WHERE
SHALL WE GO
TODAY?



Find
'Ella-My
Story'
on Amazon


Browse
'Best Hikes
for Kids' on Google

Current
Urban Walk

Union Bay
Natural Area
Urban Walk

Previously
Featured

UW Campus
Urban Walk


Carkeek
Park
Urban Walk


Magnuson
Park
Urban Walk


Foster
Island
Urban Walk


Burke-
Gilman Trail
Urban Walk


Woodland
Park Zoo
Urban Walk


Ravenna
Cowen Park
Urban Walk


Washington
Park
Arboretum
Urban Walk


Green Lake
Urban Walk

Photo by Keith Gunnar

JOAN BURTON HAS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR FAMILY HIKING AND EXPLORING FOR YEARS.

Author Joan Burton was introduced to hiking as a child, and by the time she was a teenager, she had climbed the six highest mountains of Washington. Later, as a parent with growing children, she introduced not only her own family to the joys of outdoor exploring, but also members of the Girl Scout and Cub Scout groups of which she was leader. Burton is a long-time member of The Mountaineers, and a graduate of both the basic and intermediate climbing courses taught by that club.

After a number of years teaching high school English, Burton became program coordinator to the University of Washington Retirement Center, from which she has since retired. She has published several magazine articles on outdoor subjects; Best Hikes with Children: Western Washington and the Cascades was her first book. Since then she has co-authored Urban Walks: 23 Walks Through Seattle's Parks and Neighborhoods with Duse McLean, published by Thistle Press, and a new book best hikes with KIDS with Ira Spring published by The Mountaineers Books. She has also become a grandmother.

The two volumes of Best Hikes with Children in Western Washington were the first of 14 similar books written by other authors across the nation. These books have been important to parents of children who want to know where to hike, but don't know how to get there or what to expect. The books suggest ways to motivate them and how to make the hikes fun. They tell how difficult and how safe the trails are, what seasons they are open, and what to expect to see along the way. The trail descriptions give children chances to test their strength and to feel strong and capable, chances to learn, to observe, and to see what they have never seen before, and appeal to their sense of wonder.

NEWS ITEMS


A favorite family outing is
Mount Rainier.


JOAN HAS A NEW BOOK "ELLA - MY STORY" & HER BEST HIKES WITH KIDS IN SIXTH REPRINT

Joan says she "now has creative credentials," with her new children's book Ella - My Story. Readers of her family hiking books are already well aware of her ability to bring experiences to life. The book, a story about her amazing cat from the cat's point of view has illustrations by Peggy Printz, and is available on Amazon,com ($10 - eligible for Prime.)

The sixth reprint of Best hikes with KIDS by Joan Burton with photos by Ira Spring is available now, too. This popular book, first published in 2006 by The Mountaineers Books, is available at book stores, ranger stations, and other outdoor venues, or can be ordered online through Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.

FALL HIKES FOR FAMILIES WITH KIDS

Joan Burton recommends the perfect trails to rivers, beaches and lakes for fall hiking with kids, plus tips for family hikes in all seasons on the Washington Trails Association website. Read more about Joan's picks on the WTA site.

CURRENT LIST OF TRAIL CLOSURES AVAILABLE AT WTA

For current information about trails that have been closed or damaged by storms check the Washington Trails Association website, wta.org.

* If you have problems opening the PDF form, you can get the updated Adobe
Reader free from Adobe.com. Click here to download and install the reader.

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©2013 Joan Burton, Seattle, Washington

Updated January 15, 2013
Webmaster - Ellen Hewitt

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