Top Hikes For Dazzling Views In the US

The United States is the land of dreams, and every traveller has it on their bucket list. It offers a panorama of views from rugged shorelines, lush forests, and open natural spaces worth exploring. There are always new places to visit, and where you go hiking will depend on where your spirit wanders. Here are some of the popular hiking destinations you can try the next time you’re planning a getaway in nature.

Best Hiking Destinations in the USA

The USA offers Instagram-worthy places where you can go hiking and enjoy an escape from the city. If diving deep into the heart of nature and taking a whiff of fresh air is what you crave, these top hiking destinations will have you covered.

1. Mount Rainer National Park, Washington

Mount Rainer National Park offers 260-miles of beautiful mountainous trails for curious adventurers. It’s a rough journey on the legs, but the scenic views and captivating glaciers make it totally worth it.

2. Teton Crest Trail, Wyoming

Teton Crest Trail features a stunning lake, a 45-mile hiking trail, and a gorgeous park that serves as a campsite to tourists. Its serpentine trails up the ragged mountain ranges are an adventure of itself and cannot be missed. You need a permit, though, to camp on the grounds.

3. Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii

Located on the island of Maui, this is a great place to observe the early sunrise in the mornings. It’s considered one of the best backpacking trips in the US, and the scenery of the clouds at the summit offers breathtaking views. You cannot miss this and if you’re planning to visit, be sure to prepare and pack all the essentials, such as drinks, snacks, and a couple of blankets.

4. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

While it takes only 2 hours to complete the hike to this national park, you’d want to leave some extra time to explore the surrounding valleys and landscapes. The Shenandoah Village is a cultural spot where you learn about the region’s history, and the best spot is the highest point at the summit for taking in the views. There is a stone hut nearby, where you can go picnicking as well.

5. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

The Navajo Trail starts down from the rim of the sunset point and goes past landmarks such as the Silent City, Queens Garden Loop Trail, and the Peekaboo Loop Trail. Stunning rock formations, sloping landscapes, and fairy chimneys are beautiful sights to watch out for at this park. Don’t forget to soak in the desert terrain and pack drinks since the weather is usually hot.

6. Glacier National Park, Montana

Glacier National Park makes for one of the best winter hikes in the US simply because it is surrounded by wilderness and offers solitude. The park has hiking trails spanning 700 miles, and you cannot miss the famous Going-to-the-Sun route. Some other key landmarks in this region are beautiful alpine meadows, lodges, and historic chalets.

7. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Who hasn’t heard of the Grand Canyon? It’s a spectacular region that is brimming with many layers of rock formations and has a rich geological history on the planet. The park in Arizona gets up to 5.5 million visitors every year and spans 277 miles of hiking trails that run up to the Colorado River and nearby uplands. Pack your cameras because you’ll be making a lot of precious memories here!

8. Mount Roberts Trail, Alaska

Mount Roberts Trail is a feast for the eyes as the forests enjoy a backdrop of the snow-capped mountains. The good news is that when you’re exhausted after reaching the top, you can hop on the tram service and go back down.

9. Buffalo National River Park, Arkansas

It’s hailed as America’s First National River Park and was designated as a world heritage site in 1972. The route from the Ozark Mountains to the White River is highly recommended, and the park features over 135 miles of hiking trails.  It also has an undammed river that flows freely and is one of the most beautiful places in Arkansas.

10. Starved Rock State Park, Illinois

Located in the Illinois River, Starved Rock State Park is best known for its iconic waterfalls and hiking trails. It has up to 13 miles of hiking routes waiting to be explored and is open from 7 am in the mornings until sunset. The towering trees, sandstone canyons, posh cabins, and the historic Starved Rock Lodge are some major attractions here that must not be missed.

11. Clouds Rest, California

You can take in Yosemite’s stunning view of the mountains from the summit by hiking through Cloud’s Rest mountain trails. A narrow trail runs along the ridge that nerves people, and the 7-mile hike is not easy. The journey is worth it, however. Landmarks, such as the Half Dome, Sentinel Dome, Tenaya Lake, and North Dome, are worth a visit too.

12. Wheeler Peak, New Mexico

New Mexico is a state situated in the Southwestern United States, and the hike up the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which spans 8.2 miles, is no easy feat! You’ll face constant switchbacks during the climb and go through lush evergreen forests. This hike will test your physical endurance to the limits. Once you reach the summit, you can enjoy a stunning view of the pristine alpine lakes and the beautiful wilderness.

13. Roan Mountain, Tennessee

Roan Mountain is a haven for backpackers and houses beautiful grassy farmlands along the Appalachian Trail. It is one of the best mountains to climb in the US and has miles of greenery stretching in every direction. You can find fields where soldiers camped here during historical wars, and the areas have been registered under the National Register of Historic Places.

14. Buckskin Gulch, Utah

Buckskin Gulch is located in the Southern Kane County of the United States near the Arizona border and offers the best canyon adventures in the world. The longest and deepest slot canyons here stretch up to 13 miles, but if you’re linking the Paria Canyon nearby, you can expect a 20-mile trip in total. If you’re on the quest for the hardest hikes in the US, this would be it. You can reserve Buckskin Gulch for overnight backpacking trips in Utah, and a permit is needed for hiking the trails.

15. Baxter State Park, Maine

Baxter State Park overlooks the tallest mountain in Maine, which offers a truly legendary hike. It is rare not to be shrouded by fog during the early morning hikes in America, and backpackers prefer starting from Pamola Peak to get to the summit. You will pass through Chimney Peak, South Peak, deep woods, forests, and sprawling lakes during the 5,627-foot ascent, while the descent to the Appalachian Trail is just 5 miles from the top down to the Katahdin Stream Campground, which is 4,100 feet below.

16. Grayson Highlands, Virginia

You can enjoy activities like picnicking, camping, bouldering, and catch a glimpse of dreamy ponies during your backpacking trip through the Grayson Highlands in Virginia. Beautiful mountain meadows, dark rhododendron tunnels, and grassy pastures which link directly to the Mount Rogers Spur Trail are found here. Grayson Highlands has been dubbed one of the best hiking states in the US. The hike to Mount Roger’s, the highest summit, roughly spans 8.5 miles.

17. Yosemite National Park, Half Dome

The Half Dome hike is one of the most sought-after hikes in the US. Only steel cable handrails are needed to start climbing and reach the summit at 8,840 feet. You’d want to take a break near the Little Yosemite Valley camp since the hike is strenuous for travellers and ranges from 12 to 14 miles for a round trip. Permits are limited and not available all year round, so book your calendars for May to October if you want to visit.

18. Kings Canyon National Park, Rae Lakes Loop

Not much has to be said about this since the scenery speaks for itself, but the park has a 41.4-mile hiking trail that gets crowded during the summers. Azure lakes, mammoth towers, and pine forests are where tourists start from at the bottom, and the Glen Pass, which is a 2.1-mile ascent, is a hard journey of its own.

19. Kannapolis State Park, Kansas

You can explore every type of rocky terrain imaginable during the hike here. The park has Marquette displays, too. The 1.5-mile hike is beginner-friendly, and there are many camping sites available.

20. Berea Pinnacles, Kentucky

Seven miles of hiking and running trails are seated within the scenic views of the Berea Pinnacles that are situated on the top of the Indian Fort Mountain. This national park hiking destination is a private forest owned by a college in the USA. It is perfect for a day out to enjoy exploring geology and expansive views.

So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and get ready to go on a journey through the wildest hikes in the US!

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