dearJulius.com

$type=carousel$count=12$sn=0$cols=4$va=0$source=random$show=home

16 Kid-Friendly Things to Do at National Parks

Hand-picked by Kate Siber, author of the new children's book 'National Parks of the USA'


By Katie Arnold, Outside Magazine

When journalist Kate Siber was ten, her parents took her and her two older brothers on a tour of national parks in the Southwest. “Seeing the Grand Canyon changed my entire view of the world,” she recalls. “I grew up in Boston. I didn’t know that kind of landscape existed. I had never been under those huge, beautiful blue skies. I’d never seen red rock. It got me incredibly excited to explore the world.” Twenty-eight years later, Siber has visited 30 parks and just published her first book, National Parks of the USA, aimed at inspiring kids to see the natural world.

Highlighting 21 parks and their flora and fauna, the book is a colorful, kid-friendly encyclopedia crammed with beta, factoids, and vivid illustrations by artist Chris Turnham. The book is crawling with strange, fantastical beings, like the desert-dwelling short-horned lizard that can puff up to twice its normal size, change colors, and shoot blood out of its eyes, and the tarantula hawk, a wasp that preys on its namesake spiders by stinging them and laying eggs in their bellies.

“The national parks are a fantastic gateway to getting kids excited about nature,” Siber says. “There are all sorts of cool programs, from stargazing to paleontological digs to historic reenactments and the Junior Ranger program.” Whenever we visit a park, my own daughters, now eight and ten, love to record animal sightings to earn their Junior Ranger badge. To help you find inspiration (and stuff to do) for your own kids, I asked Siber for suggestions at four of our best parks.


Acadia National Park, Maine

  • With 520 feet of elevation gain over 3.2 miles round-trip, the prominent knobby outline of the Beehive, looming above Sand Beach, is one of Acadia’s most iconic landmarks. Climb up through forest to the exposed summit; granite staircases and iron rungs help you navigate some of the more exposed sections. Due to heights and exposure, this one’s best suited for sturdy legs.
  • Tide pools are ankle-deep miniature ecosystems capable of capturing kiddos’ attention for hours. Prowl for periwinkles, mussels, and sea stars—if you turn them over, you might see a clear, jelly-like substance on its underside. “That’s its stomach!” Siber says. “It pushes it out when it eats and then sucks it back in.”
  • Ice cream is pretty much required eating in Maine. After a full day of adventure, hit up Mount Desert Island Ice Cream for blueberry basil and blackstrap molasses banana cones.
  • Otter Cliff has easy to moderate rock climbing routes rated 5.5 to 5.10—perfect for beginners. “The cliffs aren’t huge, but they are right on the ocean, which makes it pretty exciting,” says Siber, who was 12 when she climbed there for the first time. “I felt like a superhero.”


Badlands National Park, South Dakota

  • In 2010, a seven-year-old girl found a saber-toothed cat fossil in the park. Visit the Fossil Preparation Lab and follow the quarter-mile Fossil Exhibit Trail to learn about the ancient rhinos, cats, and horses that once roamed these grasslands and see real-life paleontologists doing their thing.
  • The park’s remote location all but guarantees low light pollution, dark skies, and great stargazing. As with many parks, there are cool nightly telescope programs during summer.
  • The four-mile Medicine Root Loop traverses prairie with impressive views of the Badlands, one of a handful of easy to moderate hikes in the park that are ideal for little legs.
  • Prairie dogs are the cornerstone of the Badlands’ ecosystem. Set up a stakeout in the grasslands to watch them pop their heads up from their burrows, which also act as shelter for other creatures, like burrowing owls.


Death Valley National Park, California

  • Ever seen a snake track? Get up early while it’s still coolish to climb 100 feet to the top of the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, near Stovepipe Wells, and look for tracks of all the critters that were out slinking around at night—kangaroo rats, lizards, snakes, and mice. BYO sand board or flying saucer to sled down the dunes.
  • Bring lots of water and head to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the United States, at 282 feet below sea level. Go at midday and keep your eyes out for the heat mirage. Sometimes it appears as an enormous, shimmering whitewater river in the desert—other times, it’s a lake.
  • It’s a Death Valley tradition to take your picture beside the digital thermometer at the Furnace Creek visitor center—especially on super-scorching 110-plus-degree days.
  • In cooler winter months, the Golden Canyon Trail is a straightforward three-mile hike that gets you deep into the tawny, sculpted canyon.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

  • Old Faithful is the epicenter of Yellowstone for a reason. The geyser, which puts on an extravagant show every 60 to 90 minutes, belongs on the top of your list despite the crowds. From there, move on to other nearby steam-shooting vents like Riverside Geyser, Daisy, and Castle.
  • Head to Midway Geyser Basin to gawk at Grand Prismatic Spring, the country’s biggest and most colorful geothermal pool, wider than a football field. The water gets its rainbow of wild Technicolor hues from the heat-seeking bacteria called thermophiles that live there.
  • For an up-close look at mud pots, steaming hot springs, and the bubbling Lakeshore Geyser, among others, sign up for a half-day sea kayaking tour of Yellowstone Lake, geared for explorers ages seven and up.
  • Go on a DIY wildlife safari through the Lamar Valley. The bison are hard to miss; head out at sunrise or sunset for the best chance of seeing wolves.


See more at: Outside Magazine

|Featured Content_$type=three$c=3$l=0$m=0$s=hide$rm=0


A Part of Julius LLC
Made with in NYC by Julius Choudhury
Name

Abu Dhabi,3,Adventure,29,Adventure Travel,728,Advice,72,Africa,30,Air Travel,195,Alabama,5,Alaska,29,Albania,2,Alberta,2,America,79,Amsterdam,3,Anguilla,4,Antarctica,9,Antigua,5,Antigua and Barbuda,1,Argentina,18,Arizona,29,Arkansas,4,Armenia,1,Aruba,4,Asia,2,Asia Travel,45,Athens,3,Austin,9,Australia,108,Austria,18,Azerbaijan,1,Bahamas,19,Bangladesh,8,Barbados,3,Beach Travel,76,Belarus,2,Belgium,16,Belize,17,Bermuda,7,Bhutan,9,Blue Lagoon,2,Boatswana,2,Bolivia,6,Bosnia and Herzegovina,2,Boston,3,Botswana,3,Brazil,57,Brunei,1,Budget Travel,106,Bulgaria,3,California,140,Cambodia,6,Canada,97,Caribbean,57,Caribbean & Mexico,6,Chicago,14,Chile,12,China,28,Christmas Travel,21,Clothes,1,Coliseum,1,Colombia,20,Colorado,53,Columbia,3,Connecticut,6,Corporate Travel,1,Costa Rica,20,Country Travel,253,Croatia,29,Cruiser Travel,18,Cuba,18,Cultural Travel,65,Cyprus,3,Czech Republic,7,D.C.,2,Delaware,2,Denmark,21,Destinations,31,Dominican Republic,4,Dubai,17,East Africa,4,Easter Island,1,Eco Travel,23,Ecuador,11,Egypt,13,Emirates,1,England,21,Estonia,2,Eswatini,1,Ethiopia,2,Europe,120,Fall Travel,52,Family Travel,130,Faroe Island,2,Faroe Islands,1,Featured,72,Features,417,Festival Travel,26,Fiji,10,Finland,16,Florida,92,Food,7,France,65,Free Travel,1,French,6,French Polynesia,11,Galapagos,4,Georgia,21,Germany,30,Ghana,3,Great Britain,1,Greece,56,Greenland,2,Grenada,2,Guatemala,3,Halloween Travel,11,Hawaii,74,Hayden Panettiere,1,Hiking Travel,69,Historical Travel,86,Holiday Travel,42,Holland,1,Honeymoon Travel,140,Hong Kong,16,Hotels,77,Hungary,4,Ibiza,1,Iceland,53,Idaho,8,Ideas,11,Illinois,20,India,42,Indiana,5,Indonesia,15,Iran,1,Iraq,1,Ireland,48,Island,64,islands,2,Israel,15,Italy,86,Ivory Coast,1,Jamaica,14,Japan,65,Jordan,7,Kansas,8,Kentucky,2,Kenya,3,Korea,2,Kosovo,1,KSA,2,Kyrgyzstan,1,Las Vegas,5,Latin America,4,Latvia,2,Lithuania,4,London,29,Louisiana,15,Lowa,4,Luxembourg,2,Luxury Travel,35,Madeira,1,Maine,12,Malawi,1,Malaysia,1,Maldives,23,Malta,8,Maryland,9,Massachusetts,18,Mauritius,5,Mexico,99,Miami,18,Michigan,10,Mississippi,2,Missouri,8,Moldova,1,Monaco,3,Mongolia,1,Montana,18,Montenegro,3,Morocco,22,Myanmar,10,Namibia,5,National Parks,1,Nature,4,Nature Travel,130,Nepal,7,Netherlands,22,Nevada,30,Nevis,2,New England,6,New Hampshire,3,New Jersey,4,New Mexico,12,New Year,1,New Year's Day Travel,9,New York,77,New York City,32,New Zealand,58,Newfoundland,1,Nicaragua,2,North America,14,North Carolina,14,North Dakota,1,North Ireland,1,North Macedonia,2,Northern Ireland,1,Norway,24,Occasional Travel,8,Oceania,3,Ohio,6,Oklahoma,1,Oman,6,Oregon,15,Orlando,1,Pakistan,4,Panama,10,Paraguay,1,Paris,27,Pennsylvania,14,Peru,27,Philippines,5,Phoenix,2,Photo Feature,1,Poland,5,Portugal,32,Prague,1,Puerto Rico,16,Qatar,5,Quebec,1,Resort,13,Rhode Island,5,River Travel,2,Road Trips,66,Romania,7,Romantic Getaways,16,Rome,7,Russia,17,Saint Lucia,4,San Francisco,2,San Miguel de Allende,1,Scotland,18,Seasonal,54,Seasonal Travel,62,Serbia,2,Seychelles,1,Sightseeing Tours,2,Singapore,21,Ski Resorts,11,Slovenia,8,Solo Travel,30,Solomon Islands,1,Somoa,1,Soth Africa,1,South Africa,22,South America,7,South Carolina,13,South Dakota,8,South Florida,2,South Korea,7,South Pacific,3,Space Travel,15,Spain,52,Special,21,Special Features,298,Spring Travel,24,Sri Lanka,9,Student Travel,1,Summer Travel,79,Summer Vacation,9,Sweden,21,Swiss Alps,1,Switzerland,32,Sydney,2,Tahiti,5,Taiwan,7,Tanzania,5,Tasmania,1,Tennessee,11,Texas,63,Thailand,43,Thanksgiving Travel,8,Things to Do,167,Tibet,2,Tips,116,Train Travel,29,Transportation,21,Travel,187,Travel Advice,66,Travel Apps,1,Travel Guide,39,Travel Stories,28,Travel Technology,1,Travel Tips,290,Trip Ideas,1,Tunisia,3,Turkey,21,Turkish,1,Turks and Caicos,1,Tuscany,1,UAE,12,Uganda,1,UK,49,Ukrine,1,Urban Travel,56,Uruguary,3,US Virgin Islands,3,USA,685,Utah,21,Uzbekistan,2,Vacation Travel,319,Valentine's Day Travel,1,Vehicle Travel,2,Venezuela,1,Vermont,6,Victoria Falls,1,Vietnam,10,Village Travel,1,Virginia,12,Virtual Travel,6,Wales,5,Washington,18,Washington DC,22,Weddings Travel,5,West Indies,2,Wildlife Travel,13,Winter Travel,71,Wisconsin,9,Worldwide,158,Wyoming,13,xxx,1,Yemen,1,Zadar,2,Zambia,5,Zimbabwe,6,
ltr
item
Travel Magazine: 16 Kid-Friendly Things to Do at National Parks
16 Kid-Friendly Things to Do at National Parks
Kate Siber has visited 30 parks and just published her first book, National Parks of the U.S.A., aimed at inspiring kids to see the natural world, too.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTe-jfhvf4pFJvx8qcrqWMSLVSQLzU6Lr7A3M_Oh5bx_pXOTPwT5xkgI0b1j00lgz_q5-OhPOmWiS1hEBd8BvNDBd1Vi6uTMJ5t34RRGXMLH11f_CDryzRnwelgNFA1pmiix3hHl2aRG2/s1600/travel.dearjulius.com.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTe-jfhvf4pFJvx8qcrqWMSLVSQLzU6Lr7A3M_Oh5bx_pXOTPwT5xkgI0b1j00lgz_q5-OhPOmWiS1hEBd8BvNDBd1Vi6uTMJ5t34RRGXMLH11f_CDryzRnwelgNFA1pmiix3hHl2aRG2/s72-c/travel.dearjulius.com.jpg
Travel Magazine
https://travel.dearjulius.com/2018/10/16-kid-friendly-things-to-do-at.html
https://travel.dearjulius.com/
https://travel.dearjulius.com/
https://travel.dearjulius.com/2018/10/16-kid-friendly-things-to-do-at.html
true
5866858605520326948
UTF-8
Loaded All Posts Not found any posts VIEW ALL Read More Reply Cancel reply Delete By Home PAGES POSTS View All RECOMMENDED FOR YOU LABEL ARCHIVE SEARCH ALL POSTS Not found any post match with your request Back Home Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat January February March April May June July August September October November December Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec just now 1 minute ago $$1$$ minutes ago 1 hour ago $$1$$ hours ago Yesterday $$1$$ days ago $$1$$ weeks ago more than 5 weeks ago Followers Follow THIS PREMIUM CONTENT IS LOCKED STEP 1: Share to a social network STEP 2: Click the link on your social network Copy All Code Select All Code All codes were copied to your clipboard Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy Table of Content