Hiking the Charlie Turner Trail to Mt. Hollywood – 360 Views of the City of Angels

Posted on by Jennifer Fontaine

Griffith Park is a treasure to behold. Smack dab in the middle of Los Angeles and spanning over 4000 acres, it’s one of the largest urban parks in North America. It’s been called the Central Park of Los Angeles, but luckily for those of us who love hiking and the outdoors, it offers 53 miles of trails that are more rugged and untamed than its East Coast Counterpart. A true wilderness oasis where kids and parents can quickly escape the noise and chaos of the busy city to decompress and re-energize!

Mt. Hollywood Trail view of Los Angeles

Getting to the Charlie Turner Trail is really easy. Drive up to the Griffith Park Observatory and as soon as you enter its parking lot take a left and park. The trailhead starts at the north end of the lot. This hike is 100% stroller friendly, well maintained and if you make it all the way, you’ll be rewarded with the most spectacular 360 degree views of Los Angeles.

It’s about 3 miles round trip, so that means a full day’s hike, if you’re with a toddler! Just kidding! I’ve done this hike with a gaggle of kids and it took us about 3 hours to complete, including many water breaks and lunch at the top of Mt. Hollywood.

Kids running up Charlie Turner Trail

I’ve also done this hike with kids where it took us 45 minutes just to make it a quarter mile up the trail, but that’s what hiking with kids is all about; going at their pace, encouraging endurance, engaging them in exploration, exercising listening skills and, most definitely practicing patience. Last time we did this hike, V sat in a newly discovered cave for (what seemed like) half an hour, hunting bears, bats and spiders! Oh My!

Exploring caves with kids

Please keep in mind that this hike offers little to no shade, so make sure to lather on the sunscreen, wear your hat and bring lots of water! Picnic tables at the summit provide a comfortable and spectacular place to relax, eat and soak in the views. If you don’t want to go back down the way you came, there are plenty of interconnecting trails and summits to explore, just make sure to use a map!

I would say the second best thing about this hike is that if you’re still up for more discovery once you’ve done the trail, the Griffith Observatory is right there with an entire universe of (free) exhibits to spark the imagination and inspire!

Griffith Observatory

What a perfect way to spend the day!

The Top 10 Most Memorable Mommy Hiker Moments of 2013 – A Year in Review!

Posted on by Jennifer Fontaine
Starting this blog has inspired me in so many ways, it’s virtually impossible to put into words, but given that this is a written medium, I’ll give it my best shot!
It’s hard to believe that it’s only been a year! It blows my mind and sends chills down my spine to look back at all of amazing experiences we’ve had, new friends we’ve made and all of the incredible stories that have been told here. Our love for hiking, camping, traveling and adventuring out to discover this bright, big world is our passion.
This passion has blossomed into a thriving community of families and collaborators whose sole wish is to get outside, get dirty, explore and discover the pure magnificence of Mother Nature in all of her glory. I have learned so many invaluable lessons of life, creativity, serenity and love and for that, even a thousand thank yous seem inadequate. And yet, I’m left with that. It’s been an honor to share a bit of our life with you and I want to thank you for sharing a bit of yours with us! Thank you! Thank you for reading. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for inspiring me. And thank you for, in turn, inspiring others!
And now…..on to our Year In Review! Here are my Top Ten Most Memorable Moments of 2013!
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Learning how to carefully plant seedlings in the scenic Cienega Sin Nombre valley of Calabasas was a great outdoor activity to teach V the value and importance of restoring habitats that have been destroyed by urban sprawl in invasive non-native plants.

I love discovering a new favorite place and the beaches of Oxnard are certainly a new fav! The peaceful and quiet pace you’ll experience there is a refreshing contrast to the throngs of transients and tourists you’ll find at most of the local Los Angeles beaches.

Malibu Creek State Park is a whole day excursion, loaded with a wide array of nooks and crannies just waiting to be explored! Hike, swim, picnic, climb, caves, it seriously is all that and a backpack!

#6 | thinAddictives’ Mommy Hiker Spotlight!

It was a huge honor to have been recognized and placed into the company of such accomplished and victorious women. Definitely a proud moment of 2013.

Life is made up of little, shining moments, overflowing with the pitter patter of little heartbeats and the warmth of a breath on a cheek as little mouths tell made up stories, full of wonder and amusement. Star gazing was full of these perfect, still moments.

Doesn’t get much better than watching life come into the world. Witnessing a mother nuzzle her baby for the very first time, observing the trust and tenderness between them and sharing it with my daughter was, indeed a beautiful life lesson.

This was literally one of my favorite days of 2013! This trip was chocked full of first time experiences for our entire family. We learned so many amazing things, saw wildlife basking in their gorgeous habitat and we are headed back in 2014 for sure, to explore the island’s terrain and trails even more by foot.

We spent four nights under the lush green canopy of Big Sur. Hiked its trails, sat next to its creeks, sketched its every detail and came home with memories to last a lifetime!

This was hands down the best camping trip with our toddler to date! It has been thrilling to watch V transform from one trip to the next (this being her fourth camping trip). She really came into her own during our week-long stay in Sequoia and as camping parents, so did we!

What I’m most looking forward to in the coming year is camping, watching her grow and bloom, surrounded by the safe and loving hands of Mother Nature. I can’t wait to see what treasures and travels await us in 2014 and I can’t wait to share them with you!

By Jennifer Fontaine

[Giveaway] Inspire Your Young Nature Explorers with Jeff Corwin!

Posted on by Jennifer Fontaine
I remember vividly the day my little brother, who is now in his twenties, met Jeff Corwin. He was practically in tears. Jeff’s Animal Planet show was on a 24-hour loop in our house, in those days, and my brother had a healthy obsession with all things animal. The monumental moment of a little boy meeting his idol in the flesh is one that I will never forget.

So imagine my delight when I found out that JeffCorwinConnect has partnered with Waterford Press to collaborate on a beautiful 6-part series of Pocket Naturalist Guides with the intention of creating the next generation of environmental stewards. Together, they provide programs and products designed to engage kids of all ages in the enjoyment and preservation of the natural world. Sign. Me. Up!

Jeff Corwin Connect Pocket Naturalist Guide by Waterford Press

What we liked about it:

  • They are extremely lightweight and compact. The perfect size for throwing into your backpack to take on any adventure, big or small.
  • They are fully laminated, which means waterproof! A big bonus for us considering all of the hiking we do is generally in close proximity to water!
  • They are virtually indestructible, which means a lot to the mother of a two year old whose sole mission in life, it seems, is to figure out how to dismantle and dissect all that she comes in contact with.
  • They are easily understandable, even for a toddler. I found the text very straightforward and able to hold V’s attention.
  • Gorgeous and compelling visuals also added to capturing our two year old’s attention. She loved the map features and discovering the wide array of animals within each group of species.

I hear that a follow-up collaboration is in the works for a series of Nature Activity Books complete with wildlife-related games, puzzles, quizzes and classroom activities! A perfect way to expand and encourage our kid’s interest and engagement in nature and the natural sciences! I can’t wait to get my hands on them!

It goes without saying, our family loves to learn and obviously, we love nature. We are constantly striving to encourage our little one’s passion for learning while simultaneously infusing a love for Mother Nature. This series is a great tool to get those kiddos outdoors, learning, exploring and discovering! It’s a Win-Win! And speaking of winning… MommyHiker.com has partnered with Waterford Press to give one lucky reader the entire 6 part Nature Explorer Series! What a perfect stocking stuffer!!

Jeff Corwin Connect Pocket Naturalist Guide by Waterford Press

Please use the Rafflecopter Widget below to enter to win. The winner is randomly selected by a 3rd party within 48 hours of the close of the contest and will be emailed and announced on this page. If you have any question, please don’t hesitate to contact us at mommyhikerblog(at)gmail(dot)com. Sorry, but this giveaway is open to Continental U.S. residents ONLY! Good Luck!!

NOTE: If you don’t happen to be the lucky winner of our giveaway, but still want to get the series (Guides Retail for $7.95/each) in time for Christmas, you can contact Waterford Press directly at (800) 434-2555 or write to orders@waterfordpress.com. The series will be available for purchase on Amazon.com and at Barnes & Noble in early 2014.

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By Jennifer Fontaine