I learned about Weeks Falls from an Instagram account I follow, and she noted that it was a great spot for younger kids. My 2 (almost 3) year old loooves to "hike" and find bugs, so on National Get Outdoors Day, I decided to pack up the car and head to the trail!
Finding it was a little bit of a challenge. WTA and AllTrails don't do the best job of explaining, so we ended up at another trailhead before we got it right. I posted a photo here on Yelp with a description that really helped me find the right spot. The parking lot is nice and open, and very close to a residential space and the Ranger Station, so it's really safe!
The trail runs along the river, and there's several paths down to the water so you can enjoy the view, eat lunch, or in our case, throw rocks into the river.
It's pretty shaded the entire time, which will be nice during really warm days. When you're nearly to the falls the trail opens up to a paved pathway, and on the right there's a bathroom (great for little bladders!!). Once you keep going past that, you start to hear the falls and the hydroelectric plant.
You can go down the stairs and read about the plant, and there's great views of the water from this space. Once you keep walking, maybe thirty seconds longer, you'll find the falls. It's a pretty view and has a big stone wall with a big rail to protect little ones. That being said, there's a few spots where kids could definitely slip through and drop down to the water - so just be cautious and alert!
The trail is flat the entire way (36 feet of elevation gain) so it's really easy and fun for kids. Throughout the hike there's educational wooden boards to share knowledge about the forest and the hydroelectric plant.
All in all, my toddler loved it and it's a beautiful spot to play and eat lunch (there's several clean picnic tables!) read more