Best hiking trails in USA

Snowshoe 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.

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Snowshoeing regions in United States

    Best Snowshoe Trails in United States

    Open details for Brainard Lake Snowshoeing

    Brainard Lake Snowshoeing

    Easy
    11.0 km
    139 m
    3-4h

    The Brainard Lake snowshoeing trail takes you to a beautiful alpine lake with panoramic views of the Continental Divide and Indian Peaks. This is a stunning trip for a clear winter day. You can spend the rest of the day enjoying other activities in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area.

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    9.3
    Technical Difficulty
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Open details for Lake Isabelle Trail

    Lake Isabelle Trail

    Hard
    16.7 km
    285 m
    4-6h

    A winter hike or snowshoe along Lake Isabelle trail not only takes you to a beautiful alpine lake with views of Isabelle Glacier but will often lead you to find yourself in solitude, breaking trail, and spotting an abundance of wildlife.

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    9.8
    Technical Difficulty
    Intermediate (Square)
    Suitable for intermediates who are ready for a little bit more adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Intermediate (Square)
    Suitable for intermediates who are ready for a little bit more adventure.
    Open details for Dream Lake

    Dream Lake

    Easy
    3.2 km
    153 m
    1-2h

    A snowshoe to Dream Lake will take you to a gorgeous alpine lake nestled in the Rocky Mountains with Hallett Peak (3,875 m) dominating the background.

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    9.0
    Technical Difficulty
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Open details for Lone Eagle Peak

    Lone Eagle Peak

    Very Hard
    24.5 km
    723 m
    6-9h

    The winter hike to Mirror Lake, below Lone Eagle Peak, takes you on a long but beautiful hike deep into the Indian Peaks Wilderness. The views of Lone Eagle Peak from Mirror Lake are spectacular.

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    9.7
    Technical Difficulty
    Advanced (Diamond)
    Suitable for advanced experience level looking for a solid adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Advanced (Diamond)
    Suitable for advanced experience level looking for a solid adventure.
    Open details for Emerald Lake

    Emerald Lake

    Moderate
    5.1 km
    215 m
    2-3h

    Snowshoeing to Emerald Lake is a fantastic trip in the backcountry of RMNP. This trail takes you to a beautiful alpine lake nestled in a panoramic mountain cirque at the base of Hallett Peak (3,875 m).

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    9.3
    Technical Difficulty
    Intermediate (Square)
    Suitable for intermediates who are ready for a little bit more adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Open details for Lake Haiyaha

    Lake Haiyaha

    Hard
    6.0 km
    245 m
    2-4h

    The snowshoe to Lake Haiyaha takes you to another awe-inspiring alpine lake with crystal blue waves carved out by an ancient glacier. The winter snowshoe to Lake Haiyaha is unbelievably beautiful, and the sight of the beautiful crystal blue Lake Haiyaha frozen in place is truly one to behold.

    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
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Open details for Hessie Trail

    Hessie Trail

    Easy
    6.7 km
    190 m
    1.5-2h

    Hessie Trail is a moderately easy winter hike that begins at the historic Hessie Townsite; an old mining town high in the Rocky Mountains. The Hessie Trail winter hike offers a lot of bang for your buck, so to speak, giving way to great mountain views without much effort.

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    9.7
    Technical Difficulty
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Open details for Chasm Lake

    Chasm Lake

    Very Hard
    12.8 km
    738 m
    5-7h

    The snowshoe to Chasm Lake should be on every list for anyone in RMNP. Chasm Lake trail takes you to a high alpine lake that sits below the towering ‘Diamond’ on the famed Longs Peak.

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    9.5
    Technical Difficulty
    Advanced (Diamond)
    Suitable for advanced experience level looking for a solid adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Advanced (Diamond)
    Suitable for advanced experience level looking for a solid adventure.
    Open details for Lost Lake

    Lost Lake

    Moderate
    9.8 km
    345 m
    3-5h

    The snowshoe or winter hike to Lost Lake is not as daunting as the name suggests. Lost Lake is a very popular, family-friendly winter hike but that does not mean it is not worth checking out if you are not towing behind a kid or two. It offers great mountain views along with some mining history at both the trailhead and the destination!

    User Ratings
    Overall Rating
    9.8
    Technical Difficulty
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Physical Difficulty
    Easy (Circle)
    Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure.
    Open details for Sky Pond

    Sky Pond

    Very Hard
    13.5 km
    527 m
    5-7h

    The snowshoe up to Sky Pond is a favourite among locals. It is an epic snowshoe to a high alpine lake at the base of The Sharkstooth! The Sky Pond snowshoe in RMNP is often described as challenging but it is definitely worth the trek.

    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.

    Change happens, fees shouldn't

    Suggested Tours

    Open details for Summit Mount Olympus Trekking Tour

    Summit Mount Olympus Trekking Tour

    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 Avalanche Skills Training 1 in the Canadian Rockies

    Avalanche Skills Training 1 in the Canadian Rockies

    2 days
    From $250
    Months Tour Operates
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    View More
    Open details for Self-Guided Mount Triglav Trek

    Self-Guided Mount Triglav Trek

    3 days
    From $250
    Months Tour Operates
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    Open details for 2-Day Mt Olympus Hike

    2-Day Mt Olympus Hike

    2 days
    From $250
    Months Tour Operates
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