Best Kid-Friendly Fall Hikes Around Seattle

If you’re like me, with school underway and summer beginning to fade, hiking might be slipping from your mind. But don’t pack up your family’s hiking boots just yet! Autumn is a terrific season to hit the trail.

Our wildlands are beginning to burst with fall color this time of year. I can’t wait to head out on these fall hikes to take in gorgeous hues of flame red, bright orange and soft yellow. Summer crowds have begun to dwindle, and pesky mosquitoes have disappeared, too. Critters such as marmots and songbirds are more active and visible as they hurry to find food for the long winter ahead. With a few extra layers for warmth and the lure of a thermos of hot cocoa, my family finds fall hiking to be full of brilliant color and natural exploration.

To see all the hikes we’ve rounded up, click the arrow above the image or the link at the bottom of each page. Or, if you know were you want to hike, jump to your perfect fall adventure below: 

• Twin Falls, North Bend
• Swan Creek, Tacoma
• Lord Hill, Snohomish
• Tonga Ridge, Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
• Lime Kiln Trail, North Cascades
• Wright Park, Tacoma
• Naches Peak Loop, Mount Rainier National Park
• Cedar River Trail, Renton to Landsburg
• Wildwood Park, Puyallup
• Lake Ann, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
• Billy Frank Jr. Refuge, Olympia
• Hurricane Hill, Olympic National Park

First up: Twin Falls

Editor’s note: This article was originally published several years ago and was most recently updated in September 2024 by associate editor, Kari Hanson. Author Maegen Blue contributed to this article.