Easy Hikes

Beat the crowds by getting to this Oahu favorite extra early.

Enchanted Rock is the second-largest granite batholith in the country. Don’t know what a batholith is? Find out by hiking up one.

Climb through Douglas firs and sword ferns to reach this 3,205-foot summit.

Find fields of poppies on this spring-perfect hike in the Chino Hills outside Lake Elsinore.

Score an aerie overlooking the Buffalo River Valley to yourself when you visit Whitaker Point in the offseason.

Walk among giants on this quiet hike past the Grove of Titans and other 300-foot-tall redwood trees.

Savor views of the Sierra Estrella and Mazatzal mountain ranges on this close-to-home leg-burner.

Visit Georgia's best section of the Appalachian Trail in winter for a crowd-free experience and Blue Ridge vistas frosted in white.

See arches and sea stacks—and no people—when you visit the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor in winter.

In winter, one of Sequoia National Park's most popular spots gets a much-needed dose of solitude

Get a new perspective on an iconic view when you look through Canyonlands National Park's famous Mesa Arch in winter.

This shoulder-season cruiser delivers you to some of the best views in West Texas.

Wander through the world's largest gypsum dune field in New Mexico.

Spy seals, otters, and whales on the newly completed 3.8-mile Boucher Trail in central California.

Squeeze this 4.3-mile dayhike in before the ferry departs for the mainland. Highlights: super rare pine trees and breezy views of the mighty Pacific.

Explore 4.4 miles through old growth timber to a glacier-carved lake on this family-friendly hike in the Cascade Mountains.

This 6.6-mile loop features a coastal bluff with dazzling wildflower displays and a wild beach with exceptional views of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Trace the rugged, uninhabited coastline of Crystal Cove on this 5.2-mile out-and-back to sunbleached bluffs, swirling tidal pools, and a deserted settlement of old beach villas.

Solitude rules on this 9.4-mile out-and-back hike along Little Kachess Lake to rock gardens ablaze with wildflowers,giant green forests, and a quiet lakeside hideout.

This 4.1-mile hike exposes the wilder side of northern Illinois, an untouched 3,000-acre tract filled with wildlife and a gravel cone formed by an ancient stream.

Cruise 5.2 miles along gentle foothills, Ireland-esque pastures, and past an old sawmill to a vista overlooking Boulder Canyon and the Front Range.

There are no car horns blowing on this pleasant 5-mile loop--just the therapeutic hum of mountain streams and a peaceful lake in the woods.

This easy 4.7-mile route loops past Sycamore Canyon Falls and the shady bottom of Big Sycamore Canyon.

This all-season, 7-mile loop in the Boulder River Wilderness gently ascends through fast-growing (and fast-falling) alders, fragrant cedars, and rugged Douglas firs.

An oak-shaded creek with cat tails and mountain lion tracks.

See centuries-old endangered trees in one of the Eastern seaboard's last remaining maritime forests on this 6.2-mile out-and-back across a diverse barrier island.

Paddle this 11.5-mile loop through open bays and protected salt marshes to beaches with giant sand dunes and historic buildings from the late 1700s.

Paddle to sandy sanctuaries, explore an old fort, and camp on the Boston Harbor Islands on this scenic 9.7-mile out-and-back to Peddocks Island.

This 6.4-mile dayhike is a tour de force: You'll be rewarded with magnificent views, an isolated arch, and unusual plant life in Coconino National Forest.

This 5.2-mile desert hike is great any time, but spectacular in spring when the Antelope Buttes bloom with native grasses and fire-orange poppies, the California state flower.

Waterfalls, lush forests, and magnificent creekside views make this 5-mile out-and-back through Cliff Falls Wilderness a superb dayhike in northern Georgia.

This lovely 5.4-mile loop shaded by oaks, pines, and birches leads to the rushing headwaters of Flat Creek in Chattahoochee National Forest.

This 5.8-miler loops in-and-around secluded islands of rare trees, diverse bird sanctuaries, and tranquil butterfly gardens in Hammonasset Beach State Park.

This 5-mile loop meanders along coastal bluffs and into wetlands in the heart of one of the finest birding spots in the United States.

This out-and-back beach hike climbs over Point Dume to a coastline littered with tidepools. Tip: Bring snorkel gear and plenty of drinking water.

Trace the muddy flats and coastal bluffs of Upper Newport Bay and observe a long list of birds on this easygoing 5.9-mile stroll.

Squeezed into the extremely rugged landscape of Dick Smith Wilderness, this 5-mile out-and-back features great streamside camping and plenty of solitude.

Hike saguaro-covered hillsides to a small desert spring on this 5.2-mile loop encircled by mesas and red sandstone cliffs.

This romantic 6.1-miler follows Lovers Lane Trail to four waterfalls and countless cool swimming holes set in the deep forests of Olympic National Park.

From river valley to alpine meadows, this 10.8-mile hike features a brilliant flower display in midsummer and stunning Olympic Range views year-round.

Escape the Windy City on this easy 5.9-mile hike through a beautiful hardwood forest into ravines carved by glaciers more than 10,000 years ago.

Hike rolling grassland punctuated by towering redrock formations to a ridge overlooking the Front Range on this 6-mile loop just 20 minutes from Denver.

Sample two long paths on a 5.8-mile figure-8 loop through hemlock groves and along churning creeks to an AT shelter in Chattahoochee National Forest.

Hike 4.5 miles along Griffith Park's ridge for commanding views of the Hollywood sign and downtown.

This gentle 4.8-mile climb strings through the thick woods of Pawtuckaway State Park to a fire tower lookout with four-star mountaintop views.

This scenic 4.2-mile hike in the Blue Hills Reservation loops under pines and passes by a rare Atlantic white cedar bog, home to 17 endangered species.

Where do the locals go? To the lovely waterfalls, big ocean views, and hidden ruins on this 4.3-mile dayhike in the Santa Monica Mountains.

The must-see list for this 5.7-mile dayhike to Glacier Gorge is long: raging waterfalls, alpine lakes, and a skyline of humbling mountain views.

Stand in three states, then summit a wooded peak while passing the highest hill in Connecticut on this 4-mile dayhike in the Taconic Mountains.

Deep within Manhattan's famed 843-acre greenspace, this 4.1-mile escape offers a quick break from the daily grind.

You won't find gold on this 3.5-mile loop, but the hilly hemlock forests, the singing swans, and the sunbathing turtles at Bull Sluice Lake are priceless.

Trail run or hike on this 3.8-mile woodland loop past granite outcrops and small cascades to the floodplain of the Ocmulgee River.

Link meadows to hilltops across Westborough’s open spaces.

Explore wooded bluffs and a dramatic limestone canyon on the way to a waterfall on this 4.8-mile riverside hike in Kankakee River State Park.

This 3-mile out-and-back in the Superstition Mountains climbs gently through ocotillo and saguaro cacti to Hieroglyphic Canyon's mysterious petroglyphs.

Cruise along the San Luis Obispo Creek on this 4.1-mile out-and-back that starts in Avila Beach and passes blue herons, butterflies, and two seaside resorts.

Scout for waterbirds in the marshes and peer through dense tallgrass on this easygoing 5.25-mile hike through Goose Lake Prairie.

This 4.3-mile loop follows the Des Plaines River as it winds through stunning forestland chock-full of stately hardwoods and colorful flowers.

Snowshoe into a small mountain lake on this gentle, 5-mile out-and-back in Indian Peaks Wilderness--a perfect winter getaway from the city.

Bring binocs on this 3.9-mile loop in the Richard Bong State Recreation Area; open grassland invites long views of Vern Wolf Lake, its shoreline, and flying falcons.

This 5.9-mile loop is great for eager flatlanders who are acclimating to the thin Rocky Mountain air.

A favorite urban escape from Atlanta, Sope Creek offers a wooded playground for hikers, trail-runners, and photo-buffs.

A high-altitude intro to the Santa Catalina Mountains, this trail literally sparkles as it circles Marshall Peak for an easy, 3.3-mile loop through the Pusch Wilderness Area.

Splash through a pink slot canyon in the Salome Wilderness Area on this fun canyoneering route.

Hidden deep inside the Santa Cruz Mountains, this 2.4-mile out-and-back wanders through old-growth forests and past meandering creeks to century-old limestone kilns.

Only 20 miles north of Atlanta, Sawnee Mountain Preserve offers a maze of wooded trails that wander past abandoned gold mines to overlooks of Blue Ridge peaks.

Anacapa Island's oceanfront overlooks, throngs of wildlife, and a picture-perfect lighthouse highlight this classic 2.5-mile loop in Channel Islands National Park.

Get a glimpse of glacial wetlands in northwest Illinois.

Soak in a series of refreshing swimming holes in Sequoia National Park.

Hike past massive boulders, red barrel cacti, and restless tumbleweeds to a shady oasis on this 3-mile out-and-back in Joshua Tree National Park.

Take a break from baiting hooks and hit the trail for this 4.8-mile loop around Shabbona Lake. You're guaranteed to catch lake views, dense woodland silence, and wetland vistas.

Tour two mountain lakes en route to Emerald Lake, a picturesque tarn with stunning views of Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain, on this popular hike in Rocky Mountain National Park.

A lush, green garden of waterfalls and giant pools awaits on the dells of Matthiessen State Park; this route tacks on a bluff-top viewpoint for 5.8-miles of prime Illinois day-hiking.

Sample sylvan forests, a beachside boardwalk, and rocky island shores on this 5.6-mile dayhike in New York City's largest park, Pelham Bay.

Traipse along the Great Swamp's boardwalk to sprawling, wildflower-speckled everglades and three world-class birding spots on this easy, two-mile loop near Morristown.

This Front Range dayhike is short on mileage and big on payoffs. In less than a mile, you'll skirt a mountain lake and climb the snowy slopes of a Rocky Mountain glacier.

Bring your binoculars and circle Barr Lake on this easy 9.3-mile loop in prime birding territory. You may spot one of the Front Range's only pair of nesting bald eagles.

Begin exploring the South Platte River's Greenway Trail on this 7-mile out and back intro to the paved, 30-mile-plus vein through the heart of the Mile High City.

This 18-mile paved pathway is the Windy City's ultimate quick fix.

Take in the iconic McWay Falls with Big Sur, a California treasure.