After more than two decades of hiking with her own son and his friends and writing several guidebooks on hiking with kids in two states, Maureen Keilty has become a bit of an expert on the subject. Here are her suggestions for making the experience the best possible. For more, check out her guide, “Best Hikes with Kids Colorado” (The Mountaineers Books).

Be safe and pack smart. Start early, know what to do in a lightning storm and carry sunscreen. Bring the “10 essentials” — a list of which can be found in the guide as well as at the Colorado Mountain Club's website at cmc.org — along with snacks, toilet paper and a plastic bag, a whistle for kids to carry in case they get separated and rain gear.

Bring a buddy. “Kids are naturally competitive, and you can use this to your advantage,” Keilty says. “They will try to outdo each other in terms of not getting tired or staying on the trail.” They also will keep each other motivated and interested in their surroundings.

Set small, easily obtainable goals. Things as simple as a reward for getting to the next switchback or going for 10 minutes before lunch. “Games such as, ‘Does anybody see anything pink that matches my shirt,' things like that,” Keilty says. “It keeps them away from, ‘I'm getting tired, I hate this.' The key is to keep them from starting to say that in the first place.”

Discourage sitting. “Once they start, it's hard to get them back up again,” she says. “It's energy-draining, and the more they're going to start feeling lazy and think, ‘OK, I can just keep sitting here.” Motivate movement with games and rewards for meeting goals, and stand at rest stops and water breaks.

Stay enthusiastic. If you aren't excited, they won't be either. When your kid finds something they are interested in, respond in kind. “I was up on a trail recently and a little girl had found a banana slug,” Keilty said. “I think they're really gross, but I was like, wow, look at that, can you find its ear, how does it move?”

Look for hiking areas with nature centers for younger kids. Nature centers are becoming “more sophisticated,” Keilty says. “They're like going to cartoons these days, as an adult... we love them as much as they do.” When kids tire of the trail, they can cool off, mess around with interactive exhibits and use the restrooms.