Fun Hikes around Portland

Do you have younger cousins coming to visit this week? Are you sitting on some bubbly and bouncy babies this week? Are you simply looking to get in touch with your youthful, curious self? 

Well, it may be time for a hike! Hiking is a great way to be enjoy the outdoors. It's exercise without being immediately tiring. You get to choose the difficulty of your endeavor and you can make it as interesting as you'd like to by bringing along fun activities or people for company. 

Hiking, especially when the weather is still nice, is a great way to appreciate the world around you. Also, if you're apprehensive of extended time with small children and their larges stores of energy, hiking is a great, fun way to tire them out. Remember, you almost certainly have longer legs, you have a huge advantage regarding a stamina. 

So, first step: where are you going to adventure?

Here's a list of fun, relatively easy hiked around Portland to get your started:

Tryon Creek:

http://www.tryonfriends.org

http://www.oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=103

Tryon Creek, mere minutes out of downtown Portland, is so accessible for all residents we'd be crazy not to take advantage! Tryon Creek, a well supported state park, boasts a community learning center in addition to trails, meaning that if someone needs a break from the outdoors, there's fun to be had inside. There's also a playground at the nearby Marshall Park, which can make for a Greg destination or reward while you're hiking with little ones.

Forest Park:

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=127

Located right in NW Portland (address in link), Forest park is also one of the easiest to access. It includes a multitude of long and short trails. Many link together, allowing you to choose your own path and wander where you see fit. Additionally, if you're starting from the lower entrances to the park, there's a fun stone building just a few minutes in that can be super fun to climb on. Maybe you don't even need to venture far. Make it to the stone house and the little ones could be entertained for hours, acting out their imaginary castle adventures! 

Hoyt Arbouretum:

http://www.hoytarboretum.org

Nearby the Zoo and Children's Museum, a quick jaunt in Hoyt Arbouetum can be a great component to a fun-filled day. Because it's a maintained "green-space," the paths are well cared for and contain many different trees. If you're looking to see fun plants, this may be the place for you. The trails are often named for the trees/plants that will line them, making it a great place for some amateur tree identification (more on that later).

Tualatin Hills Nature Park:

http://www.thprd.org

Though slightly further out, THNP offers guided hikes for free during warmer months! This means that, if you're not sure about hiking, especially with kids, you can try it out with someone who loves to introduce others (of all ages) to a love of the outdoors.

Salmon River:

http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org/wiki/Salmon_River_Hike

Does your novice hiking companion been faster-paced excitement to make the outdoors intriguing? If that is the case, check out the Salmon River. True to its name, the river's trails follow the river's winding path and can be a great place for watching fish in the proper season.