Best Spring Hikes in the Seattle Area for Kids and Families

In the late winter and early spring, my kids and I start to go a little stir-crazy. We long to go hiking, but the weather is still drippy and our favorite hiking trails in the mountains are snow-laden. It’s time to get creative and explore trails closer to home.

We especially like places that offer indoor nature centers where we can duck out of the rain to keep learning and exploring. Some of the visitor centers and indoor facilities mentioned have limited hours, so double-check before you go if you want to be sure to have an escape from the rain.

Now, let’s get going on 11 of our favorite spring hikes, including one longer road trip for when the wanderlust bug bites.

Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden, Seattle

The Ballard Locks always make for a great day in Seattle, but when you’re done viewing the salmon ladder, the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden is a great spot to take a spring stroll. Admission is free.

Favorite trails: The 7-acre park might be small but it offers beautiful spring blooms including more than 500 species of exotic trees and plants. There is a nice loop path from the visitor center that goes around the majority of the park with small offshoots that lead to smaller gardens. 

Indoor options: The on-site visitor center and museum shop are open Wednesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Extras: The visitor center houses a small theater that plays multiple videos about the history of the park and the locks on request. 

Mercer Slough Nature Park, Bellevue

One of Bellevue’s largest parks, Mercer Slough Nature Park encompasses 320 acres of wetland ecosystems teeming with all kinds of wildlife, from pileated woodpeckers to mallard ducks. The park features more than 7 miles of trails. Begin your exploration by parking at the Environmental Education Center, a complex of classrooms, a visitor center and a tree house tower with a commanding view over the wetlands. 

Favorite trails: Walk south from the Environmental Education Center along the road and down the hill to the Bellefields Loop Trail, where you can choose the distance you hike. A 1-mile loop takes you through forest and wetlands, scented by the pungent odor of skunk cabbage, down to the open water of the slough. From there, you can go farther if your kids desire. Birds are abundant, and there are interpretive signs along the paths and boardwalks. If you’re more ambitious, you can connect from the Bellefields Trail to the Heritage Trail, another loop of more than a mile that meanders past blueberry farms and other habitats.

Indoor options: Get some tips from the friendly ranger, pick up a trail map and a scavenger hunt, or view the indoor art exhibit at the Environmental Education Center. There are hands-on activities including puzzles, toys and nature games, too. The Environmental Education Center is open daily, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Cedar River Watershed, North Bend

My kids have fond memories of puddle-stomping the trail at the wonderful Cedar River Watershed, about 45 minutes east of Seattle, and watching ospreys dive for fish in the lake. Kids love the musical rain drums in the courtyard here, too.

Favorite trails: You can park at the Cedar River Watershed Education Center and start out with a stroll on the lovely trails around Rattlesnake Lake. If you park your car at Rattlesnake Lake, note that it is a half-mile walk up a gravel path to the education center. Some of the parking spaces near Rattlesnake Lake may require a Discover Pass.

Indoor options: Inside the education center, kids can learn about the water cycle by popping ping-pong balls into a fabulous system of pipes, talking to the naturalists or touching some fascinating items collected from nature. The education center is currently open Thursday–Friday, noon–5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. The education center has free parking, along with ADA bathrooms and sidewalks. Check the website for status updates, hours and more information.

Extras: If the weather is nicer, you can connect with trails up to Rattlesnake Ledge (for older kids and adults) or along the Palouse to Cascades Trail (formerly called the Iron Horse Trail). Editor’s note: The Palouse to Cascades Trail is closed from the Cedar Falls Trailhead heading east to Snoqualmie due storm damage and large trail washout.

 

Discovery Park, Seattle

In the heart of Seattle, kids can choose from several miles of trails traversing through different habitats at phenomenal Discovery Park. This urban nature reserve is accessible in all seasons and in all weather, and it will satisfy your need for green trees, birdsong and fresh air. (Check out our article on 10 fun things to do with kids at Seattle’s best park for more ideas.)

Favorite trails: For the 2.8-mile loop trail, park at the east parking lot, where the Environmental Learning and Visitor Center is located, which recently received ADA updates. A smaller parking area is open or you can find street parking along 36th Avenue West. The loop trail ambles through the woods, along bluffs with stunning views and through meadows; there’s even a sandy area where kids can dig. Try the whole loop or just do an out-and-back.

From the north parking lot (near the Daybreak Star Cultural Center), you can walk the short and fascinating Wolf Tree Nature Trail. Check out this guide to birds of Discovery Park if you’ve got budding birders in your crew.

Indoor options: The Environmental Learning and Visitor Center is a great spot to interact with the hands-on exhibits. Editor’s note: The visitor center is closed until summer 2027 due to significant flooding caused by a broken water main in early 2025.

Bonus fun: Discovery Park updated its playground several years ago and it’s fantastic; find it a couple of hundred yards south of the Environmental Learning and Visitor Center.

Padilla Bay, Skagit County

A 90-minute drive north of Seattle, near Anacortes, is a marvelous estuarine research reserve worthy of exploration.

Favorite trails: You have a few choices of trails to take here. There is a wooded loop (a little less than a mile long) that you can access from the parking lot; check out a backpack stocked with learning activities to enjoy along the way. Add a few hundred yards by walking the paved path down to the beach to explore the mudflats. Or drive a mile south of the interpretive center to the South Shore Trail and walk along the tops of dikes, with water on one side and fields on the other. All trails are great for birdwatching and for giving kids room to explore.

Indoor options: The Breazeale Interpretive Center houses a free museum chronicling life in the estuaries of the Salish Sea. We love the floor-to-ceiling aquarium full of sealife, and the hands-on room will keep the youngest children entertained. It’s currently open Wednesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Extras: Padilla Bay is close to Anacortes. Pick up a bite to eat in the historic downtown, visit the beach and playground at Washington Park, and drive to the top of Mount Erie to watch the sunset.

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Olympia

Located between Tacoma and Olympia, just off of I-5, the sprawling Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge offers plenty of room to roam. The refuge encompasses a vast area around the Nisqually River delta. The refuge was renamed in 2016 in honor of Nisqually tribal member Billy Frank Jr., who challenged the state and the federal government to honor the Medicine Creek Treaty established in 1854. Mr. Frank died in 2014.

Favorite trails: Walk the boardwalks through the tangled wetlands, observe ducks and geese, and listen for songbirds and frogs. Keep your eyes open for signs of beavers and other wildlife. You can also take longer walks farther out into the estuary.

Indoor options: When you are ready to retreat indoors, children will enjoy the displays inside the Norm Dicks Visitor Center that will teach them more about the ecosystems in the refuge. The center is open Wednesday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. The cost per family to visit the refuge is $3, and note that dogs and other pets are not allowed.

Brightwater Center, Woodinville

You might think a wastewater treatment plant wouldn’t be a pleasant place to hike, but King County designed the space surrounding Brightwater Center for recreation, wildlife and education. There are open meadows, ponds, streams and forest to attract wildlife and humans.

Favorite trails: Three miles of hiking trails wind through this 70-acre site. You can choose from a couple of short loops on varied terrain and with good surfaces. Make sure to stop and visit one of the ponds while you are there. The grounds and trails are open from dawn to dusk daily and are free to the public to access.

Indoor options: At the Brightwater campus, kids and adults can learn all about our water system — where our water comes from, how we use it and waste it, and how our wastewater is treated — from interactive exhibits inside the learning center. 

Extras: Check the events calendar to learn when your family can participate in educational events and guided walks at Brightwater. Kids ages 9 and older and adults can take a tour of the treatment plant.

Tacoma Nature Center, Tacoma

Visit the Tacoma Nature Center, an urban wetland preserve in the South Sound, for a chance to view wildlife and birds in all seasons.

Favorite trails: There are 2.5 miles of gentle trails in the park. A 1-mile loop circles Snake Lake. If you are up for traversing more distance and a bit of elevation, take the Hillside Loop away from the lake. Kids will love the nature-themed Discovery Pond play area with its innovative structures, such as a tree house and a pond with waterfalls. Tacoma Nature Center trails are open daily from 8:30 a.m. until sunset. You can download a trail map and trail guide from the website.

Indoor options: The Tacoma Nature Center has activities and games for children if you need to take shelter from the weather. It’s open Thursday–Tuesday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., and Wednesday, 1:30–4:30 p.m. Guided family nature experiences present awesome hands-on learning for kids. You can also try the free Agents of Discovery app to guide your nature exploration around the grounds. Fun!

Extras: Tacoma Nature Center hosts a nature-based preschool, summer camps for kids ages 4–12, and opportunities for teens to gain community service experience volunteering for summer camps.

Bellevue Botanical Garden

Just minutes from Bellevue’s urban center, Bellevue Botanical Garden is a fabulous place to visit to enjoy spring blooms and birds. There is no admission charge.

Favorite trails: Starting from the visitor center, the half-mile Tateuchi Trail winds through a wide variety of garden types. Many children enjoy the atmosphere of the Japanese-inspired Yao Garden, which feels secluded inside its wooden fence. The one-third-mile Lost Meadow Trail takes you through a peaceful natural forest area. And don’t miss the Ravine Experience, a 150-foot-long suspension bridge that crosses a ravine in the heart of the garden. Bellevue Botanical Garden is free and open to the public from dawn to dusk daily. (Leave your pooch at home; pets are not allowed.)

Indoor options: The on-site Trillium Store is currently open daily, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., and Copper Kettle Coffee Bar is currently open Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., and Saturday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 

Extras: Take a quick half-mile walk east to Wilburton Hill Park to play at the playground. The botanical garden also connects with segments of the Lake to Lake Trail, so older kids and adults can walk or bike several miles in either direction if they choose.

Lewis Creek Park, Bellevue

Tucked away in the hills of east Bellevue, expansive Lewis Creek Park offers plenty of room to explore. The park protects the headwaters of Lewis Creek, attracting birds and wildlife as well as little adventurers.

Favorite trails: Hikers can choose from the network of trails and wander through wetland, forest and grassland habitats. Lewis Creek runs freely through the forested areas, and the half-mile loop around the wetland lets explorers get up close with cattails and red-winged blackbirds.

Indoor options: The Lewis Creek Visitor Center has a commanding view over the meadow and wetlands. Kids will find activities to do on a rainy day, books to page through, tables and chairs to sit a spell, and even a spotting scope. It’s open to the public Wednesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Extras: Play on the playground!

Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park, Vantage

Sometimes you just need a road trip east to escape the gloom of the Puget Sound region. East of sunny Ellensburg, on the banks above the Columbia River, sits a fascinating interpretive center at Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park. Note that this is not an afternoon outing: This destination is about a three-hour drive from Seattle.

Favorite trails: Take a 3-mile hike on the trails, see petrified logs in the ground and experience the desert in spring.

Indoor options: I recommend visiting the interpretive center before doing a hike, if possible. Kids can learn all about petrified wood, how it was formed and where it was found in the area. The interpretive center is open Friday–Sunday, April 1–May 15. In summer, the center is open Thursday–Sunday. Call 509-856-2290 or check the website for updates. 

Logistics: You’ll need a Discover Pass to park here (and at any state park). Since it’s about three hours away from Seattle, you might consider staying overnight in the area. There is camping at the state park on the banks of the Columbia River.

Extras: If you still have energy, head west along the Old Vantage Highway to the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility, where you’ll see giant wind turbines up close and learn how they work. The center is typically open April 1–Oct. 31; check the website to be certain about the day you want to go. Editor’s note: The Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility, including the Renewable Energy Center is currently closed to the public. Check the website for notice when the area reopens.

Any of these hikes will help lift your spirits, work out the wiggles and inspire everyone. Just pack your rain gear, mittens and a warm hat, plus a change of clothes for the car ride home, and you’ll be cozy enough. You’ll have great memories to carry you through until summer when you’ll be able to enjoy more sunny days and trails.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published a few years ago and was most recently updated on March 9, 2026, by ParentMap’s content editor, Kari Hanson, with an interactive map, new details and a thorough fact-check.