Best trails in United States of America

The parking lot here fills up quickly so be sure to arrive early. The road to the trail is closed periodically to limit the number of visitors. Angels Landing is a strenuous trail in Zion National Park with steep drop-offs and very narrow sections - it is also the most popular hike in Zion. Start by parking at The Grotto trailhead, or taking the West Rim Shuttle to The Grotto shuttle stop. Begin by crossing a bridge over the Virgin River, the first 2-miles of the West Rim Trail are a well-maintained, paved trail. Most of the path is sunny, but Refrigerator Canyon offers shade and often a cool breeze. The trail takes you up Walter's Wiggles, a set of 21 steep switchbacks that take their name from Walter Ruesch, Zion National Park’s first superintendent. The last half-mile (0.8 km) follows a steep and narrow ridge from Scout Lookout to Angels Landing itself, a fantastic observation point 1500 feet above Zion Canyon. Anchored support chains are attached along some sections of the sheer cliff. You are rewarded with an excellent view of the main canyon at the top. Avoid standing near the edge at all times! Do not hike the trail when it is wet, storming, or when high winds are present. If you are afraid of heights this trail is not recommended. This is a good early morning hike to check off your bucket list - it will surely be one of you favorite hikes! Make sure to allow time to be off the trail by dark if starting late in the day.Show more

Devils Bridge is the largest natural sandstone arch located in the Sedona area of the Coconino National Forest. This is a very popular hike that offers breathtaking views of Red Rock country. It is a steep but short hike. The official trailhead starts off the unpaved portion of Dry Creek Road and requires a high clearance vehicle to access. If you only have a low clearance vehicle, you can park at the Dry Creek Road trailhead at the paved section, approximately 1 mile from trailhead, or at the Mescal Trailhead located on Long Canyon Road. Depending on where you park you have a few routes to choose from to access Devils Bridge Trail, including the unpaved portion of Dry Creek Road, Chuckwagon Trail, or Mescal to Chuckwagon Trail. From the parking area off of the unpaved portion of Dry Creek Road, follow the trailmarker for Devil's Bridge Trail. The early portion of the trail was originally a jeep trail so it is smooth and traverses through washes filled with juniper and prickly pear cactus. The path gently inclines uphill and gets steeper as you continue on. About 3/4 of a mile from the parking area the trail will come to a fork and you will go left. Here you'll end up at the base of the bridge. You will then continue up a natural rock staircase from which there are beautiful views. You will reach another level of stairs which will take you up to the bridge. This popular trail is certainly a tourist attraction so make sure to arrive early to avoid large crowds. This is a fun hike for the whole family.Show more

This scenic hiking trail to Emerald Lake from the Bear Lake Trailhead is a popular route in Rocky Mountain National Park. Hikers will pass pristine alpine lakes including Nymph Lake and Dream Lakes and be treated to beautiful views of rocky peaks including Flattop Mountain, Hallett Peak, and Glacier Gorge. This is a great hike for photographers to capture spectacular shots of the surrounding mountains along the trail. The trailhead is at the end of Bear Lake Road - a short drive from Estes Park in Colorado. There is minimal elevation gain along the path which is paved for the first half-mile. The trail is open year-round.Show more

This trail begins with a mild incline along Alum Cave Creek and the Styx Branch. At 1.3 miles you will get to Arch Rock, one of the trail's prominent landmarks. The arch's interesting geological features were formed when wind and water eroded away the softer rock. The trail passes right under the natural arch making a great vantage point for photos. At the 2 mile mark you will arrive at Inspiration Point. From here, you will be rewarded with views of Little Duck Hawk Ridge and The Eye of the Needle, as well as Myrtle Point on Mt. LeConte. Past Alum Cave, at the peak of Mount LeConte is the LeConte Lodge where you can stay in one of the primitive cabins that are the only formal lodging in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. At the summit you can also purchase drinks and use the restroom. This is a popular trail, so you will likely be in the company of other hikers. You can continue to hike up to Myrtle Point following this route: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/tennessee/myrtle-point-and-mount-leconte-via-alum-cave-trailShow more

The shuttle service had been temporarily suspended in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. Please visit the following page for more information https://www.nhstateparks.org/activities/hiking/franconia-notch-hiker-parking. This is a very popular full day hike for good reasons. On a clear day, you are unlikely to find better views in New England. As a bonus you will ascend three peaks, including the highest mountain outside the Presidential Range - Mount Lafayette. The hut closes during the wintertime.Show more

Cathedral Rock is a short hike that offers beautiful views of the naturally occurring red rock formations in the heart of red rock country. This is a favorite hike in the Sedona area. The Cathedral Rock trailhead can be accessed off of Back'O'Beyond Road. There is a small trailhead parking area. However, the trail can also be accessed from Baldwin and Templeton trails. The trail ends with a short steep climb to Cathedral Rock. There are some steep sections so hiking shoes are recommended. There are great views along the entirety of the trail. Cathedral rock is an amazing short but strenuous hike in the southern part of Sedona. It's a distance of just about 1.2 miles round trip but the 740+ ft elevation gain make this a moderate to difficult hike with portions where near vertical climbing is required. From the trailhead the hike can be half hour to an hour each way. The views at the top of the hike are more than worth it however especially during sunset. Be sure to wear proper closed toed hiking shoes with good grip for an easier climb up and down. With two smaller parking lots that fill up fast during the day and nearby street parking that is packed at peak times, plan that into the hike. This is a must hike when in Sedona! Note that dogs are allowed in this area, but it is not advisable to bring them on this trail. The route requires a lot of scrambling, which would be too difficult for most dogs.Show more

Know Before You Go. This trail accesses or travels through potential avalanche terrain. For more information and to read the daily avalanche forecast please visit: https://utahavalanchecenter.org Because this trail lies within a protected watershed, dogs and swimming are not permitted in the area. The gate to the parking lot may close in the winter, making parking much more difficult and along the road. Though demanding, this hike has it all; beautiful mountaintop lake, awesome views, and abundant wildlife. Plan to stop several times to catch your breath. The views down into the canyon below are breathtaking. Just prior to arriving at the lake, parts of Salt Lake City are also visible from the trail. The trail does not start at the information board labeled "Lake Blanche Trail." The trailhead is 1/4 mile from the parking lot right beside the creek coming down from the drainage. Make sure to take plenty of water! Insect repellent is a good idea as mosquitos are plentiful. If you are planning this hike for later in the day, pack a flashlight (with fresh batteries) in case your journey takes longer than planned. Attempting to navigate the trail after dark would be a very dangerous endeavor. In the winter, Spikes and poles are highly recommended. No fires are permitted anywhere in the Lake Blanche (Mill B South) drainage. As the area is in a federally designated Wilderness area, drones are not permitted to take off from, land in, or be operated from that area.Show more

Lake Twenty-Two Trail is a beautiful hike to an alpine lake through old growth forests ending with stunning mountain views of Mount Pilchuck. The trail can be accessed off of Mountain Loop Highway in the North Cascades area of Washington State. The path starts out gently enough on a dirt staircase through rainforest. You will hear water trickling from Twenty-Two creek through the forest in several locations along the way. A bridge crosses the creek around a mile in where there is a particularly pretty waterfall. Here the trail gets steeper, with more rocks and some creek crossings. Gentle but persistent switchbacks lead to a long talus slope with the wall of Lake Twenty-Two looming above, seemingly insurmountable. The talus is a jumble of sharp rock, but navigable. The trail switches back and heads toward the large stream which outlets from the lake where it finally flattens out. A bit further down the trail is you will encounter lake itself, a turquoise lake with and the enormous steep wall of Mount Pilchuck behind it. A path goes around the entire lake and it is worth the time it takes to do this extra loop trail. The trail is rocky, so sturdy hiking shoes or boots are necessary. Since there are creek crossings, waterproof hiking boots are recommended. This trail may not be the best fit for kids because of the rocks and water crossings. This is a great hike, however it is very popular and can be crowded on weekends. It is best to get there early as parking fills up quickly.Show more

Portions of this loop close seasonally in winter due to weather and freezing overnight temperatures. Please check the park website for updated information before heading out https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/conditions.htm This hike is considered by many to be the best way to see the hoodoos in Bryce Canyon. The views from Sunrise Point and Sunset Point on the rim area stunning, but you will experience an entirely different Bryce Canyon from the canyon floor while looking up at the hoodoos. You start by hiking down Wall Street, a narrow canyon with high rock walls on either side. Soon after, you will reach the flat canyon floor with the option to finish the Navajo Loop or continue on along the Queens Garden Trail to see more of the canyon. If you have time, hike on to Queens Garden where you will see some of the most spectacular formations in the park. After you final ascent up to the rim you will arrive at sunrise point with a final view of the canyon. Hoodoos go through several stages: First they start as plateaus and water erodes away the sides until they become fins. Once the things become fairly skinny, holes will erode in the middle of them, creating a window. Finally, after more erosion, the top of the windows will break away leaving a hoodoo in its place. In Bryce, most erosion occurs from "frost wedging". Rain seeps into cracks of the rocks, and when the temperature drops the water freezes and expands, which creates larger cracks in the rocks. Show more

Delicate Arch Trail is a short hike in Arches National Park to Utah's most recognizable natural arch. You will likely recognize the famous arch from the Utah license plates. The hike starts at the Delicate Arch Trailhead off at the Wolf Ranch turn-off in the Moab area of southern Utah . There is a large parking area right off of the main park road. From the parking area you will cross the bridge over salt wash. The hike to Delicate Arch is just over 1.5 miles each way, approximately a 3 mile hike round-trip. It is best hiked in spring and fall when the temperatures are cooler, or during the golden hours just after sunrise or and before sunset when the rocks seem to turn a magical color and the air temperature is bearable again. Take at least 1 quart (1 liter) of water per person! There is no shade. Open slickrock with some exposure to heights. The first half-mile is a wide, well-defined trail. Upon reaching the slickrock, follow the rock cairns. The trail climbs gradually and levels out toward the top of this rock face. Just before you get to Delicate Arch, the trail goes along a rock ledge for about 200 yards. A visit to this beautiful arch is a must do in Arches National Park. Parking is limited and can fill up quickly during peak tourism months so make sure to arrive at the trailhead early.Show more