Back in 2019, Jim Schroeder started section hiking the R2R Trail with his kids who were between 9 & 13 at the time. They finished the trail 4 years later in 2023.

He has published a new book entitled On the Trail With My Kids:  From the Ohio River to the Mighty Mississippi.  It can be purchased on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle version.  Here is the synopsis:

It was the fall of 2019, and our oldest kids and twins, Zach and Emma, were in their 8th grade year. As they were approaching high school, I realized that the window to do things with them before they entered the world of adulthood was rapidly closing. Many years prior, I had done a few overnight backpacking trips with a couple of friends on the 157-mile River to River Trail (R2R) in the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois. While brief in nature, it had whetted my appetite for the scenery and history that was part of this trail. As the leaves turned colors, signifying another season passing by, I suddenly felt the call to go back to the trail, but this time with one goal in mind: to section hike the entire R2R, with my oldest four kids and other friends and family, before Zach and Emma graduated high school. Although I had enough experience with backpacking to understand the logistics required, I had no idea how this all would work out in the midst of a very busy schedule, with eight kids at home, and a long trek for all involved. But deep down, I knew the journey would be worth the effort, and that the memories and impact would last long after we stepped off the path for good.

On the Trail With My Kids is a story of this journey, from the perspective of a husband, father, and just one man trying to find adventure in a world of constant demands and responsibilities. It is also the story of a family hoping to find fun and meaning in quiet, scenic places where others had come to live and raise their kids, and escape the stressors of everyday life. Part comedic travelogue, part historical commentary, part personal reflection on life’s uncertainties, and part backpacking guide, On the Trail With My Kids is a book for those who would like to experience the richness and rewards that a long walk and a night in the woods can have for mind, body, and soul.

Here is the link to the book on Amazon “On the Trail With My Kids: From the Ohio River to the Mighty Mississippi”.

If you want more information about Jim and his kids, see the trail story he has on our website at this link or his previous post on our home page from November 2023