HIKING WITH KIDS IN WHATCOM COUNTY
There are too many opportunities for hiking in Whatcom County to list! Hikes from Birch Bay to Mount Baker await you. Whatcom Kid Insider has compiled a few of our favorite maps and websites below for you to pick and choose what types of hikes are right for your family.
Whatcom County Recommended Hikes for Kids
Lake Padden's main trail is perfect for the kids learning to ride their bikes and flat enough for pushing a stroller with just a few hills.
Stimpson Family Nature Preserve is the perfect place to take the kids exploring! They have four miles of hiking trails through a beautiful forest and they have two ponds to explore. No dogs allowed.
The Lake Whatcom Park has a great trail for families-the Hertz Trail. It's 2.9 miles along the shores of Lake Whatcom. They allow bikes so pack up the bikes and take the kids out!
Our family enjoys hiking to Fragrance Lake. It's close and provides enough distance to wear my boys out. Round trip it is 5.5 miles if you walk the loop around the lake. This is a moderate hike and is located in Larrabee State Park so a Discover Pass is required.
See below for so many more options in Whatcom County!
Links to Hiking
Interested in getting the family outside for a quick hike without having to drive to the mountains? The options in the City of Bellingham are endless! Check out the Full Bellingham Trail Guide. This guide includes directions and details about many walking areas and trails within the city of Bellingham. The guide gives detailed descriptions including the degree of difficulty, length, mileage, and maps. You can't get more useful than that!
There are so many hiking opportunities here in Whatcom County. Many of the hikes on the Whatcom County Parks and Recreation website are just a short drive away. This website gives a detailed list of the parks and trails. You will be amazed on the many hiking trails we have access to in our county. Go exploring. Click on the park or trail that is listed to get details about it. From the youngest to oldest member of your family there is a perfect trail!
For more hikes within a short distance from home, Whatcom Kid insider loves AllTrails.com!! You can search for trails by city, park or trail name. It also lets you search trails by driving distance, length of trail, and duration of time it would take you to complete. The website has reviews from people like you about each trail. It includes "MapQuest-like" directions to the trailheads. By registering (for free) on the website, you can keep track of your activity on the site. This might include saving your completed trails or leaving reviews about your experiences.
The WTA also has a fantastic website. You can access any number of hikes here, along with actual hiker's feedback. Click on the "Find a Hike" tab and then click on "Hike Guide" from here you can either enter the hike name and click "search" or if you want to find a hike you click "Region" and a drop down menu opens. At this point, you can chose "North Cascades" and then narrow your search further by choosing from the drop down menu below "Region". For instance, if you choose "Mount Baker Highway" it will show you all the hikes in that area when you click "search".
The Cascade Hiker takes his two adorable girls on local hikes and some a bit further away. We love his tips on taking kids on longer hikes and also the pictures of what we will encounter along the way.
