Suggestions for Beginning Backpackers
My son (9 y/o) wants to try backpacking. We've done drive-in camping together a handful of times, I used to go regularly before he was born, and I've done some backpacking (2-3 nights at a time, multiple campsite trips) but that was 2 decades ago.
I've been looking through some old posts on here and it seems like Uwharrie National Forest has some good options for beginners. From looking at this map, I was thinking of starting at the 24/27 trailhead and hiking to the Yates Place camp and back, one way on Dutchman's Creek, the other on the Uwharrie Trail.
Since he's a complete beginner and I'm so long out of practice, I'm planning on doing several shorter hikes near where we live (the triangle) on weekends to build up our stamina, and I'd like to shoot for early-November for our actual trip.
I'm here looking for any suggestions y'all have: other trails/plans; good starter gear (I'm planning on putting out requests in local FB groups so I don't sink a ton of money into gear if my kid ends up hating it); logistics for a 1-night trip; and any blind spots I've got.
I loved the backpacking trips I did when I was young, and I'd love to get back into it and hopefully foster that same enjoyment with my son (and eventually his younger siblings), so I'm all ears, folks. Thanks!