As soon as the cooler months hit, it’s the perfect time for the kids to throw on their gumboots or lace up some old sneakers and get outside in the fresh air. These are the walks that turn into the core family memories — the ones the kids talk about years later, usually with one detail wildly exaggerated.
From my experience, the trick to a successful family hike isn’t the trail. While having the right amount of snacks is very important, it’s the gap between when the kids start walking and when one of them announces, “My legs are tired”, and then you are stuck having to carry them back that makes or breaks the experience.
The family-friendly Perth trails below have been chosen with that gap in mind and with experience behind them. Each one is short enough for small legs, interesting enough to hold their attention for more than five minutes, and close enough to home that the drive doesn’t take up your whole day.
We have a few well-tracked classics like my personal favourite, Noble Falls, Bells Rapids, and John Forrest National Park — though I wish the tavern was still there. Plus, there are a few sites inside the city limits for those possibly looking for something a little more central.
Most importantly, all of them reward the effort and pain of getting everyone out the door.
Glenbrook Trail, John Forrest National Park
A 2.2km loop around Glenbrook Dam, set inside WA’s oldest national park. The path winds past granite boulders, seasonal wildflowers, and a stretch of rustic stairs that double as a sit-down spot when momentum flags. The Chevron Nature Play area at the trailhead is the secret weapon: giant wooden lizards, log bridges, and climbing structures that will absorb a child for as long as you’ll let them.
Bring a picnic. There are barbecues nearby and a fairy village hut if the day calls for one.
- Distance: 2.2km loop
- Where: John Forrest National Park, Hovea
- Park entry fee applies
Swan View Tunnel, John Forrest National Park
The drawcard is in the name. The Swan View Tunnel is a 260m stretch of pitch-black railway tunnel, built in 1895, that once carried picnickers and timber workers through the Darling Range. Walking through it now is the rare hike where children volunteer to go first.
Access it from the main John Forrest carpark for a 5km return walk, or from the Peachey Road carpark for a 1.5km version that gets to the tunnel quickly. Bring a torch.
- Distance: 1.5km return (short) or 5km return (long)
- Where: John Forrest National Park
- Park entry fee applies
Lesmurdie Falls, Kalamunda
The waterfall does most of the work here. In winter and early spring, water tumbles over the granite escarpment with enough volume to keep kids transfixed at the top viewing platform. In summer, when the falls are dry, the same rocks become a climbing playground.
Several trail options branch from the carpark, ranging from a 900m lookout walk to a 5km loop. The city views at sunset are the reason locals come back.
- Distance: 900m to 5km, depending on the trail chosen
- Where: Lesmurdie Falls National Park, Kalamunda
Whistlepipe Gully, Forrestfield
Thirty minutes east of the CBD, Whistlepipe Gully runs 3.5km through Mundy Regional Park, with paperbarks, wooden bridges, and a small cascading creek. The standout feature is halfway along: the granite-and-concrete ruins of the Wallace Greenham House, a Japanese-influenced 1960s home that was demolished for lacking proper permits. The ruins remain, half-covered by bush, making it quite the site for the kids to take in.
Dog-friendly, well-marked, and close enough that you can be home by lunch.
- Distance: 3.5km loop
- Where: End of Lewis Road, Forrestfield
Noble Falls, Gidgegannup
The falls themselves are worth the trip in the cooler months as the water cascades over granite shelves into Wooroloo Brook, visible from the road as you pull into the car park, and the viewing spot is a 30-second walk from the car.
July and August are at peak flow after winter rain. By spring, the volume slows enough to reveal the rock textures underneath. In summer, it’s quieter, but the granite still offers shallow pools downstream for a shoes-off, feet-in moment. If you are brave enough to dip your feet in during winter, you will understand what ‘fresh’ feels like.
The walk extends from the waterfall, a gentle Grade 2 loop runs 3.6km along the brook through jarrah and marri woodland, with a 1.3km short loop for smaller legs via the first bridge. And while it might look like an ideal spot for a dip, swimming isn’t recommended.
But perhaps the best thing about Noble Falls. The Noble Falls Tavern sits directly opposite the trail car park, with a beer garden, a fireplace to warm you up on the brisk winter days, and a verandah that looks back over the reserve. Open Wednesday to Sunday, so plan accordingly.
Thirty minutes from Perth, dog-friendly, and difficult to argue with. For a full guide, see So Perth’s Noble Falls: everything to see and do.
- Distance: 1.3km (short loop) or 3.6km (full loop)
- Where: Noble Falls Reserve, Toodyay Road, Gidgegannup
- Tavern closed Monday and Tuesday
Bushland Nature Trail, Kings Park
Most Perth families know Kings Park for the playgrounds. Fewer know about the Bushland Nature Trail, which winds through native woodland on the park’s western edge and is built specifically for younger walkers. Wildflowers in spring, kangaroo paw in season, and birdlife throughout.
Look for the open mia mia structure that marks the entrance. After the walk, the Rio Tinto Naturescape next door is the obvious place to let the kids burn off whatever’s left.
- Distance: Short, well under 2km
- Where: Kings Park, Perth
Bells Rapids, Brigadoon
Spring is when Bells Rapids shows off. The Swan River runs fast through a stretch of granite outcrops, and the River Walk is a flat 3km return trail that hugs the water’s edge with plenty of climbing rocks along the way. Older children can take on the Goat Walk add-on, which extends the route to 5 kilometres and adds some steep inclines and coastal plain views from the top.
Time the visit for early August and you’ll catch the Avon Descent rolling through.
- Distance: 3km return (River Walk) or 5km combined
- Where: Bells Rapids Park, Brigadoon
Butterflies, Birds and Bridges Trail, Wilson
A 4km meander through Canning River Regional Park is probably one trail that hasn’t been on many lists. Woodland gives way to meadow, the trail crosses creeks and rivers, and the route is gentle enough for kids of all ages. Central, suburban, no real elevation.
If you are keen on birds, make sure to pack binoculars or simply keep a keen eye out on your hike.
- Distance: 4km
- Where: Canning River Regional Park, Wilson
Yanchep National Park (Dwerta Mia Walk Trail)
An hour north of Perth and routinely underrated, the Dwerta Mia Walk Trail is a 1km family loop that introduces children to the limestone caves and Noongar cultural heritage of the area. The real headliner, though, is what comes after the hike. Yanchep has one of the few koala enclosures in WA, and the boardwalk to see them is right by the trail.
Combine it with the 2km Wetlands Walk around Loch McNess for a longer outing.
- Distance: 1km (Dwerta Mia) or 2km (Wetlands Walk)
- Where: Yanchep National Park, Yanchep
- Park entry fee applies
Children’s Forest, Whiteman Park
This is the rare trail planted by children, for children. Between 2001 and 2018, families and community groups planted a bushland forest in 18 stages along the path between Whiteman Village and Mussel Pool. The result is a winding trail full of hidden sculptures, and most of all, there are the fairies.
Fourteen fairy families live in tiny doors scattered through the trees, and the official fairy door trail map is available from the Visitor Information Centre or as a download from the Whiteman Park website. If the children still have enough fuel left in the tank, Whiteman Park is also home to several other trails that will have kids spotting kangaroos going about their daily activities.
As an added benefit, ensure they get all their energy out at Pia’s Place playground with a giant lighthouse slide.
Entry to Whiteman Park is free. So is parking.
- Distance: Short (1-2km) self-guided, or extend via connecting trails
- Where: Whiteman Park, Whiteman (off Drumpellier Drive or Beechboro Road North)
- Free entry, open daily 8:30 am to 6:00 pm
Serpentine Falls, Serpentine National Park
The Falls Walk Trail is a 400m stroll from the carpark to a viewing platform overlooking the cascade, and the path is flat enough for prams. The drawcard for kids is the resident western grey kangaroos that come down to graze in the picnic area in the afternoon.
One important note — swimming at the base of the falls has been closed since March 2026 due to elevated bacterial levels. Check current conditions on the DBCA Park Alerts page before visiting. The picnic and the walk are still very much worth the trip.
- Distance: 400m return
- Where: Serpentine National Park, Serpentine
- Park entry fee applies
Dyoondalup Point Walter Sandbar, Bicton
Not a ‘bush hike’, but a contender for the most novel family walk in Perth.
At low tide, a sandbar extends roughly 1km into the Swan River from Point Walter Reserve, and you can walk a long way out into the middle of the river on what looks, from a distance, like water.
The reserve has a playground, a café, picnic tables, and BBQs. Check the Bicton tide chart before heading out — the sandbar only reveals itself around low tide, and the window is genuinely short.
- Distance: Up to 2km return on the sandbar (tide-dependent)
- Where: Dyoondalup Point Walter Reserve, Bicton
A few notes before you go
Park Fees
Park entry fees apply at John Forrest, Yanchep, and Serpentine national parks. Most are around $17.00 per car, with concessions and annual passes available through DBCA or RAC. Whiteman Park is free.
When to visit
Most of these trails are at their best between May and October, when the temperature is pleasant, and the waterfalls are flowing. Summer hikes need an early start. Aim to be on the trail by 8:00 am between December and February, and be back at the car before 11:00 am. Anything later and you’re walking in 35-degree heat, which won’t end well with kids.
What to pack
More water than you think you need (one litre per person minimum), proper closed-toe shoes (not thongs or sandals, no matter what your three-year-old says), a hat, sunscreen, snacks, a few more snacks and a small first aid kit.
A change of clothes and a towel in the car is sensible for any walk near water — Bells Rapids, Noble Falls, and Point Walter all reliably produce wet children.
Phone Reception
Phone signal drops out in parts of Whistlepipe Gully, John Forrest, Serpentine, and Yanchep. Download the offline map or screenshot the trail directions before you leave home.
Bushfire Season
During total fire bans (declared by DFES, usually from November to April), some national parks close at short notice. Check the Emergency WA website on the morning of any hike between November and April, particularly for the Hills trails.
Originally written by The Hike Collective in 2020. Updated and expanded by So Perth, 2026.
