Little feet hiking - hiking guides for kids in Washington and Oregon

The Portland International Rose Test Garden is absolutely stunning right now. Did you know there is a back way into the garden that keeps you away from the crowds and passes a fun playground? For all the details on this hike to reach the garden, check out the MAC trail description in my Portland book, “little feet hiking: Portland Metro.”

Falls Creek Falls is one of the most beautiful spots in Southwest Washington. The hike to this 335 foot waterfall isn’t for young kids due to steep drop-offs down to the creek, but you may consider checking it out with your sure-footed older kids. I’ve been wanting to revisit this spot with my daughter for years, and it was pretty amazing to share it with her today.

Learn more here: https://gorgefriends.org/find-a-hike/falls-creek-falls/

We just visited my two favorite short and flat trails in the Gorge, St. Cloud and Sam’s Walker. They are very close to each other and require a NW Forest Pass (or equivalent). The flowers are lovely now, and so are the views. I was most excited to hear my favorite migratory bird, the Swainson’s Thrush! They have the prettiest song 🎶

Learn more in my Gorge book, “little feet hiking: Columbia River Gorge.”

Latourell Falls is absolutely beautiful this time of year. If you’re looking for a kid-friendly waterfall hike in the Gorge, this hike is a top pick. It does have some challenges for kids, so pick up a copy of my Gorge book, “little feet hiking: Columbia River Gorge” for helpful tips on how to have a safer and and more fun hike!

We love the CASEE trails and adjacent Naturescaping Wildlife Botanical Garden year-round, but late spring is my FAVORITE! There are so many beautiful flowers and the forest is alive with the color green! On our walk, we also heard/saw many birds, as well as spied the cute cows across the street. This place really has something for everyone and it is very accessible.

Learn more about the trails in my second book, “little feet hiking two,” and my stroller-friendly and accessible trail guide, “Strolling and Wheeling Around Vancouver, WA.”

What a beautiful morning on the Columbia River D**e Trail at Cottonwood Beach! This is a great spot to connect with nature, watch for birds, and get some exercise. It’s also a neat place to learn some Lewis and Clark history. Be sure to check out the interpretive signs near the restroom.

I write about this trail in my Gorge book, “little feet hiking: Columbia River Gorge” and my accessible/stroller-friendly trail guide, “Strolling and Wheeling Around Vancouver, WA” if you want more information.

FYI, there are some mosquitoes in the cottonwood groves. I would plan on protecting yourself from the sun and moving quickly out of the shade for the foreseeable future.

Evening stroll on the Columbia River Renaissance Trail 🤩

Yesterday, we hiked the Mountain View Trail at Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. This trail is a family favorite, and it never disappoints! Almost immediately after we started, we saw an osprey (with a fish in its talons) fly low over the trail! After that, we saw egrets, flickers, swallows, kestrels, and lots of ducks. I also love the Gorge and river views here. There are a lot of trails here in the refuge, but you can get the low-down on my favorite trail configurations in my first book, "little feet hiking," and my accessible/stroller-friendly guide, "Strolling and Wheeling Around Vancouver, WA."

P.S. I saw so many dogs on the refuge trails. Only service animals are allowed on refuge trails. Please share with your friends and family members who visit the refuge.

Yesterday, we walked along the flat and easy trail at Sams Walker Day Use Area. After a tremendous amount of restoration work performed by the Friends of the Columbia River Gorge, the Center for Ecodynamic Restoration, and the Clark Native Plant Center, the area is a wildflower hotspot!

This trail really has it all: Gorge and river views, amazing wildflowers, tons of bird activity, picnic tables, and beautiful oak, cedar and cottonwood forest. The trail is wide and gravel, making it accessible and wheels-friendly. The site also has some neat history. You can learn about some of it through onsite interpretive signs, but I dive deeper into some of the older history of the area in my book “little feet hiking: Columbia River Gorge.” I just dropped off new copies of all my books at Vintage Books in case you’re interested in heading out there to see the flowers soon!

P.S. Please respect the conservation work by staying on the trail and not picking the flowers!

Every May, I look forward to the epic larkspur bloom on the Cape Horn Trail. In all the trails I’ve hiked locally, this trail is the only one where I’ve seen such a huge amount of these beautiful bluish-purple flowers. There are also a ton of different native wildflowers blooming this time of year. The Gorge views are also outstanding, and you may even see a bunny 🐇.

The problem with this area is that it isn’t the most kid-friendly. Almost any route you find online will send you close to dangerous unguarded cliffs.

Yesterday, we hiked the 3 mile round-trip route I outline in my book, “little feet hiking: Columbia Gorge.” It has a steady climb, but it’s an awesome hike for older kids. I also outline an easy 1 mile out-and-back route to the same overlook in my first book, “little feet hiking.” Both routes in my books help you stay away from the unguarded cliffs with boots-on-the-ground details and mom-perspective.

If you do end up visiting this area without consulting my books, please know that there will be extremely dangerous cliffs and make sure an adult stays in the lead on these trails. Even at the guarded viewpoints, you’ll need to keep an eye and hand on kiddos who may be tempted to climb. Many of our local trails can be kid-friendly with the right information.