Kid Friendly Hiking In New South Wales - A Guest Post in Honor of Earth Day
In honor of Earth Day, I thought it would be a great time to share this guest post written by Olivia from GreatLost. 
Kid Friendly Hiking In New South Wales
Hiking with kids can be a formula for an excellent day, with everybody tuckered out and ready for bed. Though if you aren’t prepared it can also spell disaster, especially in certain locations along the East coast of Australia where weather can go from sweltering heat to pouring rain at the drop of a hat. Always check with local parks before visiting to make sure they are open, and double check conditions to make sure you pack appropriate clothing.
Royal National Park
The biggest battle of this walk is pulling yourself away from it. With beautiful camp spots, and Australian wildlife unfolding before you, both you and the kids will want to keep exploring. If you are looking for a short trek take the one hour walk to Wedding Cake rock and check out the white sandstone, or take the three hour walk to the Figure Eight Pools, both popular attractions within the national park. Although tidal changes being an issue when visiting the pools make sure to only visit at low tide both walks are done easily be children of all ages, but keep in mind there is no pram access.If you are traveling with older kids, ideally happy to walk 10 km a day, or if you are interested in a harder walk than try The Coastal Track. Stopping in at various landmarks, beaches and picturesque campsites. With the chance to see a little more of the area this is a great walk, but keep in mind that it is 26 km so don’t partake unless you feel completely capable. 
Blue Mountains
Take the Round Walking track with views of the iconic Three Sisters, and only a short hour walk, this is a great one to do on an afternoon in the Blue Mountains. Or take the Leura Cascades walk down to the falls, another short but gorgeous option. The Blue Mountains is the most ideal place to travel with kids, with a multitude of small hikes, slow climbs, and great restaurants and activities. Spend a weekend here, drop into The Station for dinner, go antiquing or visit the markets, a great place for a quiet and peaceful family holiday.
Sugar Pine Walk
Sugar Pine Walk is a very short walk in Australia’s Bago State forest, just outside of Tumut. This walk is for kids looking to get a taste of the great outdoors, but not start a massive journey immediately. An awesome little space to have a picnic, look around and take some scenic photos. Take the kids to Batlow, an hour’s drive away, for apple picking in local orchards. The Snowy Mountains region is a diverse area, home to ski slopes, bushwalking, and agricultural farms. Explore surrounding towns, or drop into the nation’s capital, Canberra on your way out, a great place to refuel and grab lunch.
Olivia is a young traveler living in Sydney. She takes her nieces and nephews out on hikes around New South Wales and loves seeing their faces light up when they explore new locations. She plans to travel outside Australia at the end of the year, but still can’t decide where to go. Visit her on Instagram.