Hiking in Every Stage of Life

I have been connected with “We Are OutGrown” (formerly known as "Hike it Baby") for more than 2 years because I see the amazing work it does to empower families with young children to step outside and enjoy the physical and mental benefits of growing up in nature. OutGrown’s mission is to “empower families with babies and young children to step outside and enjoy the physical and mental benefits of growing up in nature.”  I am excited about the next step for this unique organization. Its recent rebranding to “OutGrown” better reflects its true purpose and serves as an umbrella name to encompass three program pillars:  Turn the Blues Green - which supports new parents in going outside with their newborns which can be a powerful tool for overcoming postpartum depression. Bring it Outside - a program to help families build a habit of getting outside and overcome challenges such as accessibility Hike it Baby - focused on community-led events such as hikes Together, these programs are helping families grow up outside, becoming OutGrown. Turn The Blues Green Program The first reason that I was drawn to this amazing organization (at that time called Hike it Baby) was because of the importance of hiking with both my children was to me during my paternity leave with them. Both of them were born in the winter, and one was born immediately before the Covid pandemic began. This meant there was a lot of isolation and my mental health wasn’t where I wanted it to be.  One of the most effective ways that I compensated and dealt with this was hiking with them in a carrier throughout D.C. I hiked so much during one month of leave that our entire family hiked every single mile of every single trail of Rock Creek National Park (close to 40 miles).  The Turn The Blues Green Program is a pioneering maternal mental health program. It is our tool, our solution, to help new parents combat the Baby Blues, to reduce that feeling of isolation many new moms face, and to nurture relationships with the natural world from the very beginning.  As one supporter said, "Venturing out on a stroller walk with our newborn was an incredibly freeing experience. It was like we had collectively been holding our breath since becoming new parents, and getting out into nature allowed us to finally exhale and realize we could manage this new parent thing!"   Bring it Outside Program One of the issues I have seen over and over again in my professional work defending public lands is the lack of accessibility and diversity for those enjoying our public lands. One of We Are Outgrown’s pillars of work is The Bring it Outside (BiO) program—which meets families where they are and supports them in getting outside in the ways that work best for their families.  Experiencing the benefits of being outside doesn’t need to be about climbing the biggest mountain or hiking the Appalachian Trail, it needs to be about whatever works for you. BiO develops tools and activities and hosts workshops and events for families year-round. This helps break down accessibility issues and gives them opportunities to enjoy the outdoors in whatever way works for them. Hike it Baby Program Hiking clubs are ubiquitous in our country, but what is far more rare is a nationwide hiking club that is focused on hiking with young children, and provides the infrastructure and support to volunteer leaders to make it easy and welcoming.  That’s exactly what the Hike it Baby program does— it specifically works to help families build a habit of getting outside, despite challenges such as accessibility. OutGrown was started as a small hiking club in Portland, Oregon, but now exists in more than 270 communities.  If you are looking for a family-oriented hiking club, I would highly encourage you to join. And whether you are looking for a hiking club or not, if there is a way for you to support this organization, please do! https://hikeitbaby.networkforgood.com/

Celebrating National Take a Hike Day “Hipsters tend to stick to hiking backcountry rivers. They’re less mainstream.” We at Hike It Baby, love hiking...obviously and having fun, so I thought I’d kick off the holiday with a good (or bad depending on how you feel) pun! Ok, all joking aside, November 17th is National Take A Hike Day, as in “Let’s go for a hike!”, not; we just had an argument “Go take a hike!” Actually, that would be a weird holiday to celebrate! Anyway, National Take A Hike Day is a great opportunity to either add another hike to your tick list or to hit the trails for the first time...with your feet not a stick ala Amelia Bedelia! If you’re getting on the trails for the first time Hike it Baby is a great way to get involved. With 1600 hikes a month, 350 different branches and 275,000 families there is a hike for everyone.  Tips for Your Hike it Baby Hike If those numbers feel too “in tents” and this is your first hike with Hike It Baby here are some helpful tips: Once I’ve found the perfect hike on the calendar I like to use Google Maps to see exactly how long it will take me to get there and then I add roughly half an hour because it’s winter (where I live) and I have an octopus, I mean 2 year old to get dressed and ready. The hike details are usually pretty thorough, but I also check the Family Trail Guide for more specific details about the trail - it’s perfect because the info is geared toward families with little trekkers.   I double check the diaper bag to make sure I have an extra set of clothes, plenty of snacks and water.  Me!! Sometimes, I forget to pack food, warm clothes and water for myself! Most of us are so focused on getting the wiggly ones out the door that once we get them in the car we just go, go, go! Lastly, if I have questions about the hike, conditions, parking or if I’m just feeling nervous, I’ll put the hike host’s number in my phone and text or call.  Choose Your Own Adventure My son and I have been hiking with Hike It Baby for awhile so when we go now, I like to challenge myself to see how far we can make it. This can mean different things on different days. Some days it’s how far can we get before the next meltdown, other days it’s how many miles can we do? I also find that I am more motivated to get out on a hike if it’s somewhere that I’ve never been before. Adding new trails to my tick list also helps me to explore the city a bit more and since we are still relatively new to the area, this is one of my favorite ways to explore.  Pass it On! Since I’m comfortable with hiking and the Hike It Baby model now I often invite friends and family who are new to the group or the area. I’ve found that regardless of hiking experience, meeting like-minded parents on the trail and exploring our city have been invaluable aspects of joining Hike It Baby and I want to pass that on!  So, this November 17th “Hit the road/trail Jack (or Jill)!” and come hike with us!  About Hike it Baby Hike it Baby is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to getting families outdoors and on trails across the U.S. and internationally, supporting, educating and inspiring families through their more than 300 communities across North America. Since its grassroots inception in 2013 in Portland, Oregon, Hike it Baby is now a growing community of 270,000 families and 500 volunteer branch ambassadors hosting more than 1,600 hikes per month. More information, as well as daily hike schedules, can be found at HikeitBaby.com, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram. Photos courtesy of Stephanie Jacobson