Kid Friendly Urban Hikes Near Portland, Oregon

With cabin fever at its peak for the season, you may be looking for a local park to make a quick outdoor escape with the kids. Look no further than Cooper Mountain Nature Park, located just on the edge of Beaverton with expansive views of the Chehalem Mountains. I've brought my own children to this park many times for wonderful afternoons filled with excitement at spotting a hawk to delight at seeing spring wildflowers.

Quick Stats
Location: 18892 SW Kemmer Road , Beaverton
Fee: None
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Pets Allowed? No
Facilities: restrooms, picnic area, playground, nature programs, and the Nature House is available to rent

What is Cooper Mountain Nature Park?
This fun, neighborhood nature park boasts quite an array of activities for your children. Pack a lunch and enjoy your meal at one of the picnic tables or in the play area's reproduction covered wagon. The play area is next to the parking lot and is adjacent to the restrooms. It is the perfect place to begin your nature outing!

Once your kids have explored the play area and had a snack, it's time to head out and do a little hiking. The park has about 3 ½ miles of gravel hiking trails available, ranging through different habitats including a conifer forest and a wide open prairie. On a recent family hike, my 5-year-old had no problems hiking up the steeper inclines. Younger children may get tired legs on the longer loops.

Your children can help plan the hike by looking at the trailhead signpost. Trail maps are posted at all junctions, making it easy to figure out where you are along a specific trail. With the exception of

Trail Activities for Kids
To get your kids in the spirit of hiking, do a little preparation ahead of time. Pack some kid friendly binoculars so your children can spot song birds, squirrels and other critters along the trail.

Another great activity is to bring along a little notebook and some colored pencils. When your children get excited to see something along the trail, have them make a drawing.

An activity that my family enjoys is geocaching. There are a few caches hidden in this park, and we have found most of them on different hiking excursions. Geocaching is a great way to get kids hiking while finding "treasure."

What to Watch For Along the Trail
Cooper Mountain Nature Park does have a few drawbacks that you can take in stride by planning ahead. There is poison oak throughout the park so remind your children to stay on the designated trails always. Use the poison oak as a learning tool and help them to identify the plant and how to avoid it.

The park has relatively little shade, outside of the conifer forest area. Plan to do your hiking during the cool mornings or evenings. Bring sunscreen and plenty of water for everyone in the group. I always wear a small daypack to keep a few emergency granola bars and water bottles . It's not unusual for kids to say they're not hungry at the start of a hike and then exclaim extreme hunger just 30 minutes later.

Pets are not allowed in the park or in your car, so remember to leave Fido at home.

What's at the Nature House?
The Cooper Mountain Nature House has classes available to the public via the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District . You can find topics such as yoga, bugs, ranger-led hikes, and night-time programs. To find a class or to view the published weekly class schedule, visit the park's website.

You can rent the facility for your next birthday party or other event. The building can seat up to 40 people and has a small kitchenette. The current rate is $87.50 an hour with a two hour minimum. For more information, see the park's rental page.