Living in the Pacific Northwest gives us access to hundreds, if not thousands, of hikes. We truly are blessed to have so many options, literally in our backyard, to go hiking with the kids!
BUT, having that many to choose from can make it overwhelming to pick a trail. We can often spend hours perusing trail guides, websites, and blogs when we are planning our hikes. Maybe that’s normal – or perhaps we just geek out on all the fantastic options we have!Although we actually enjoy this process (most of the time), sometimes it’s nice just to have a list of tried and true hikes to pull from.
One of our goals with hiking is to vary the intensity and distance so that our kids eventually build up endurance and can handle even bigger and better hikes. We also like to do some hikes closer to home when we don’t have as much time, but we are willing to travel when we are more flexible. So, you’ll see a variety of intensity and distance in these hikes.
Of course, make sure you take into account your kid’s ability. Currently, our boys are 7 and 9 and can handle easy to mildly strenuous hikes for 6-8 miles OR a moderately strenuous hike for 3-4 miles, especially if the payoff is good. Anything more than moderate is gonna require a lot of snacks, pep talks, and, perhaps, more energy from us than the actual hike to convince them actually to keep going.
Hiking Near Portland (With or Without Kids)
With that said, we have compiled some of our favorite hikes near Portland. And, we even created a helpful “Sanity Scale” to go along with them.
😄- Everyone will be in a better mood after some outdoor time here!
😊- You will still be sane at the end of this hike. You might even feel refreshed!
🤨- Uh-oh. It’s entirely possible this could go either way.
😩- Everyone will be exhausted. But, it’s still totally doable. At least everyone will sleep good tonight!
🤬- What were you thinking?!
☠️- The kids (or your friends) think you ACTUALLY tried to kill them.
Hoyt Arboretum
Distance From Portland : <5 miles
Hike Length: Variable
Sanity Scale: 😊
For More Info:Hoyt Arboretum
Why We Love It: Hoyt Arboretum is home to over 12 miles of trails and is located within Washington Park. In particular, we love this for a nature walk for homeschool as it’s home to many different varieties of deciduous and evergreen tree species. Here, you can hike as little or as much as you wish. If the Visitors Center is open, head inside and grab a trail map. Likely, they will also be willing to make recommendations of trails to choose for your group as well.
Forest Park Trail Network
Distance From Portland:< 5 miles
Hike Length: Variable
Sanity Scale: 🤬but, also, 😄
For More Info: Forest Park Trail Map
Why We Love It: Recently, we made our first trip into Forest Park. We started at the Audobon Society and headed out on Wildwood Trail toward the “Witch’s Castle.” This portion of the trail was short and not too difficult, and the quick payoff of the Witches’ Castle was excellent. The boys loved running in and around the building. We continued on and made it to where Holman Lane and Wildwood intersect, and that’s where we made our “what were we thinking” mistake. We headed up Holman lane, which apparently looked too steep for G. A few steps in, he wasn’t having it. It took a LOT of convincing to get him to continue, but ultimately we made a goal of following the trail until we made it 1.5 miles total in, so that our total hike would end up at 3 miles. Thankfully, we all survived! We even saw banana slugs and snails on our walk – so cool! And, on the return, G was shocked at “how fast” we made it back to the castle.
Nansen Summit Trail
Distance From Portland:<10 miles
Hike Length:Variable up to 4+ miles
Sanity Scale: 🤨
For More Info:Oregon Hikers
Why We Love It: The killer view! Although this gem isn’t as widely known as some, it is easily accessible for some fantastic sunsets and views of the city. Nansen Summit Park, also known as Mt. Sylvania, is located in the neighborhood community of Mountain Park. Depending on where you start, you can vary the distance of your urban hike quite a bit. You could street park closer to the top (but, please be considerate of residents) or even park at McNary Park and do the full hike seen in the above link. Regardless of how far you choose to go, the views are stunning. We highly recommend it for sunset. But, maybe, just keep it our little secret.
Stahlman Point Trail
Distance From Portland : ~100 miles
Hike Length: 4 miles
Sanity Scale: 😊
For More Info: USFS Trailhead Information
Why We Love It: Our kids got a little tired on the way up the trail. But, the moment we reached the top, they were full of wonder. And, for good reason…this is the view we were rewarded with.
Tamanawas Falls
Distance From Portland : ~80 miles
Hike Length: Variable, depending on the trailhead you choose. Approximately 3 miles.
Sanity Scale: 😊
For More Info: USFS Trailhead Information
Why We Love It: Although this trail can get crowded in the summer, the falls are spectacular. We suggest going on a weekday, or off-peak season if you want to experience solitude.
Cape Lookout State Park
Distance From Portland : ~80 miles
Hike Length: Variable
Sanity Scale: 😄
For More Info: Check out this post about our visit.
Why We Love It: With hiking, beach play, and stunning views of the ocean, there is something for everyone here. If you time it right, you may even get to spot some whales from the tip of the cape!
Tryon Creek
Distance From Portland: <10 miles
Hike Length: Up to 8 miles
Sanity Scale: 😄
For More Info: Tryon Creek State Natural Area
Why We Love It: Tryon Creek is a state park close to the city where you can get out and enjoy nature. With up to 8 miles of easy-moderate trails, it’s easy to choose an option that works for everyone. However, this is a popular spot, so we try to visit during the week when the crowds are a little less.
Hyland Woods Natural Area
Distance From Portland: <10 miles
Hike Length: 1+ mile
Sanity Scale: 😄
For More Info: Hyland Woods Natural Area
Why We Love It: For imaginative play, this park is our favorite. The trail is easy, and we can get a mile or two in, then let the boys play in the nature play area where they are encouraged to play freely. They can build forts, check out plants up close, or whatever else their hearts desire.
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Lacamas Regional Park
Distance From Portland: ~20 miles
Hike Length: Variable, Up to 12 miles
Sanity Scale: 🤨
For More Info: Lacamas Regional Park
Why We Love It: Close to the parking area and play structures, there can be quite a bit of foot traffic on the weekend. Also, parking was somewhat crowded. However, if you head out on the trail network, the crowds start to disperse. The trails are easy to moderate, and, since you can choose your length and intensity, this one can be easy or more challenging. There are several small waterfalls in the park, a river, and a lake, making for plenty of spots to cool off a little. We even ended up taking a trail less traveled, somewhat by accident and even stumbled upon an unexpected waterfall.
Magness Tree Farm
Distance From Portland: ~20 miles
Hike Length: Up to 2.5 miles
Sanity Scale: 😄
For More Info: World Forestry Center (Temporary closed due to the pandemic – please check before visiting to ensure they are open.)
Why We Love It: With up to 2.5 miles of easy hiking trails, grassy areas, meadows, old buildings, as well as a creek, there is plenty to keep the kids busy here. You can do as little or as much hiking as you choose. The last time we went, I think we walked for about a mile, and then the kids played in the creek and explored the woods and clearing forever! In particular, this is an excellent option for little ones. Unfortunately, this location is currently only open on Sunday, but you should still make an effort to visit.
Champoeg State Park
Distance From Portland: ~25 miles
Hike Length: Variable
Sanity Scale: 😄
For More Info: Champoeg State Heritage Area
Why We Love It: This picturesque park is home to a heritage area, hiking and biking trails, borders the Willamette River, and has a campground. We went on a Saturday in July and headed towards the River Access area. We were able to walk the trails, stop to catch grasshoppers, climb trees, and watch the clouds roll by, mainly by ourselves. We only saw a few people, although we are sure the campground was busier. This was an easy walk, not too far, and is perfect for little kiddos.
Wahkeena Springs Trail
Distance From Portland: ~30 miles
Hike Length: 4+ miles
Sanity Scale: ☠️, but after returning to the car 😊
For More Info: Our full blog post on Wahkeena Springs.
Why We Love It: Click the link above for our full rundown on all the details of this hike. This one was a big stretch for the boys. But, the views, waterfalls, and springs made Wahkeena Springs totally worth it. Besides, it lays the foundation of the message that they can do hard things.
Note: If you have small kids or are concerned about steep switchbacks or challenging trails, please read our full post. A large portion of this hike is best for older kids and adults.
Moulton Falls
Distance From Portland: ~40 miles
Hike Length: Up to 2.5 miles
Sanity Scale: 😄
For More Info: Our full write up of Moulton Falls.
Why We Love It:This is a perfect location for a relaxing walk and lovely scenery. The trails are not challenging, and the falls are easy to get to. You have up to 2.5 miles of trails to explore, picnic benches for lunch, and great spots to hang out by the river. You can’t go wrong here!
Santiam Wagon Road to House Rock
Distance From Portland: ~120 miles
Hike Length: ~4.9 miles
Sanity Scale: 🤨but, also, 😄
For More Info: Santiam Wagon Road to House Rock
Why We Love It: For a moderate hike, we love this one! Although there isn’t a ton of parking available at the trailhead, we were able to park without difficulty on the weekend. The hike itself isn’t particularly challenging, but it is on the longer side for kids. However, the boys are in love with this hike. Once we made it to House Rock Falls, they had so much fun playing in the river, and Tomer even got brave and jumped off the rock like John while we were there – the water was way too cold for Mama! 🥶Obviously, if you choose to jump, be sure to check the water first and do so at your own risk.
Final Thoughts on Hikes Near Portland to do with Kids (or Without)
Ultimately, the Portland area is full of killer hikes for you and your fam. Plus, hiking is a great way to keep those snowboard legs ready.
Whether you are looking for a leisurely walk or an intense workout, we hope you’ve found a new idea to get out there and take an adventure!