I wanted to post this article I wrote for the Pleasant Hill/Walnut Creek Mothers’ Club newsletter in April of 2008. It lists several local short hikes that are suitable for preschool age children and above.
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April is a great time to be outdoors and enjoy the moderate temperatures, spring wildflowers and rolling green hills of our wonderful East Bay parks. Here are a few of my favorite local spots to hike with young children.
Heather Farm – Heather Farm in Walnut Creek has a wonderful large playground but if you stroll beyond the play area you’ll come to The Gardens at Heather Farm where you can explore a native plants garden, sensory garden, rose garden and much more. If you walk beyond the fountain at the Farm you’ll come to a natural lake, and there’s a path that goes all the way around the lake which is a perfect walk for little ones. The entire loop is less than a mile and children will get to see ducks, geese and depending on the time of year – migratory birds. Also en-route is a new dog park, or if you walk straight instead of doing a loop you’ll end up at the Contra Costa Canal Trail which goes for miles in both directions. The path around the lake is paved except for one small dirt section.
CoCo Earth Moms 