In a nutshell
If you want the kids to burn a little energy and also take a nice walk through nature yourself, this is the easiest, most accessible trail in town.
We were all meant to be naturalists, each in his degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things. ~Charlotte Mason
No hiking equipment required!
I would love to take the kiddos hiking more often, but it takes quite a bit to gather resources, pack the van, and get over to a trail. Plus the battery life on those little toddlers sure runs out all of the sudden. That's why Mims Trail is the bomb! Sometimes while we're at the library and have 15-30 extra minutes it's so easy to park right next to the trail head and get going. The kids can burn energy, and you feel instantly like you're miles away in the mountains, away from the city. We've commonly spotted deer roaming about, and there's actually a bit of history on the trail along with some old brick chimneys and a natural spring. At least one small creek runs through the main part too. The elevation rises aren't that bad, but it's certainly not completely flat. Regular strollers would probably encounter some heavy roots along the way. I really like that it's possible to get your heart rate up a tad if you want. And there are actually two entrances (the south entrance = library) if you only want to conquer one loop at a time. There are some really unique trees with some signs describing some of the plants. You can tell people actively maintain the trail.
