The Best Hike in Every State
Are you a thrill-seeker ready to take on the challenge of completing the best hikes in U.S. state? You’re in luck, consider this your guide.
Image Credit: Walls of Jericho by Michael Hicks (CC BY-ND).
Alabama: Walls of Jericho
Length: 7 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Known as the Grand Canyon of the South, this is an out-and-back trail.
Image Credit: pabradyphoto/istockphoto.
Alaska: Harding Icefield Trail
Length: 8.6 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Scale 1,000 feet to arrive at a 700-square-mile ice field.
Arizona: Devil’s Bridge Trail
Length: 4.2 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Devil’s Bridge Trail takes you to the largest natural sandstone arch in the area.
Image Credit: Wirestock/istockphoto.
Arkansas: Whitaker Point
Length: 3 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Enjoy panoramic views of the Ozark National Forest.
Image Credit: Alexandre Rocha/iStock
California: Half Dome
Length: 14-16 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
A stunning opportunity to take in the beauty of Yosemite National Park.
Image Credit: Sparty1711/istockphoto.
Colorado: La Plata Peak
Length: 9.25 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
La Plata Peak is the fifth-highest peak in the Rockies, and it’s great for a long day hike.
Image Credit: Alyssa Asaro / AllTrails.com.
Connecticut: Bear Mountain Trail
Length: 6 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Take in the beauty of Connecticut from the state’s highest peak.
Image Credit: ©TripAdvisor.
Delaware: Gordons Pond Trail
Length: 5.2 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Easy
Enjoy a variety of wildlife in coastal marshes and dunes along this trail.
Image Credit: ©TripAdvisor.
Florida: Black Bear Wilderness Area Trail
Length: 7.1 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
This trail, which winds through Florida wetlands, is enjoyable year-round.
Image Credit: pkphotography/istockphoto.
Georgia: Raven Cliff Falls Trail
Length: 5 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
The highlight of this trail is the 40-foot Raven Cliff Waterfall.
Image Credit: ©TripAdvisor.
Hawaii: Kalalau Trail
Length: 22 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
This trail features a gorgeous 300-foot waterfall.
Image Credit: Sawtooth Lake, Idaho, From Summit by im me (CC BY-SA).
Idaho: Sawtooth Lake
Length: 10 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Enjoy Alpine views and a serene lake on this trail in the Sawtooth Wilderness.
Image Credit: Renee Sherman/iStock
Illinois: Jackson Falls Trail
Length: 3.5 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
This trail is a mecca for rock climbers, thanks to its 70-foot sandstone walls.
Image Credit: Cade Arnold / AllTrails.com.
Indiana: Cowles Bog Trail
Length: 4.7 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
This is a popular route for snowshoeing in the winter.
Image Credit: Preston Carr / AllTrails.com.
Iowa: Dozer Cut, Bunker Hill, and Badger Ridge Trail Loop
Length: 6.3 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous
Wander through woodlands, prairies, and scenic overlooks.
Image Credit: Elk River Hiking Trail, Kansas by Granger Meador (CC BY-NC-SA).
Kansas: Elk River Hiking Trail
Length: 15 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Enjoy the natural landscapes of Flint Hills and the Elk River.
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/istockphoto.
Kentucky: Gray’s Arch Trail Loop
Length: 4.6 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
The highlight of this trail is the natural sandstone arch with a span of over 50 feet.
Image Credit: Wikipedia
Louisiana: The Backbone Trail
Length: 10.5 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
This trail offers primitive camping sites, making it ideal for backpackers.
Image Credit: ©TripAdvisor.
Maine: Precipice Trail
Length: 2.6 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Short but difficult, this trail offers great opportunities for birdwatching.
Image Credit: ©TripAdvisor.
Maryland: The Billy Goat Trail and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail Loop
Length: 7 mile loop
Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous
This trail offers challenging terrain and historical structures to explore.
Image Credit: ©TripAdvisor.
Massachusetts: Thunder Bolt Trail
Length: 2.4 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Enjoy breathtaking views from the highest point in the state.
Image Credit: Nathan Duley / AllTrails.com.
Michigan: The Manistee River Loop Trail
Length: 23 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
This amble through Manistee National Forest attracts day hikers and backpacking enthusiasts.
Image Credit: Carlos Rivera / AllTrails.com.
Minnesota: The Lebanon Hills Loop
Length: 12 mile loop
Difficulty: Moderate
The tranquil rolling hills make for a fantastic mountain biking experience.
Image Credit: Jimmy Nguyen / AllTrails.com.
Mississippi: Black Creek Trail
Length: 40 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
There are multiple entry points for this trail, which passes through wetlands and forests.
Image Credit: ©TripAdvisor.
Missouri: Pickle Springs Natural Area
Length: 2 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Enjoy unique rock formations on this trail.
Image Credit: icemanj/depositphotos.
Montana: Grinnell Glacier Trail
Length: 11 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Hike through mountains and glaciers while peeping the local wildlife.
Image Credit: Ray Tan/istockphoto.
Nebraska: Platte River State Park Trail Loop
Length: 6.7 mile loop
Difficulty: Moderate
This trail is open to both hikers and mountain bikers.
Image Credit: Mount Charleston (South Loop Trail), Nevada by Stan Shebs/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA).
Nevada: Mount Charleston (South Loop Trail)
Length: 8.3 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
From the higher elevation points, you can see the desert around Las Vegas.
Image Credit: Corey T. Burns/istockphoto.
New Hampshire: The Mount Willard Trail
Length: 3.2 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
You’ll climb 900 feet in elevation during your hike on this trail.
Image Credit: ©TripAdvisor.
New Jersey: The Stairway to Heaven Trail
Length: 2.9 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous
Plan a hike in the fall to see the foliage on the Kittatinny Mountains.
Image Credit: RoschetzkyIstockPhoto/istockphoto.
New Mexico: The Williams Lake Trail
Length: 2.6 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Pine forests and open meadows are a feature of this trail.
Image Credit: ©TripAdvisor.
New York: Gertrude’s Nose Trail
Length: 6.8 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous
The namesake of this trail is a cliff overlooking the Shawangunk Mountains.
Image Credit: sepavone/depositphotos.
North Carolina: The Clingmans Dome Observation Tower Trail
Length: 1 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
At the summit, visit the observation tower for views of the Smoky Mountains.
Image Credit: ©TripAdvisor.
North Dakota: Petrified Forest Loop
Length: 10 mile loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Experience the unusual petrified wood found along this trail.
Image Credit: PapaBear/istockphoto.
Ohio: The Brandywine Gorge Trail
Length: 1.5 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
On this trail, you’ll be rewarded with a 65-foot waterfall cascading over sandstone ledges into a deep gorge.
Image Credit: Clint Bennett / AllTrails.com.
Oklahoma: Elk Mountain Trail
Length: 2.5 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Enjoy panoramic views from the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
Oregon: The Trail of Ten Falls
Length: 7.2 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Some of the 10 falls on this trail allow you to walk behind the cascade.
Image Credit: Todd Wilkinson/iStock
Pennsylvania: Glen Onoko Falls Trail
Length: 3 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous
This trail may be closed in winter, due to icy conditions.
Image Credit: ©TripAdvisor.
Rhode Island: Cliff Walk
Length: 7 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Easy
Enjoy views of Newport mansions that overlook the ocean.
Image Credit: Table Rock Trail, South Carolina by Brenda Wiley (CC BY-NC-ND).
South Carolina: Table Rock Trail
Length: 7.2 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Reach the summit of Table Rock Mountain and enjoy views of the valley below.
Image Credit: htrnr/istockphoto.
South Dakota: Black Elk Peak
Length: 7 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
This trail takes you to the highest point in the state, with views of the Black Hills.
Image Credit: Amy Carpenter / AllTrails.com.
Tennessee: Alum Cave Trail to Mount LeConte
Length: 11 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Here you’ll find unusual geological formations on your journey.
Image Credit: grahof/depositphotos.
Texas: Guadalupe Peak
Length: 8.4 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Enjoy views from the highest point in Texas.
Image Credit: DC_Colombia/istockphoto.
Utah: Angels Landing
Length: 5.4 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Enjoy the red rock formations of Zion.
Image Credit: Henry Brehm / AllTrails.com.
Vermont: Sunset Ridge Trail
Length: 6.5 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Enjoy views of the Green Mountains at the highest point of this trail.
Image Credit: Analise DiIorio / AllTrails.com.
Virginia: Three Ridges Hike
Length: 13.5 mile loop
Difficulty: Strenuous
The elevation gain on this loop is 3,500, so come prepared with lots of high-energy snacks and water.
Image Credit: Janice Chen/istockphoto.
Washington: Skyline Trail
Length: 5.5 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Enjoy views of Mount Rainier, alpine meadows, and glaciers.
Image Credit: Tim Pennington/istockphoto.
West Virginia: The Endless Wall Trail
Length: 2.4 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Enjoy views of New River Gorge and its unforgettable sandstone cliffs.
Image Credit: EJ_Rodriquez/istockphoto.
Wisconsin: East Bluff Trail
Length: 3 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
This trail boasts unique rock formations and a view of Devil’s Lake.
Image Credit: Cascade Canyon Trail, Wyoming by DavidnKeng (CC BY-NC-ND).
Wyoming: Cascade Canyon Trail
Length: 9 miles round-trip
Difficulty: Moderate
This trail rewards you with stunning lake and mountain views.
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