The US has 63 different national parks. Each has a unique landscape marked by its individual geography and flora. There are thousands of trails through them, but the ones on this list stand out amongst the masses.
Leading you through an array of landscapes, from canyons with breathtaking rock formations to icy mountain edges, the trails showcase the breathtaking diversity of terrains in the US.
Some of the trails are as short as 1.4 miles long, whilst others cover distances up to 12 miles. Bear in mind a lot of these trails close in the winter season due to thick snow and the risk of the trails becoming too slippery with ice.
10. Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm, North Cascades National Park
This staggering 12-mile trail reaches 7,570 feet at its highest point and has a staggering 4,000-feet elevation gain. Despite being a high-altitude landscape, the terrain boasts many rolling alpine meadows that feel serene and peaceful.
In the summer months, the flora is especially captivating as glacier lilies blanket the mountain.
At the start of the trail, there are incredible views of Sahale Mountain and its glacier. Further on it’ll lead you along the shoulder of this very mountain, with views of peaks like Torment and Forbidden in the distance.
9. Beehive Loop Trail, Acadia National Park
Although short, this 1.4-mile loop is pretty tough. The terrain is rocky and there is an ascent up a 450-foot cliff with exposed edges. There are iron rungs along this stretch of the path and a granite staircase has been etched into the rockface to help you.
The great thing about this hike is that it combines forest and mountain landscapes with picturesque views of the Atlantic Ocean and coastline!
You can see Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and the Gulf of Maine from the trail.
8. South Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon National Park
Steep and arduous, the 6-mile out and back South Kaibab Trail offers breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon and submerges you in the park’s unique landscape. Riddled with panoramic, photo-worthy stops, it’s a popular Grand Canyon hike.
The hike starts and ends at the South Rim. Bring a hat along because there isn’t much shade on this rocky trail! Expect steep steps and exposed, vertigo-inducing stretches of trail.
One of the coolest spots along the South Kaibab Trail is the Ooh-Aah Point, which has views worthy of its name!
7. Harding Icefield Trail, Kenai Fjords National Park
This memorable 8.2-mile hike will lead you through breathtaking winter landscapes that pass the Exit Glacier and end with panoramic views across the Harding Icefield.
Did you know that the Harding Icefield is the largest icefield located entirely in the US? It was formed over time as the area’s snow was compressed and frozen into ice. It stretches for some 700 square miles and reaches depths of 4,000 feet!
There are, in fact, 40 glaciers at the edge of the icefield, but the trail only takes you to the most accessible, the Exit Glacier.
6. Navajo Loop Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park
This iconic trail in Bryce Canyon begins and ends at Sunset Point. The trail zig-zags to the floor of the rust-colored Bryce Canyon. Towering rock formations stick out at the edge of the primitive dust track.
A mere 1.4 miles long, the trail splits in two early on. If you take the right-hand trail and then take the lower trail when the path forks again you’ll arrive at the notorious Wall Street hoodoo formation. There are two towering 750-year-old Douglas trees there too.
Carry on along the Navajo Loop and you’ll come to the Twin Bridges and Thor’s Hammer hoodoo formations. Thor’s hammer is especially impressive, and lives up to its name!
5. Mist Trail, Yosemite National Park
One of the great things about the Mist Trail in Yosemite National Park is that you can pick and choose how far you walk. There are even incredible views from the Vernal Footbridge just 0.8 miles into the trail.
To reach Vernal Fall it’s a 3-mile loop that weaves through the landscape until the mighty waterfall. Bring a raincoat, you’re bound to get wet from the waterfall spray! A force to be reckoned with, the 317-foot waterfall is the second-biggest fall along the Merced River.
Want to continue exploring the incredible landscape of Yosemite National Park? Then hike a further 2 miles to reach the 594-foot high Nevada Fall.
4. Avalanche Lake Trail, Glacier National Park
The trail up to Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park is some 5 miles long there and back. It starts at the Avalanche Campground area, and then follows the Trail of the Cedars before branching off about halfway through the hike.
You’ll hike through miles of thick green forest before coming out into a vast opening. Surrounded by an amphitheater of steep mountain peaks decorated with cascading waterfalls, the landscape surrounding the lake is captivating.
If you want to keep walking, you can continue the hike for another 0.7 miles and hike to the other side of the lake.
3. Delicate Arch Trail, Arches National Park
This 3-mile-long round trip trail in Arches National Park offers a blend of history and panoramic views. The Delicate Arch is possibly the most recognizable symbol of the state of Utah.
Standing 46 feet high and 32 feet wide, it is the world’s largest free-standing arch in Arches National Park. The park has a whopping 2,000 stone arches in total!
Along the Delicate Arch Trail, you’ll also pass the Wolfe Ranch Cabin which was once the home of John Wesley Wolfe. You’ll also pass a wall of historical petroglyphs carved into the rock by the Ute people.
2. Skyline Trail, Mount Rainier National Park
The Skyline Trail starts at Paradise and then weaves through the mountainous landscape of the breathtaking Mount Rainier National Park. Hike through thick patches of evergreen forest as you climb towards higher grounds with panoramic views.
Along the 6.2 mile long trail, you’ll also pass Myrtle Falls. The spectacular 72-foot-high waterfall has views of the snowy peaks of Mount Rainier in the background.
The trail leads you to Panorama Point, which has breathtaking views over the national park. On a clear day, you can see as far as Mount Hood in Oregon!
1. Angels Landing, Zion National Park
The adrenaline-inducing Angels Landing trail weaves through the steep rust-red cliffs that characterize Zion National Park. It’s 5.4 miles long and reaches 5,790 feet of elevation.
The scariest part of the trail is the last leg before the trail’s summit. Etched into the steep spine of the Angels Landing rock formation, the trail climbs 1,500 feet along a narrow fin of stone path.
Incredibly, the trail was built in 1926. Today, there’s a small metal chain that you can hold onto as you walk past the sheer drops to the other side of the trail.
The rewards for tackling this vertigo-inducing trail are the spectacular views from the top of Angels Landing.
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