With 235 acres of wooded hills and trails, Hardscrabble Wilderness Area is a wonderful hiking spot for beginners.

If you, the kids, and Fido are looking for a place to spend the day exploring, look no further than this greenspace wilderness area. Run by the city, you’ll find a series of trails of varying lengths (most of them are loops), making this a great place to walk a short two miles or traverse as many short trails as your group feels up to!

However, if you or your kids are dog adverse, be warned this park may not be right for you. Many of the visitors let their pups off-leash here and it can get a little unruly on busy days. 

As for the trails, they’re kid-friendly and wooded enough to make you forget that the highway runs nearby. Some of the trails have a few challenging slopes, leading to beautiful vistas, but nothing so intense that a six or seven-year-old can’t keep up — especially since most of the loops are under three miles. The trails are typically well-maintained, though not suitable for strollers, they’re great for walking (and jogging).

While out hiking the 235 acres of rolling hills, you’ll likely pass by the various streams, ponds, and rock outcroppings that make Hardscrabble so picturesque. However, some of the trails are not very well marked and some folks have reported getting lost there, so it’s definitely best to visit during daylight hours so as not to get turned around.  

When not bombarded by poorly behaving dog owners, Hardscrabble is incredibly peaceful. But you won't find any services or frills here. There are no bathrooms and it’s a trash-free park, meaning pack out whatever you bring in — including dog poop.