Four Must-Try Hiking Spots in the US for Ultimate Adventure

Jul 13, 2024

If sand and sun are not your style, we’ve got four perfect vacation spots that will take you to emerald green forests, tree-lined shores, crystal clear lakes and rivers, rocky cliffs, and even snow-capped peaks. Today, we’re sharing four incredible hiking spots in the US that you absolutely must hike. We’ve given you some options for beginner hikes to get you started, and intermediate/expert options to test your limits and show your grit.

Pro Tip: These destinations also make incredible road trip starting points and we encourage you to center your trips on exploring the area and the towns of each region before and after your trek! You’ll find wonderful food, art and photography, and plenty of local history, plus lots of spas to rest and recharge before your next adventure.

Four Must-Try Hiking Spots in the US:

Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina

This sprawling national forest has more than a half-million acres of protected land in the Appalachian Mountains filled with white water rivers, stunning waterfalls, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails to enjoy. Visitors who are looking for a challenge can try their hand at trails like Black Balsam and Tennent Mountain Loop, nearly 12 miles of hiking off the Blue Ridge Parkway; the Mountains-to-Sea Trail through dense forests with plenty of challenging creek-crossings; Deep Gap Loop which encompasses 7 different trails together that wind through Sassafras Knob and Pilot Mountain. If you’re just starting out on your hiking enthusiast journey, you may be more suited to check out trails like Looking Glass Falls for ¼ mile hike with stairs that leads to a beautiful fall; Sliding Rock is about ⅓ of a mile long, and leads to one of the more popular swimming hole areas in Pisgah during the summer months; Moore Cove Falls Trail which is a 1.2 mile trail round trip loop through the woods and nearby to Looking Glass falls.

Tahoe Rim Trail in Lake Tahoe (California/Nevada)

This crystal clear freshwater lake is situated in between the Sierra Nevada Mountains along the border of both California and Nevada, and the largest alpine lake in all of North America. IBeginners can still take in plenty of the area with beautiful a beautiful boardwalk hike through the meadows at Ophir Creek Loop Hike that has options from 1.5-4.5 miles; explore the stunning waterfalls of Van Sickle Bi-State Park Waterfall Hike trail that’s just 2.5 miles round trip; baby step your way to mountain peak hiking with the 3 mile round trip Picnic Rock Vista Hike affording you 360 degree views of Lake Tahoe Basin. Experienced hiking enthusiasts will meet their match with the 12 mile round trip Snow Valley Peak Hike, rewarding you with panoramic views of Lake Tahoe; Relay Peak Hike is a great second option for 10 miles round trip and access to the highest point on the Tahoe Rim Trail; Lake Aloha Hike trail is 12 miles round trip through pristine wilderness and plenty of uphill climbing.

Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona

This natural red rock canyon was carved out by the Colorado River millions of years ago, and contains sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. This national park area is immense, and deserves more than one visit if you can manage it. Easier hikes in this area include Bright Angel Point Trail which is just half a mile on a short paved trail; Transept Trail which is 3 miles round trip and follows along the canyon rim, Bridle Trail is 3 miles long round trip and is also pet-friendly; Cape Royal Trail is a flat paved trail with some impressive views and just .6 miles long; Cliff Springs Trail features a chest-high boulder and natural springs (do not drink the water!) Day long and more challenging hikes include the Bright Angel Trail that ranges up to 12 mile sling round trip; South Kaibab Trail which offers steep trails with no water and very little shade and distances of up to 6 miles round trip; Grandview Trail presents a significant challenge with very steep climbs and tough conditions as it’s an unmaintained trail offering up to 8 or 9 miles total if you do both of the offered hikes.

Rocky Mountains National Park in Colorado

The rockies are a quintessential US hiking spot, with snow capped peaks, stunning rock outcroppings, majestic pine trees sprawling across hilltops, and some of the most crystal clear water you’ve ever seen. Visitors here recommend beginner enthusiasts check out the Alberta Falls Trail for some family-friendly hikes that take you along the Glacier Gorge Junction trailhead to the Alberta Falls in just 1.6 miles round trip; Bear Lake Loop is .7 miles long and takes you to the mirror-perfect high-altitude Bear Lake, affording you unparalleled views of the snow-capped peaks; take the Fern Lake Trail 3.3 miles out to The Pool as well as Fern Lake and Fern Falls just past it. For those looking to really test their limits, HAllett Peak will give you quite the workout along its 10.3 miles including high elevation and steep trails that reach a height of 12,713 feet but lead to incredible vistas; Chasm Lake is rated as one of the best hikes in the area with 8.5 miles and 2,500 feet in elevation gains; The Keyhole on Longs Peak is for the most experienced hikers in our midst and those in very good physical condition as it is 12.4 miles of trails that reach more than 4,000 feet in elevation, but if your lungs can handle it, you’ll be rewarded with absolutely breathtaking views; Mount Ida via the Poudre Lake Trailhead will push you to the limits with its extremely rugged terrain, harsh weather conditions, and 2,465 miles in elevation gain along its 9.6 miles, and be ready for anything as weather is unpredictable in this region.