Black River hike

Last night we packed up our dinner and headed to the Black River.  This is a nice trail for kids, easy and plenty to see. It’s 4 miles round trip with a couple inclines that are fun! :) There are also many little side trails down to the water, which the kids love to fish from or put their feet in the water.  The Black River can be very treacherous so not recommended for swimming in….last night however, the spot we chose to relax near was really calm on the surface anyway, if you put your hand in the water you could still feel the current.  

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the river this calm.  I actually prefer it when the rapids are in full swing…I love the sound! I close my eyes and pretend I’m at the beach! :)

 

Dinner consisted of BLT’s , bbq chips and apple slices.  Dinner outdoors in the summer tastes so much better, don’t you think?

 

 

When hiking with the kids, no matter how short the trail, I still bring some essentials along,,, you never know what you’ll encounter. Last time we hiked this trail my daughter picked up a 3 ft snake!  Here are the items in our backpack:

small first aid kit, camel bak (bladder) or water bottles, plenty of snacks, rain poncho, pocket knife…these items generally stay in our backpack including, lighter and waterproof matches, duct tape (which I wrap around water bottle for ultra-light backpack) whistle, chapstick,  extra pair of socks, insect repellent,  water purification tablets, hankerchief, and insulated jacket.

The kids carry their own stuff in their backpack. This allows us big people to not have to carry all the weight and the kids learn to be responsible for their own necessities and learn quickly the importance of having those things on the trail when they need them. It’s not likely that we would ever need many of those things I listed on a short hike as we did last night, but it’s a good habit to carry these essentials on you anyway. :)