Going outdoors with the family to marvel at nature and stretch your legs sounds like a great idea! Hiking is a wonderful activity to spend time outdoors with the kids, allowing them to enjoy nature, breathe fresh air, witness amazing views, and spend time together as a family.
Rhode Island is brimming with picturesque hikes, many of which are suitable for the little ones! Get ready to explore some of the most awe-inspiring areas near Providence with comfortable shoes, and make unforgettable memories with your loved ones!
Audubon Maxwell Mays Wildlife Refuge
Where: 2082 Victory Hwy, Coventry, RI 02816,

This is a paradise for nature-loving families!
You will find four miles of trails in several color-coded loops, which give walkers plenty of options for how long to hike and what to see.
There are flat and wide trails that are easy for everyone, starting at a pine forest and continuing to the 11-acre Carr Pond where you’ll get to see plenty of beaver activity!
This trail is perfect to spot the wildlife that calls the preserve home.
Simmons Mill Management Area
Where: Little Compton, RI

There are many opportunities to see and hear birds and wildlife while hiking this easy trail!
The 433-acre preserve features a wide and flat path that circles six ponds! Kids will be entertained waiting for wildlife to show up!
You will find tons of hand-lettered signs along the trails that describe the trees, wildlife, rocks, and rich history. This is a super fun and easy trail for the whole family, with plenty of benches along the way to admire the natural space and its features!
Whitehead Preserve at Dundery Brook
Where: 29 Meetinghouse Ln, Little Compton, RI 02837

Experience an awesome hiking trail surrounded by wetlands and a scenic wooded journey!
The inland boardwalk is ½ mile long and very easy for all ages!
Osamequin Nature Trails and Bird Sanctuary
Where: 1580 RI-114, Barrington, RI 02806

Families will enjoy easy, flat, filled-with-nature trails that circle through the 42-acre refuge along the west shore of the Barrington River’s Hundred Acre Cove.
Families will love spending some time surrounded by nature and wildlife. In all, there are 1.5 miles of easy-to-follow paths.
Weetamoo Woods & Pardon Gray Preserve
Where: E Rd, Tiverton, RI 02878

Weetamoo Woods & Pardon Gray Preserve features a 4.7-mile loop trail that is color-coded to help you not get lost. You can pick a color and be surprised!
After the hike, you can visit Tiverton Four Corners for post-hike treats.
Neutaconkanut Hill Conservancy
Where: Legion Memorial Dr, Providence, RI 02909

You will want to keep going until the end of the hill to be rewarded with a nice resting spot and a breathtaking view of downtown Providence!
You will find several trails that loop up and around the hilltop. Get ready to walk through a grassy meadow with a view of the skyline, wetlands, brooks, and lots of nature!
Lawton Farm Hike
Where: Seven Mile Rd, Hope, RI 02831

Get ready to witness 54.4 acres of rolling hills, pastures, and fields, edged with trees, hedgerows, and stone walls!
There are several loop trails to choose from for a 30-, 60- or 90-minute walk, including a perimeter trail that runs along lines of red maples, black walnut, beech trees, and lots of interesting wildlife.
Mowry Conservation Area Red Trail
Where: 41-199 Old Forge Rd, Smithfield, RI 02917

With less than ½ mile long, the awesome Red Trail at Mowry Conservation Area is perfect to navigate with the little ones!
The highlight for the kids will be crossing the footbridge over the water and continuing through the scenic pine grove.
Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge
Where: Middletown, RI

What’s better than enjoying some active fun with ocean views?
This 2.4-mile flat and sandy trail is perfect to navigate with kids and even strollers! There is plenty of wildlife all around, including wildflowers, butterflies, and a few deer!
Rocky Point State Park
Where: 1 Rocky Point Ave, Warwick, RI 02889

This awesome state park feature 1.6 miles of flat, paved walks, which makes it perfect for kids!
The best part is that the trail leads to the former Rocky Point Amusement Park so there’s plenty to see and explore!
Wolf Hill Forest Preserve
Where: Waterview Dr, Smithfield, RI 02917

This awesome trail has plenty of interesting things to see along the way, including a WWII memorial that pays tribute to 3 airmen whose plane crashed there in 1943, and a former Boy Scouts camp.
Melville Park Blue Trail
Where: Portsmouth, RI

This 0.8-mile trail is generally considered an easy route, and it takes an average of 17 min to complete.
This trail is great for birding, camping, and fishing, and it’s unlikely you’ll encounter many other people while exploring. The Blue Trail is perfect for children! They will love the little footbridges and the little waterfall.
Jerimoth Hill
Where: Jerimoth Hill, Foster, Rhode Island 02825

Jerimoth Hill is Rhode Island’s highest elevation.
The trail is 0.3 miles and only gains 10 feet in elevation so even small kids can handle it!