From sea to shining sea, the United States is home to miles upon miles of gorgeous hiking trails – 193,500 miles of trails on federal land and another 42,500 on state land according to the American Hiking Society. In 2013 an estimated 34 million hikers hit the American trails.
For the past four weeks USA TODAY 10Best readers have been voting for their favorite park for hiking from a pool of 20 nominees, and the results are in!
Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park took the title by a wide margin, thanks to its 350+ miles of trails – everything from relaxed strolls to intense treks to altitudes of over 12,000 feet.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Park for Hiking are as follows:
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Isle Royale National Park
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
- Ocala National Forest
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Zion National Park
- Glacier National Park
- Shenandoah National Park
- Yosemite National Park
A panel of experts picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Peter Olsen (American Hiking Society), Karen Berger (America's Great Hiking Trails) and Diana Gerstacker (The Active Times) were chosen based on their extensive knowledge of hiking in U.S. parks.
Other nominees for Best Park for Hiking included Arches National Park, Baxter State Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Chugach National Forest, Denali National Park, Mt. Hood National Forest, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, Superior National Forest and White River National Forest.
10Best and USA TODAY extend their congratulations to all the winners.
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The Experts
Peter Olsen
Peter Olsen is the Vice President for Programs and... Read More
Peter Olsen is the Vice President for Programs and Government Relations at American Hiking Society. With American Hiking Society for more than 10 years,Peter has had the chance to both hike many trails as well as pitch in to help build and maintain them. Appreciative of the gift of public lands and trails that this generation was given by those who have gone before us, Peter is determined to see that they are passed on to future generations in even better condition.
Peter Olsen

Peter Olsen is the Vice President for Programs and Government Relations at American Hiking Society. With American Hiking Society for more than 10 years,Peter has had the chance to both hike many trails as well as pitch in to help build and maintain them. Appreciative of the gift of public lands and trails that this generation was given by those who have gone before us, Peter is determined to see that they are passed on to future generations in even better condition.
Karen Berger
Karen Berger is the author of the New York Times... Read More
Karen Berger is the author of the New York Times bestselling travel book, America's Great Hiking Trails (Rizzoli, 2014). She has hiked more than 18,000 miles on six continents.
Karen Berger

Karen Berger is the author of the New York Times bestselling travel book, America's Great Hiking Trails (Rizzoli, 2014). She has hiked more than 18,000 miles on six continents.
Diana Gerstacker
Diana Gerstacker is an Editor at The Active Times... Read More
Diana Gerstacker is an Editor at The Active Times where she writes about travel, fitness and the outdoors. Her articles are frequently syndicated to the webpages of FoxNews, ThePostGame and Sports Illustrated. When not writing or editing, you can find her reading fiction, hiking or searching the world for the absolute best cup of dark roast coffee.
Diana Gerstacker

Diana Gerstacker is an Editor at The Active Times where she writes about travel, fitness and the outdoors. Her articles are frequently syndicated to the webpages of FoxNews, ThePostGame and Sports Illustrated. When not writing or editing, you can find her reading fiction, hiking or searching the world for the absolute best cup of dark roast coffee.