Photo Gallery: Father-Son and Father-Daughter Adventures

By Michael Lanza

The annual tradition began when my son, Nate, was five years old, and we hiked about a mile up a trail in the Boise Foothills, starting at a trailhead a 10-minute drive from our house, and camped beside a creek small enough to step over. It was the most mellow trip we’d take, and the closest to home, on the annual father-son outdoor adventure that we’ve come to call our “boy trip.” My daughter, Alex, two years younger, adapted that name and gave me a pass for my inferior gender when we began taking an annual “girl trip” together. Now it has grown into something bigger than any one, individual outing.

It’s never easy to cram the Girl Trip and Boy Trip into any summer, when we usually take them; but I commit to making time for both of them every year. Nate and Alex both consider it non-negotiable, as mandatory as celebrating their birthdays. They will both ask me repeatedly when we’ll take our trip and what we’ll do. The fully expect that each adventure will grow bigger, leading up to a major trip when each of them graduates from high school. Personally, I hope the tradition continues well beyond.

The photo gallery below conveys some of the fun of these annual outings—and shows the beauty of the places where we take them. See my story “Boy Trip, Girl Trip: Why I Take Father-Son and Father-Daughter Adventures.”

See also my “10 Tips For Keeping Kids Happy and Safe Outdoors,” my popular “10 Tips For Raising Outdoors-Loving Kids” and “10 Tips For Getting Your Teenager Outdoors With You,” and all of my stories about Family Adventures at The Big Outside.

 

The Big Outside is proud to partner with sponsors Backcountry.com and Visit North Carolina, who support the stories you read at this blog. Find out more about them and how to sponsor my blog at my sponsors page at The Big Outside. Click on the backcountry.com ad below for the best prices on great gear.

 

 

 

Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, the creator of The Big Outside, recognized as a top outdoors blog by USA Today and others. I invite you to get email updates about new stories and gear giveaways by entering your email address in the box in the left sidebar, at the bottom of this post, or on my About page, and follow my adventures on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 


 

This blog and website is my full-time job and I rely on the support of readers. If you like what you see here, please help me continue producing The Big Outside by making a donation using the Support button at the top of the left sidebar or below. Thank you for your support.









 

Previous

3-Minute Read: Backpacking Utah’s Dark Canyon Wilderness

Gear Review: The North Face Ultra Gore-Tex Surround Mid Hiking Boots

Next

Leave a Comment

4 thoughts on “Photo Gallery: Father-Son and Father-Daughter Adventures”

  1. Love the photos and the idea of a father-daughter or father-son trip. Sounds like you’re raising some really dedicated outdoorsy folks who love spending time both with you and nature, congrats! Happy father’s day and thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Favorite father – son hiking trips: Katahdin up and over and hiking in Acadia in 2014 with my younger son, and to the top of Half Dome with both sons in 2016. Numerous others in the National Parks through the years … and continue our tradition! Thanks for sharing Michael!

    Reply