Best hiking trails in USA

Backpacking trails in United States

Country in North America

What are the best hikes in the United States? There are simply so many incredible hikes in the USA that it’s almost impossible to answer. Many of the best hikes in the United States can be found in the mountain chains that cover the American West. Here you’ll find hikes that take you through untouched wilderness, up high above the forests and to beautiful mountain lakes. The American Southwest offers a different hiking experience in wonderful arid regions that are best explored on foot.

The US is so vast that you can’t even dream of seeing everything in one visit. The country contains a huge variety of hiking terrain, from protected National Parks to cool mountain towns like Aspen or Vail.

To help you plan your hiking holiday, we have found the best hikes in most of the Western US states. We find the best hikes in National Parks, National Forests and Wilderness Areas across California, Oregon, Washington State, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Nevada. We share the best hikes for world-famous National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Arches, Olympic and Glacier. We also help you plan your trip to other great places, like Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, Salt Lake City, Vail and Aspen.

Find Backpacking Tours and other tours in the US

Looking to join a group on an adventure tour? No need to plan everything yourself, just check out these adventure tours in the US, or else these backpacking tours all over the world.

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Backpacking regions in United States

    Best Backpacking trails in United States

    Open details for North Circle

    North Circle

    Very Hard
    89.3 km
    4,026 m
    5-6 days

    The North Circle Loop in Glacier National Park is a strenuous and rewarding backpacking trip that takes you through some of the best terrain in Glacier. This 4-6 day backpacking loop is one of the best backpacking trails in the entire US, and requires you to enter a lottery to get one of the few reservations on this epic backpacking route in Montana.

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    10.0
    Technical Difficulty
    Intermediate (Square)
    Suitable for intermediates who are ready for a little bit more adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Advanced (Diamond)
    Suitable for advanced experience level looking for a solid adventure.
    Open details for Pitamakan Dawson Loop

    Pitamakan Dawson Loop

    Moderate
    28.4 km
    958 m
    1-3 days

    The Pitamakan-Dawson Loop is a strenuous and rewarding backpacking trip on the east side of Glacier National Park. Setting out from the Two Medicine Campground, the trail takes you through many different environments in Glacier National Park. If you have the experience and fitness level to complete this backpacking trip, it is one of the best in the park!

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    10.0
    Technical Difficulty
    Intermediate (Square)
    Suitable for intermediates who are ready for a little bit more adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Advanced (Diamond)
    Suitable for advanced experience level looking for a solid adventure.
    Open details for Boulder Pass

    Boulder Pass

    Very Hard
    39.6 km
    968 m
    2-3 days

    Backpacking through this northern section of Glacier National Park is a very wild experience. With limited access to the area, the trail between Goat Haunt and Boulder Pass is remote and stunning. It is a trip for any backpacker’s bucket list.

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    10.0
    Technical Difficulty
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Advanced (Diamond)
    Suitable for advanced experience level looking for a solid adventure.
    Open details for The Highline

    The Highline

    Hard
    61.8 km
    3,035 m
    4-5 days

    The Highline is one of Glacier’s legendary hikes along the Continental Divide, and this backpacking loop is the best way to extend the trip and enjoy the Upper Highline and get deeper into the beauty of GNP backcountry. Hiking from Logan Pass to Fifty Mountain is epic above treeline hiking, while the return journey is lower but through a burned forest offering equally scenic but different views. All in all, the extended Highline is a fantastic backpacking trip.

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    9.9
    Technical Difficulty
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Intermediate (Square)
    Suitable for intermediates who are ready for a little bit more adventure.

    Change happens, fees shouldn't

    Suggested Tours

    Open details for Summit Mount Olympus Trekking Tour

    Summit Mount Olympus Trekking Tour

    Greece
    Trekking
    Self-Guided
    4 days
    From $195
    Months Tour Operates
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    This tour is your chance to trek one of the most mystical mountains on earth: Mount Olympus. This self-guided journey starts in Litochoro, an enchanting town at the foot of Greece’s highest peak. Then you’ll spend two days on the mountain, sleeping in a mountain hut on the second night. You should be comfortable hiking up some serious elevation on this tour to reach the summit, a worthy reward for your effort.

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    Open details for Jericho to Jerusalem through Wadi Qelt Tour

    Jericho to Jerusalem through Wadi Qelt Tour

    Israel
    Trekking
    Self-Guided
    2 days
    From $190
    Months Tour Operates
    J
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    The incredible Jericho to Jerusalem through Wadi Qelt Hiking journey from Jericho to Jerusalem is the perfect introduction to the natural beauty of the West Bank region that spans Palestine and Israel. Journeying on foot, you’ll experience these iconic areas in a truly unique and spectacular way.

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    Open details for Avalanche Skills Training 1 in the Canadian Rockies

    Avalanche Skills Training 1 in the Canadian Rockies

    2 days
    From $225
    Months Tour Operates
    J
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    J
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    Avalanche safety is a must-have tenet of backcountry adventure and a critical step in keeping yourself and your adventure partners safe in the wintertime and shoulder season. The Avalanche Skills Training 1 in the Canadian Rockies tour is a practical chance to learn the basics of avalanche safety in one of the most beautiful mountain environments in the world.

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    Open details for Self-Guided Mount Triglav Trek

    Self-Guided Mount Triglav Trek

    Slovenia
    Walking
    Self-Guided
    3 days
    From $250
    Months Tour Operates
    J
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    Take on a quintessential Slovenian trekking adventure to the summit of its highest mountain! The Self-Guided Mount Triglav Trek allows you to hike at your own pace and enjoy the incredible scenery of Triglav National Park.

    View More

    Other Activities in United States

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