The best places to hike in the U.S.

Traversing the Sierra Nevada Mountains from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney, this 211-mile trek is legendary for good reason. Thrilling views come with every step: steep passes, alpine meadows, lakes and sequoias. It starts with iconic sights like Half Dome and Vernal Falls, crosses the Ansel Adams Wilderness, then builds to the highest peak in the continental United States. It’s the most beautiful section of the Pacific Crest Trail and is blessed with a relatively mild and sunny climate. To avoid the snow, most hikers go between July and October, traveling north to south to acclimatize to higher elevations—and get fit before climbing the 14,495ft Mt. Whitney. Reservations are sometimes required to drive into Yosemite during peak season. Find more information here.   

Time: Two to four weeks

Level: Hard

The Tongue peninsula sticks out ruggedly into Lake George, its five peaks in peaceful contrast to the area’s busy resort towns. Though the peninsula is crisscrossed with trails, hikers concentrate on a 13-mile loop around the lower half, which offers peerless views of the lake and its many islands. Walking north to south, you’ll get a workout scrambling up and down three 1,500-foot summits but also a chance to cool off in the water at sunny Montcalm Point, the Tongue’s tip.

Time: One day

Level: Moderate

Having just traversed the continent, William Clark climbed Tillamook Head in 1806 and 'beheld the grandest and most pleasing prospect my eyes ever surveyed.' See what impressed him so much as you follow Lewis and Clark’s tracks from the town of Seaside to Ecola State Park. The 6.3-mile trail climbs over 1,000ft through old-growth forest, with dramatic views of mountain ridges jutting into the Pacific. Keep an eye out for elk, eagles, and migrating gray whales in winter and spring. As the trail descends toward Indian Beach, you’ll face Cannon Beach and its famous basalt rock formations misted in fog.

Time: Half day

Level: Moderate

Montana's Glacier National Park is as stunning as it is huge—the park is the size of the state of Rhode Island. One of the best hikes is to Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National Park. Take in alpine scenery as you pass waterfalls, lakes, a glacier and plenty of wildlife, from the park's famous mountain goats to moose and bears. There are two ways to do this hike: the long way, and the short way. The long way is a round-trip hike is 7.2 miles, starting from the main trailhead on the Continental Divide Trail. You can shave off 3.4 miles by taking a boat from Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine—not only does it cut the hike in half, but it gives you a scenic boat ride.

Time: One day or half day

Level: Easy to moderate

This breathtaking path provides the only land access to Kauai’s Nā Pali Coast, where fluted cliffs crash into the turquoise Pacific. As seen in Jurassic Park, it’s an otherworldly landscape of tropical valleys, waterfalls and mango trees. The 11-mile trail aims for Kalalau Beach, secluded between two lush volcanic ridges, where campers often linger for the full five nights allowed on the permit. It’s a seriously challenging hike, though, especially after it rains—which it does a lot. Day hikers stick with the first two miles to Hanakapi’ai Beach, which is plenty spectacular in its own right.

Time: Three to four days

Level: Hard

Considered one of the most challenging hikes in the Grand Canyon, this route offers jaw-dropping rewards. Originally constructed by geologist J.W. Powell in the 1880s, it follows an old Native American path, plunging 6,000ft in 14 miles from the north rim to the Colorado River. It’s not for the faint of heart: you’ll switch back through sandstone cliffs, steep redwall limestone and sloping yellow shale down to Nankoweap Creek and the river. The solitary campsite here is one hell of a destination, with the canyon unfurling before you and echoing with the roar of rapids. Alas, you then have to turn around and climb those 14 miles.

Time: Three to four days

Level: Hard

The most dramatic hike in Zion National Park is an eight-mile round trip that climbs 2,000ft from the canyon floor to an overlook on the rim. Carved into the sandstone wall, the trail switchbacks steeply along the smooth rock, visits the narrow Echo Canyon and skirts the precipitous White Cliffs. At 6,508ft, Observation Point rewards the effort with a sweeping view of the canyon, including Red Arch Mountain, the Great White Throne and Angels Landing.

Time: One day

Level: Moderate

Virginia’s highest peak rises 5,728ft in the southwestern Blue Ridge Mountains, near the North Carolina border. Starting at Massie Gap in Grayson Highlands State Park, it’s a 4½-mile hike to the top, partly following the Appalachian Trail. Most of it winds through rugged pastures, so you get wide-open views all the way—except at the summit, covered in dense spruce-fir forest. The best part is that wild ponies graze on mountaintop meadows throughout the route.

Time: One day

Level: Moderate

Located within Kenai Fjords National Park, Harding Icefield is a stunning scene that feeds at least 38 glaciers that cover the field. Take in the spectacle from Harding Icefield Trail, an 8.2-mile round-trip hike. Begin on the valley floor before making your way up above the tree line to a view of the icefield stretching as far as you can see. As you climb, you'll gain roughly 1,000 feet of elevation with every mile, so this isn't recommended for beginners. In total, budget 6-8 hours.

Time: One day

Level: Intermediate to advanced 

Located in South Lake Tahoe, the Skyline Trail is one of the most stunning in Lake Tahoe. Beginning at the top of the mountain near Heavenly Ski Resort, the trail winds through forests, over wooden bridges, and features views of the crystal blue waters of the lake. Only two miles round trip, it's not a long hike, but the inclines are no joke, so it's moderately challenging, and you'll get a good sweat. The view at the summit makes it all worth it.

Time: Three to four hours

Level: Moderate 

Two summits, rocky scrambles and crystal-clear ponds make this the most rewarding hike in Acadia National Park. The 5.4-mile loop starts and ends at Jordan Pond House, a civilized eatery that beckons with post-hike popovers, but is otherwise rugged. You’ll squeeze between boulders to scale Penobscot, dip down to Sargent Pond, then climb past the tree line to the 1,373-foot-high top of Sargent Mountain. With water on three sides, the panoramic view encompasses practically the entire Down East Coast.

Time: One day

Level: Easy to Moderate

The Midwest’s most epic hike hugs the ridgeline of Lake Superior for 296 miles, from Duluth to the Canadian border. It climbs up bluffs 1,000ft above the lake and down into forested river valleys, with the chance of moose, bear and beaver sightings en route. Maples blaze in the fall and wild berries abound in the summer. The 18-mile stretch from Silver Bay to County Route 6 is a great sampler, passing several small lakes, birch groves and cliffs with panoramic Superior views.

Time: One day to several weeks

Level: Easy to Moderate

Connecting Aspen and Crested Butte, this rewarding trek is best in July, when wildflowers are at their peak. Abundant larkspurs, violets, blue columbines and white thimbleberries spray color along the 10-mile route, which also has some of the most dramatic views in the Rockies. It starts with a bang at the trailhead: Maroon Lake reflecting the twin peaks of the Maroon Bells, one of the state’s most photographed sites. From there, the trail winds through a glacial valley and aspen groves in the White River National Forest, then climbs 3,000ft over Maroon Pass before making an equally stunning descent. 

Time: One day

Level: Easy to Moderate