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

The Centennial Trail is 30 miles of contiguous trails through Snohomish County that go all the way to the Skagit County line. This former Burlington Northern railway corridor has been turned into a 10-foot wide paved path perfect for hikers and bikers. There’s also a parallel natural surface path for horseback riders. One access point to the trail, the Nakashima Heritage Barn/North Trailhead was dedicated to the Nakashima family in November 2012. This family, of Japanese descent, owned the land until they were incarcerated during World War II. Consider a visit if your route allows. The trail can also be a nice bike ride for families; it’s typically less crowded than many Seattle-area trails.

Length of trail/difficulty: Pick your trailhead based on your family’s ambition and stamina level. The trail map is a useful guide. Some of the trailheads have playgrounds for youngsters, while older kids can bike the entire line in one day.

Getting there: Find directions to each trailhead at the Snohomish County website.

Tips: The Centennial Trail travels through Snohomish, Lake Stevens and Arlington, making for an easy lunch out in any of these towns. Also note that the trail hosts about a dozen events a year, so check online to plan your trips around these events. Find recent hiker trip reports on the WTA website.

Next hike: Guemes Mountain