The USA is a hiker’s dream country for many
reasons. The sheer extent of diversity in America is unbelievable, in terms of
people, cultures and landscapes. The USA contains virtually every type of
landscape within its borders: deserts and mountains, rainforests and thousands
of miles of coastline. In fact, every state in the USA has a seemingly endless
variety of amazing hiking trails just waiting to be discovered. For a
first-timer, it can be quite confusing to figure out which trails to pick. Here
we have done the hard work for you and made a list of our favourites:
1. Lost Coast Trail,
California: Stretched out over 24.6 miles, this
trail is suitable to be covered at any time of the year, which is what makes it
a favourite with many people. This trail is so densely forested that logging
companies tried and failed to build a road through here. This trail can be
walked north-south or vice versa starting from Mattole Beach or Black Sands
Beach near Shelter Cove. On the hike, barren, misty stretches of beach and
forest will be your constant companion.
2. Grand Canyon National Park: This extremely famous hiking trail stretches out over a good 70
miles and takes a total of 4 to 6 days to cover. According to us, spring, fall
and winter are the best times to explore this trail. Also known as the Tonto
Trail, it is officially classified as a South Rim Hike and runs from Garnet to
Red Canyon. While this trail is great for most parts of the year, be sure to
reserve the backcountry campsites found along this route by getting a
wilderness permit with the Backcountry Rangers Office.
3. Napali Coast, Hawaii: The Kalalau Trail on the Napali coast is touted as the best trail
in the US by many a backpacker, and with good reason. The breath-taking landscapes
look like scenes taken straight out of a movie. Speaking
of movies, cool fact: Jurassic Park and Avatar were filmed here. If you want to
explore pristine beaches or swim in waterfalls in the backdrop of majestic
mountains, this trail is where it’s at.
4. Mount Adams South Climb,
Washington: This medium-difficulty climb is
shorter, at only about 11.2 miles. The best time to attempt this climb is May
to September, when the ice cover is navigable. An added treat of hiking in the
summers is the plethora of colourful wildflowers adorning the hillside. Since
slight snow cover remains throughout the year, many hikers opt to ski down the
mountain. Even though this trail is popular due to its accessibility and
relative ease, do not attempt it in anything other than fine weather.
5. Grayson Highlands,
Virginia: The tallest mountain in Virginia, Mt.
Rogers is home to this trail. But that’s not all. These highlands are all about
wild ponies, rhododendron tunnels and rolling hillsides. This is a
relatively short trail spanning over 8.5 miles, and takers only a day to cover.
As such, it is perfect for beginners. April to November is the best time to
hike if you want to witness the entirety of this beautiful trail, though be
prepared for snow even in May! The best part of this trail, and easily one of
the most unique experiences ever, is wandering through the table-top meadows
alongside the wild ponies.
Although it is very difficult to pick
favourites from the vast number of beautiful trails all over the USA, we tried
to cover some from across states. We hope this gave you enough inspiration to
pack your camping gear, and hike away!
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