Description
Utah national parks offer many activities for families with small children. There are hikes in each park offering great views and easy strolls. Whether you pan to visit all Utah national parks or just one, be sure to try on of these hikes with your kids.
Arches National Park offers a couple easy hikes for preschoolers and toddlers. Balanced Rock, a formation that looks like a boulder teetering on a rock foundation, can easily be seen from the parking lot and picnic area. But for a closer kid friendly examination, take the wheel chair accessible loop around the base of the formation. Delicate Arch can also easily be reached via a 100-yard stretch.
Riverside Walk in Zion National Park is a 2-mile round trip on a paved trail, suitable for strollers. It runs along the North Fork of the Virgin River, has plenty of shade, and is popular with young families. Weeping Rock is another hike only a half mile in distance, and while steep, is not a problem for most kids.
If you’re visiting Bryce Canyon National Park with small children, you can take them on Mossy Cave trail, a hike that is less than a mile long. The trail takes you over a delightful bridge and follows along a pristine desert stream. There is a small cave lined with moss that offers a refreshing respite from the heat.
In Canyonlands National Park, Mesa Arch Loop Trail is a half-mile long, taking only about 30 minutes, and is an easy hike for families. It takes you through pinon-junipers and allows views of the scenic La Sal Mountains. Grand View Trail is a little longer at 2 miles but has an easy grade. There are cliffs along the way so be careful with small children.
The best hike for families and children in Capitol Reef National Park is Headquarters Canyon. It is two miles round trip but is an easy stroll. The hike takes you through a slot canyon past several different types of sandstone beauty. The canyon was a popular resting point for cattleman in the 19th century.
