Hiking with children is an experience that can really bring families together, build bonds and complicity, as well as being a healthy and fun pastime to enjoy together. Kids can be excellent walking companions, with their energy and enthusiasm making outings unforgettable moments. If you're looking for kid-friendly hikes, mountain trips, easy trails and walks, here are some ideas for your weekends with the little ones.
Trekking is an activity for the whole family that will excite your children with a new experience and allow you to spend truly quality time with them. Kids have great energy and are less cynical and more enthusiastic than most adults. In short, they can be excellent hiking companions for your trekking adventures.
But where to go to enjoy walks and trekking with the little ones? Where to plan a vacation based on mountains and trails, perhaps together with other families?
Mountain hikes aren’t just for expert climbers. Families can also enjoy the extraordinary beauty and outdoor adventure of the area and create lasting memories while doing so. Hiking is a fantastic way to experience nature, stay active, and spend quality time together as a family. You’re guaranteed to leave with memories that will last a lifetime.
The Italian Dolomites, for example, offer the best of nature, adventure, and culture, with over 90,000 acres of mountainous terrain to explore and conquer. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy the wide variety of activities available, while history buffs delight in learning about the fascinating culture of the Dolomite people. Not to mention the refined cuisine, luxury spas, and incredible sightseeing. But it’s not just the Dolomites: from the Alps to the Apennines and the rolling hills, the entire peninsula offers fantastic trails and places to visit with the whole family.
Here are 8 ideas for nature trails perfect for kids!
8 Kid-Friendly Hikes in Italy
Orsiera National Park
The Orsiera Rocciavrè National Park, part of the protected areas of the Cottian Alps, offers plenty for those seeking hikes with children. The summit is the Guglia Rossa at 2,548 meters, overlooking Bardonecchia in Valle Stretta, and is a typical day hike from Turin if you want a wide view of the Italian and French Alps. We also recommend a stop at the beautiful setting of Lake Orfù, near Salbertrand. In the emerald waters of this lake, you can enjoy tranquility but also play with the kids and relax on the lovely beach with mountains in the background.
Lake Sompunt
A beautiful and pleasant idea for kid-friendly hikes starts in Alta Badia, in the stunning Dolomites. It continues along the road to Pedraces and then up a small climb to the road of Runcac. This trail leads to the Paracia and Ciaminades farmhouses and the basin of the beautiful Lake Sompunt. Enjoy a nice picnic by the lake while the kids play in the park! On the way back, you can also visit the Paraciora-Sompunt deer park, an impressive seven-hectare area home to countless deer and roe deer roaming freely. Stroll calmly along the winding path and watch these peaceful animals running and jumping in their natural habitat. The kids will love it!
Pisciadù Waterfalls
Peaceful pastures and panoramic hills, leading to a waterfall surrounded by towering, lush peaks: the magnificent Pisciadù waterfalls are just the highlight of this beautiful walk in South Tyrol that we’ve included among kid-friendly hikes. On the way back, you can stop with the family at the Colfosco animal park or visit the Colfosco Adventure Park, where there are exciting activities for the whole family: a thrilling way to experience this beautiful immersion in nature beyond the classic mountain trails.
Vallon Lagazuoi
Back to Alta Badia for this route, which is among the easy hikes and perfect for families with children of all ages and levels. It starts on trail 20 and gradually descends from Vallon Lagazuoi to the picturesque lake of the same name. Continue towards Rifugio Armenarola and Scotoni. This particular route is quite popular because it’s not too difficult, has no climbs, and offers a splendid view of the lake and surrounding mountains.
Moreover, this family-friendly itinerary offers fascinating visits to mining galleries where real battles of World War I took place and is set in a very beautiful area, full of hikes and trails of all kinds. Sant’Augusta is a church nestled in the hills: one of the most beautiful experiences for an exciting trek.
The trail starts from Serravalle with some stairs and continues through the forest on cobblestones. It’s a very pleasant walk even in summer because it’s shaded and not too steep. Don’t forget a baby carrier for the little ones, as there is still a 300m elevation gain.
Once you reach Sant’Augusta, you and your family can enjoy the view and, if you’re lucky, on a clear day with good weather, you might even see the Adriatic Sea. Rest and have a coffee or fruit juice at the Ristoro Sant’Augusta café. You can then return the same way or take two different routes. For younger children, we recommend taking the path that crosses the vineyards, especially in winter, as it’s in full sun.
We included this hike among the perfect family-friendly routes for its somewhat “wild” character, but also with a nod to art and history.
Resy
Resy, in the upper Ayas valley in the Aosta Valley, at the foot of Monte Rosa, is a truly breathtaking place, immersed in peace and beauty. There is only one way to get there at 2,066 m: on foot, walking 45-60 minutes along a steep trail partly through the forest. The elevation gain is 400m, and the place is perfect for spending an entire weekend, a sort of mini-vacation, to fully enjoy the various hikes. Also, we recommend this among hikes for teens and adolescents.
If you decide to spend just a day trekking there with your family and kids, after reaching Resy you can turn left towards Pian di Verres. Here you can enjoy the incredible view of the Monte Rosa glacier and continue to Lago Blu. This is a turquoise alpine lake, famous for its striking shades of blue and green.
If the day is clear and you’re all used to longer hikes, from Resy you can turn right and climb Palon di Resy. This hike isn’t for everyone, as you have to reach the summit at 2,675m walking mostly under the sun. The view, however, is unbeatable and worth every effort! Every older child will surely appreciate this route: the characteristic refuge you’ll find at the top, the panoramic trails, and the entire mountain hike in one of Italy’s most beautiful places.
Have you found your inspiration among these ideas for an immersion in nature?