The first time the kids and I hiked Lund’s Gulch to Meadowdale Beach Park, on the return to the parking lot, they took turns to create a near continuous stream of whining, crying, fussing, and tantruming. It was such a tough (and frustrating) way to end our adventure, because our hike in and time spent exploring the beach was so lovely!

I’m not sure what was going on with Georgia since I was carrying her, but in Bergen’s defense, the hike back is not exactly a walk in the park.  With a sharp and easy decent (400 feet of elevation difference) on the way in, we pay on the way back.

PRO TIP: For our second and recent visit, I came prepared with a motivating treat waiting in the car: DONUTS.

Despite our troubles, I highly recommend the hike through Lund’s Gulch to Meadowdale Beach Park, located in Snohomish County, Washington near Edmonds and Lynnwood:

• At 2.5 miles, it’s short and sweet.
• Getting to the beach is a great motivator.  Though make sure to have a plan for the hike back to the car!
• Along with the beach, there’s also a Little Free Library, Ranger’s home, streams, and trains to keep the kids engaged.
• Getting to the beach requires traveling through a tunnel under the railroad tracks.
• Currently (Spring 2018), there are bathrooms just before the beach access, and a portable toilet at the trailhead.
• Hike-able year-round.
• Location:
  • 6026 156th SW
    Edmonds, WA 98036
  • Open 7am to dusk
  • No parking pass required.

To give you a better idea of the adventure, we put together a quick video highlighting our recent experience hiking Lund’s Gulch to Meadowdale Beach:

You can find more of our in town favorites, in our Kid Friendly Hikes Near Seattle list. Do you have a favorite?

Resources:

I’ve found the following two books to be excellent resources for kid friendly hikes near Seattle.

• Best Hikes with Kids Western Washington and the Cascades

• Best Hikes with Kids Western Washington (newest update)

• 75 Great Hikes Seattle (review)

• Curious Kids Nature Guide: Explore the Amazing Outdoors of the Pacific Northwest (review)

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