Best Park for Hiking (2015)

Relaxed Rocky Mountain-strolls give way to sick, spectacular summit hikes that culminate upwards of 12,000 feet. Behold the 350+ miles of Rocky Mountain National Park’s trails, a Colorado trekkers’ paradise where distance doesn’t necessarily dictate the hiker’s reward. Case in point, the Alberta Falls Trail winds little more than a half-mile but remains among the park’s most popular. Why? Those who venture enjoy the gushing torrent of Glacier Creek as it careens over a stunning waterfall.
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An outdoor enthusiast’s wonderland at the U.S.-Canadian border, Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park boasts myriad day hikes into the solace of its woodlands, but more experienced trekkers may choose to tackle its Greenstone Ridge Trail over several days. This roughly 40-mile route runs the length of the island, which is one of America’s least-visited national parks, a pristine gem that Great Lakes Staters – particularly those who love its Lake Superior locale – are happy to have much to themselves.
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Hiking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park can be a literal badge of honor. The park’s “Hike the Smokies” program encourages folks to log their mileage in a record book and earn badges, pins and kudos along with all the great exercise and fresh air. Awards for 100-, 250- and 500-milers notwithstanding, a similar program encourages the youngest hikers to get in on the fun with awards for families who log 10-, 40- and 50-miles on the trails. The famous Appalachian Trail (known to some as the AT) runs for 71 miles through this park, passing numerous notable landmarks along the way.
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Towering Sequoia sentinels, rushing waterfalls, great granite cliff faces are just a few features breathless hikers enjoy at these conjoined California parks. The mountain views aren’t half bad, either – elevations here range from 1,370 to 14,494 feet! While the Grant Grove area is popular for hikes featuring General Grant, one of the world’s largest living trees, those looking for sweeping vistas may favor the steep Moro Rock Trail which rewards hikers with magnificent views of the Great Western Divide.
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“Not only can you hike 100 miles of continuous trail on the Florida National Scenic Trail here,” notes hiking expert Peter Olsen, “but there are many other opportunities to explore the unique and wondrous beauty of this place.” Indeed, backpackers flock to Ocala and its wondrous miles that meander through woodlands, pine sandhills and other unique Florida habitats, but so, too, do novices enjoy the forest’s easy-walking half-mile boardwalks, a beautiful beginners’ method of exploring a wilderness Olsen calls, “spectacular.”
Photo courtesy of US Forest Service photo by Susan Blake

Want to time travel? The colorful rock layers of Grand Canyon National Park represent three of the four eras of geological time and its many trails allows hikers to explore both the Southern Rim or less-explored Northern Rim. Though hikes here allow for a range of ability, experts agree there are no truly easy paths into the canyon. “Explore the unique geography and soak up the spirit of this special place but do so carefully,” says hiking expert Peter Olsen. “Read up about the trail you’ll be hiking and be adequately prepared, then go enjoy the splendor.”
Photo courtesy of Grand Canyon National Park

The pioneers, and the Native American ancients before them, were the first to marvel at the massive sandstone cliffs of Zion National Park, where every sunrise and set transforms the rock’s colors into a show that rivals the most elaborate of fireworks displays. The popular Narrows, with its thousand-foot walls, is one way to literally get your feet wet hiking at Zion. There are easy and moderate hikes a’plenty, along with precipitous journeys; acrophobic hikers need not apply! Backcountry fans may choose to visit the famed Kolob Arch; the trail to get there boasts some of Zion’s most beautiful scenery.
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With the rugged and beautiful Montana terrain as a hiker’s carrot, the winding trails of Glacier National Park are enjoyed in some capacity by more than half of its annual visitors. And with some 700 miles of them to explore, both newcomers to the pastime, as well as seasoned vets, will find ample opportunity for scenic day hikes and long-haul backpacking excursions. Outstanding waterfall, lake, meadow and of course, mountain views abound. A couple of trails are even wheelchair-accessible.
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Bold, beautiful wilderness lies less than 100 miles from the nation’s capital, a place powerful and pristine enough to cleanse hikers from the work-day woes. Even the political kind. Visitors meander amid jagged rocks, quiet forests cascading waterfalls, enjoying everything from moderate out-and-backs to the trails that navigate Hawksbill, leading hikers to its summit and the highest point (4,051 feet). The best vistas here generally fall outside the summer season, when pollution from the nearby cities can haze up the views.
Photo courtesy of Shenandoah National Park

Sure, Yosemite's a classic – and quite well known, “but it’s classic and well-known for a reason,” says expert Peter Olsen, vice president for programs and government relations at the American Hiking Society. “The beauty you encounter here will take your breath away.” Indeed visitors can wander amid its grove of giant sequoias on one- to five-hour hikes, spy waterfalls and wildflowers in the oft-overlooked Hetch Hetchy, or secure a permit to conquer Yosemite’s iconic and beautiful Half Dome.
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