6 Family-Friendly Hiking Trails Near Seattle (No Boots Required)

What are the best easy hiking trails for families near Seattle? Discovery Park, Carkeek Park, Seward Park, Evans Creek Preserve, Rattlesnake Lake, and Saint Edward State Park all offer flat, stroller-friendly trails within a 45-minute drive of Seattle. No mountain gear needed.

You don’t need a three-hour drive or a pair of trekking poles to raise outdoorsy kids in Seattle. Some of the best family hiking is sitting inside city limits, or a short hop across the bridge, and most of it is flat enough for a stroller and short enough for a toddler’s attention span.

That’s really the point of living here. Seattle families don’t just live near nature. We live in it. The trick isn’t finding a trail. It’s knowing which ones are actually kid-tested: short enough that nobody melts down at mile two, interesting enough that “are we there yet” doesn’t start at the parking lot, and close enough that you’re not burning your whole Saturday in the car.

Here are six that check every box, organized roughly north to south and city to suburb, plus what to know before you go.

1. Discovery Park Loop Trail, Magnolia

Discovery Park is Seattle’s largest city park at 534 acres, and the loop trail gives you forest, open meadow, and bluff views over Puget Sound without ever leaving Magnolia. The park sits at 3801 Discovery Park Blvd, with the main entrance and visitor center on the east side.

• Distance: 2.8-mile loop, mostly flat with a few sets of steps
• Terrain: Forest, open meadow, and beach access
• Amenities: Parking at the visitor center, restrooms on-site, and a free interpretive center with maps
• Best for: A real nature escape that still feels like a quick errand from home

The loop trail circles the park’s perimeter, and you can shorten it by cutting through on one of the interior fire lanes if little legs run out of steam. Bring a windbreaker even in summer. The bluffs catch wind off the Sound, and it’s noticeably cooler out there than it is back in the neighborhood.

If your family wants the feeling of getting away without actually leaving the city, this is the one.

2. Carkeek Park Trails, North Seattle

Carkeek combines woods, a creek, and a beach. Then there’s the detail that gets kids every time: a giant metal salmon slide near the picnic shelter, a nod to the park’s real salmon runs on Piper’s Creek each fall.

• Distance: Easy forest trails with stroller-friendly sections
• Terrain: Wooded paths that run alongside train tracks kids love watching go by
• Amenities: Access to a Puget Sound beach for rock skipping, picnic shelters, and a playground
• Best for: Combining a hike with beach time and a playground stop in one outing

Carkeek’s trail network connects the upper picnic area down through the ravine to the beach, so you can turn it into a there-and-back hike of almost any length depending on how far you want to walk back uphill afterward. Plan around that climb; it’s the one part of this trail that isn’t flat.

North Seattle families already know Carkeek. If you don’t, it’s worth the drive from anywhere in the city.

3. Seward Park Loop, South Seattle

Seward Park sits on a peninsula jutting into Lake Washington, and its paved loop trail winds through one of the last stands of old-growth forest in Seattle proper. The Washington Trails Association lists the full perimeter loop at about 2.4 miles, entirely paved and flat.

• Distance: 2.4-mile loop, flat and paved
• Terrain: Old-growth forest with lake views around the peninsula
• Amenities: Restrooms, a playground, an art studio, and lake access
• Best for: Bikes, trikes, and toddlers who need a smooth surface

Because the loop is fully paved, it’s one of the few options on this list that works just as well with a balance bike or a scooter as it does on foot. Traffic is one-way for wheeled visitors on weekends, so bikes, skaters, and strollers share the road in the same direction.

It feels secluded the moment you’re under the tree canopy, but you’re still firmly inside South Seattle.

4. Evans Creek Preserve, Sammamish

Out on the Eastside, Evans Creek Preserve is the quiet one. It doesn’t show up on most “best Seattle hikes” lists, which is exactly why it’s worth knowing about. The Washington Trails Association describes it as one of Sammamish’s most peaceful trail systems, with boardwalks over wetlands and a mix of forest and open meadow.

• Distance: About 2 miles of easy trails, boardwalks, and bridges
• Terrain: Forest, open meadows, and wildlife viewing
• Amenities: Picnic areas, and it’s rarely crowded
• Best for: A quiet weekend walk or an afternoon of birdwatching

The boardwalk sections are the highlight for younger kids. Wooden bridges cross the creek in a few spots, and there’s a good chance of spotting herons or ducks in the wetland areas if you keep voices down for a few minutes.

For families settling on the Eastside (Sammamish, Redmond, Issaquah), this is a good one to keep in your back pocket for a low-key weekend.

5. Rattlesnake Lake Trail, North Bend

Not to be confused with the strenuous hike up to Rattlesnake Ledge, the lake trail itself is a short, flat walk along the water: a big payoff for very little effort. The lake and trailhead are managed by Seattle Public Utilities as part of the Cedar River Watershed recreation area, so it’s a separate system from Washington’s state parks. No Discover Pass is required here.

• Distance: Short and flat, following the lakeshore (skip the ledge trail with young kids)
• Terrain: Lakeside path with mountain views
• Amenities: Picnic areas and summer swimming
• Best for: A day trip that feels like a mini vacation, about 40 minutes from Seattle near Snoqualmie Pass

The parking lot fills up fast on summer weekends, since this is also the trailhead for the popular (and much steeper) hike up to Rattlesnake Ledge. If you’re only doing the flat lake loop with kids, an early start means an easier time finding a spot.

This is the one to save for a sunny day when you want a change of scenery without a change of zip code.

6. Saint Edward State Park, Kenmore

Saint Edward State Park sits right on Lake Washington in Kenmore, and it pairs short wooded trails with one of the best playgrounds in the region, a destination on its own. Because it’s a Washington State Park, a Discover Pass is required for vehicle parking here, unlike the City of Seattle and Sammamish parks on this list.

• Distance: Short loop trails through the woods
• Terrain: Forest paths near the lakeshore
• Amenities: A large playground, restrooms, picnic spots, and ample parking
• Best for: North-end families who want both water and woods in one stop

The playground alone is worth the trip for a lot of families, a big, modern structure that’s become a destination in its own right for North Seattle and Eastside families alike. Pair it with even a short walk on the wooded trails above the lake and you’ve got a full morning.

If your kids need a playground payoff at the end of a hike (whose don’t?), this is your trail.

Trail Comparison at a Glance

Trail	Distance	Terrain	Parking Pass Needed
Discovery Park Loop	2.8 miles	Forest, meadow, beach	No
Carkeek Park Trails	Varies (short options)	Forest, creek, beach	No
Seward Park Loop	2.4 miles	Paved, old-growth forest	No
Evans Creek Preserve	About 2 miles	Boardwalks, forest, meadow	No
Rattlesnake Lake Trail	Short, flat lakeshore	Lakeside path	No
Saint Edward State Park	Short loop trails	Forest near lakeshore	Yes (Discover Pass)

What to Pack for a Family Hike Near Seattle

None of these trails require technical gear, but a few things make the difference between a smooth outing and a short one:

• Layers. Seattle weather changes fast, especially near water or bluffs. A light jacket that packs small is worth carrying even on a sunny forecast.
• Snacks and water for everyone, not just the kids. It’s easy to plan for a toddler’s needs and forget your own.
• A trail-ready stroller or carrier for the paved options (Seward Park, Discovery Park’s main loop) versus a soft carrier for the rootier sections at Carkeek or Evans Creek.
• Cash or a card for the Discover Pass if you’re headed to Saint Edward State Park; day passes are available at pay stations, but it’s one more thing to plan for ahead of time.
• A change of shoes. Beach access at Discovery Park and Carkeek means sandy or muddy feet on the way home.
• Bug spray in the warmer months, especially at Evans Creek Preserve, where the boardwalks cross wetland areas.
• A small first-aid kit. None of these trails are remote, but a scraped knee is a scraped knee whether you’re five minutes or forty-five minutes from home.

Getting There: Driving Times from Seattle

Three of these six trails, Discovery Park, Carkeek Park, and Seward Park, sit inside Seattle city limits, so they’re a short drive from most neighborhoods and don’t require any real trip planning beyond checking the parking situation. The other three take a bit more of a commitment. Evans Creek Preserve is a straightforward drive out to Sammamish, roughly on par with a typical Eastside errand from Bellevue or Redmond. Saint Edward State Park in Kenmore is about a half hour from downtown Seattle depending on traffic, usually a quicker trip if you’re already living on the north end. Rattlesnake Lake is the outlier here, about 40 minutes from Seattle near Snoqualmie Pass, which makes it feel like a genuine day trip rather than an after-work outing.

If a full day out isn’t in the cards, start with whichever of these is closest to your own neighborhood, then work your way out to the others over a few weekends.

Best Time of Year to Go

Late spring through early fall is the easiest window for all six trails, when the ground is driest and daylight lasts longest. That said, each one has its own seasonal draw. Carkeek’s salmon runs peak in the fall, usually October through November, and watching the fish in Piper’s Creek is worth braving cooler weather for. Rattlesnake Lake’s swimming area is really a summer-only feature. Discovery Park and Seward Park are enjoyable nearly year-round since so much of each trail is either paved or well-maintained gravel, though winter rain will still mean mud on the unpaved sections.

Winter hiking with kids in Seattle is its own skill. Shorter days mean you’ll want to start earlier than feels necessary, and a wet trail is a slower trail no matter how short the loop is on paper. None of that should keep you home. It just means picking the paved options (Seward Park, most of Discovery Park) when the forecast looks grim, and saving the rootier trails at Carkeek and Evans Creek for drier stretches.

A Quick Word on Water Safety

Every trail on this list runs along water at some point, whether that’s Puget Sound at Discovery Park and Carkeek, Lake Washington at Seward Park and Saint Edward, or the lake itself at Rattlesnake Lake. None of these are lifeguarded swimming beaches in the way a public pool is. If your kids are going to wade or swim, stay within arm’s reach, especially at Rattlesnake Lake in summer when the day-use area gets busy and it’s easy to lose track of one small swimmer in a crowd. Puget Sound beaches at Discovery Park and Carkeek are better suited to rock skipping and tide pooling than swimming, given the cold water and currents.

Why This Matters for Where You Choose to Live

These six trails are just a starting point. The bigger idea is that easy access to nature isn’t a bonus feature of living in Seattle. For a lot of families, it’s the whole reason they’re here.

Some neighborhoods put you five minutes from a trailhead like this. Others put you forty. When you’re house hunting, that’s worth mapping out just as carefully as school boundaries or commute times, because it’s the difference between “let’s go hike” being a spontaneous Tuesday afternoon plan or a whole-day production. We’ve walked through what that tradeoff looks like for one specific Eastside-adjacent city in our guide to living in Bothell, where parks and trail access are a big part of the draw.

This is the kind of thing that’s easy to overlook when you’re comparing listings on a screen. Square footage and a granite countertop are easy to picture. What’s harder to picture from a listing photo is what a Tuesday afternoon actually feels like once you’ve moved in, whether that’s a five-minute walk to a trailhead or a twenty-minute drive that turns into a reason you stop going as often as you’d planned. Ask your agent about it directly. A good one will know the answer off the top of their head, not need to look it up.

FAQ

Are these hikes okay for strollers?
Discovery Park, Seward Park, and Carkeek Park all have sections that work well with a jogging stroller or all-terrain stroller. Seward Park’s paved loop is the smoothest option of the six.

What’s the easiest hike near Seattle for toddlers?
Seward Park’s 2.4-mile paved loop is flat from start to finish, making it one of the most toddler-friendly options, along with the lake trail (not the ledge trail) at Rattlesnake Lake.

Do any of these trails require a parking pass?
Saint Edward State Park requires a Discover Pass since it’s a Washington State Park. City of Seattle parks like Discovery Park, Carkeek, and Seward Park, the City of Sammamish’s Evans Creek Preserve, and the Seattle Public Utilities-managed Rattlesnake Lake area do not.

Which of these trails is best for a first hike with a baby or very young toddler?
Seward Park’s fully paved loop is the easiest starting point for a jogging stroller or a first-time walker who tires quickly, since there’s no uneven ground and you can turn back at any point without backtracking through mud or roots.

Are dogs allowed on these trails?
Most of these parks allow leashed dogs on trails, though rules vary by park and some areas (like off-leash zones or swimming beaches) have their own restrictions. Check each park’s website before you go if you’re bringing a dog along with the kids.

Where to Live for Easy Outdoor Access

If trails like these are part of why you want to raise your family in Seattle, the neighborhood you choose matters more than you’d think. I help families find communities that actually support the lifestyle they’re picturing: nature access included, not just promised in a listing description.

Download my Seattle Nature & Neighborhood Guide for a closer look at where to live for easy outdoor access, or text HOME to 206-245-8813 and let’s talk about what your family’s day-to-day could look like here. You can also book a consult with me directly.