Great Hikes for Kids: Mount Baker (Kulshan), Washington

Horseshoe Bend 

• Pass needed at the trailhead: Northwest Forest Pass

• Easy

• 2.4 miles round trip out and back

• Elevation gain: 220 feet

• 1 hour

Get out the sketch pad and take your time to pause and paint and wander down this gentle and engaging trail. The trailhead is just across the road from Douglas Fir campground, and eventually fades away after a mile or so. https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/horseshoe-bend

Boyd Creek Interpretive Trail 

• Pass needed at the trailhead: Northwest Forest Pass

• Easy

• .5 mile round trip loop

• Elevation gain: none

• 30 minutes

Most of this half mile trail is boardwalk, making it easy for small children and those with mobility issues. The focus is on salmon and steelhead and their habitat, and if you enjoy interpretive trails, this is a gem. https://www.goskagit.com/boyd-creek-interpretive-trail/article_3af51526-246b-5a40-a68a-e7565b1356bb.html

Baker Lake 

• Pass needed at the trailhead: Northwest Forest Pass

• Easy

• 14 miles point to point for the whole trail (park cars at both ends) or go your own comfortable distance and return

• Elevation gain: 1,358 feet

• 7 hours

This 14-mile hike from the South Baker Lake trailhead to the Baker River trailhead, can be hiked in all seasons when other trails are snowbound. It’s a long and lovely walk through a forested canopy along and above the lake with several side trails to access a beach for shoreside picnics. Start at either end; going a few miles and returning also makes a grand day hike. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mbs/recarea/?recid=17600