunday mornings (9:30-11:30ish) to accommodate toddlers needing afternoon naps at home. There will often be options for younger tots to turn back for a shorter hike or for older preschoolers to do a longer trek.

What age is this for? These trips are aimed at 0-5 year olds with time for toddler-led hiking. But feel free to bring your older or younger children if it allows you to participate as a family. Younger babies will enjoy the hike best from a backpack carrier.

Can I bring my dog? A lot of tots are nervous around dogs so they are best left at home. Plus we have enough chaos with this age group without adding doggos to the mix!

How do I sign up? Once you join the Kootenay Mountaineering Club, you’ll get an email invite on Wednesdays for the upcoming hike. You just need to reply to the email to RSVP.

Do I need to come every week? No, you can just RSVP to the Wednesday email invite and drop-in on the upcoming Sunday hike. Your KMC membership is good for the full year and will cover the tot hiking series in the fall as well as any one-off events over summer.

Is carpooling available? Due to the complexity with carseats and need for flexibility for this age group, I’m not coordinating carpooling. We will have options for a shorter or longer hike on many of these trips.

Are hikes rain or shine? Yes, we’ll try to get outside no matter the weather! Please dress yourself and your little one appropriately. We may change the location to a more sheltered trail on a wet weather day.