Exploring Mt Hood Oregon- with babies

 

When my friend came to visit the PNW we decided to explore Mt Hood Oregon. Mt Hood is a national forest-not a national park. I believe this is because they allow skiing on the mountain (all year round I might add). I was roughly 2 months postpartum at this point and was slowly starting to get back into hiking so I didn't want to do anything too crazy but wanted some pretty views.  My friend was also hiking with her 14 month old so we knew we couldn't do anything too crazy. These two trails ended up being perfect for us! 

Some tips for hiking with children 

-Feed and diaper change before starting the hike- this may seem obvious but is a good reminder. This way -theoretically- your kids are in the best mood possible for the majority of the hike. Once I did this my two month old basically slept the majority of the hike 

-Use carriers- This is the time to use erogonomic carriers rather than wraps because you want to be more supported and secure. Plus if you do this you can be hands free to help balance yourself on the hike- which is also important. 

-Engage them with the surroundings if old enough. Like I said my two month old basically slept through both hikes but my friends 14 month old was awake for most of them. To keep her entertained we would try to point out things to her (trees, rivers, bugs, etc) and we would try to find things like pinecones or leaves to let her hold onto. You have to be careful that they don't put this stuff in their mouth but it's a great way to engage them in nature early in life. 

-Bring appropriate clothing. One thing I didn't take into consideration on our first hike was that because we were in the mountains it would be cooler ( I know I know, dumb but remember that I was sleep deprived). I felt so guilty on the first hike that I didn't bring any pants for my baby and his little legs were cold. I ended up wrapping his legs in a blanket. Socks and a hat might also be appropriate for this as well- despite how much I hate baby socks. 

Trilium Lake 

Distance: 1.9 mile loop

Difficulty: Easy 

This was a very easy hike/walk around the lake. The lake had beautiful views of Mt Hood (it was a fairly clear day which also helped). The lake itself was very pretty-very clear and there were many people fishing and kayaking on the lake. The trail is mostly shaded and forested there are alot of picnic tables by the parking lot to eat lunch at. 

Tamanawas Falls Trail 

Distance: 3.4 miles out and back 

Difficulty: Moderate  Elevation gain: 580 ft 

This was a really pretty trail with a beautiful waterfall at the end. There is a steady elevation gain the whole time. It was really pretty to hike next to the river the majority of the route. We had been told that the end was a bit "rocky" and we weren't totally sure what that meant. It was slightly tricky but still very doable with children strapped to us. 

This is the "rocky" section right at the end before you get to the waterfall 

We did it!