While I haven’t done the Lower Falls loop, I really liked how the Upper Loop goes along the Cliff Trail which gives vistas of the Arapaho National Forest, adding more variety than the forested section alone. This is not mentally ideal for kid hikers as they are tired at the end of the hike, but I still find it to be a better option than adding an additional mile by hiking up from the Lower Falls trailhead. It should be noted that by parking at the Upper Trailhead, you are starting at the highest elevation and hiking down, then climbing back up for the last half of the hike. We chose the latter so that we would have motivation to get our little hikers’ legs 3 miles in the snow. You have 2 options for this loop-you can take this counterclockwise and see the waterfall about 0.5 miles into the hike, or you take it clockwise and see the waterfall at the very end of the hike. It’s always better to overestimate mileage when you are hiking with kids. The loop we did is described as 2.4 miles on sites like AllTrails, but we trust our Strava GPS so I would expect closer to 3 miles for this route. If you are willing to bundle up to go on a frozen waterfall hike near Denver, I highly recommend Maxwell Falls. It’s the same amount of bundling that needs to happen to go sledding in our backyard, so we might as well create new memories, break away from the “snow day” screen time mentality, have an adventure, and get some exercise. But now that we live in the snow, it doesn’t seem like as big of a deal. There are plenty of good options near Seattle (Franklin Falls being a popular one to see frozen), but when we lived there the thought of bundling kids who would likely be too cold and cranky in order to carry them through the snow did not sound appealing. It was Bryce’s birthday so what better way to celebrate than to force our kids to hike in sub 20 degree weather? Before moving here, I never would have thought to hike to a frozen waterfall. I have been itching to do a frozen waterfall hike for the past few weeks and we finally got the window. Don’t expect a leisurely stroll - the path climbs 600 feet (183 m) to the top.While spring is around the corner, I am still trying to embrace the winter in Colorado and all it has to offer in outdoor fun. Hike from Lower Macleay, passing a unique WPA-era structure (known to locals as the “Witch’s Castle”) and the Portland Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, to century-old Pittock Mansion for panoramic views of the city and a fascinating local history lesson. This is Portland, so, naturally, you can take public transit straight to a trailhead! Part of Northwest Portland’s sprawling, 5,100-acre (2,063.9-ha) Forest Park, this lush woodland area is open year-round. Stop inside the arboretum’s visitor center for free maps and guides to all the glorious flora. As you stroll along 12 miles (19.3 km) of hiking trails, look for seasonal highlights like evergreen holly, corkscrew hazel, blooming wintersweet and budding magnolias. Home to more than 2,000 tree and shrub species, Hoyt Arboretum is tucked into the west side of Washington Park, only 2 miles (3.2 km) west of downtown, and is easily accessible by bus or light rail. Ready to join them? These Portland-area paths are perfect for all-weather adventures. On any given winter weekend, thousands of locals lace up their waterproof hiking boots, zip rain jackets over their down vests and hit the trails. In Portland, hiking isn’t an occasional summer activity - it’s a way of life. Tuck Woodstock wrote and edited content for Travel Portland from 2014–2020.
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