Two parents. Two young kids. A weekend of backpacking. Last summer, Ridge product designer Merrill Worlund and her partner, Casey, set out on their first family backpacking trip. With good planning and lots of snacks, they made it work. Here’s how Merrill prepared for backpacking with young kids, what actually happened on the trail and what she took away from the experience.
Words and photos by Merrill Worlund
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Raising kids in the Eastern Sierra leads to lots of experiences that might not happen as naturally if we lived in a city. We wanted to do something fun for our youngest's first birthday in August that was more of a memory than just a party. With lots of adventure walks under our belt, we figured a backpacking trip was the perfect next step.
My goal with this trip was to introduce backpacking to the kids and make it feel fun and exciting. As new parents, it was our first test getting back out there after starting a family. I had been waiting for this day to come—some of my fondest memories as a kid were backpacking trips with my family, so I loved being able to pass that on.
For this first backpacking trip, it was just our family of four: me, Casey, Roan (almost 4) and Rusty (turning 1).
Choosing a Kid-Friendly Backpacking Route in Mammoth
Everyone ready to start hiking bright and early. Casey in a Solstice Sun Hoodie, me in a Pursuit Ultralight Hoodie and Roan in a Solstice Sun Hoodie.
We chose a trailhead located just 15 minutes from where we live in Mammoth Lakes: Pika Lake out of Coldwater Creek Trailhead over Duck Pass. It’s about five miles to the lake and pretty easy at the beginning with one big push towards the end.
This hike has a number of lakes along the way so we knew we could stop often if needed for water, rest and swimming, and the stops would all be at beautiful places.
We planned on staying two nights so we’d have a full day to rest and play. We wanted to make sure it was fun for the kids, so we didn't want to push it by coming right back home the next day. And we knew if we needed to get home for any reason, the five mile hike down would be quick(ish).
Two nights also gave us a plan B if Roan couldn't make it up and over Duck Pass, the steepest part of the trail, the first night. We could camp at Barney Lake and have the second day to get over the pass and spend the night there before hiking out the next day.
Rusty hanging out at camp at Pika Lake
How We Packed and Prepared for Backpacking with Our Kids
Our plan was for Casey to carry his backpacking pack with our tent, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, food and everything else we'd need at camp—the JetBoil, fishing rod/net, camp chair, bear can, hammock and emergency supplies.
I would wear our youngest, Rusty, in an Osprey child carrier backpack that would provide easy access to all the things we needed while hiking (diapers, snacks, the water filter and water bottles). To the bottom of the Osprey backpack, we would attach a stuff sack full of all of our clothes. We had to bungee this to the bottom of the pack, and it ended up shifting around while hiking, so we’d probably rig it differently next time.
I read a blog post that said if you're planning to backpack for more than a couple nights, reusable diapers are nice because you can wash them and hang them to dry, but I ended up bringing disposable diapers to pack out on this short trip.
Roan would carry a small backpack filled with some easy access snacks for hiking, plus the boys’ special cozies: their baby blankets.
When I backpacked as a kid, my mom always let my brother and I choose something to bring as a comfort item, so I carried this on and recommend it to other parents planning to backpack with their kids. On my first backpacking trip at five years old, I brought my blanket, and when I got older I’d bring a CD player with a couple of CDs. It could also be a specific book or a toy they love. Anything that feels like home can be helpful when you’re somewhere new.
For our sleeping setup, we packed a two-person backpacking tent and our two sleeping pads that cover most of the tent floor. Roan had his own sleeping bag, and Casey and I each had a sleeping bag—mine was big enough for me and Rusty.
Casey and I each brought a set of clothes for the day and a warmer set for nighttime. We did the same for the boys, and I packed a little extra for them just in case. Our oldest is an expert at getting dirty, and our youngest, who was still in diapers at the time, could have a major blowout at any moment.
Lucky for us, we were all wearing Ridge gear. Casey and I were fully outfitted, and Roan got his first Ridge sun hoodie for the trip, which he loved.
Roan protected from the sun in his first Ridge Solstice Hoodie.
Our Clothing Packing List
Merrill:
- Ridge Bralette - worn as underwear, swimwear and as a tank top
- Ridge Boy Shorts - underwear/swimwear
- Ridge Pursuit Ultralight Hoodie - lightweight with some sun protection
- Ridge hiking shorts - for during the day (in development, coming spring 2026)
- Ridge Aspect High Rise Base Layer Bottoms - provided sun protection and served as my warmer layer
- Ridge Natural Joggers - my bottom mid layer, worn over the Aspect bottoms when it was cold
- Ridge Convict Canyon Hoodie - mid layer for when it cooled down
- Patagonia puffy - my warmest layer
- Ridge Minaret Socks - for hiking and wearing during the day
- Ridge Owens Socks - for sleeping (discontinued)
- Ridge hat
- Ridge beanie
- Sunski sunglasses
- Hiking boots
- Sandals for camp/swimming
Casey:
- Ridge Long Boxer Briefs - underwear & swimwear
- Ridge Journey Tee - for during the day
- Ridge Solstice Sun Hoodie - lightweight sun protection
Volcom lightweight joggers - also good sun protection - Ridge Aspect Base Layer Bottoms - sun protection and warmth
- Ridge Hyde Joggers - can be worn over the Aspect base layers or as a substantial nighttime layer on their own
- Ridge Convict Canyon Hoodie - mid layer
- Patagonia puffy - warmest layer
- Ridge Minaret Socks
- Ridge Owens Socks
- Ridge hat
- Ridge beanie
- Sunglasses
- Hiking boots
- Sandals
Kids (each):
- A t-shirt
- A pair of shorts
- A pair of pants
- A base layer legging (for Roan)
- A jammie onesie (for Rusty)
- Two sun hoodies - one of Roan's was Ridge (Rusty is too small for Ridge kids gear)
- A fleece jacket/onesie
- A windproof jacket for Roan
- Ridge beanie
- Sun hat
- Warm socks
- Hiking boots (for Roan)
The kids in their warm nighttime gear.
Our Backpacking Food Plan
We wanted to keep it simple with dehydrated backpacking meals for this trip—just add water and be good to go. We planned two dinners, two breakfasts and three light lunches.
For dinners we packed mac and cheese, chicken and rice, and beef stroganoff backpacking meals. Each bag serves two people, so we planned to make two bags each night so we’d have plenty. For breakfast both days we packed breakfast scramble backpacking meals. We chose meals we had eaten before and knew Roan would like.
I packed stroopwafels and energy gummies to eat while hiking, plus cheese and salami for longer breaks on the hike up. Rusty was still breastfeeding, so this made packing food a little easier.
I wanted to bring some special treats for the kids, so we brought freeze dried ice cream, blackberry crumble and hot cocoa. And since it was Rusty’s birthday, we brought a pastry and a candle to sing him happy birthday.
Preparing Kids Mentally for Backpacking Trips
I've always been pretty open with my kids talking through difficulties and how we can work through them. We talked with Roan and prepared him for this trip like we would talk him through anything else. It was his first time sleeping in a tent since we normally camp in a truck camper, so that was exciting for him.
When I was young, I remember my mom and dad telling me, "You can overcome the physical with the mental. Be strong. Take one step at a time. You can do this!" These positive affirmations always got me through, so I'm trying to pass that feeling on.
Backpacking at a Kid’s Pace
We left early on a Friday to give ourselves all day to hike and go at the pace of our older son, Roan. He’s always been a good walker and we do a lot of hikes, so he didn't need much convincing. He got to pick a walking stick once we started, which did cause some distraction because he kept finding "better sticks!" Casey and I tried to pack efficiently, but our packs were still heavy.
The first leg of this hike is a popular day hike so it was busy. We refilled our water at Arrowhead Lake and took a quick break keeping our backpacks on. We took a couple more quick snack breaks followed by a longer break at Barney Lake where we ate lunch and jumped in the lake. We all love a good polar plunge, including Roan.
Left: the family after a polar plunge; Right: Rusty and mom at camp.
Barney Lake is just below Duck Pass so we took our time there. Getting started up the pass was challenging as Roan was getting tired on the way up, so we went slow. Storytelling and singing helped motivate and distract from the physical demands of hiking. Mental toughness was key. We focused on positive reassurance and reminding each other of our goal: camping and fishing in the backcountry!
We all cheered when we arrived at Pika Lake in the late afternoon. The kids and I rested with our packs while Casey went to find a camp spot. There were a few other groups there, so we wanted a site that gave everyone enough space. Once we picked a spot, we moved our packs to it and went straight to jump in the lake and hang out on a big rock on the shore before setting up camp. We had a mellow evening wandering around and doing a little fishing.
Left: Roan and Casey fishing; Right: our gear hung up at camp.
Since we used a two-person tent, it was nice to all be squished together so we stayed warm overnight. The kids fell asleep around 7:30 both nights, so Casey and I had a little time to relax before calling it a night ourselves. Sleep came easy for everyone, and we were all so tired we didn’t move much during the night, so we felt good in the morning.
When we woke up it was Rusty’s first birthday! I made the boys hot cocoa (Rusty’s first time having it) and coffee for me and Casey. We spent the day hanging out at camp, lounging in the hammock and swimming in the lake. After lunch, we pulled out the pastry and sang happy birthday to Rusty.
When Rusty napped, Roan and Casey walked over to Duck Lake to fish while I did some “laundry.” Since we packed mostly Merino wool, we knew it would last a few days and could easily be rinsed and quickly dried in the sun.
The birthday boy enjoying a backcountry nap wearing his birthday ribbon.
While we were out there, we also talked about camping in the wilderness—where and how to go to the bathroom, how to dispose of garbage (pack it in, pack it out), using the bear can, the 10 essentials of hiking/backpacking and how to be cautious of wildlife and respect nature.
Both mornings we woke up early with the sun, and the second morning we made breakfast, packed up camp and started our hike down. The hike out was much easier and more fun after having a full rest day at the lake. We somehow packed the perfect amount of food, literally eating the last of it on our way down.
Takeaways from Our First Family Backpacking Trip
Mental preparedness is important. We do a lot of day hiking and nature walks with Roan, so he was already familiar with pushing himself a bit. We talked about how fun it is to be out in the woods and how lucky we are that we can walk out our front door and do amazing things like this. I've always tried to connect nature with positive feelings, so I think this helps with the mental aspect.
It's probably best if your kids are showing some interest in hiking and camping. Hiking like this isn't everyone's idea of fun, so making sure they're interested is important.
It can be easy too though—being outside all day and having the freedom to explore and use their imagination is a dream for many kids. Often it's easier keeping kids entertained outside than inside.
The kids relaxing in a hammock at camp.
It's about enjoying the journey... I know that's cliche, but it's true. We focused on listening to our bodies and worked as a team to get where we wanted to go with good attitudes. If things got hard, we would just take a break and regroup.
The trip was a huge success. We went at Roan's pace, we made sure to have special treats and familiar comforts like their blankets, and we kept attitudes positive with a few games of "I spy" and storytelling. I’m looking forward to the next time we get to backpack together as a family.
