Best Kid-Friendly Fall Hikes Around Seattle

Distance: 7 miles round trip, 625 feet of elevation gain

Location: Find the Lime Kiln Trail in Robe Canyon Historic Park along the Mountain Loop Highway.

Description: Step into this mossy canyon where lush emerald ferns are layered against soft yellow and orange maple leaves, creating an autumn palette that is quintessentially Northwest. Look closely to spot the more subtle signs of fall, such as wispy chartreuse lichens wrapped around branches and rust-colored fungi clinging to tree trunks.

Kids will enjoy this easy hike along the south fork of the Stillaguamish River (“The Stilly,” as locals call it) for its rich history linked to limestone mining and the long-gone Everett to Monte Cristo Railway, first built in the 1890s. Artifacts of this era are left all along the trail, from moss-cloaked saw blades to old bricks and rotting worker boots from centuries past. The well-signed trail starts in a quiet forest and joins The Stilly about 1.5 miles in. From there, it’s another mile to the 20-foot-tall old lime kiln, the highlight of the hike. This kiln is where calcium oxide was extracted from limestone for use in Everett industries. Turn around here or continue another mile to the trail’s end, where a riverbank vantage point invites you to look for spawning salmon.

Directions: From Lake Stevens, drive State Route 92 (Granite Falls Highway) to Granite Falls. Continue through town to where the arterial turns left and instead turn right onto South Alder Avenue. After three blocks, make a left onto East Pioneer Street/Menzel Lake Road. Drive through the rural countryside, watching for the sign announcing Waite Mill Road — that’s your left turn. Continue on Waite Mill Road to just past the school bus turnaround, then veer left onto a narrow gravel road that climbs uphill to the trailhead. It’s a little over an hour’s drive from Seattle. 

Next stop: Wright Park