Lake Hikes

The short and steep trip to Lake Agnes delivers with craggy peaks, scree fields (home to pika), and fish-filled alpine waters.

Follow this loop mixing on- and off-trail travel through vibrant wildflower displays and past snow-fed streams to a huge alpine lake with unbeatable campsite views of Mount Meeker.

This 10.5-mile out and back promises wildflower drenched meadows, stunning vistas, and two pristine alpine lakes perfect for a cold dip or sunrise photo op.

The loop around Lake Tahoe is a classic adventure—and one of the best moderate long trails in the world. Tackle it with our guide.

Amble past amber maples on Kittatinny Ridge as golden eagles and hawks soar overhead on this overnight loop. BY KATRINA ROSSOS

Sequoia National Park, California

Backpack into the heart of Sequoia National Park to the beautiful snow-melted Pear Lake in Tokopah Valley.

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

Visit a lesser-known treasure of Harriman State Park on this 5.7-mile jaunt, which contours through hilly hardwood forest and along cascading creeks to a few peaceful ponds.

Walk 6.8 miles out and back on a rocky singletrack path into an intimate ravine streaming with cold, blue mountain waters. The hike ends at a quiet Appalachian high point.

A good spring hike, this 5.2-mile out-and-back strolls through the shade of old-growth forest to the peaceful banks of Lena Lake. The trail is snow-free most of the year.

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.

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 6.2-mile out-and-back follows the new Ira Spring Memorial Trail, which winds for 3.2 miles above Snoqualmie Valley, ending at picturesque Mason Lake.

Camp under sharp peaks and sharper stars on this 4-day, 20-mile tour along the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park. Summits, swimming holes, and trout abound.

This 8-mile backcountry trek serves up two mountain lakes, intimate views of Mount Rainier, and some off-trail scrambles in the Tatoosh Range.

See a remote part of the Goat Rocks Wilderness on this 16.8-mile loop, which passes a fine array of giant fir, Alaskan yellow cedar, and a smattering of larches.

Hike, ski, or bike a hidden pocket of sylvan wilderness just an hour from Manhattan.

Solitude. Fresh air. Big views. It all unfolds on this vigorous 5-miler along a lively mountain stream to the highest point in Hudson Highlands State Park.

This 12.1-mile loop skirts five reservoirs, cuts through forests of oak, hemlock, and birch, and gains 2,600 feet of elevation in 2,060-acre Middlesex Fells Reservation.

Get climbers'-eye views on this adventurous ramble to the peak's base--or summit--on this 3- to 5-day trip.

Loop 5.7 miles into shaded hollows and up the highest dunes on Lake Michigan's southern shore in Indiana Dunes State Park.

On this 6-mile loop in Blue Hills Reservation, you'll see dense hardwoods, meadows, ponds, glacial leftovers, rocky hills, and sweeping views of Boston.

Hike into the core of Indian Peaks Wilderness on this 13.6-mile overnight, which leads past waterfalls to a sunbleached valley and a sweet lakeside campsite.

This 7.3-mile loop leads to photo-worthy views of the colorful Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, then enters a highland meadow to a tranquil pond.

This 5.8-mile loop takes you through a 400-year-old forest to summit the highest Bay State peak east of the Berkshires.

Wander through lush forests and high-alpine meadows to a pair of secluded mountain lakes nestled at the foot of the Mummy Range.

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.

KENNEDY MEADOWS to TUOLUMNE MEADOWS: The highlight reel of this 209-mile section includes three national parks, several high passes with heavenly views, two stunning wilderness areas, and not a single road. Option: Detour up Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the Lower 48.

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.

Tour three 14,000-foot peaks (and one unranked 14er) on this loop in the Mosquito Range.

Bag a rugged fourteener on this 20.8-mile lasso loop linking shady evergreens and long sunny scrambles to a beautiful peak high above the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.

This 9.6-mile overnight in the Russian Wilderness is pine-studded, alpine lake-riddled, and in-your-dreams beautiful.

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.

With views at every turn, this 22.8-mile, 3-day Trinity Alps route visits soaring spires of bleached granite and a basin full of shimmering lakes.

Trek across vibrant wildflower meadows to two alpine lakes tucked into a rocky chasm below Mt. Massive on this 5.8 miler outside Leadville.

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

Wooded lakeshores. Civil War hotspots. A giant granite mountain. This 7.4-mile hike tops out with peerless views of rolling green Piedmont from the summit of an open dome east of Atlanta.

This 8.6-mile out-and-back is packed with attractions: roaring waterfalls, an alpine lake, and mountain views so awesome you'll go trigger-happy with the camera.

Catch killer views of Big Bear Lake and hike a short leg of the Pacific Crest Trail on this 7.8-mile out-and-back to an 8,200-foot peak.

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.

Explore a handful of landscapes—prairie, wetlands, lakes—along a winding river on this 9.8-mile out-and- back leg of the Des Plaines River Trail.

Link meadows to hilltops across Westborough’s open spaces.

Connect wooded dunes, bottomland forest, and a pristine beach on this 3.7-mile loop along Lake Michigan in Warren Dunes State Park.

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

Bypass the weekend crowds on this 8.6-mile hike past old mining claims to a campsite near Horton Lake.

This 9-mile out-and-back charges up Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts.

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 sandy, 3.2-mile stroll in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore climbs dunes, skirts an ancient marsh, and ends within a stone-skipping distance of Lake Michigan's coastline.

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.

Looking to tag a life-list summit without queuing up? Pass on Half Dome, and opt for the 12-mile climb to Yosemite's unsung granite peak.

A must-do for dayhikers, this 8.1-miler traverses windswept alpine tundra with dramatic overlooks and 360-degree views of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Travel past fragrant wildflowers and stately old-growth forest en route to a stunning backcountry lake in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Get a glimpse of glacial wetlands in northwest Illinois.

Trek past cloud-scraping peaks and shimmering lakes en route on this 8.1-miler in the untamed Indian Peaks Wilderness.

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.

This 8.1-mile hike skirts wind-scoured lakes and scrambles up the edge of a waterfall before arriving at Sky Pond, where crumbling spires stretch 2,000 feet into the air.

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.

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.

Leave civilization behind on this 7.4-mile loop that connects mountaintop greenery, sweeping monoliths and low-lying swamps in southern Harriman State Park.

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.

Five-star mountain views, two alpine lakes, and gold mine relics highlight this 4.5-mile out-and-back near Breckenridge, Colorado.

The Eagles Nest Wilderness doesn’t attract regular Colorado crowds—unless you count the mountain goats. Explore rugged peaks, and pristine alpine lakes on this 13.3-mile route in an under-appreciated Rocky Mountain getaway.

High in the Matilija Wilderness is a narrow ridge that only widens where four dry lakes are located. They catch winter rains and freeze, permafrost laying icing over scrubby chaparral. The views along this hike are incredible.

Hike a landscape carved by glaciers more than 10,000 years ago on this 32.3-mile section hike that follows the Ice Age Trail through Kettle Moraine State Park.

This 17-mile out-and-back in the Trinity Alps features pristine mountain lakes, stunning views and an easy, off-trail scramble.

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

Beautiful hike up through aspen groves and across meadows to Opal Lake.

Trace a granite-toothed section of the Continental Divide to the rugged Mount Neva on this 9.4-miler through Indian Peaks Wilderness.

On this four-day trip through the Clark Range, push deep into Yosemite's backcountry to discover a wonderland of slickrock waterfalls, pristine alpine lakes and jagged peaks.

A gentle 1.8 mile climb to an intimate view of the popular Maroon Bells from the lapping shores of Crater Lake.

Tour glacial valleys and navigate to off-trail lakes and waterfalls on this six-day circuit in Rocky Mountain National Park.