If you’re an outdoorsy person, chances are you love a great view. And unless you’re fortunate to live in one of the US’s bigger cities, you probably have to travel a bit to find a breathtaking vista. Lucky for you hikers, traveling a bit out of the way is no problem, as long as there’s a promise of an amazing view at the end.
Here are some of the best places to hike in the US. On all these trails, you’ll definitely want to make sure you have some sturdy hiking boots. Check out Boot Bomb for some neat suggestions and reviews on great hiking boots. There are multiple review pages dealing with hiking boots on the site, and we can’t link to them all, so you’ll have to find ’em yourself!
Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park in Montana has been voted as the #1 best place to hike in all of North America. It has earned this title for several reasons. It has over 700 miles of hiking trails that traverse Montana, and about 1 million acres of park ground. It has trails for all skill levels, so it’s perfect for beginners. Its streams flow into the Hudson Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico. It has over 700 lakes several waterfalls for that perfect view.
Banff
Located in Alberta, this park has over 1000 miles of well-kept hiking trails. Each trail offers amazing views of the Rocky Mountains. You’ll be graced with views of gorgeous blue lakes and thick forests.
Banff looks like an idyllic Swiss village, but without the price tag that comes along with the flight there. Banff is a little cushier than your average national park, which is perfect for the avid glamper. If you’d rather end your hiking day in a hotel than a tent, this park is for you.
The Grand Canyon
The well-known Grand Canyon ranks as #5 on the list of best hiking places in the US. Located in Arizona, the sheer size and magnitude of the views in this park will leave you questioning your very existence as such a small being among such a great land.
The more popular trails are Rim Trail and Bright Angel Trail. For a quieter hike, seek out trails in the North Rim. This park is huge, so you need several days at least to really take in its splendor.
Zion Park
This gorgeous Utah park is ranked #4 among the best places to hike in America. Zion National Park is split up into three areas: Zion Wilderness, Kolob Canyons, and Zion Canyon. Zion Canyon has a shuttle service and several trailheads, making it the easiest to get to. This can be great for people who are just starting to get into hiking.
With 4.3 million visitors in 2016, it’s not the quiet destination it once was, but that doesn’t make it any less breathtaking.
Yellowstone National Park
The #3 best place to hike in the US is Yellow Stone National Park. Located out of Wyoming Montana, this park has about 1000 miles of trails which spans across 2.2 million acres. There is also 15 miles of boardwalk which can be used to reach key attractions like Mammoth Hot Springs and Hold Faithful.
Be careful though – it’s not uncommon to see a grizzly bears, wolves, or moose out on these trails. The best way to stay safe is to stay on the marked tails. With this park, most of the visitors tend to stick around the major monuments, so you can get that serene solitude you’re hoping for.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite (pronounced yoh-sem-i-tee) National Park in California has been given the title of #2 best places to hike. These trails are so popular that they may even be a bit crowded. However, they are well worth the amazing views. Yosemite has about 800 miles of trails to follow, so if you choose to follow a less traversed path, you’re free to.
The most famous landmarks you’ll find at Yosemite are El Capitan and Half Dome. If you’re looking for a hike that’s completely serene and tourist-free, then Yosemite might not be the choice for you – unless you’re ok with starting your day off a little earlier or going on the off-season. In that case, book your hike in late May before the Summer vacationers show up!
Bottom Line
North America is truly chock full of amazing places to explore – too many than can be witnessed in one lifetime. This is only a short list of amazing places to explore if you’re looking to check the “big ones” off of your list. However, there are dozens more places in the US that you can see for yourself!