Each and every state offers its own special slice of majesty, and if you aren't doing everything you can to see them all in their glory, you're blowing it. To make it a little easier, we've rounded up the best-rated hiking trails in each state.
And to help cull the list into a formidable hiking guide, we sourced the most popular trails according to AllTrails.com, whose complex, proprietary trail-rating algorithm weighs 15 different factors to determine the hottest outdoor excursions from Alabama to Wyoming. So, without further ado, read up, and take a hike dammit.
Alabama
Walls of Jericho
Where: Estillfork
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 7 miles
Features: Some rugged terrain, with caves and waterfall backdrops; watch out for snakes.
Alaska
Flattop Mountain
Where: Chugach National Forest
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 3 miles
Features: Spectacular views from a snow-capped mountain range.
Arkansas
Lost Valley Trail
Where: Ponka
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 2.3 miles
Features: A 53-foot waterfall and multiple swimmin' holes.
Arizona
Camelback
Where: Echo Canyon Park
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 2.2 miles
Features: Intense, short and steep, but ends with a scenic view.
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California
Eaton Canyon Falls Trail
Where: Eaton Canyon Park
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 3.4 miles
Features: Popular, fun, Southern California hiking staple.
Colorado
Maxwell Falls
Where: Arapaho National Forest
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 5.3 miles
Features: Lush forest and multiple waterfalls; great for beginners.
Connecticut
Ragged Mountain Preserve Trail
Where: Berlin
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 6.1 miles
Features: Rocky and steep in parts, comes with stellar views and a scattering of ponds and lakes.
Delaware
Whitely Farms
Where: White Clay Creek State Park
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 6 miles
Features: Forests, meadows, and some surprising inclines along the way.
Florida
Wekiwa Springs Loop Trail
Where: Apopka
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 13 miles
Features: Lengthy, extremely accessible, and not too far from Disney World.
Georgia
Blood Mountain
Where: Blairsville
Difficulty: Extremely Strenuous
Length: 8.4 miles
Features: Scary name, even scarier terrain; Georgia end of the Appalachian Trail; experts only.
Hawaii
Diamond Head
Where: Honolulu
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 1.6 miles
Features: A quick, tropical trek with tremendous vantage points.
Idaho
Tubbs Hill
Where: Coeur d'Alene
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 2 miles
Features: Laid back, popular trek with plenty of wildlife.
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Illinois
Cap Sauers and Swallow Cliff Loop
Where: Palos Park
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 4.8 miles
Features: Well-maintained, beautiful scenery; close to Chicago.
Indiana
Clifty Falls State Park
Where: Madison
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 14 miles
Features: Extensive, gorgeous trails with awesome caves and killer views.
Iowa
Ledges State Park
Where: Boone
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 4.5 miles
Features: Very well-traversed trails with beautiful bluffs.
Kansas
Elk River Hiking
Where: Elk City
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 15 miles
Features: Scenic, rugged, and a far cry from the Prairie.
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Kentucky
Natural Bridge and Hood Branch Trail
Where: Slade
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 5.4 miles
Features: Cool views, rustic bridges, and interesting rock formations abound.
Louisiana
Hooper Road Park
Where: Baton Rouge
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 10 miles
Features: Well-maintained paths with varying elevations; good for people looking to get serious about hiking.
Maine
Tumbledown Mountain
Where: Weld
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 4.3 miles
Features: Short, semi-leisurely trek with gorgeous lake views.
Maryland
Billy Goat Trail
Where: Potomac
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 4 miles
Features: Interesting rock scrambles and a stellar view of the Potomac River.
Massachusetts
Purgatory Chasm Trail
Where: Sutton
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 1 mile
Features: Quick, scenic route littered with amazing chasms and plenty of picnic spots.
Michigan
Potawatomi Trail
Where: Gregory
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 17.5 miles
Features: Lakefront views; a scenic beach.
Minnesota
Lebanon Hills Regional Park
Where: St. Paul
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 2.5 miles
Features: Lots of wildflowers, and you can easily re-route from different subsidiary trails to create a 9-mile loop.
Mississippi
Clark Creek Primitive Trail
Where: Woodville
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 2.6 miles
Features: Multiple beautiful waterfalls; leashed dogs allowed.
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Missouri
Lone Wolf Trail at Castlewood State Park
Where: Ballwin
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 1.5 miles
Features: Panoramic views from the top of the bluffs.
Montana
Grinnell Glacier Trail
Where: West Glacier
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 5.5 miles
Features: Sweeping views of the glacier; wildflowers galore.
Nebraska
Indian Cave State Park
Where: Shubert
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: .5 to 7 miles
Features: A variety of different interconnecting trails, caves, and Adirondack shelters with fire rings.
Nevada
Calico Tanks Trail
Where: Red Rock Canyon
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 2.5 miles
Features: Stunning views; a ton of rocks.
New Hampshire
Mount Major Trail
Where: Belknap
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 3.4 miles
Features: Great views of Lake Winnipesaukee from the summit, wild blueberries along the route, and dogs are allowed.
New Jersey
Peanut Leap Trail
Where: Alpine
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 5 miles
Features: Views, waterfalls, and ruins.
New Mexico
Tent Rocks Slot Canyon Trail
Where: Cochiti Pueblo
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 3 miles
Features: It's a sacred religious site filled with wild rock formations.
New York
Breakneck Ridge Trail
Where: Cold Spring
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 9.6 miles
Features: Great views, and on particularly clear days you can see the NYC skyline.
North Carolina
Looking Glass Rock Trail
Where: Pisgah Forest
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 6.4 miles
Features: Great for both views and dogs.
North Dakota
Maah Daah Hey Trail
Where: Sentinel Butte
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 99 miles
Features: Rivers, wildflowers, and lots of wildlife.
Ohio
Grandma Gatewood Trail
Where: Logan
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 10 miles
Features: Caves and a waterfall.
Oklahoma
Turkey Mountain Yellow Trail
Where: Tulsa
Difficulty: Easy to Strenuous
Length: 4.5 miles
Features: Great views and a mix of alternate trail options.
Oregon
Multnomah Falls Trail
Where: Bridal Veil
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 2.6 miles
Features: Magnificent views and a variety of trails along the gorge.
Pennsylvania
Glen Onoko Run Trail
Where: Jim Thorpe
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 2.1 miles
Features: Impressive waterfalls and caves.
Rhode Island
Breakheart Loop
Where: Exeter
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 6.3 miles
Features: Pond views and incredible foliage.
South Carolina
Table Rock Trail
Where: Pickens
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 4 miles
Features: Breathtaking views and great waterfalls.
South Dakota
Sylvan Lake Harney Trail
Where: Custer
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 7 miles
Features: Miles-long views from the top of majestic rock formations.
Tennessee
Alum Cave Bluffs Trail
Where: Gatlinburg
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 5.5 miles
Features: Lots of interesting rock formations, including a concave cliff.
Texas
North Shore Trail
Where: Flower Mound
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 12 miles
Features: Well-maintained grounds, lake views, and a variety of terrain.
Utah
Donut Falls Trail
Where: Sandy
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 2.9 miles
Features: A beautiful waterfall at the end.
Vermont
Sunset Ridge at Mansfield Mountain
Where: Underhill
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 5.7 miles
Features: Fantastic views of Lake Champlain and the Green Mountain range.
Virginia
Old Rag Trail
Where: Sperryville
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 8.9 miles
Features: Like a "jungle gym for adults," with crazy awesome views at the top.
Washington
Rattlesnake Ledge
Where: North Bend
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 4 miles
Features: Great views of Rattlesnake Lake.
West Virginia
Maryland Heights
Where: Harpers Ferry
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 5.3 miles
Features: Lots of great views and dotted with Civil War fortifications.
Wisconsin
Devil's Lake State Park
Where: Baraboo
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 6 miles
Features: Fascinating geological formations and a spectacular lake view.
Wyoming
North Rim At The Grand Canyon At Yellowstone
Where: Yellowstone National Park
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 3.8 miles
Features: Breathtaking views of the canyon and waterfalls.
