14 best Hiking trails in USA national park

 

Craving some fresh air, picture perfect views and great ways to work up a sweat don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our roundup of the top 10 best hiking trails in the United states which include canyon descents, breathtaking oceanside walks, treks packed with color popping leaves and much more. So what are you waiting for? Let’s Explore that majestic view of hiking trails in the USA National park.

 

Hike usually means you’re somewhere out in nature where you can enjoy the sunshine, and the trees and just get away from the busyness of City Life or town life. Now when you go for a hike you usually find a trail that you’re comfortable with, which is intriguing and exciting at the same time. These places will give you opportunities to explore nature’s stunning wonders like hot springs, waterfalls, caves and mountains. You can choose your hikes according to your experience, time and what you’re in moodthe for! Trails start from very easy to medium to difficult and depending on it, you choose your hikes. 

 

Now it is absolutely important for hikers to stay on trail and you’ll have ample amount of signs throughout the hike to make you stay on course. Here you will seldom come across wildlife, waterfalls, ponds, brooks, valleys of flowers and such. The best time to go hiking is when the weather is cooler, the views in nature are amazing and it’s just altogether a great time to be out in nature. Hiking is very rewarding, both physically and mentally and you get to witness the beauty of nature and to admire it.

 

 Top 14 Hiking trails in US national Park includes Cadillac North Ridge Trail, Maine,  Billy Goat Trail, Maryland, Chautauqua trail, Colorado, Chautauqua park, Royal Arch Trail, Dickey Ridge Loop, Appalachian trail, Virginia, Dickey Ridge Loop, Appalachian trail, Virginia, Highline Trails Montana, Glacier National Park, Half Dome, California, Mist Trail, California, Grinnell Glacier, Glacier National Park, Montana, Grand Prismatic, Kalalau trail, Hawaii, Navajo Loop Trail, Utah, Petroglyph Wall Trail, Devil Garden Trail. 

 

Cadillac North Ridge Trail, Maine: Cadillac Mountain is one of the tallest peaks on the North Atlantic coast with a height of 1530 feet and You will get some of the most picturesque views on this trail due to its height 

 

Billy Goat Trail, Maryland: This place is home to the mighty Potomac River and great falls which makes this trail worth your while. Its stunning views will make you want more.

 

Chautauqua trail, colorado, Chautauqua park: Chautauqua trail is one of the most highly attractive trails out there. With the meadows and the flatirons, this trail is worth all the hype it gets.

 

Royal Arch Trail: With Marvelous Grandstone arches, this hike is definitely one of its kind. This hike might be a little treacherous, but when you see that huge, stunning marvel of nature, the Royal Arch, it will be worth it.

 

Dickey Ridge Loop, Appalachian trail, Virginia: A fairly difficult trail on the Appalachian, with some spectacular settings. The best thing is everyone can hike this trail.

 

Highline Trails Montana, Glacier National Park: This trail is nicknamed the larger-than-life trail. Everything looks enormous and larger than life and the views are so stunning that it will take some time for you to soak in.

 

Half Dome, California: This trek has some of the most stunning views of Vernal and Nevada Waterfalls And Gorgeous views of kaleidoscopic wildflowers, time-worn sequoias and gorgeous rock formations.  This trek has some spectacular 360-degree views.

 

Mist Trail, California: Mist Trail has one the most picturesque views, Happy Isles and Nevada Falls passing both the vernal falls and emerald pool which is as stunning as ever. You will follow the Merced River, which would be worth the hike by itself. It’s altogether a perfect package for hikes.

 

Grinnell Glacier, Glacier National Park, Montana: This trail is perfect for wildlife enthusiasts. Filled with stunning lakes, waterfalls, and gorgeous peaks. The talk of the town is the gorgeous Glacier which is the epitome of beauty. You might come across various wildlife like mountain Goats and bears.

 

Grand Prismatic: Grand Prismatic has gorgeous views of hot springs. You might come across the Firehole River over a historic steel truss bridge and walk the old Fountain freight road which dates back to the late 1800s. There is something about this hike, it’s so peaceful and unique.

 

Kalalau trail, Hawaii: The gorgeous green trail has such stunning views that it will leave you stunned. Although this Hawaii trail is a bit tough, the hike will change your life, it’s that great! 

 

Navajo Loop Trail, Utah: This trail is a unique one, with such spectacular geological formations. This loop carries the park’s most famous Thor’s hammer, Wall Street and the temple of Osiris. For hikers who have an extra day to spend, don’t skip this unique experience.

 

Petroglyph Wall Trail: The Petroglyph Wall trail is a dream for history lovers. This trail is a tiny museum that shows you hundreds of years old rock paintings and carvings while trekking. It’s the best of both worlds, especially for somebody who wants more than just flowers and trees. This hike is very short so it’s also perfect for people who want to hike very long distances.

 

Devil Garden Trail : The Devil Garden is again very different from your normal trails, it consists of 6-8 gorgeous arches if you complete the whole hike. These over-the-top, huge arches will make you feel very humane and are an intriguing mystery of nature. This trail definitely offers a unique experience.

 

1. Cadillac north ridge trail

 

Distance:- 4.5 miles, Round trip 

Difficulty:- Easy to Medium

Best time to visit:- June to October (It’s open all year round except the Harsh winters)

Highlights:- Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, and the Schoodic Peninsula

 

Acadia national park bears a number of distinctions: it’s recognized as the first national park founded in the eastern United States. It’s also home to Cadillac mountain, the landmark from which our first hiking trail takes its name and in addition to being just an all-around beautiful natural attraction Cadillac mountain is also among the tallest peaks anywhere on the north atlantic coast with the height of 1530 feets, paired with the beauty of the surrounding area. You get some of the most stunning views on this trail.

 

The Cadillac north ridge trail is a roughly five to six hour hike round trip. Considering all the things it is, it is actually a remarkably easy hike considering the payoff. It has a number of scenic scenes over Frenchman Bay. This trail also benefits from the fact that a beautiful bar harbor and a lobster dinner are just a few miles away.

 

2. Billy goat trail maryland

 

Distance:- Under 4 miles

Difficulty:- Moderately Difficult 

If you’re looking for rugged american beauty in a convenient location you couldn’t ask for a better trail to hike than billy goat trail. It’s just a few miles away from Washington DC. Now before you get your hopes up we should clarify that you are unlikely to spot any wild goats roaming the trail but what you do get are beautiful views of the mighty potomac river including the area’s famous great falls which make for great pictures and memories. 

 

At roughly four to five hours total billy goat trail isn’t a major time investment but you get a ton of variety and exciting terrains to navigate because lengths of the hike are spent along the river’s rocky edge. There are boulders, steep escarpments and even some narrow ledges to navigate. All in all it makes for quite the adventure!

 

3. Chautauqua trail, colorado, Chautauqua park

 

Distance:- 1.2 miles, round trip 

Difficulty:- Easy to difficult

Best time to visit:- April to October 

Highlights:- Views of Potomac rivers and Climbing 50 Ft Rock.

Chautauqua trail, colorado, Chautauqua park located near boulder Colorado has a wide variety of hiking trails to explore. But Chautauqua trail is a nice place to start offering only moderate difficulty but a ton of great views over a relatively short period of time. It’s a great warm-up for a multi-day trip in the park or a perfect choice for family get together. Views along the trail include the park’s jagged flat irons, mountains, gorgeous meadows and the city of Boulder itself. 

 

Best of all Chautauqua leads to a number of entry points to the park’s more challenging hikes such as the royal arch so if you do find this namesake hike to be too much of a walk in the park you can always pivot and push yourself further.

 

4. Royal Arch Trail

 

Royal Arch Trail, colorado, Chautauqua park

Distance:- 3.3 miles, round trip 

Difficulty:- Medium to difficult

Best time to visit:- March and October 

Highlights:- Giant sandstone arch

Finding a giant sandstone arch way up there in Boulder’s Flatirons is definitely worth the hike.

Boulder’s Royal Arch is a popular trail which might be a challenge and in winter it can be downright treacherous. Cheers everybody If you’re from out of town especially from sea level then this will be a harder hike for you so don’t be intimidated by other hikers so take more breaks in between the steps and the climbing.

 

We will get the occasional view of the Flatirons along the way which is another trail but the payoff is at the end when we turn the last corner and the giant Royal Arch is revealed. We climb the last few feet passing right underneath the arch and get open views of the planes but it’s not until we turn around that we truly understand the grandeur of the Royal Arch. It’s massive and creates a beautiful frame around the Flatirons in the distance.

 

5. Dickey Ridge Loop, Appalachian trail, Virginia

 

Distance:- 7 miles

Difficulty:- Moderate 

Best time to visit:- March Through November 

Highlights:- Skyline Caverns, Sky Meadows State Park

 

Appalachian trail is one most  the iconic appalachian trail is among the country’s most celebrated and historic hikes altogether it adds up to over 2180 miles of trails and carries travelers through a wide array of natural environments what’s so great about the appalachian trail is that you can choose your own adventure and difficulty sort of hike you can jump on and off different sections depending on your fitness level and overall interests.

 

Dickey Ridge in Shenandoah National park trail starts from Skyline drive, with Moderate difficulty but shows the most of them. This is perfect for beginners as it is quite well maintained but spectacular footing throughout the view which will come handy for all the beginners out there. Since it’s so well maintained you can keep up a good pace and end the hike in almost under an hour or so. Shenandoah national park in Virginia offers some truly stunning views and a solid day of hiking. This park has other excellent hikes for all skill levels.

 

6. Highline trails montana, Glacier National Park 

 

Distance:- 14.9 miles, round trip 

Difficulty:- One of the most difficult trails in the US.

Best time to visit:- June to October 

Highlights:- Giant sandstone arch

 

Highline trails in Montana are often referred to as big sky country in glacier national park. Everything feels larger than life from the sky to the scenic views of mountains and everything in between a hike along the high line trail is one of the best ways to see it all. The trail can be approached a few different ways: there’s the shorter round trip from Logan Pass to Haystack pass at just over seven miles, the high line loop at 11.8 miles and the granite park chalet add-on that brings you to a total of 15.8 miles, however you approach it. 

 

This trail will bring you through some stunning views with scenic vistas with lush green grassland and flowers seemingly around every turn while exploring glacier national park. This one is very popular amongst backpackers. You can also consider the grinnell glacier trail which carries you to the hike’s namesake landmark.

 

7. Half Dome, California

 

Distance:- 14-15 round trip

Difficulty:  very Difficult 

Highlights: Half Dome Cables, Wooden Planks and Granite domes

Best Time to Visit: Late September to Early October

 

Yosemite National Park is one of the most magnificent natural spectacles on earth located in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. This awe-inspiring force of nature is filled with granite monoliths towering sequoias rushing waterfalls and hundreds of miles of untouched wilderness. It is truly one of the most breathtaking and heavenly destinations you will ever visit.

 

Half Dome is a pretty steep, challenging hike but it’s also one of the most popular hikes.This trek will reward you with stunning views of Vernal and Nevada Waterfalls And Gorgeous views of kaleidoscopic wildflowers, time-worn sequoias and jaw-dropping rock formations. The Climb is tough but the anticipation of what lies ahead the summit of half keeps you moving every step brings you closer to the top where the infamous cables await.

Each careful step the summit gets closer and the anticipation builds finally as you reach the top you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking 360° views, the sense of achievement and the incredible views make every moment of the climb worth it.

 

8. Mist Trail, California

 

Distance:- 7 miles round trip

Difficulty:  Medium to Difficult 

Highlights: Emerald Pool and Nevada Fall

Best Time to Visit: Late September to Early October

 

The mist trail california, don’t let the relatively short distance fool you, this hike is actually a pretty tough one and yet it remains one of the most popular trails not only in yosemite national park but arguably all of the united states. A round trip total of about seven miles the trail begins at happy isles and ends at the breathtaking nevada falls passing both the vernal falls and emerald pool.

 

Along the way as you follow the merced river, each of the aforementioned sites would be worth the hike by themselves but when you consider the altogether awe-inspiring environment of yosemite it really all makes for an unforgettable experience the miss trail gets its name from the heavy mist that often covers sections of the path the stones can get quite slippery so proper clothing and footwear is a must but this is trulyan astonishingly worthwhile hike.

 

9. Grinnell Glacier, Glacier National Park, Montana

 

Distance: 10.6 miles

Difficulty: Medium to difficult 

Highlights: Gorgeous scenic views and Lakes

Best Time to Visit: Late summer

 

Imagine trekking through Glacier National Park’s vast wilderness, where 700 miles of trails weave through glistening lakes, cascading waterfalls, and towering peaks. Whether you choose the family-friendly Trail of the Cedars or the more challenging Highline Trail, your experience will be so rewarding and wholesome.

This trail is one of the most gorgeous hikes on this list. It has everything from wildflowers to lakes, waterfalls, luscious alpines and the star of the hike, a Glacier!!. During the hike you might come across various wildlife like mountain Goats and bears. The towering mountains and freshwater streams during your hike will be serene and this place is literally heaven on Earth.

 

10. Grand Prismatic 

 

Distance:- 1.2 Mile

Difficulty:  Easy

Highlights: Fairy falls and Grand Prismatic Spring, largest Hot Spring in US

Best Time to Visit: Late September to Early October

 

Grand Prismatic, situated in Yellowstone National Park, overlooks trail Wyoming taking only an hour or two to complete. The grand prismatic overlook trail is by no means the toughest hike on our list but what it lacks in arduous physical activity (the trail is just over a mile long in each direction) it more than makes up for with its massive payoff the trail leads to and from grand prismatic spring overlook the rainbow hued hot spring that attracts visitors from around the globe.

 

The largest of its kind in the United States, the grand prismatic hot spring and the perspective offered from this trail would be worth a hike. Many times longer beyond the spring itself the trail is steeped in history. You’ll traverse the firehole river over a historic steel truss bridge and walk the old fountain freight road which dates back to the late 1800s. Some hikes aren’t about the distance but rather the journey.

 

11. Kalalau trail, Hawaii

 

Distance: 11 miles

Difficulty: Diifficult 

Highlights: Views of Pacific Ocean, hanging valleys and gorgeous green rainforest 

Best Time to Visit: Mid April To Mid June and September to October

 

Kalalau trail in Hawaii for those seeking a true challenge. This epic hike on the island of Kauai will not disappoint. The trail winds along the island’s rugged north shore offering stunning ocean views along the way located in hyena state park. The Kalalau trail is undoubtedly among the best hikes in the United States but it’s also considered to be one of the country’s most difficult.

 

The trail is often extremely narrow and covers steep terrain; one stretch involves an 800 foot rise in elevation across just one and a quarter miles of trail. For those with the stamina and experience, the Kalalau trail makes for a truly unforgettable hike. If that sounds too daunting for you, however, consider doing the sunset hike at Hawaii’s Haleakala National park. The view from the summit at dusk is truly breathtaking as well.

 

12. Navajo loop trail, Utah

 

Distance: 2 miles round up

Difficulty: Medium to difficult 

Highlights: Limestone Walls, Thor’s Hammer, Walls street, Douglas fir Trees, Hoodoo views and Switchbacks

Best Time to Visit: April To October 

 

Navajo loop trail, Utah, under 2 miles per round trip the navajo loop trail is a fantastic accessible trail for families or beginner hikers who are looking for a unique hiking experience, then again considering the scenery and environment more advanced hikers won’t want to skip it either.

Navajo loop trail is located in Bryce Canyon National Park and carries you amongst the surreal geological formations for which the park is famous. The hoodoos or fairy chimneys, it’s like something out of a fantasy film. This area of the park definitely sparks the imagination. The navajo loop carries you by the park’s most famous thor’s hammer as well as other notable sites like the wall street and the temple of osiris. For those looking to extend the hike the queen’s garden trail is a great add-on number as well.

 

13. Petroglyph Wall Trail

 

Distance: 0.2 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Highlights: Rock painting and carvings 

Best Time to Visit: October through May

 

Petroglyph wall trail, nevada typically hiking the trail itself is the main attraction, there’s often a great view at the end of the trail or along the way but petroglyph wall trail offers something that you really won’t find in many places which is the hundreds of years old rock painting and carvings. Petroglyphs located in nevada’s red rock, national conservation area this hiking trail is technically only a few hundred feet long but it’s usually paired with any number of trails in the larger park that top out at about six miles in length walking in the footsteps of people who created this rock art some 800 years ago.

 

However adds a real sense of perspective to the adventure; many of the trails involve some rather tough terrain with certain sections of the trails requiring up to an hour per mile. The trails boast awe-inspiring nevada views as well as local wildlife sightings including hawks and lizards.

 

14. Devil Garden Trail 

 

Distance: 7.9 miles round up 

Difficulty: Medium to difficult 

Highlights: Sandstone Walls and Arches

Best Time to Visit: Spring or Fall

 

At the Arches National Park, the Devil’s Trail is definitely worth a try if you’re looking for something different, something more than greenery and flowers. Throughout the hike you’ll get to see at least 6-8 arches, including one the longest arches in the World.

 

First section is fairly flat but Second section, from landscape arch you can continue out to double O arch and if you do that it’s some scrambling involved you’ll actually be kind of climbing up the spine of a rocka big a big rock foundation and then you’ll get up on top of a ridge and you’ll be walking along the ridge with some amazing expansive views of almost the entire park it’s really spectacular views.

 

Now you can either go back from the section or move forward to different arches, the choice is yours. All in all this trail is unique in its own way but make sure you have the right shoes, a walking stick and lots of water, if you find yourself here in Summers.