:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/19-mount-rainier-national-park-washington-BESTHIKE0407-1b2ae69a788f49a996e64ff38f05275a.jpg)
There’s no shortage of hiking trails snaking through the beautiful natural landscapes of the United States. Among the most iconic hikes are the 14-state-spanning Appalachian Trail and the challenging Half Dome day hike in Yosemite National Park, but the Grand Canyon's famous Rim Trail is less strenuous and a section is even accessible. We’ve rounded up some of the best hikes in the U.S., with trails ranging from easy to difficult. These hiking areas also represent a diversity of terrains, from alpine to volcanic, with ample opportunities to spot wildlife along the way.
Top 5 Can’t Miss
- The easy Nugget Falls Trail in Tongass National Forest will take you past waterfalls and glaciers.
- Shenandoah National Park contains a stunning 101-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail.
- As you hike the Burroughs Mountain Trail, spot the majestic 14,410-foot Mount Rainier through the trees.
- Hike down the southern edge of the Kīlauea caldera along Hawaii's Halema'uma'u Trail.
- Bryce Canyon's Rim Trail highlights many of the park's most popular viewpoints.
Nugget Falls Trail, Tongass National Forest, Alaska
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/23-mendenhall-glacier-visitor-center-juneau-alaska-BESTHIKE0407-8e96b7d22cfd4a21a0a529fc70f498a6.jpg)
Visitors to the Tongass National Forest can hike through meadows and dense forests, explore caves, or even venture on a wooden boardwalk trail through swampy bogs called muskegs. With more than 700 miles of trails cutting through the property, hikers of every skill level can enjoy the experience. Many of the most accessible paths start at Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in Juneau. The area is a nature lover's paradise, with visitors often spotting bald eagles, sockeye salmon, and black bear cubs. The Nugget Falls Trail provides particularly great views of the waterfall and the glacier on a relatively easy 0.8-mile hike.
Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/20-shenandoah-national-park-virginia-BESTHIKE0407-99fb4086ffe44441928bb28a33583dca.jpg)
Shenandoah National Park, 75 miles from Washington, D.C., is the perfect place to explore the great outdoors in Virginia. The park consists of 200,000 acres of protected land that's home to animals like deer and songbirds. It also has over 500 miles of hiking trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail; you can tackle a small section for a day hike.
Burroughs Mountain Trail, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/19-mount-rainier-national-park-washington-BESTHIKE0407-1b2ae69a788f49a996e64ff38f05275a.jpg)
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. It has more than 260 miles of maintained trails that lead visitors through peaceful old-growth forests, river valleys, and subalpine meadows. Check out the Burroughs Mountain Trail for stunning views of mountain peaks and the alpine landscape.
Halema'uma'u Trail, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/18-hawaii-volcanoes-national-park-BESTHIKE0407-da44f38a1ac74f278bebf383692c8bf0.jpg)
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park provides visitors with the experience of getting up close and personal with the extreme heat of a volcano. The park has several trails available to visitors, including the Halema'uma'u Trail, a 0.8-mile hike descending 425 feet at the southern edge of Kīlauea caldera that takes visitors through a rain forest.
Rim Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/TAL-bryce-canyon-BESTHIKE0524-e61d5a062d9040a9bf137c955522b10a.jpg)
Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure
Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah offers one of the most unique sights of any hiking excursion. The park is home to the largest collection of hoodoos — odd-shaped pillars of rock left standing from the forces of erosion — many of which can be viewed from the 5.5-mile Rim Trail. Bryce Canyon offers hikes for all levels, including backcountry options for those looking for a little added adventure and guided Full Moon Hikes for night-owl explorers.
Upper Emerald Pools Trail, Zion National Park, Utah
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/4-zion-national-park-utah-BESTHIKE0407-59e2046c784b4c4b9ff7da56a01361bc.jpg)
Zion National Park, Utah's first national park, is famous for its massive cream, pink, and red sandstone cliffs, freestanding arches, and hiking trails suitable for all experience levels. Hikers should attempt to visit at sunrise and sunset to snap breathtaking photos of sunlight splashing off the cliffs and into the rivers below. Try the Upper Emerald Pools Trail for an easy hike leading to sparkling waterfalls. If you want to beat the summer crowds and see the most waterfalls, the best time to visit Zion is spring.
Grinnell Glacier Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/7-glacier-national-park-montana-BESTHIKE0407-ec8a0153c18f4425a5fb48dead064b50.jpg)
Covering around a million acres, Glacier National Park provides the headwaters for streams that flow to the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Hudson Bay. The Montana park has over 700 miles of hiking trails, including more than a dozen options around the Many Glacier area, like the popular Grinnell Glacier Trail. If you're lucky, you might spot some of the park's varied wildlife, including 71 species of mammals, from the tiny pygmy shrew to one of the largest remaining grizzly bear populations in the lower 48.
Charlies Bunion Hike, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/16-great-smoky-mountains-national-park-BESTHIKE0407-dbea3e61e6e74965a11df4b655dd4f3c.jpg)
Spread across two states, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is world-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life and sprawling mountains to explore. The park offers miles of official and backcountry trails with views of waterfalls and old-growth forests. For a particularly breathtaking vista, hike to Charlies Bunion, a popular outcropping along the Appalachian Trail. You may even be inspired to take up the "Hike the Smokies" challenge, which rewards hikers who have covered more than 100 miles with exclusive mileage pins.
Billy Goat Trail, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/15-billy-goat-trail-great-falls-potomac-maryland-BESTHIKE0407-0a089e0e8cd948dca63a4f5e4a6422b3.jpg)
Maryland's Billy Goat Trail has three sections totaling eight miles and is considered moderate, though portions are strenuous and challenging. Here, outdoor enthusiasts 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. Be sure to check park conditions on the website, as sections of the trail may be closed due to flooding or erosion.
Kalalau Trail, Hā'ena State Park, Hawaii
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/13-kalalau-trail-hanalei-hawaii-BESTHIKE0407-38dfdf1d3b2c422fb110b7e95152faf3.jpg)
Kalalau Trail in Hā'ena State Park on the island of Kauai runs about 11 miles along the island's north shore from Ke'e Beach to the Kalalau Valley. All non-resident visitors must pay an entrance fee, and a camping permit is required to hike beyond Hanakāpī'ai Beach, even if you don't plan to stay the night. Be warned: The trail is challenging and dangerous. The trek takes experienced hikers through streams and up steep hills but rewards thrill-seekers with stunning views of the crystal blue waters surrounding the island.
Chautauqua Trail, Chautauqua Park, Colorado
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/12-chautauqua-park-boulder-colorado-BESTHIKE0407-ff4fe9d830a142208e0903d50d86f195.jpg)
Chautauqua Park in Boulder, Colorado, has been around since 1898. The 80-acre park has miles of hiking, much of which is uphill. But there are less strenuous hikes, too. Start with the Chautauqua Trail, which offers views of the Flatiron mountains and Boulder, before moving on to more challenging trails. Parking can be difficult, especially when the weather is nice.
Canyon to Rim Loop, Smith Rock State Park, Oregon
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/11-smith-rock-state-park-oregon-BESTHIKE0407-cccec8be47b54322a748032ff103b3db.jpg)
Hikes at Smith Rock State Park vary in length and difficulty, but they all offer beautiful views of the Central Oregon landscape. Many visitors come to Smith Rock for climbing, and the park offers hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails. You may spot golden eagles, prairie falcons, river otters, and beavers throughout the day. Take the gentle Canyon Trail past the Rope-de-Dope climbing area and up to the rim for spectacular canyon views.
Petroglyph Wall Trail, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/10-red-rock-canyon-national-conservation-area-nevada-BESTHIKE0407-a8a10a794e4d41b98f07b8c9c9182fbc.jpg)
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada, near Las Vegas, offers mainly short-distance hikes, but don't let the length fool you. Many are labeled difficult, and it can take four to five hours to complete a five-mile hike. Along the different routes, you might spot desert wildlife, including lizards, toads, and hawks. One of the park's most beginner-friendly hikes is the 0.2-mile Petroglyph Wall Trail, which takes you past centuries-old rock art.
South Rim Trail, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/9-grand-canyon-national-park-arizona-BESTHIKE0407-235a2d5ae0b24d3da92d6ae562bae9f0.jpg)
With 595 miles of trails, Grand Canyon National Park is a magnet for adventurous hikers. The canyon's rim offers stunning panoramas for miles and miles, while the inner corridor boasts multicolored rock layers carved by the Colorado River. Experts can attempt to see it all by hiking the canyon from rim to rim. But the park also has a plethora of easier hiking options, including the South Rim Trail. This mostly flat and paved trail offers access to canyon's-edge views for hikers and visitors using the South Rim's hop-on, hop-off shuttle.
Cadillac North Ridge Trail, Acadia National Park, Maine
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/8-acadia-national-park-bar-harbor-maine-BESTHIKE0407-20fe70321b944aca9e084246b3668c80.jpg)
Acadia National Park has hikes from easy to strenuous, each offering different views of the bays and tiny islands off the coast of Maine. The 4.4-mile round-trip Cadillac North Ridge Trail is a great choice for incredible views of Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, and the Schoodic Peninsula. The park remains open year-round, but it does experience limited closures in the colder months, so be sure to check the website before a winter visit.
Mount Ida Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/3-rocky-mountain-national-park-estes-park-denver-colorado-BESTHIKE0407-d5c81f1d88c0467caf71537dfe1c0e59.jpg)
The 415 square miles of Colorado wilderness that make up Rocky Mountain National Park encompass lakes, mountains, and spectacular hiking. It has more than 300 miles of trails, offering the chance to see wide-open views and wildlife, including white-tailed ptarmigan, boreal toads, and bears. The 9.4-mile out-and-back Mount Ida Trail is one of the park's most popular hikes thanks to its spectacular scenery above the treeline.
Point Lobos Loop Trail, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, California
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/2-point-lobos-state-natural-reserve-caramel-california-BESTHIKE0407-041701ddd2cb45068ddeeaca0a958c3c.jpg)
The Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in California's picturesque Carmel-by-the-Sea has more than a dozen trails for visitors to explore. To experience the stunning ocean vistas to the fullest, tackle the Point Lobos Loop Trail, which stretches more than six miles mainly along the coast. Look out for the 19th-century Whalers Cabin and marine mammals basking on the rocks in secluded Sea Lion Cove.
Half Dome Day Hike, Yosemite National Park, California
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/Yosemite_IrjallinaPaavonpera04-01944b5331c64b91a3611a1571b7fba9.jpg)
Irjaliina Paavonpera/Travel + Leisure
The Half Dome day hike in California's Yosemite National Park offers visitors a true adventure into the wilderness along the 14- to 16-mile round-trip trail. Permits are required, and the 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.