🥾 Easy & stroller-friendly

Kid-friendly hikes

15 easy, family-friendly hikes across SoCal — flat, stroller-friendly trails and gentle waterfall walks, each with difficulty, distance and the payoff. Find the closest to you.

Curated by Punita Patel, Editor

Your area

9 spots within 60 miles of 92692

Free2 mi

Oso Creek Trail

Mission Viejo

Easy, flat, fully paved (1–2 mi near the Character Garden) with a creek, art-sculpture garden, tunnels and slides. Stroller-friendly.

🗓️ Open daily, daylight

Visit site →
Easy hike3 mi

Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park

Coto de Caza · Easy hike

An easy ~2 mi flat dirt loop through oak groves with a seasonal butterfly garden and a nature center. Jogging-stroller OK.

🗓️ Open daily, daylight

💵 Parking $3/day

Visit site →
Easy hike7 mi

Aliso Creek Trail (Aliso & Wood Canyons)

Aliso Viejo · Easy hike

A flat paved creek path from the Alicia Pkwy entrance — go 2–4 mi out-and-back through a sycamore canyon. Stroller-friendly on the paved section.

🗓️ Open daily, daylight

💵 Parking $3

Visit site →
Easy hike24 mi

Carbon Canyon Redwood Grove Trail

Brea · Easy hike

A mostly flat ~2.5 mi round trip to OC's only coastal redwood grove. Start from the main park lot for the stroller-friendly route.

🗓️ Open daily, daylight

💵 Parking $3–5

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Easy hike45 mi

San Antonio Falls Trail

Mt. Baldy · Easy hike

An easy ~1.5 mi round trip on a paved/dirt fire road to a view of the ~80-ft falls; best flow late winter/spring. Sturdy strollers OK.

🗓️ Open daily, daylight

💵 Adventure Pass $5/day

Visit site →
Free51 mi

Kenneth Hahn — Moore Lake Loop

Los Angeles

An easy paved loop around Moore Lake with LA skyline and San Gabriel views; flat and fully stroller-friendly. Closed Mon & Tue.

🗓️ Wed–Sun, daylight

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Easy hike52 mi

Guy Fleming Trail (Torrey Pines)

La Jolla · Easy hike

A ~0.7 mi flat loop with two ocean-view overlooks, rare Torrey pines and wildflowers. Dirt with some steps — not stroller-friendly.

🗓️ Open daily, daylight

💵 Parking $12–20; free to walk in

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Free57 mi

Lake Miramar Loop

San Diego

A ~4.9 mi flat paved loop around the reservoir (shorten as an out-and-back). Excellent for strollers, bikes and wheelchairs.

🗓️ Open daily, daylight

Visit site →
Free57 mi

Franklin Canyon Lake Loop

Beverly Hills

A very easy ~1 mi flat, shaded loop around the reservoir (the Andy Griffith Show lake), with ducks and turtles. Stroller-friendly on main paths.

🗓️ Open daily, daylight

Visit site →
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Frequently asked questions

What are the easiest hikes for kids in SoCal?

Flat, short, often paved trails work best with little legs: Oso Creek Trail (Mission Viejo) with its sculpture garden, Franklin Canyon's ~1-mile lake loop, the paved Aliso Creek and Obern trails, and Lake Miramar's flat loop are all easy and mostly stroller-friendly. Each listing notes difficulty, distance and whether strollers can manage it.

Which kid hikes have a waterfall?

Gentle waterfall walks include Solstice Canyon (Malibu), San Antonio Falls near Mt. Baldy, and Nojoqui Falls near Solvang — all short with a satisfying payoff. Waterfalls flow best in late winter and spring after rain. (Note: some popular falls like Eaton Canyon and Escondido Falls are currently closed.)

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