Observe National Trails Day by taking a first-timer on one of these nearby hikes

Adults probably remember their first hike as a child, whether fitted into a carrier or toddling beside Mom and Dad. Whether it was a "real" hike or a neighborhood ramble didn't matter — hiking genes were planted and took root.

If you don't have children or never hiked, any time is a good time to begin. June is one of the prettiest months of the year, with wildflowers in bloom and the leaves of deciduous trees growing back, plump and green. It's never too late to look at this old world through young eyes.

My dad planted the hiking seed during neighborhood walks when Edmonds was still a small town with a wild beach stacked with driftwood. We jumped on logs, walked through woods in search of the first trillium or the first chanterelle. We watched geese fly south in October and listened for frogs in March.

Saturday is National Trails Day, a good day to take your family for a hike to experience wilderness or perhaps even help out trails a bit by volunteering for a work party through Washington Trails Association (WTA) or another land-management agency. Some work parties are suitable for families.

Regional parks are a good introduction to the outdoors, but for trails with more of a wilderness feel here are five to consider. They're suitable for first-time hikers and not too far from the population centers of Puget Sound:

Federation Forest State Park

Near Greenwater, on the border of King and Pierce counties, this forested park has interpretive trails where kids can learn to recognize a Sitka spruce or a Pacific yew, native plants and nurse logs. The trails are a Hobbit's delight of stumps, old-growth forest, flowers, moss and lichen. Find a spot beside the White River to picnic and daydream.

Getting there: From Enumclaw drive Highway 410 east about 18 miles to the park/interpretive center on your right.

Trail data: Interpretive loops are about 3 miles round-trip, no elevation gain; trails in good condition.

More information: Washington State Parks, 360-902-8844 or www.parks.wa.gov.

Twin Falls Natural Area

For a year-round hike near North Bend visit the Twin Falls Natural Area (Olallie State Park). Spurs lead to idyllic nooks and crannies on the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River. On Mother's Day there were gazillions of kids on the trail, ranging from tots to teens, perched on boulders, peering out from the lace of ferns, scampering ahead of their parents. There are three overlooks of the waterfalls; decide for yourself which is best.

Getting there: For the Twin Falls lower trailhead, from eastbound Interstate 90 take Exit 34, turn right and follow signs.

Trail data: Three miles round-trip to bridge overlooking waterfalls; 500 feet elevation gain. Map: Green Trails No. 205S Rattlesnake Mountain/Upper Snoqualmie Valley.

More information: Washington State Parks, 360-902-8844 or www.parks.wa.gov.

Westberg Trail

For a desert experience head east to the Westberg Trail near Thorp. The trail is named for a local wrestling coach, the late Ray Westberg. The trail is short, steep and popular. Views of Mount Stuart and the Kittitas Valley begin from the trailhead. The trail is especially scenic in late spring and early summer when the hills are a colorful blur of wildflowers. Bring a field guide. Watch out for ticks.

Getting there: From Seattle drive I-90 east to Exit 101. Turn right, and in 2 miles turn right on Cove Road. Go past two stop signs, then find trailhead parking on road.

Trail data: Five miles round-trip; 1,700 feet elevation gain. Map: None available.

More information: "Desert Hikes Washington" by Alan L. Bauer and Dan A. Nelson (The Mountaineers Books).

Lime Kiln Trail

This Granite Falls — area trail is a favorite for hikers of all ages. The trail follows a stretch of the historical Monte Cristo Railway and can be hiked year-round. Look for artifacts — broken crockery, bricks, rusted buckets and the limekiln unexpectedly appearing through a sea of ferns and evergreens, like a mythical beast. In spring the trail is a magic carpet of ferns, moss and flowers. On a hot day find a spot near the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River, beneath a soothing canopy of evergreens, and ponder river rocks, each one a story in stone.

Getting there: From Granite Falls turn right on Granite Avenue. In three blocks turn left on Pioneer Street (it becomes Menzel Lake Road), bear left onto Waite Mill Road and left at junction onto a gravel road; follow signs.

Trail data: 5 ½ miles round trip to limekiln; 600 feet elevation gain. Map: Green Trails No. 109 Granite Falls.

More information: "Day Hiking North Cascades" by Craig Romano (The Mountaineers Books).

Tiger Mountain

This Cascades foothill in Issaquah offers year-round hiking with trails that range from easy to strenuous. Tiger is especially pretty in spring, and in fall when vine maples blaze. You'll need the map, because Tiger Mountain trails are a maze and some trails are closed. Kids will enjoy the Nook/Talus Loop, a nearby hidden waterfall, and the Bus Trail (just how did that bus get there?), while tots will enjoy the Swamp Trail with storyboards about a terrifying Swamp Monster.

Getting there: Take I-90 to Exit 20, turn south, then turn right on frontage road to High Point trailhead parking.

Trail data: Mileage/elevations vary. Map: Green Trails Tiger Mountain Map 204S.

More information: King County Parks and Recreation, 206-296-4232.

Karen Sykes is a West Seattle-based freelance writer

who regularly leads hikes for The Mountaineers.