The Best Hikes for Kids in Olympic National Park
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Hall of Mosses is the best hike in Olympic for families!
If you’re looking for the best family hikes in Olympic National Park, you’ve made it to the right page. While exploring Olympic national park you’ll find mountain vistas, rugged coastlines, temperate rainforests, waterfalls, and some of the best hiking trails in Washington state. The family friendly hikes in Olympic are the ideal place to experience true majestic wilderness of the Olympic Peninsula. If you’re trying to find the best trails in Olympic National Park for families or find a place to enjoy the views without a ton of hiking — this blog will help you narrow down your search.
Table of Contents
Whether you’re traveling to Olympic with a baby, traveling to Olympic with toddlers or teenagers - you’ll find the perfect hike for your group here! This guide has over 10 kid friendly hikes in Olympic National Park listed out by location!
Click the park names below to skip to hikes in that area.
If you’re going to Olympic with your family, check out my 3 Day Itinerary for Olympic National Park (with an optional Day 4).
Interactive Olympic Map
Here is an interactive map where you can easily find all of the best Olympic hikes for families. This map of Olympic National Park will help you plan your itinerary for Olympic and help to find the best hikes with kids. All of these are Olympic National Park Day hikes.
View with little or no Hiking
If you’re traveling to Olympic, these are going to be the best baby friendly hikes. BUT the best part is, these hikes are not hikes at all. They are all overlooks that you can park right by and easily walk to. If you’re looking for Olympic easy trails, they don’t get easier than this!
Big Cedar Tree: This behemoth of a tree is located only a few hundred feet from the parking area. The trail is a wide gravel and even trail going less that 0.1 miles. The Big Cedar Tree is believed to be nearly 1000 years old. In March of 2014 this tree did sustain damage from a big storm, but it is still worth a look if you have the time and can be a good lesson on the life cycle of the forest.
Sunrise Point Trail: This trail is only 0.2-miles, but does gain a little elevation. As the name indicates, this is an excellent trail to watch the sunrise! Or just enjoy the vista views from up here! This is located off the Hurricane Ridge road - swing into the Hurricane Ridge visitor center to grab a Hurricane Ridge trail map! (There are several hikes in this area including the 3.2-mile Hurricane Hill Trail)
Hurricane Ridge: Right next to the visitor center is a gorgeous overlook. Here you can sip a cup of hot chocolate and take in the Mountain Vistas including the 6,900 foot Mt Olympus; the highest peak in the Olympics. This overlook is access by driving, so no hiking required!
The kids standing in front of Marymere Falls
Sol Duc Falls is incredible
Family Hikes to Waterfalls
These are the best hikes to waterfalls Olympic National Park. If you are looking for short, easy hikes with a big reward, take your family on the Sul Duc Falls Trail or the Marymere Falls Trail. Both of these Olympic trails are absolutely gorgeous! These are two of the best trails in Olympic National Park for kids.
Sul Duc Falls Trail: Sol Duc Falls hike is located in the Sol Duc Valley. Sol Duc Falls is an easy 1.6-mile trail with only 200 feet of elevation gain. This trail is extremely rewarding. The trailhead is located just beyond the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. There is a nice sized parking area, but it does fill up, so get here as early as you can. Hikers follow the wide, well-marked path that winds through the lush forest and crosses a small stream via a wooden bridge. About 0.8-miles into the trail hikers will hear the roar of Sol Duc Falls just as a historic shelter and waterfall come into view.
The bridge that crosses over the rushing water is absolutely stunning. Cross the bridge and look back! Take your time here and snap as many photos as you want!
Marymere Falls Trail: Marymere Falls is an easy 1.7-mile trail. The trail starts at the Storm King Ranger Station as a paved path and continues through an old-growth forest for 0.5 miles until it gets to a junction. Here, you’ll veer left and continue on under a canopy of conifers and maples. Eventually, you’ll cross Barnes Creek and then Falls Creek. At the junction of these two creeks are two great photo opportunities as you cross two different bridges. Once you cross the second bridge, you’ll ascend 200-feet up a man-made staircase into the mossy, fern-laden ravine. As you climb, there are two viewpoints of the falls. The first viewpoint is in the photo below looking directly at the falls and the second viewpoint is up higher, more above the falls.
We’ve hiked hundreds of miles with out two kids. Check out my recommended hiking hear for kids!
Ruby Beach on a Sunny Day is amazing!
Hiking out to hole in wall on Rialto Beach
Family Hikes Along the Beaches
Hole In The wall Trail: This moderate 4-mile trail is actually not really a trail at all, it’s a walk along the rugged beach. This walk is not going to be as straightforward as a well-maintained trail because you will be walking on the sand and, at times, having to climb over or maneuver around giant fallen trees. However, this will be one of the most scenic hikes in Olympic National Park! Along the hike out to Hole in The Wall, keep your eyes out for some amazing wildlife like sea lions, whales, and even Eagles perched in the trees. Also, look toward the sea to spot James and Little James islands, Gunsight Rock, and other offshore sea stacks.
If you can, plan for this hike to take place during low tide. (Here is a Tide Chart) During Low Tide, you’ll be able to walk out and under Hole In The Wall Arch! However, if you arrive at the high tide as we did, you can get some amazing panoramic photos of the area. Either way, you won’t regret this incredibly scenic walk.
Ruby Beach Trail: This is a very shore 0.25-mile trail from the parking area down to the beach. Ruby Beach is located just South of where the Hoh River meets the Pacific Ocean. The trail is nicely manicured until it’s end where you may have to navigate around or over drift wood to reach the shoreline. This gorgeous beach has a large pool created by the Cedar Creek where the kids can play safely. If you do this trail during low tide, it’s possible that you’ll be able to explore the tidepools to find starfish and other creatures. Low tide is also a great time to explore around the giant sea stacks that pepper the shore.
Hike to find the Tree of Life: This is a very short walk. Park in the Kalaloch campground parking area and walk down the stairs to the beach. From here, walk about 100 steps to the right and you’ll find this gorgeous tree. I have it marked on the Olympic park map above to make it easy for you to find. This tree got its name from surviving even after all of the soil had been removed from around it. The roots seem to keep the tree alive and stable during big storms regardless of their exposure. It’s a literal freak of nature.
How did the Tree of Life get this way? A small stream goes into the cave under the tree and flows out to the ocean. This little stream is the cause of the sand erosion under the tree.
We’ve hiked hundreds of miles with out two kids. Check out my recommended hiking hear for kids!
the Kalaloch tree of life — aka the tree root cave
Hiking to Hole in Wall on Rialto Beach is a classic
Don’t forget to look for banana slugs while you’re hiking in the rainforest
Family Hikes In the Rainforests
If you’re headed to Olympic National Park with kids, then you’re probably on the search for the hikes that take you through the famed rainforests. Luckily some of the best short hikes in Olympic National Park are the rainforest hikes. These trails are also arguably the best day hikes in Olympic National Park, so if you’re on a day trip from Seattle - focus your time on at least one of these trails.
Hall of Mosses is Magical
Hall of Mosses Trail: To start the day, you’re going to get to the Hoh Rainforest Parking lot first thing in the morning. Directly off the parking lot is the trailhead for the Hall of Mosses trail. This trail is by far the most popular and most stunning trail in this area. The Hall of Mosses is a very easy 0.8-mile trail that takes hikers through a living fairytale of moss and giant trees. While hiking, keep your eyes out for the famous Banana Slug! We found about 15 on this trail!
After you make the loop, head to the Hoh Visitor Center to chat with the Rangers and check out the educational displays. Here you can decide if you’d like to hike a bit more or head out to the coast.
Spruce Nature Trail: This is an easy 1.2-mile loop near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center. It is a perfect addition to the Hall of Mosses. Kids will love this trail and continuing to find banana slugs! This trail is less popular than the Hall of Mosses, so it can be more serene and you won’t feel as rushed.
Maple Glade Trail: This trail is a very easy 0.5-mile hike. It is similar to the Hall of Mosses with the Big Leaf Maple trees showcasing long, draping Oregon selaginella moss. If you have time for only one short hike, this is the one to do. BONUS: Maple Glade Trail is “handicapped accessible with assistance”.
Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail: This very easy 0.9-mile hike is absolutely stunning and much less trafficked than the Hoh Rainforest. This trail is absolutely perfect for families with children or someone who can not hike far.
the hoh rainforest is amazing
OUr family hiking to hole-in-wall on rialto beach
These are so many easy Olympic National Park hikes with big rewards. However, they aren’t all of the hikes! You can find much longer day hikes and even overnight backpacking hikes within the parks. If you are looking for the best hikes in Olympic with kids, these are them. The family friendly hiking trails in Olympic are the ideal place to really experience the wilderness of Olympic without entering the back country. From temperate rainforests to incredible mountain Vistas to a tree clinging to Earth by only it’s roots, Olympic’s hiking trails have something for every ability. When you find the your favorite hike in Olympic, come back and let me know!
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