8 Kid-Friendly Hikes Just 90 Minutes (or Less) From Seattle

My family loves to hike, but we rarely travel more than a few miles from our home for our woodsy walking adventures. We are always hitting the default button by driving to our favorite local haunts, Seattle’s Discovery Park and Carkeek Park.

To expand our horizons, I decided to get us out of our comfort zone and onto trails a little farther afield, but within 90 minutes of our front door. I found eight nearby hiking trails offering fun for kids and a variety of difficulty levels.

Important note: Follow good hiking safety practices, and always check current conditions in advance — the Washington Trails Association is a great resource — especially if you are hiking outside the summer season.

To check out all the great hikes on our list, navigate to the destination of your choice with this list: 

• Grand Ridge, Issaquah
• Bellevue Botanical Garden, Bellevue
• Evans Creek, Sammamish
• Paradise Valley, Woodinville
• Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Olympia
• Margaret’s Way, Issaquah
• Centennial Trail, Snohomish County
• Guemes Mountain, Guemes Island

First hike: Grand Ridge

Editor’s note: This article was originally published several years ago and updated and fact-checked most recently in August 2024 by ParentMap’s associate editor, Kari Hanson.