Kid Friendly Hike: Birdsong Trail
Trail Closed as of June 1, 2023
This trail has had a rough year. Part of it burned in a wildfire in September 2022. Now due to the lack of vegetation and the heavy snow year/wet spring, the trail has eroded and is currently closed. When it reopens, I will be sure to update this post!
Trail Overview
Distance: 1 mi | Location: Ogden | Best Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall | Elevation Gain: 377 ft | Route Type: Out and Back |Bathrooms @ Trailhead: No
Birdsong Trail is part of 2.4 mile loop. For the purpose of making this hike more kid friendly, I would recommend only doing Birdsong Trail. A good turnaround point is where it ends at the neighborhood. This makes the hike about a mile long.
If you have older children or are up for a longer hike you can do the complete loop by following Fillmore Ave to 21st street. Turn east on 21st street until you reach the 21st street trailhead. You then follow the Bonneville Shore Line Trail north to where it connects to Rainbow Trail. Then follow Rainbow Trail to return to the Rainbow Garden’s parking lot.
Getting There
From I-15 take exit 344 and head east on 12th street towards Ogden Canyon. Before entering the canyon turn right on Valley Drive. You will then take your immediate left into the Rainbow Garden’s parking lot. The trailhead is located in the southwest corner of the Rainbow Garden’s parking lot.
To begin you will want to follow the trail heading south. When the trail splits stay to the right.
Trail Conditions
This trail is right at the mouth of Ogden Canyon. Because of this the trail is pretty windy in the mornings. The wind can make it a little chilly and hard for kids to breathe; due to this I would recommend hiking it either around lunchtime or in the afternoon.
The trail has had some erosion so I would NOT recommend hiking this trail if it has recently rained or if the conditions are wet.
Trail Highlights
Here are all the reasons Birdsong Trail is an awesome kid friendly hike.
First off, Birdsong trail meets my three requirements for what makes for a “kid friendly” hike:
- The trail is fairly smooth. This makes it great for little feet to navigate the trail without tripping over roots or rocks.
- The distance is totally doable (less than 1.5 miles) without a lot of elevation gain. This is especially great for budding hikers or toddlers that want to hike on their own.
- Most of the trail is in the shade. There is a portion that is completely exposed but it is a very small section of the trail (see below).
Additional Things to Love About Birdsong Trail
It’s located close to the city
Birdsong Trail is perfect if you are looking for a quick hike or have young children that have short wake windows. I don’t know about you but at my house nap time is sacred, so I definitely appreciate quick access to a hike without having to worry about the dreaded car nap!
There are huts along the trail
What kid doesn’t love a hut?! This is not only fun for your kids but can provide some motivation for little hikers to keep going. It also provides a neat area if you want to do a picnic.
The hut pictured above is near the bench by the stream. Another hut can be found on the left side of the trail a little bit past the stream as the trail begins to wind up towards the neighborhood.
There is a stream
This is a fun area for kids to put their feet in when the weather is warm, or throw in rocks, leaves and twigs when it’s not.
Some Things to Be Aware Of
There has been some trail erosion. Due to this there is a section of the trail that is a bit narrow and washed out (see above).
Also this trail is in the flight path of Hill Airforce Base. If you have a child that has a hypersensitivity to sound be aware that the jets can get pretty loud!
Enjoy!
I hope you and your family love this hike! If you try it out please leave a comment below to let me know what you think.
