Hikes in United States
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.
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Chicago Lakes Hike
The Chicago Lakes Hike, near Denver, takes you to Colorado’s high country! The trail winds though the wilderness to beautiful alpine lakes nestled in a glacier cut valley at the base of Mt Evans!
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Flattop Mountain
The Flattop Mountain trail is a great day-hike near Anchorage. Short, but steep this trail takes you to the top of Flattop Mountain with great views of surrounding Chugach State Park. This hike is very popular among locals and includes some fun, but challenging scrambling near the top.
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Lone Eagle Peak Hike
Lone Eagle Peak is a rugged hike, but it’s also one of the best hikes in Colorado. You’ll walk past many waterfalls including Cascade Falls. At the end, you’ll see Lone Eagle Peak towering over Mirror Lake and dominating the mountain landscape. This beautiful reflection makes it one of the most scenic views in Colorado.
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Buckskin Pass
This hike starts from one of the most photogenic lakes in the entire Rocky Mountains. The gruelling climb up to Buckskin Pass is definitely worth the effort. From its lofty heights you will be completely surrounded by panoramic views.
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Panorama Trail
If we only did one hike in Yosemite, the Panorama Trail would be it. We think it's one of the best hikes in the USA. The route up the Mist Trail, along the Panorama Trail to Glacier Point and then down the 4.0mi path is the best hike in all of Yosemite National Park.
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Fletcher Peak hike
Fletcher Peak is not only one of the easiest mountains to climb in the park, but also the sixth highest point in all of Nevada. Here, you will experience spectacular views of the surrounding landscape, including the Spring Mountains. This is truly a beautiful half-day hike that is nothing short of fantastic!
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Clayton Peak
The steep hike up to Clayton Peak yields unbelievably stunning views. One of the easier summits to walk in the area, it’s surprising very few people make the trek!
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Hill 88 Loop
Hill 88 Loop, located in the Golden Gate Recreation Area in Marin County, is an excellent choice for dog lovers who wish to take their four-legged friends on hiking adventures near the beach. This is a great trail with amazing views, but if you do not like dogs be sure to avoid the busy times of day!
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Upper Piney River Falls Trail
Upper Piney River Falls Trail is one of the most popular hikes in the Vail Region. The trail, which rewards hikers with stunning views of the Gore Range, slowly climbs up 699ft, spread over 2.9mi, to a cascading waterfall. This trail is commonly used as the approach to Mt. Powell - the highest summit in the Gore Range at 13586ft.
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Dead Horse Point Hike
The Dead Horse Point hike knocks you out of your boots straight from the trailhead. This scenically dense hike puts you in the heart of the action. Expect fantastic views down to the winding Colorado River and across the expansive valley to the La Sal Mountains throughout the entire route.
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Paintbrush Divide
The hike to Paintbrush Divide in Grand Teton National Park is phenomenal. The steady climb brings you up from String Lake, through the gorgeous wildflower-filled Paintbrush Canyon and up to the most magnificent pass in the Teton Range. This long trail will take the entire day, so clear your calendar!
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Chain Lakes Loop
Chain Lakes Loop is a classic and beautiful summertime hike near Mount Baker. This alpine circuit offers massive mountain and lake views, summer wildflowers, and blueberries to boot.
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Cascade Pass Trail
Cascade Pass Trail is one of the classic North Cascades hikes. We love Cascade Pass for a relatively easy climb to subalpine grandeur. Mountains, valleys, glaciers, waterfalls, and more make a hike to Cascade Pass pretty much unbeatable for the effort.
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South Kaibab Trail
The South Kaibab Trail is one of the hardest hikes in the Grand Canyon National Park and makes for an unforgettable challenge if you’re up to the task! You’ll be provided with incredible views over the park for most of the way and then enjoy some backcountry camping at the scenic Bright Angel Campground.
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Avalanche Peak
The trail up to Avalanche Peak is one of the highlights of walking in Yellowstone National Park. The hike up is steep, but it all becomes worth it at the top, where plentiful mountain views and gorgeous alpine valleys fill the horizon.
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Observation Point Trail
This stunning hike brings trekkers to the most scenic viewpoint that can be found in Zion National Park – Observation Point. Towering above the entire Zion Canyon, this route is longer, harder, and less crowded than the famous Angel’s Landing, making it a true gem of a hike.
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Fairyland Loop Trail
This beautiful half-day loop meanders through some of the most stunning hoodoo formations in the park yielding a fantastic atmosphere to enjoy the splendid beauty of Bryce Canyon – without the huge crowds usually following the classic hikes in the region.
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Ibantik Lake
This hike, in the heart of one of the most picturesque valleys of the High Uinta Mountains, walks up over ‘The Notch’ and down to Ibantik Lake immersing you in the paradoxically sterile, yet inviting beauty of the park; it’s almost as if it’s the blank pages of a book, waiting for you to write your adventures on.
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Hoh Rainforest Hike
Hoh Rainforest is one of the most-visited trails in Olympic National Park. You’ll wander through lush temperate rainforest on an easy, family-friendly trail. You’ll see massive old hemlocks, spruce, ferns, and mosses. Watch for Coho salmon swimming in the creek, and name all the species of plant and animal you can. This is a true Washington rainforest adventure and it’s very accessible for beginners and young children.
The trail presents no real challenge and is conveniently located near a visitor center and a campground. Although this trail gets busy, we recommend making the trip if you’re in the park. If you can, visiting on a weekday offers the best chance of a quieter trail.
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Snoqualmie Falls Trail
Snoqualmie Falls Trail takes you along an easy 1.4mi route to see one of the most iconic waterfalls in Washington. This hike is family-friendly and very suitable for beginners, but it’s a worthwhile stop for any hiker in the area. Learn about the region’s ecosystem and Native American culture as you walk, then snap photos from the perfectly placed falls viewpoints. You can walk to each viewpoint for the full experience or keep it as easy as possible by just visiting the two viewpoints close to the parking area.
Dogs are allowed on this hike but must be kept on leash. This area gets quite busy on the weekends, so we recommend visiting early in the morning or during the week for the least crowded experience.
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