Kid-Friendly Hiking Trails & Nature Walks

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

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.

George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area

George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Tuolumne Riverside Trail

Tuolumne Riverside Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Four Seasons Park

Four Seasons Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Virginia Trail

Virginia 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.

Thousand Oaks Park

Thousand Oaks Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Scenic Trails

Scenic Trails

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.

Dry Creek Trail

Dry Creek Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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.

Prescott and Hetch-hetchy Trail

Prescott and Hetch-hetchy Trail

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.

Markley Park

Markley Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Wesson Ranch Park

Wesson Ranch Park

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

North Basin Park

North Basin Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Orchard Park

Orchard Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Hughson Arboretum and Gardens

Hughson Arboretum and Gardens

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!

Army Corps Park

Army Corps 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.

Great Valley Grasslands State Park

Great Valley Grasslands State 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!

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.

S. Reinway Park & Trailhead

S. Reinway Park & Trailhead

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Bella Vista Park

Bella Vista Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

McConnell State Recreation Area

McConnell State Recreation Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

River Park

River Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Bennie and Joyce Gatto Historical Trail

Bennie and Joyce Gatto Historical Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Michael Vega Park

Michael Vega Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Mossdale Landing Community Park

Mossdale Landing Community Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Oakdale Recreation Area

Oakdale Recreation Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Stockbridge Park

Stockbridge Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Valley View Park & Trail

Valley View Park & Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Dos Reis Regional Park

Dos Reis Regional Park

Park with campsites, RV hookups & more. Park featuring RV hookups & tent campsites, plus a play area, picnic tables, a boat launch & more.

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.

Valley Oak Recreation Area Main Entrance

Valley Oak Recreation Area Main Entrance

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Joan Faul Park

Joan Faul Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Ernie Shropshire Park

Ernie Shropshire Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Honorable Sandra B. Smith Park

Honorable Sandra B. Smith Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Horseshoe Road Recreation Area

Horseshoe Road Recreation Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Mattie Harrell Park

Mattie Harrell Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Hunter Check Station

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Hunter Check Station

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.

STANISLAUS RIVER PARKS

STANISLAUS RIVER PARKS

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Knights Ferry Recreation Area

Knights Ferry Recreation Area

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Cottonwood Trail

Cottonwood Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Coyote Creek Trail

Coyote Creek Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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.

Sunset Trail

Sunset Trail

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Brushy Peak Regional Preserve

Brushy Peak Regional Preserve

Park built around a 1,702-foot landmark. This 1,833-acre nature preserve around Brushy Peak has scenic trails with grassland & wild flowers.

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.

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.

Boccardo Loop Trail

Boccardo Loop Trail

Hiking & biking in scenic surrounds. Open to hikers, bikers & equestrians, the 2.7-mile stretch passes though grasslands & oak woodlands.

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve

Multi-use trails with scenic views. Nature preserve with hiking/biking/equestrian trails through varied landscapes with valley views.

Buckley Cove Park

Buckley Cove Park

Public park abutting the water. Laid-back city park by the water's edge with a playground & paved walking paths.

Laura's Fountain

Laura's Fountain

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Alum Rock Park

Alum Rock Park

Large park with mineral springs & trails. Spacious park featuring hiking & biking trails, mineral springs & several picnic areas.

Sunol Regional Wilderness

Sunol Regional Wilderness

Park with hiking trails & a scenic gorge. 6,859-acre park with varied terrain & a scenic gorge for hiking, a visitor center & more.

Rahilly Park

Rahilly Park

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

Henderson Park

Henderson Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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.

Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve

Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Mission Peak Regional Preserve

Mission Peak Regional Preserve

3,000 mountain acres for recreation. Vast mountain preserve popular for biking, hiking, horseback riding, R/C flying and hang-gliding.

Rancho San Vicente Open Space Preserve

Rancho San Vicente Open Space Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve

Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Mission Peak Trail Second View Point (Mission Hills)

Mission Peak Trail Second View Point (Mission Hills)

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Mission Peak Trail Head

Mission Peak Trail Head

Hilly hiking area with scenic views. Open space featuring a steep hiking trail with sweeping valley & bay views from the summit.

Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park

Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park

Expansive wilderness with trails & cows. 5,271-acre parkland with scenic trails for hiking, biking & horseback riding, plus local cattle.

Round Valley Regional Preserve

Round Valley Regional Preserve

Hiking & camping in a historic setting. Once home to Native Americans, this 1,911-acre wildlife habitat offers camping, hiking & cycling.

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.

Almaden Quicksilver County Park

Almaden Quicksilver County Park

Natural landscape with pedestrian trails. County park with a history of mining offers hiking, biking & equestrian trails amid wildflowers.

Vargas Plateau Regional Park

Vargas Plateau Regional Park

Hiking trails, birds of prey & sea views. Grasslands & wooded canyons home to eagles & hawks, with gentle walking routes leading to bay views.

Los Gatos Creek Trail, St. Elizabeth Dr Entrance

Los Gatos Creek Trail, St. Elizabeth Dr Entrance

Visit this great place for kids and families!

Castleridge Trailhead -- Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park

Castleridge Trailhead -- Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park

Visit this great place for kids and families!

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