If you're looking for a good family hike...

... try Browns Woods, just off South 63rd St. We did it today, and it was perfect for our family of five (first-grader, preschooler and 16-month-old).

It's just under 2 miles total, but if you want something even shorter, you can opt to do the first "loop" only, which is about a half-mile.

It's smooth enough for a stroller (you'll hit lots of rocks and tree roots, but our umbrella stroller made it just fine), and there are at least three bench stops along the way for taking breaks.

I'd recommend it to anyone with small children looking to hike without leaving the metro. We had an absolute blast...