Broadway Cave

Broadway Cave

Location: Mountain View and Broadway Rd.

(Right where Broadway Rd ends at the Superstitions)

Distance: 4 miles - out and back

Big Kid Friendly: It is pretty steep in sections but most bigger in shape kids could do it. 

Directions:

Parking Fee: No

Hiking hints: Park at the 6 car parking lot. The trail starts there. You are actually starting on the Jacob's Crosscut trail.  You will go ...

Upper Antelope Canyon

Location: Page, AZ

Distance: 1/2 mile

Kid Friendly: Yes!

Family time is hard to get when life is so busy! We decided to get out of town and enjoy the longer weekend.  I am so glad we did because we created so many memories.  One being Upper Antelope Canyon.  What an amazing canyon!  It is amazing what water can do in carving rocks.  This canyon is every bit as beautiful as in the pictures. 

To visit Antelope Canyon you must be with a tour guide as the canyon is on the Navajo Nation. The canyon is divided into two parts Upper and Lower. We visited the Upper but I would love to do the Lower someday.  We booked our tour through Navajo Tours and were very happy with our tour and guide. 

The cost was $40 for adults and $20 for children with an $8 cash fee per person for the Navajo Parks Fee.  This seemed to be mid range price for the tours - some more expensive some cheaper.  I did get my reservations a few months ahead of time but you can show up the day of if they have openings. I would recommend reservations.  You do not have to pay until you take the tour. 

We drove up to Page the night before and stayed in a hotel.  Our tour time was at 10am but they asked us to be there an hour before to check in.  It was a 5 minute drive from our hotel to the tour check-in.  I did learn that the earlier morning tours and off season is less busy.  We happened to be there for both.  Spring and Summer are peak seasons because of the lighting in the canyon. We were the first to check in for our tour time so we got the first truck that left to the 5 minute drive to the canyon. 

I wish I had a picture of the 15 passenger van that was lifted and had huge off road tires.  This was our vehicle and our tour guides name was Jazz.  She was a great tour guide.  Interesting for the younger kids, had great photo tips for us and our older kids, and was very knowledgeable about the Canyon.  She didn't need to entertain though because the Canyon was amazing enough to keep our attention.

With it being off season and we were the first in the canyon we did get to be alone in the canyon a few times.  On our way out it was pretty busy.  The total hike through the canyon is only a 1/2 mile.  It is a very easy hike, no climbing, and would work for most people.  I believe the Lower has a little climbing. 

Lava River Cave in Flagstaff

Lava River Cave

Location: Flagstaff

Distance of Hike: Aproximately 2 miles - 1/4 mile to the cave and about 3/4 mile inside the cave.

Kid Friendly - Yes - Our kids loved this! - the older 5 headed off and our 4 year old strolled along with us. 
Parking Fee: No


I don't usually like to be alone in pitch black darkness in an unfamiliar place however I walked down the middle of this almost 1 mile long cave underground all by myself and felt at total peace. The Lava River Cave in Flagstaff is an underground cave created from lava flow about 675,000 years ago. It's just a long tube, no off shoots where creepy animals or people can jump out at you. Ha ha !Although the sign did say that creatures do live in the cave. 

The Lava River Cave is just outside of Flagstaff. It's a short 1/4 mile walk from the parking lot to the cave.  You aren't looking for a cave in the side of a mountain.  You are looking for a hole in the ground.  There were quite a bit of people in the cave when we arrived but since it was late afternoon most were heading out.  Our five older kids went on ahead while we stayed with our youngest.  Mid way through the cave my husband decided to turn around with our youngest and start heading out since he knew it would take a while.  I went on ahead to look for our other kids.  Like I mentioned above all alone in a pitch black, if you turn your flashlight off you can't see, cave.  Since there was only one way to come and go I knew I would run into them. 

I actually made a little bit of a fool of myself when I thought they were coming.  I started blinking my flashlight just to find out it wasn't them as they passed.  I did catch up with them at the end where they were trying to crawl into a tiny section.  We headed back and had fun taking shadow pictures.  We'd all shine our flashlight on one person to cast a prominent shadow. 

Wave Cave

Wave Cave

Location: US 60 and Peralta Road - Carney Springs Trailhead - parking lot on the left 6 miles down the 7 mile dirt road.

Distance: Around 4 miles
Kid Friendly - Our 7 year old did great. We had to carry our 3 year old most of the time.
Directions: Start on the Carney Springs Trailhead. About a mile in you will walk through the national forest fence. I believe in another 1/4 mile you will come to a fork.  Take the tail to the left. Follow the cairns and keep the cave in view as much as possible.
Parking Fee: No

I had been wanting to do this hike for a long time. Steep! but worth the view. I thought it was a fun hike minus the extra couple miles we did because the trail is hard to follow if you don't have exact directions. :)

Ice Cave Trail

Location: Lakeside, AZ

Distance: To the Ice Cave and back - 4 miles

Kid Friendly: Yes. Might be a little long for toddles but a pretty easy trail.
Parking Fee: No

 

Cat's Peak

Location: Usery Mountain Regional Park

Distance: 3 miles

Kid Friendly: Yes. We had 4 toddler with us on this hike.

Directions: We took the Pass Mountain Trailhead to the Cat's Peak Loop.
Parking Fee $6

Blevins Trail

Location: Usery Mountain Regional Park

Distance: 3 miles

Kid Friendly: Yes! Easy hike.
Parking Fee: $6

 

First Water Trail

Pass Mountain

Pass Mountain Trail

Location: Usery Regional Park
Distance: 7.5 miles
Kid Friendly - Yes - they just need endurance.  This is not a hard hike it is just long.
Parking Fee: $6

Flat Iron

Flat Iron via Siphon Draw Trail

Location: Lost Dutchman State Park - 6109 E Apache Trl Rd

Distance: 6 miles
Big Kid Friendly - Our 11 year old did great on this hike. Our friends 6 year old did great on this hike.  I would not recommend a 6 year old or an 11 year old unless they are super healthy and athletic. Then I recommend parents do it first to be familiar with it and know if their kid could do it.
Parking Fee: Yes $7

This is a hike you can be proud to say you did! It is hard but oh so worth the view when you get to the top!



Peralta Trail

Peralta Trail to Freemont Saddle
Location: Just past Gold Canyon - US 60 and Peralta Road - Take the 7 mile dirt road. Trail head at the end.
Distance of Hike: 4.4 Miles
 

 Kid Friendly: Yes but not for toddlers. I would say 6 and up is a good age and then it depends on your kids endurance. 

 Parking Fee: No

You can't beat the view when you reach the saddle. Shade to sit in while you rest for the hike down. Good moderate hike.

Hieroglyphic Canyon

Hieroglyph Canyon
Location: Gold Canyon - US 60 and Kings Ranch Road (more specific directions are needed to find the trailhead)
Distance of hike: 3 miles
Kid Friendly: Yes
Parking Fee: No

This is a great hike because it is short and there is a destination where the kids can play before heading back.  It is a mile and a half to the Canyon where Petroglyphs are carved on the rocks. Kids love climbing the rocks!

 

Picketpost Mountain - Circumference Hike

Picketpost Mountain - Circumference Hike
Location: Superior - US 60 and North Picket Post Rd
 Distance: 10 miles

Kid Friendly: Older Kids
Parking Fee: No
Tip: When you come to the fork go right!!

This hike is long but you see so many different views.  Canyon, creek, desert, trees...There are sections you have to trail find because the trail is not super obvious.   

When we started this hike our goal was to hike to the summit. Well, following the wrong trail can lead you on an adventure! I will admit that I did not read up enough on this hike before we went. We came to a fork in the trail and we took the left fork. It looked like that would take us to the top. Boy were we wrong. But we enjoyed every second of the hike we took. I would do this hike again!

Treasure Loop Trail

Treasure Loop Trail - Lost Dutchman State Park-Superstition Mountains

Location: Lost Dutchman State Park - 6109 E Apache Trail Rd 

 Distance of Hike: 2.4 miles

Kid Friendly: Yes
Parking Fee: Yes $7

 

This is my favorite short hike! Family friendly, gradual incline and amazing views! 

 

The Superstition Mountains are my favorite mountains to hike. There are an endless amount of trails. There are caves, canyons, waterfalls (after rain), easy trails, hard trails...

 

The Treasure Loop Trail was one of the first trails we did as a family.  We took our little kids 10 and under to hike this 2.4 mile trail.  I wasn't familiar with the entire trail so we only made it half way the first few times we hiked it.  Starting counterclockwise we would hike to the "big rocks" where are kids would climb and play. One time they found "The Lost Dutchman's Treasure." Someone planted a treasure box with fake jewels and coins.  Another time our youngest was stung by a bee on his thumb.  It's always an adventure.  We weren't sure how much longer the trail was at that time so we turned around and headed back the way we came. 

 

 That is one tip I would give for hiking with young kids for the first time. Turn back before they are tired or hike a trail you know they can finish. Start out small the first few times. Learn you child's endurance level. A question I get a lot is: What is a kid friendly trail?  It really depends on your child. I know a 6 year old child that could not finish this hike.  I know another 6 year old that hike Flat Iron and made it look easy!  It all depends on your child.

 

I would recommend this trail to families.  There are some inclines to give your children a challenge.  I think kids can gain a great sense of accomplishment by hiking challenging trails.  Give your kids some time to play at the "big rocks." Enjoy the views.  Our favorite time of day to hike this trail is early morning.  You are in the shade of the mountains the entire time.  I love watching the sun come over the mountain. 

 

I had to share a funny story about this trail.  I took my six kids on this hike without my husband.  It was the first time I did a trail with the kids without him.  We decided to hike it clockwise this time.  The 3 older kids ran ahead when they spotted the "big rocks." The three little boys were with me.  My youngest was just learning to talk. It was early morning, no one else on the trail except us.  I had my youngest in a back carrier and he yells out "Big dog!"  I stopped dead in my tracks!  I'm looking around for a mountain lion, javelina, coyote... my mind racing as I'm trying to locate all of my kids.  Come to find out he was talking about a big rock formation, which did look like a head of a big dog.  Ha ha!  It took me a while but I did find it funny. 

Silly Mountain

Silly Mountain
Location: US 60 and Mountain View Rd

Distance: Up to 3 miles

Kid Friendly: Yes! You can shorten or lengthen the hike depending on how your kids are doing based on the loops. 

Parking Fee: No