We love being outdoors.  My boys crave to get dirty in the mud and just run wild.  And so- we plan a lot of hikes and city walks. A lot of exploring and wondering.  A lot of out door time in this Great North West that we live in.   I know I've mention that it rains here. A LOT! So as soon as I see a crack in the weather no matter how cold it is, we are outside adventuring.  I'm going to add to this list as we go, so keep checking back.

1) Tryon Creek State natural Area.  Fore more info click Here .

This one is one of my favorites. Easy trails for kids of all ages, bike trails, horse trails, a nature center for kids to explore or read books or activities, no entrance fee and free parking. 

2) George Rogers park in Lake Oswego More info Click here

I loved this park! The walking trails are super easy and can be done with strollers. We met a park Ranger Ben who told us a bit of history about the park and Lake Oswego.  He showed the boys how to find these rocks that are actually molted iron and other materials from back in the early 1900's.  The park is 26 acres and contains athletic fields, tennis courts, children's playground, picnicking, riverfront access, walking trails, and a large natural area.  We went there on a nice day.  People were swimming, paddle boarding, boating, and just lounging around.  This park is beautiful. We also took a walk in the historic district and checked out old, dreamy homes.  I love strolling through historic districts.  Homes were built with so much character back then.

3) Upper Macleay Park in Forest Park.  We did the Wildwood Trail, it's super easy with the kids. We packed a lunch and headed out.  Found a spot on the creek, ate and explored.  The boys loved finding salamanders and crayfish - that's Jasper's thing.  He loves those salamanders.  In the middle of the trail is an old, partially dismantled stone structure that was a rest area/ public restroom in the 1930's.  That's was pretty cool to run into the first time we did the hike. 

We discovered the park when we went to the Audubon Society of Portland to see the birds and do a little trail there.  I recommend stopping there fist, grabbing a map of all the trails, seeing the birds, getting all kids of info and recourses, and buying something at the gift shop to support the wild life conservation. The staff there is super awesome and will answer any question about the different trails and inform you of any closures or things to watch out for. http://audubonportland.org/