Shenandoah National Park Presents Hiking Program for Parents

with Toddlers on June 7

Shenandoah National Park will be hosting a “Trekking with Toddlers” seminar as part of National Trails Day events on Saturday, June 7, 2008. This program is for parents who have wanted to go hiking with their young children but worried about what to do to keep them interested, entertained, and safe. Here is the chance to learn from an expert. Join Jeff Alt, noted author of A Walk for Sunshine and avid hiker, to learn firsthand how to share nature with children for a fun and safe outdoor adventure.

Jeff has hiked the more than 2,100-mile length of the Appalachian Trail on his own. Last summer with his wife and extended family, he carried his 21-month-old daughter on a 50-mile hike across a swath of Ireland. At the “Trekking with Toddlers” program, Jeff will provide tips on how families with children ages 2 to 4 can experience nature together on the trails in Shenandoah National Park.

The “Trekking with Toddlers” program is free but reservations are required. There is a $15-per-car entrance fee to the park, good for seven days. To register, go to the Shenandoah National Park website at:  http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/resource_seminars.htm

“Trekking for Toddlers” is one of the Shenandoah National Park Resource Seminars designed for those who want to get to know their national park a little more personally. Seminars provide a more in-depth experience to learn from scientists, researchers, educators, and other experts about resource issues and recreational opportunities in Shenandoah National Park.

Future seminars include "Butterfly Photography and Identification" on July 12, 2008, and "The Basics of Family Camping," July 19-20 and August 2-3, 2008. The complete Resource Seminar schedule can be found on the Park’s website at www.nps.gov/shen. The Shenandoah National Park Resource Seminars are co-sponsored by the Shenandoah National Park Association and ARAMARK.

For more information, contact the Park’s Education Office at 540-999-3489.