Skip to content

Top Navigation

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Trip Inspiration
  • Plan Your Trip
  • World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises
  • Travel Tips
  • News
  • Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Explore

    Explore

    • World's Best

      The greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, airports, and more — as voted by you. Read More Next
    • The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2020

      Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2020. Read More Next
    • Let's Go Together Podcast

      Start listening to T+L's brand new podcast, Let's Go Together! Hosted by Kellee Edwards. Read More Next
  • Trip Inspiration

    Trip Inspiration

    • Trip Ideas
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Spring Travel
    • Summer Travel
    • Fall Travel
    • Winter Travel
    • Solo Travel
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Luxury Travel
    • Beach Vacations
    • Adventure Travel
    • Road Trips
    • Family Travel
    • National Parks
    • Holiday Travel
    • Travel Photography
    • Photo of the Day
    • Culture and Design
  • Plan Your Trip

    Plan Your Trip

    • Travel Guides
    • Flight Deals
    • Travel Deals
    • Ways to Save
    • Hotels + Resorts
    • Attractions
    • Amusement Parks
    • Disney Vacations
    • Festivals + Events
    • Airlines + Airports
    • Buses + Trains
    • Ground Transportation
  • World's Best

    World's Best

    • Top Hotels
    • Top Cities
    • Top Islands
    • Domestic Airlines
    • International Airlines
    • Tours
    • Safaris
    • All World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises

    Cruises

    • Find A Cruise
    • Caribbean Cruises
    • River Cruises
    • European Cruises
    • All-Inclusive Cruises
    • Family Cruises
    • Alaskan Cruises
    • Disney Cruises
    • See All Cruise Vacations
  • Travel Tips

    Travel Tips

    • Travel Trends
    • Packing Tips
    • Points + Miles
    • Budgeting + Currency
    • Customs + Immigration
    • Responsible Travel
    • Travel Etiquette
    • Travel Warnings
    • Weather
    • Mobile Apps
    • See All Travel Tips
  • News

    News

    • Wellness
    • Celebrity Travel
    • Animals
    • Jobs
    • Offbeat
    • See All News
  • Food + Drink

    Food + Drink

    • Restaurants
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails + Spirits
    • Bars + Clubs
    • Celebrity Chefs
    • Cooking + Entertaining
    • Food Fairs + Festivals
    • World's Best Restaurants
    • See All Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories

    Travel Accessories

    • Travel Bags
    • Shoes
    • Travel Tech
    • Shopping
    • Style
    • Gift Guides
    • See All Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Adventure Travel
  3. These Are the Best Hikes in the U.S., From Maine to California

These Are the Best Hikes in the U.S., From Maine to California

By Stacey Leasca
Updated April 03, 2020
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Credit: thinair28/Getty Images
Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure.

As famed writer Wallace Stegner once said, America’s national parks are “the best idea we ever had.” And with warmer weather approaching, now’s the time to start planning a hike around the national or state park nearest you. Pull on your hiking boots, grab a water bottle, and visit one of the best hiking trails in the U.S. for your next active adventure.

Explore canyons, visit waterfalls, and take in breathtaking landscapes on these 18 best hikes in the U.S.

Related: More adventure travel
Start Slideshow

1 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Nugget Falls Trail, Tongass National Forest

Credit: Kevin Smith/Getty Images

Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in Juneau, Alaska is an epicenter of hiking around the Mendenhall Glacier and the Tongass National Forest. The area is a nature-lover's paradise with visitors often spotting bald eagles, sockeye salmon, and black bear cubs. Visitors can choose to hike through dense forests and meadows, explore caves, or even venture on a wooden “boardwalk” trail through swampy bogs, called muskegs. With more than 700 miles of trails, hikers need never see the same sights twice. The Nugget Falls trail provides incredible views of the waterfall and the glacier, and it's a relatively easy, 2-mile hike.

1 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Park

Credit: NetaDegany/Getty Images

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia is located just 75 miles from the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C. The park consists of 200,000 acres of protected lands that are home to deer, songbirds, and a clear, star-speckled night sky. The park also has more than 500 miles of hiking trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail, which you can hike a small section of for a day hike. Each trail offers something new, including waterfalls, viewpoints, and deep forests.

2 of 18

3 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Burroughs Mountain Hike, Mount Rainier National Park

Credit: thinair28/Getty Images

Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state is home to one of the most iconic mountains in the world. Mount Rainier rises 14,410 feet above sea level straight into the clouds. But the summit of the mountain isn’t the only hiking opportunity in the park. The park has more than 260 miles of maintained trails that lead visitors through peaceful old-growth forest, river valleys, and subalpine meadows. Check out the Burroughs Mountain hike for stunning views of Mount Rainer and the alpine landscape.

3 of 18

Advertisement

4 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Halema'uma'u Trail, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

Credit: Greg Vaughn/Getty Images

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park provides visitors with the once-in-a-lifetime experience of getting up close and personal with the extreme heat of a volcano. The park has several trails available to visitors, including Earthquake Trail and Waldron Ledge, which is an easy 1-mile hike that allows visitors to take in the beautiful ocean views, and the Halema'uma'u Trail, a 1-mile hike descending 425 feet at the southern edge of Kīlauea Caldera that takes visitors through a rain forest.

4 of 18

5 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Charlies Bunion Hike, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Credit: jcarillet/Getty Images

Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina is world-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life and sprawling mountains to hike and explore. The park even has a “Hike the Smokies” challenge, which rewards hikers who have explored 100+ miles of the park with exclusive mileage pins. The park has miles of official and backcountry trails with views of waterfalls and old-growth forests. Take the hike to Charlies Bunion via the Appalachian Trail for beautiful views of the mountains and forest.

5 of 18

6 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Billy Goat Trail, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Credit: Rob Crandall/Alamy

Billy Goat Trail is a moderate 4-mile hike located in Maryland, just minutes from Washington, D.C. Here, hikers can experience the raging Potomac River and the rocky crags of Great Falls. The hike is incredibly popular, so visit early to beat the crowds.

6 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Kalalau Trail, Ha'ena State Park

Credit: Westend61/Getty Images

Kalalau Trail in Ha'ena State Park on the island of Kauai runs just about 11 miles along the island's north shore from Keʻe Beach to the Kalalau Valley. Visitors be warned: The trail is very difficult and dangerous. The trek takes hikers through streams and hills and provides stunning views of the crystal blue oceans surrounding the island.

7 of 18

8 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Chautauqua Trail, Chautauqua Park

Credit: Lightvision, LLC/Getty Images

Chautauqua Park in Boulder, Colorado has been around since 1898, when Boulder citizens approved a bond issue to purchase 80 acres of land. The park has miles of hiking, and those strong enough to make it to the top are rewarded with stunning views of Boulder from above. You can start with the Chautauqua Trail, which offers views of the Flat Irons and Boulder, before moving onto more challenging trails.

8 of 18

9 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Canyon to Rim Loop, Smith Rock State Park

Credit: Jordan Siemens/Getty Images

Smith Rock State Park in Oregon has hikes ranging from 2 to 7 miles and easy to moderately difficult terrain. The park suggests visitors arrive early in the morning for sightings of geese and ducks on the banks of the river, and later in the afternoon to catch a glimpse of a beautiful blue heron perched on a rock in the river. If you look closely, you may even spot a cougar or two.

9 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Petroglyph Wall Trail, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Credit: narawon/Getty Images

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada offers shorter distance hikes, with the longest trail measuring in at 6 miles, but don’t let the short distance fool you. Many of the hikes at Red Rock Canyon are labeled as difficult, and it can take upward of 4 to 5 hours to complete just a 5-mile hike. Along the different routes, hikers and visitors can try and spot the desert wildlife, including lizards, toads, and hawks soaring above. Even though it's short, the Petroglyph Wall Trail is a must-do to see the 800-year old historical rock art.

10 of 18

11 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

South Rim Trail, Grand Canyon National Park

Credit: Garry Ridsdale/Getty Images

Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona may just be the most iconic and famous national park in the country. The park has a plethora of hiking options, including easy vista point hikes at the canyon’s edge (like the South Rim Trail) and expert-only hikes from rim to rim. The canyon provides stunning views for miles above the rim and sights that must be seen at the base, where the Colorado River rages through.

11 of 18

12 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Cadillac North Ridge Trail, Acadia National Park

Credit: Michael Ver Sprill/Getty Images

Acadia National Park is dubbed the first eastern U.S. national park. Acadia has hikes from easy to strenuous, each offering different views of the bays and tiny islands off the coast of Maine — the Cadillac North Ridge Trail is a great choice for incredible summit views. The park remains open year-round, but it does experience limited closures in the harsh winter months. Check for hours of operation here.

12 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Grinnell Glacier Trail, Glacier National Park

Credit: JeffGoulden/Getty Images

Glacier National Park in Montana is the headwaters for streams that flow to the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Hudson Bay. The park has several hikes, including more than a dozen options ranging from easy to difficult around Many Glacier, like the Grinnell Glacier Trail. The park is home to 71 species of mammals, from the tiny pygmy shrew to the majestic elk, and a variety of birds and reptiles for visitors to spot along the way.

13 of 18

14 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Rim Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park

Credit: Peter Unger/Getty Images

Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah may offer one of the most unique sites of any hiking adventure. The park is home to hoodoos, which are odd-shaped pillars of rock left standing from the forces of erosion. In fact, Bryce Canyon has the largest collection of hoodoos in the world, and you can see them from the Rim Trail. Bryce Canyon offers hikes for all levels, including backcountry options for those looking for a little added adventure and moonlight tours for the night owl hikers.

14 of 18

15 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Upper Emerald Pool Trail, Zion National Park

Credit: Jordan Siemens/Getty Images

Zion National Park, Utah’s first national park, is famous for its massive cream, pink, and red sandstone cliffs, free-standing arches, and hiking trails suitable for all experience levels. Hikers should attempt to visit for sunrise and sunset to snap breathtaking photos of sunlight splashing off the cliffs and into the rivers below. Try the Upper Emerald Pool Trail for an easy hike leading to sparkling waterfalls.

15 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Mount Ida Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park

Credit: Ethan Welty/Getty Images

The Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 miles of Colorado wilderness encompasses lakes, mountains, and spectacular hiking. In fact, the park has more than 300 miles of hiking, filled with wildflowers, wildlife, and wide open views — the Mount Ida Trail is one of the park's most popular trails. Along the way, expect to see various species of birds, reptiles, and perhaps even a bear or two.

16 of 18

17 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Point Lobos Loop Trail, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Credit: Roberto Soncin Gerometta/Getty Images

The Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in California's picturesque Carmel-by-the-Sea has more than a dozen trails for visitors to explore. On the Point Lobos Loop Trail, hikers can experience views of the reserve and stunning ocean vistas. As a reserve dedicated to preserving the wild, visitors and hikers can expect pristine and untouched nature around every corner.

17 of 18

18 of 18

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Half Dome Day Hike, Yosemite National Park

Credit: Onnes/Getty Images

The Half Dome day hike in Yosemite National Park in California offers visitors a true adventure into the wilderness along the 14- to 16-mile round-trip trail. Visitors, however, are warned on the national park’s site that this trail is exclusively for well-prepared and experienced hikers, as the elevation gain of 4,800 feet can feel overwhelming. In total, the hike usually takes between 10 and 12 hours to complete.

18 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Stacey Leasca

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 18 Nugget Falls Trail, Tongass National Forest
2 of 18 Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Park
3 of 18 Burroughs Mountain Hike, Mount Rainier National Park
4 of 18 Halema'uma'u Trail, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
5 of 18 Charlies Bunion Hike, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
6 of 18 Billy Goat Trail, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
7 of 18 Kalalau Trail, Ha'ena State Park
8 of 18 Chautauqua Trail, Chautauqua Park
9 of 18 Canyon to Rim Loop, Smith Rock State Park
10 of 18 Petroglyph Wall Trail, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
11 of 18 South Rim Trail, Grand Canyon National Park
12 of 18 Cadillac North Ridge Trail, Acadia National Park
13 of 18 Grinnell Glacier Trail, Glacier National Park
14 of 18 Rim Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park
15 of 18 Upper Emerald Pool Trail, Zion National Park
16 of 18 Mount Ida Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park
17 of 18 Point Lobos Loop Trail, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
18 of 18 Half Dome Day Hike, Yosemite National Park

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap
  • Travel Guide Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletters
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
Travel + Leisure is part of the Travel + Leisure Group. Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Travel + Leisure is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation Travel + Leisure Group All Rights Reserved, registered in the United States and other countries. Travel + Leisure may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.travelandleisure.com

View image

These Are the Best Hikes in the U.S., From Maine to California
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.