Kid-Friendly Hiking Trails & Nature Walks

Explore the best kid-friendly hiking trails & nature walks options for kids and families in Merced

Laura's Fountain

Laura's Fountain

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Merced's Applegate Park Zoo

Merced's Applegate Park Zoo

Green space & zoo with rescued animals. This park with picnic areas & a playground is home to a small zoo that shelters native wildlife.

Fahrens Park

Fahrens Park

Outdoor space with a paved biking trail. The Black Rascal Bike Path passes through this recreation area with a playground & disc-golf course.

Rahilly Park

Rahilly Park

Neighborhood park & playground. A 2.9-acre community park with a playground, picnic shelter & access to a cycle path.

Sunset Trail

Sunset Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Elmer Murchie Park

Elmer Murchie Park

Playground, sports courts & picnic space. A fenced playground, walking path, sports courts & picnic area with BBQs are the draw at this park.

Lake Yosemite County Park

Lake Yosemite County Park

Reservoir for recreation & picnics. Scenic park with an artificial reservoir for swimming, fishing & kayaking, plus picnic shelters.

Joan Faul Park

Joan Faul Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Cottonwood Trail

Cottonwood Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Merced National Wildlife Refuge

Merced National Wildlife Refuge

Revered wintering spot for waterfowl. 10.2-acre wetlands & grasslands known as a legendary wintering habitat for waterfowl & shorebirds.

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Hunter Check Station

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Hunter Check Station

Visit this great place for kids and families!

McConnell State Recreation Area

McConnell State Recreation Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Henderson Park

Henderson Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

San Luis National Wildlife Refuge - Main Unit

San Luis National Wildlife Refuge - Main Unit

Spacious protected wildlife habitat. Extensive protected wetlands & grasslands with a wealth of native plant and animal species.

Great Valley Grasslands State Park

Great Valley Grasslands State Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Markley Park

Markley Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

North Basin Park

North Basin Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Four Seasons Park

Four Seasons Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area

George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

River Park

River Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

S. Reinway Park & Trailhead

S. Reinway Park & Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Hughson Arboretum and Gardens

Hughson Arboretum and Gardens

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Walking Trail

Walking Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Ceres River Bluff Regional Park

Ceres River Bluff Regional Park

Big recreational area with sports fields. 76-acre park with 5 soccer fields & 2 softball fields, plus a basketball & a volleyball court.

Dry Creek Trail

Dry Creek Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

East La Loma Park

East La Loma Park

Shaded trails, plus sports & play areas. Tree-lined city park offering basketball & tennis courts, disc golf, trails & a playground.

Tuolumne Riverside Trail

Tuolumne Riverside Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Scenic Trails

Scenic Trails

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Thousand Oaks Park

Thousand Oaks Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Orchard Park

Orchard Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Red Hills Recreational Management Area

Red Hills Recreational Management Area

Interpretive nature trails & bald eagles. Sparse landscape features an interpretive nature trail system & bald eagle sightings in the winter.

Knights Ferry Recreation Area

Knights Ferry Recreation Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

STANISLAUS RIVER PARKS

STANISLAUS RIVER PARKS

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Horseshoe Road Recreation Area

Horseshoe Road Recreation Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Virginia Trail

Virginia Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Valley Oak Recreation Area Main Entrance

Valley Oak Recreation Area Main Entrance

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Valley View Park & Trail

Valley View Park & Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Interpretive Nature Trail Parking

Interpretive Nature Trail Parking

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Davis Community Park

Davis Community Park

Playground, green space & sports fields. Picnic area, athletic fields, open green space & a playground are the draw at this expansive park.

Oakdale Recreation Area

Oakdale Recreation Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Jacob Myers Park

Jacob Myers Park

Picnicking, camping, fishing & hiking. Green space offering a boat ramp, camping area & fishing, plus a picnic gazebo, playground & trails.

Wesson Ranch Park

Wesson Ranch Park

Retreat with sports courts & play areas. Recreational green space featuring a children's playground, sports facilities & picnic sites.

Prescott and Hetch-hetchy Trail

Prescott and Hetch-hetchy Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Skagg's Bridge Park

Skagg's Bridge Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

River Road Access Stanislaus River Parks

River Road Access Stanislaus River Parks

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Table Mountain Trail

Table Mountain Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Riverbottom Park

Riverbottom Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Katey's Kids Park

Katey's Kids Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge

San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge

Natural area with bird & animal habitats. This sizable tract of woodlands, wetlands & grasslands features many nature viewing opportunities.

Army Corps Park

Army Corps Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Soroptimist Park

Soroptimist Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Mavis Stouffer Park

Mavis Stouffer Park

Riverside spot for hiking & picnics. Scenic nature spot on the river with a picnic pavilion, walking trails, sports fields & a stadium.

Lions Park

Lions Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Lower Stanislaus River Multi-Use Trail

Lower Stanislaus River Multi-Use Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Tuttletown Recreation Area

Tuttletown Recreation Area

Lakeside park with trails & boat ramps. Park on the edge of New Melones Lake with boat ramps & hiking trails amid rolling hills.

Caswell Memorial State Park

Caswell Memorial State Park

Park running along the Stanislaus River. Covering more than 250 acres along Stanislaus River, this park is home to many endangered species.

New Melones Lake Site

New Melones Lake Site

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Dragoon Gulch Trail Head

Dragoon Gulch Trail Head

Oak woodland with hiking trails. A 2.5-mile hiking trail system looping through 35 acres of scenic oak woodland.

Heron Point - Day Use Area and Trail

Heron Point - Day Use Area and Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Coffill Park

Coffill Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Alpine Trailhead Parking & ADA Access

Alpine Trailhead Parking & ADA Access

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Forestiere Underground Gardens

Forestiere Underground Gardens

Unique complex of sunken gardens. Extensive network of below-the-surface gardens, grottoes & courtyards, with seasonal guided tours.

Wildwood Native Park

Wildwood Native Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

West Side Trail

West Side Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Glory Hole Recreation Area

Glory Hole Recreation Area

Lakeside park with campgrounds & more. Waterfront park with campgrounds, trails, visitor center & amphitheater, plus fishing & boating.

Copper River Park

Copper River Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Woodward Park

Woodward Park

Waterside trails, BBQs & a dog park. Park with paths through lakeside & Japanese gardens, plus barbecue pits, a dog park & a playground.

Oso de Oro Park

Oso de Oro Park

3-tiered park for recreation & picnics. Area with 3 different elevations offering picnic spots, play areas & a wheelchair basketball court.

Riverside Day Use Area, Stanislaus National Forest

Riverside Day Use Area, Stanislaus National Forest

Visit this great place for kids and families!

San Joaquin River Trail Marker

San Joaquin River Trail Marker

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Explore More Activities

Discover more events and activities happening in Merced.