8 Easy and Amazing National Park Hikes for Kids and Beginners

Hiking in our amazing national parks is not just for rugged, outdoorsy types. While many hikes do require a certain amount of expertise--there are many national park hikes for kids and beginners that are user friendly and non intimidating. In fact, most national parks have a mix of hikes that range in difficulty from easy to difficult. If you are new to hiking, or if you are hiking with kids, don't assume you can't go on an epic hike that will fit your group's fitness and/or ability level.

See below for eight easy and amazing National Park hikes for kids and beginners that will get you inspired to hit the trail--no matter who you are hiking with! But first--let's meet our expert hiker and guest blogger who created this epic list!

Say Hello to Hiking Expert Erin Gifford

Our guest on the podcast this week (and our guest blogger in this post) is the wonderful and amazing Erin Gifford. Erin is the creator of the terrific hiking blog Go Hike Virginia and she is the author of three Falcon Guides: Hiking With Kids Virginia: 52 Great Hikes for Families, Virginia Summits: 40 Best Mountain Hikes from the Shenandoah Valley to Southwest Virginia, and Hiking Coastal Trails of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia: Waterfront Hikes from the Delmarva Peninsula to Virginia's Tidewater Region. Erin is a true hiking expert and her blog is terrific even if you don't live in or around Virginia. Her gear reviews are excellent and worth checking out no matter where you hike.

To listen to Erin talk about these "eight easy and amazing national park hikes for kids and beginners" please click on the media player above or subscribe to he RV Atlas wherever you get your podcasts. Or just read on to learn more! Photos and text below by Erin Gifford!

Also make sure to learn more about Erin's tips for making hiking with kids fun and NOT miserable right here!

1. Grand Canyon National Park: Rim Trail 

photo by Erin Gifford

The Skinny: big views from an easy, paved trail that's steps from an ice cream shop.

This trail is literally steps from where the shuttle drops you off in Grand Canyon Village. It's 13 miles in length and is mostly paved--so you can make this one as long or as short as you life. It goes right along the edge of the Grand Canyon, so there are lots of great view points. You can also get ice cream at Hopi House in-season. Walk as far as you like if you want to avoid some of the crowds that are closer in to the village.

2: Saguaro National Park: Valley View Overlook Trail 

photo by Erin Gifford

The Skinny: easy hike in the west unit to a view across a valley of saguaros.

This trail in the park's more popular west unit is less than one mile and you'll be surrounded by saguaro cacti the whole time. There are two view points at the end for west and south facing views. The bench at the west overlook is a great place to settle in for a sunset or to simply enjoy the vast valley below that's teeming with saguaros.

Joshua Tree National Park - Heart Rock & Arch Rock via Arch Rock Trail 

photo By Erin Gifford

The Skinny: cool rock formations, some easy rock scrambling.

This is less than a two mile hike but with no shade it can get toasty in summer, so bring plenty of water. Before you reach Arch Rock, there's a cool rock scramble area that's fun for kids. Arch Rock can be hard to miss, so keep your eyes open for the signs. Heart Rock looks like what you'd expect. A heart. The Skull Rock hike is also cool (also less than two miles) but you can also see the Skull Rock from the park road.

Shenandoah National Park: Blackrock Summit 

photo by Erin Gifford

The Skinny: steps on the Appalachian Trail to a rock scramble and Shenandoah Valley views.

This easy trail is a loop that's less than two miles and includes steps ...