Trips

Popular with dayhikers and mountain bikers alike, this 4.42-mile loop through forest and meadows rich with wildlife offers surprising solitude for a hike so close to a world-class resort town.

Take this 22.5-mile scenic detour near the 900-mile Idaho Centennial Trail to access multiple scrambles up Sawtooth spires.

Explore liquid horizons, crushed-shell beaches, and islands hedged with thick mangroves on this three-day tour in the Gulf of Mexico.

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.

This 5.6-mile out-and-back in Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge runs across pristine sand dunes that overlook the Pacific Ocean.

Explore "California's Serengeti" on this 14-mile out-and-back to a 4,404-foot summit high above Carrizo Plain National Monument

Hike some of the most rugged yet picturesque coastline along the Central California coast at this secluded state park in San Luis Obispo County.

This 4.6-mile trek to Grass Mountain is a steep one (2,100 feet in 1.5 miles), but the payoffs are worth it. You'll find spectacular summit views and some of the best wildflower displays in the state.

Santa Barbara Island is the smallest island in the Channel Islands National Park. It's the most remote and furthest offshore, roughly 45 miles. One loop trail covers the one-square-mile islet. The windswept isle is home to seals, sea lions, seabirds and the secretive island night lizard.

Sample a 15-mile stretch of the Long Trail on this challenging leg between Appalachian Gap and Duxbury Road. Expect steep scrambles, big elevation gains, and sweet views.

This 21.5-mile clockwise loop in Grand Canyon National Park strings together faint trails and an Eden of waterfalls and swimming holes.

Tackle one of the toughest and least crowded routes in the Grand Canyon on this 24.4-mile loop.

Scale a giant treehouse, explore an abandoned mine, and skirt a towering fortress on this 1.6-mile loop in Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

Climb to the highest views in Texas on this 8-mile trek to the rocky summit of Guadalupe Peak.

This 8-mile stroll through the Winding Stair area offers dayhikers some of the most scenic viewpoints in the Ouachita Mountains.

Have no time to thru-hike the entire Appalachian Trail? No worries. Tackle this 40.5-mile section hike through Maryland over the course of a long weekend.

Ascend Camels Hump's 4,083-foot summit for panoramic views of the Green Mountains, the Adirondacks, and Mount Washington.

This 7.8-mile point-to-point, just minutes from Chattanooga, follows the Cumberland Trail to a viewpoint high above the Tennessee River Gorge.

A dark, cozy cabin overlooking the Holy Cross Wilderness is your reward for this winter 2.75-mile trek. Ski- or snowshoe-appropriate grades and easy access from Tennessee Pass make this a great novice 10th Mountain Division hut trip.

Stretch your legs on this easy out-and-back off the Colorado National Monument's Rim Rock Road. The A gently sloping 0.4-mile downhill ends at an overlook of Monument Canyon's best.

Warm up alongside Cat Harbor before a steep ascent—900 feet in 0.4 miles—to Ballast Point. This 3-miler loops east of Cat Harbor to a vantage point overlooking Two Harbors and a string of other islands.

Warm up with a huff-and-puff climb to Montgomery Flats and wind through a forested ridgeline. This 13.5-mile out-and-back ends at the 10th Mountain Division's Harry Gates Hut, a cozy destination that's worth the trek.

Score wildlife sightings daily and choice views hourly on this weeklong circuit in Glacier National Park.

Climb 600 feet above Golden to one of its guardian mesa-tops. Big views of the Denver skyline and the continental divide reward the 0.9-mile one-way climb.

Hit Texas' 6th highest peak--a lesser-known attraction in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Hundred-mile views reward for the 2,500-foot climb on this challenging 9.2-mile out-and-back.

Follow the Colorado River to a shady overlook above Texas Hill Country on this easy, 3.8-mile loop through McKinney Roughs Nature Park.

This 6.2-mile round-trip links a series of beaches and coastal bluffs 15 minutes from Santa Barbara.

Explore an abandoned ranch, island fauna, cave-pocketed canyons, and a secluded beach on this 2-mile trek along southeastern edge of Santa Cruz Island.

Old cattle ranchers didn't call this desert canyon Hellhole Canyon for nothing. They used to herd cattle up the canyon to an oasis for 3 miles. It must've been tough for the cattle scrambling over granite boulders, but for day hikers it's a gem in the middle of the Colorado Desert.

Hike the western fringe of the Santa Ynez Mountains, one of the few ranges that runs east to west. Gaviota Peak overlooks the Pacific Ocean, the scenic Gaviota Coast and the Los Padres National Forest.

This out and back hike runs through one of the prettiest backcountry canyons in Santa Barbara County in the Los Padres National Forest. A steady creek runs the entire length of Fir Canyon underneath a canopy of Douglas fir, sycamore and pine trees

A short and easy introductory hike in Arizona's San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.

Explore constant pools in the rock, called huecos, along with rock art and desert views on this hike through the part of the state park open to the public.

Hike up this narrowing canyon along a trickling creek to Darwin Falls.

Fascinating rock walls and formations make for an interesting hike up this canyon near Stovepipe Wells Village in Death Valley National Park.

Trek through the far western heights of Brecon Beacons National Park, a landscape steeped in Arthurian legend, on this 11-mile route that starts in Llanddeusant.

Tag the Brecon Beacons' highest summit (2,907 feet), then descend one of the park’s wild, water-filled canyons on this 4.9-mile loop.

Hike 5.75 miles through Palo Duro Canyon State Park where sandstone buttes soar above the Grand Canyon of Texas. The payoff? Front-row sights of the 300-foot-tall spire known as the Lighthouse. Tip: Go on a weekday for quiet trails.

This view-a-second section often runs atop a 500-foot precipice, so you might want to stick to the pub in the most ferocious weather. Even on fine days, the steep 5.5-mile trek is a challenge.

This 9.7-mile segment runs from a tidy harbor village to a vast beach, and ends only two road miles from a don’t-miss sixth-century church and museum in St. Davids.

This 9.6-mile scrambly route threads between Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach before wandering along treeless tundra and descending through a massive, abandoned slate quarry.

Climb across the crest of the Rhinog Range on this short, 2.3-mile dayhike in Snowdonia National Park.

This 1.9-mile out-and-back leads to a steep, but climbable crag in Snowdonia National Park.

This 5.5-miler descends into the Haleakala Crater, circles the Ka Lu'u o ka 'O'o cinder cone, and showcases views of volcanic landscapes.

Hike across Maui's most recent lava flow around a gorgeous turquoise bay frequented by spinner dolphins. Bring your snorkel gear for a refreshing dip post-hike.

This 3.6-mile route in Haleakala National Park leads through bamboo forests to a 400-foot spring-fed waterfall in a sheer-walled lava amphitheater.

This coastside trail in Wai'anapanapa State Park packs so many photo-worthy views into its two miles that it can easily occupy half a day. Bonus: Take a post-hike dip in a freshwater cave.

This 7-mile circuit in Snowdonia National Park ascends Crib Goch en route to Snowdon (the highest peak in Wales), then descends the rugged ridgeline of Y Lliwedd.

This short hike leads to one of Maui's more spectacular blowholes, and to an alien-looking rocky landscape tortured by the relentless wind and surf of the north coast.

Take this 9 mile hike on pleasant forests to impressive vistas of Table Mountain and Sacaquawea and Papoose Rocks before getting to a beautiful twisty waterfall.

This 8-mile out-and-back makes for an excellent early-season romp up a narrow river canyon, boasting three gorgeous waterfalls, an ample serving of primitive campsites, and options for longer loops and side trips.

Hike to the highest point in Point Reyes National Seashore on this 6.3-mile loop that visits the wooded summit of Mount Wittenberg.

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.

Start this burly, 14.5-mile one-way hike at 7,460-foot Lava Point and drop 3,150 feet to the Grotto. En route, tick off Zion’s greatest hits from the pine-studded sandstone basins of Phantom Valley to the dizzying drops on Angel’s Landing (miles six and 12). Camp at Potato Hollow and Cabin Springs.

Navigate a maze of old logging roads and narrow tracks on this 5 mile loop through Portland's Tualatin Mountains, keeping your eyes peeled for birds and wildlife.

Keep your eyes peeled for bald eagles and cascade peak views on this 3-mile loop trail just minutes from downtown.

This urban riverfront walk through downtown Bend links wide green parks and visits the old Mill District.

Hike this short, steep route to an 1,145' crest above the Columbia River for spectacular views of the eastern Gorge.

Take two days to savor this 4.6-mile (one-way) climb that ends on the Pfeifferhorn, a rocky, 11,326-foot peak less than an hour from Salt Lake.

Tired of the bright lights & slot machines of the Vegas Strip? Head out to Red Rock Canyon for a rewarding hike that will take your breath away (in more ways than one).

This 1.1-mile loop in Valley of Fire State Park features towering rock formations, tight slot canyons, and picturesque desert landscapes.

Hike up Steens Mountain via Big Indian Canyon. Crest the summit, and trek down to return via Little Blitzen Canyon.

Breitenbush Lake - Jefferson Park. 7.5 mile RT to the Ridge, 11 to Russell Lake.

Climb a 3,333-foot sandstone spire just four miles north of Santa Barbara.

This 9.5-mile section of the Oregon Coast Trail winds south on sandy beaches punctuated with craggy headlands and 235-foot Haystack Rock.

4 trails link together to create a brutal loop dayhike in the Oregon Coast Range.

Climb to a 5,349-foot summit in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park on this 8.2-mile out-and-back.

Ascend 2,000 feet in 2.5 miles to tag this 10,457-foot volcano with sweeping views of Mt. Shasta and Lake Almanor.

This Foothills favorite circles a gulch with a cascading spring and bird's-eye views of downtown Boise.

Hike to prolific wildflower displays and up-close views of Mount Rainier on this 8.4-mile out-and-back in Mount Rainier National Park.

Soak up five-star views of the snow-capped Cascades and Seattle's skyline from a 6,280-foot summit on this 8.5-miler in Olympic National Forest.

Crest a 3,600-foot high point overlooking the Spokane Valley on this 5-mile loop in Iller Creek Conservation Area.

Climb to a rocky highpoint in the San Gabriel Mountains on this 6.7-mile dayhike in Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area.

Explore a slot canyon outside Las Vegas on this 3.6-mile out-and-back in the Spring Mountains.

This 6.9-mile lasso loop in Rancho Seco Recreational Area traces a lake and tours golden grassland.

This 10.2-miler in Chugach State Park threads through a broad river valley to two backcountry lakes teeming with trout and views of 6,000-foot peaks.

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

This 8.7-mile round-trip has two tough, rocky ascents that lead to solitude atop the Massanutten Range.

Climb 1,500 feet on this moderate 9.4-mile circuit.

This 14-mile out-and-back ascends Sisar Canyon to a viewpoint overlooking the Sespe Wilderness.