5 Best Hiking Trails In The US, According To Adventure Chasers

1. Nugget Falls Trail in Tongass National Forest, Alaska

The Nugget Falls Trail in Tongass National Forest, Alaska, offers hikers a relatively easy yet breathtaking journey to one of Southeast Alaska’s most impressive waterfalls. This 2-mile round trip trail provides stunning views of Mendenhall Glacier along the way, culminating in an up-close experience with the powerful 377-foot Nugget Falls cascading into Mendenhall Lake. Travel and Leisure calls this trail as a golden nugget: “The area is a nature-lover’s paradise with visitors often spotting bald eagles, sockeye salmon, and black bear cubs. Visitors can choose to hike through dense forests and meadows, explore caves, or even venture on a wooden ‘boardwalk’ trail through swampy bogs, called muskegs. The Nugget Falls Trail provides incredible views of the waterfall and the glacier, and it’s a relatively easy, 2-mile hike.”

The Planet D ranks this trail as number one, too, saying: “The Nugget Falls Trail is a popular hike leaving from the Mendenhall Glacier visitors center. Mendenhall Glacier is one of Alaska’s most iconic glaciers.”

2. Angels Landing Trail in Zion National Park, Utah

This trail is said to be so stunning. Some may say it’s angelic. Where Are Those Morgans writes: “Famous hikes in the U.S, don’t come any more terrifying yet rewarding than the knee-wobbling ascent to Angels Landing. Is it worth it? Well, views down Zion’s main canyon from the top are staggeringly impressive and you will have conquered one of the scariest hikes in the entire U.S. National Park network.”

Even though it’s a little bit scary, you won’t walk alone. “This is a very popular area for hiking, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. The best times to visit this trail are February through October,” points out All Trails.

The Planet D says, “It offers views of so many different formations in Zion. There is so much exploration to be done in Zion that is good to plan more than one day here.”

3. Skyline Trail in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

The Skyline Trail in Mount Rainier National Park is a spectacular 5.5-mile loop that showcases the best of the Pacific Northwest’s alpine scenery. As hikers ascend through wildflower meadows and rocky ridges, they’re rewarded with panoramic views of Mount Rainier’s glaciated slopes, as well as distant peaks of the Cascade Range on clear days. Earth Trekkers ranks Skyline Trail highly, stating, “For spectacular views of Mount Rainier National Park, put the Skyline Trail Loop on your bucket list. With ever-changing views and a chance to get up close to Mount Rainier, this is an unforgettable experience.”

This trail is also ranked as one of the best in the U.S. for fall foliage. “One of the best Mount Rainier hikes to experience the beautiful autumn colors is the Skyline Trail, where you’ll climb through meadows of vibrant wildflowers, along the 14,411-foot giant’s slopes, from huckleberries to scarlet paintbrush, to see the Nisqually Glacier up close and personal and have views of the surrounding Cascades and their technicolor fall foliage as far as the eye can see,” adds Solo Sophie.

4. Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, California

The Half Dome hike in Yosemite National Park is an iconic and challenging 14-16 mile round trip that culminates in a thrilling climb up the rock face using steel cables. This strenuous trail offers breathtaking views of Yosemite Valley, including landmarks like Nevada Fall and Liberty Cap, before reaching the summit of the park’s most recognizable granite monolith at 8,846 feet above sea level. This hike definitely takes your full commitment. “This roundtrip hike takes you to the top of Yosemite’s famous granite dome. You get amazing views of Vernal and Nevada Falls and the Yosemite Valley. The most iconic portion of the hike is the final 400 feet to the summit where you climb up using two metal cables, and it requires a permit,” says Local Adventurer. 

And the Travel Channel describes it as a rush: “For many, ascending Half Dome is the ultimate American day hike. The iconic granite dome rises 5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley, and even for experienced hikers, the 14- to 16-mile journey to its summit can be a heart-pounding rush. Half Dome’s final 400 feet are famous for the metal cable system that allows hikers to pull themselves up to the summit.”

“Visitors, however, are warned on the national park’s site that this trail is exclusively for well-prepared and experienced hikers, as the elevation gain of 4,800 feet can feel overwhelming. In total, the hike usually takes between 10 and 12 hours to complete,” warns Travel and Leisure.

5. Rim Trail in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

No best U.S. hiking list would be complete without the Grand Canyon. Hello Landing raves about the views on the Rim Trail, stating, “The Grand Canyon National Park Rim Trail stretches 12 miles along the southern rim of the Grand Canyon, offering hikers a mostly flat option with nonstop spectacular views of the canyon.”

It’s a must-have on every bucket list. “The bottom line is that — from a hiking perspective — the Grand Canyon has it all, and it deserves to be near or at the top of every avid hiker’s to-visit list,” notes Wildland Trekking. 

What should you expect? “It goes from the South Kaibab Trailhead to Hermit’s Rest for 13 miles (20 km) taking you through the Grand Canyon visitor center, Grand Canyon Village, Mojave Point, Monument Creek Vista, and finally Hermit’s Rest,” explains The Planet D.