Best local hiking trails near cities?

Without knowing which city you're near it's hard to say, but I'd check AllTrails app - you can filter by distance and difficulty and it shows reviews and photos so you know what you're getting into. I usually aim for trails that are like 45 mins to an hour drive since anything further and I'd rather just bake something and relax lol

The AllTrails app is solid like someone mentioned, but honestly I'd also just ask at your local vet clinic or animal hospital when you're next in - I know it sounds random but we get people coming through all the time talking about their favorite spots, and staff usually have great recommendations for trails where dogs are allowed if you ever want to bring a pet. Plus they'll know what's actually maintained vs what looks good in photos but has been sketchy lately. I've learned so much just from chatting with clients about this stuff at work, and it beats scrolling through reviews sometimes.