Best kid-friendly hike caches

[+BooBooBee]

A new cacher emailed me asking for a list of recommended kid-friendly caches that involve a hike of some sort. I thought I'd share my response here. Perhaps others could add some, too. (I'm not so strong in the north county and i know there are some fantastic hike caches there.)

 

Here's my response to him:

Well, it looks like my premium membership has expired, so I can't bookmark. So here's a list instead. Look for these waypoints for some kid-friendly walks to caches. Some are difficult, some are easy (too easy). My favorite is probably Reservoir Canyon (long hike up creek in beautiful canyon), though just about anything by Maasmen is fantastic kid fodder!

 

GCKYC0 (A fantastic adventure for avid hikers. Bring a rope. Keep close eye on kids. MY 5 year old couldn't do this one because of a BIG drop, but with some help this year, I think she could do it.)

GCK00W

GCJMZ9

GCJ7GT

GCMNFE

GCMRZ1

GCK43Y

GC8278

GCK9RZ

GCN983 (Kid-friendly? Oh...I don't know. It's a LONG hike. Perhaps an overnight would work here, though I'd set camp in the saddleback meadow rather than at the peak.)

GCMX8Y

GCJQRD

GCJ0JT

GCM8R7

GCHHKP

GCHGA3

GCH87G

GCKGT6

GCKHM3

GCJGZF

GCKRE3

GCKVFK

GCKVEJ

GCMD4Y

GCM0EX

GCMG9G

GCH6YX

GC6ACD (the park here is nice, the walk is nice, but the cache location seemed dangerous to me. Then again, we didn't FIND the cache, so we may have been a bit off...still a nice walk)

GCMM32

GCMVEY

 

WOW...too bad the bookmarks didn't work! I'll have to save this list after having taken the time to create it! Will post to Poison Oak Cachers forum, too.

 

Best of luck,

Jen/BooBooBee

www.BestFamilyAdventures.com

[+Chuy!]

I haven't hiked much in North County, but I offer the following areas for consideration:

 

Daley Ranch.

 

Lake Hodges (try north and east side).

 

Jano and surrounding caches.

 

Elfin Forest merits consideration, although I have not cached there.

[+pointsaljim]

1.) Way up Huasna Canyon Rd there is "Pine Ridge View" cache with lots of cool rock formations...just check the weather 1st: go when it's cool - involves a 2 3/8 mile hike that only has a short section of semi-steepness

2.) Karaline's 1st Pt. Sal Cache - a 1 1/4 mile walk up a fire road that is a steady climb but not too steep

3.) Gollum's Grotto at the Base of Bishop's Peak in SLO - short hike, fantastic for kids, bring flashlight

4.) All of the Irish Hills in SLO caches, especially "Olli's cache by Geo_cats.

5.) Squirrel's Nest cache in Atascadero by Geo_cats.

6.) ELO Pavillion in Atascadero by Oreo Pony.

7.) Spooner Ranch at Montano de Oro by Oreo Pony.

8.) Salmo Rivulus at the beginning of Big Sur by Naturesprite - make sure you hike on up to the falls afterwords.

9.) "Up the Jordan" off Suey Canyon by BooBooBee

10.) "Temetate Trees" off Suey Canyon by BooBooBee

11.) "Miners Lettuce" by BooBooBee - Stay on the trail and watch out for the poison oak

12.) BooBooBee's Colson Canyon Cache - "Colson's Kitchen Sink".

13.) BooBooBees' Parks Survey Part 2 in Santa Maria

Edited September 26, 2006 by pointsaljim