Places to hike with kids: National forests

National forests offer a variety of great day hiking trails.

Run by the U.S. Forest Service, national forests are more plentiful and therefore probably closer to you than national parks. The quality of the trails vary greatly within national forests, and be forewarned: often public facilities sometimes are lacking.

Generally, you will need a pass to use the trails. You can buy annual or daily passes; if you plan to do more than a half-dozen hikes a year in a national forest, the annual Adventure Pass is the best deal. Also, be aware that the pass isn’t for all national forests but just a group of them. You may need to buy additional passes if heading into a forest not covered by yours.

Read more about great places to day hike with children in the guidebook Hikes with Tykes.