The Most Scenic Hiking Trails in Every State

Dogs, horses, and humans are welcome on this 6.6-mile trail that snakes from Hurricane Creek through Turkey Creek near Scottsboro. Although the trail is rated as difficult, the payoff for reaching the terminus is catching sight of a spectacular waterfall flowing from a bowl-shaped limestone structure known as the Walls of Jericho.

Less than one percent of the five million people who annually visit the Grand Canyon dare to set off on this grueling 24-mile trail from the canyon’s North to South Rim. But those with the training, stamina, and proper gear for the challenge enjoy rare views of the Colorado River, and, get this—breathtaking views of eleven layers of ancient rock.

As one of the most popular trails in Arkansas, this easy 2.1-mile trail near Ponka is heavily trafficked on weekends. But walk it on a weekday, and you’ll enjoy relative solitude as you peer at the dazzling Eden Falls, the mysterious Cobb Cave, and flora such as crested iris, mayapple, and comfrey.

The low elevation gain of this 5.5-mile trail near Berlin, peaking at 560 feet, makes for an easy day hike. But the gravity-defying cliff faces you’ll encounter along the route to Ragged Mountain, a basalt volcanic formation, will make you feel as though you’re on top of the world.

Experience life in an 18th-century Quaker settlement when you hike this trail at First State National Historical Park in the bucolic 1,100-acre Beaver Valley, surrounded by quaint winding roads and farms. While the rolling hills that the 4.7-mile trail traverses make hiking challenging at times, colorful wildflowers and chirruping birds give you reason to stop and rest your legs among the natural beauty.

Walk on the wild side of Kauai by strolling this rugged 11-mile trail from Ke'e Beach to Kalalau Beach on the island’s Na Pali Coast. The trail serves as the only mode of land access to five stream-filled valleys, culminating in an awe-inspiring fluted cliff.

The deepest river gorge in the country lives not in the Grand Canyon, but rather at Hells Canyon, a one-mile-deep geological feature that Idahoans and out-of-staters journey to see up close. Straddling Oregon and Idaho, the 11.9-mile trail is filled with shadowy basalt rock formations, enchanting elk, and striking wildflowers at various altitudes.

Whether you’re a greenhorn or a seasoned trekker, you’ll find terrain suited for your hiking abilities between the four miles of trail that fill Ledges State Park, near Boone. While hikers must cross steeper ground to reach lookout points such as Pea's Creek Canyon, Inspiration Point, or Crow's Nest, those who prefer a less strenuous excursion can traverse the interpretative trail at the southern end of the park, where engaging signage educates and entertains the curious traveler.

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You can access this 15-mile trail near Elk City from one of two main trailheads. Blue trail blazes and mile markers aid in navigation, while streams, ravines, narrow canyons, and limestone bluffs make the trek easy on the eyes.

While the Appalachian National Scenic Trail spans 14 states, the 281-mile stretch that runs through Maine is known as the most rugged. But the sights along the way, including moose, bears, and loons, as well as the view of Mount Katahdin at the terminus of the trail, make the trek well worth the occasional pain.

This 4.7-mile loop in Great Falls Park, spanning Maryland and Virginia, takes you from the Visitor Center through highlights such as Mather Plaque, Cow Hoof Rock, Old Carriage Road, and back. If your legs grow weary along the way, stop at three overlooks, snap photos in front of a waterfall near the 2.4-mile mark, or snack at a large nearby picnic ground.

For the fleet of foot, this 310-mile trail following a ridgeline above Lake Superior offers waterfalls, forests, and wildlife in spades. Ninety-three backcountry campsites stationed every five to eight miles allow backpackers and campers to rest up before hitting the next segment of the trail.

Accessible from the Black Creek Trailhead, Fairley Bridge Landing, or Big Creek Landing, this 39-mile trail hugging the the Black Creek River takes you up and down rolling hills to the Black Creek flood plain. Thanks to 100 nearby bridges and boardwalks, you could practically complete the trek without muddying your boots.

This 1.6 mile trail near Mitchell takes you from the Visitor Center to the summit of Scotts Bluff, an 800-foot national monument. But while short, the trail is anything but easy. You’ll ascend 435 feet in elevation in total, all the while brushing past vibrant needle-and-thread grass and eyeing raptors overhead and delicate spiderwort flowers on the prairie floor.

A trek across this 38-mile trail near Elko is full of ups and downs—in elevation, that is. The trail’s high point is at Wines Peak of the Ruby Mountains, at a soaring 10,893 feet above the ground, and its low point is at the trail’s southern terminus at Harrison Pass, at 7,200 feet.

Inexperienced hikers need not tread this 7.8-mile footpath near Franconia, infamous for an impossibly narrow 1.7-mile ridge dubbed the “knife’s edge.” But the daring 700 people who make the nail-biting trek from Mount Lafayette to Mount Lincoln to Little Haystack each day are rewarded with stunning views of mountain peaks, fertile valleys, and refreshing waterfalls.

Paddlers come to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to wade across the Delaware River. Anglers cast their lines for trout. But for hikers, the area’s biggest attractions are the 58 miles of trail at the north end of the park, and the 77 miles in the southern region, peppered with towering trees, streams, and waterfalls.

This 16.2 mile trail starting near the Aspen Basin Campground passes Santa Fe Baldy and the Penitent and Lake Peaks, two of the most iconic in New Mexico’s Pecos Wilderness, before depositing you back at the trailhead. But as you might expect from a trail named after a mountaineer, one Anatoli Boukreev, its elevation gain of 5,249 feet, along with notably precarious points, such as a six-foot vertical drop near Katharine Lake, make the trail one for experienced hikers only.

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Undeterred by the trail’s menacing moniker, many an experienced hiker has spent a half a day making the 3.7-mile trek across this trail loop starting and ending near a tunnel west of Route 9D. If you count yourself among these daredevils, be prepared to get your hands dirty; you’ll need to get on all fours at certain rock ledges to make the 1,442-foot ascent up Breakneck Ridge.

Follow the Appalachian Trail from Carvers Gap to Highway 19E via this difficult 13.3-mile trail near Bakersville for sweeping views of the Roan, Yellow, Little Hump, and Hump Mountains. Shelters along the trail, notably the Stan Murray and Overmountain Shelters, allow for rest breaks on the long trek.

Outdoor enthusiasts of all skill levels embark on this 1.1-mile loop trail for a casual jaunt through the southern end of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Short though the trek may be, one look at the Painted Canyon, along with chance encounters with bison, horses, and garter snakes along the desert, flatlands, and grasslands, are bound to make an impression.

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Escape the chaos of Cleveland for the secluded Ritchie Ledges, sandstone cliffs known simply as “The Ledges” by locals. The best way to get there? Follow this rugged 1.7-mile loop trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, sprinkled with petroglyphs dating to the turn of the 20th century.

Go full circle around this 4.7-mile loop trail near Tulsa for primo views of the shimmering Pepsi Lake, the Arkansas River, and the 104-foot Turkey Mountain. Stay connected to city life by taking a water break at Vista Point, a hot spot for spying the hustle and bustle of downtown Tulsa.

From South Falls at the trailhead, to Upper North Falls at the eastern end, you’ll spot 10 invigorating waterfalls along this 7.8-mile loop in the 9,000-acre Silver Falls State Park. When you’ve worked up an appetite, grab a bite to eat at the rustic cafeteria at the South Falls Lodge, which invites passersby with the scent of smoldering firewood.

For a moderately strenuous hike with views of no less than 17 waterfalls and a glistening lake, it's to Ricketts Glen Falls that you must go. Campers and dogs are welcome, so long as they're leashed (the dogs, not the campers).

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This strenuous two-mile trail near Hope Valley is commonly known as the most challenging hike in the Audubon Refuge. The upshot of completing it? Killer views of uncommon wildlife and plants, from hemlock and rhododendron to painted turtles and worm-eating warblers.

You’ll gain 2,240 feet in elevation as you climb this 6.4-mile L-shaped trail near Pickens, extending from Pinnacle Lake to Table Mountain. En route, your fellow travelers will include white-tailed deer, raccoons, gray foxes, and wild turkeys.

For the best view of South Dakota’s White River Valley, follow this 1.5-mile trail in Badlands National Park through a canyon, up a log ladder, and along a canyon ledge to “The Notch” overlooking the valley. But acrophobes need not enter; the trail features several steep drop-offs.

Named after Roaring Fork, one of the faster flowing streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this 5.5-mile motor trail invites hikers to put away their hiking poles and get behind the wheel to see nature. While trucks, trailers, and RVs aren’t permitted on the trail, cars can speed through the one-way looped road for views of quaint log cabins, grist mills, and whimsical old-growth forest.

Featuring 2,000 feet of elevation gain over a rugged 10 miles, this trail near Salt Flat, Texas from the McKittrick Canyon Visitors Center to McKittrick Ridge poses a challenge for all but the most advanced hikers. Because you’ll have no mile markers to guide you, keep your eyes peeled for a dense expanse of Ponderosa Pine trees as a sign that you have reached the ridge.

Located in Arches National Park, the 52-foot free-standing natural arch known as the Delicate Arch has long stood as a symbol of the grandeur of the state of Utah. The ultimate vantage point from which to view it is this 2.9-mile trail that guides you uphill from Delicate Arch Road past Slickrock Slab and finally to the dramatic arch, surrounded by a rock amphitheater.

The pinnacle of hiking in Vermont is this 3.7-mile trail extending from Upper Hollow Road to Stowe Pinnacle, one of the peaks of the 4,393-foot Green Mountains. The trail follows a straight line for the majority of the course before taking a sharp turn at around the 3.3 mile mark, affording panoramic mountain views.

There’s no wrong way to hike the Old Rag Trail in Shenandoah National Park, but the most popular route will have you climbing up the Ridge Trail, traversing a rock scramble to the summit of the Old Rag Mountain, than going downhill via the Saddle Trail to Weakley Hollow Fire Road and back to the trailhead. The mountain’s multiple false summits may fool you into believing you’ve reached the top of the mountain before you actually have. Remember: You haven’t reached the summit until you’ve seen the mountain’s brown elevation sign!

Although the Western rattlesnake has been known to inhabit eastern Washington, where this trail is found, the most menacing aspect of Rattlesnake Ledge Trail is not the reptiles, but rather the steep incline. The trail winds from Rattlesnake Lake to Rattlesnake Upper Ledge, gaining 1,469 feet in elevation over the course of 5.1 miles.

This two-day, 16.5-mile trek is the perfect way to spend a weekend in West Virginia. Starting at the trailhead near the Spruce Knob parking area, you’ll pass campsites, meadows, and waterfalls, and cross wooden footbridges on your way to Seneca Creek, a 19.6-mile tributary.

Traversed by one million people each year, the Ice Age National Scenic Trail follows the edge of an ancient glacier from Interstate State Park in St. Croix Falls, Polk County to Potawatomi State Park in Sturgeon Bay, affording rare views of geological formations that were sculpted by the glacier’s retreat. Believe it or not, all 1,000 miles of the footpath fit within the state of Wisconsin, and those who complete it can apply to join the exclusive ranks of other “Thousand Milers.”