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 JerichoWhere: Estillfork
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 7 miles
Features: Some rugged terrain, with caves and waterfall backdrops; watch out for snakes.
Alaska
Flattop MountainWhere: Chugach National Forest
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 3 miles
Features: Spectacular views from a snow-capped mountain range.
Arkansas
Lost Valley TrailWhere: Ponka
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 2.3 miles
Features: A 53-foot waterfall and multiple swimmin' holes.
Arizona
CamelbackWhere: Echo Canyon Park
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 2.2 miles
Features: Intense, short and steep, but ends with a scenic view.
California
Eaton Canyon Falls TrailWhere: Eaton Canyon Park
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 3.4 miles
Features: Popular, fun, Southern California hiking staple.
Colorado
Maxwell FallsWhere: Arapaho National Forest
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 5.3 miles
Features: Lush forest and multiple waterfalls; great for beginners.
Connecticut
Ragged Mountain Preserve TrailWhere: 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 FarmsWhere: White Clay Creek State Park
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 6 miles
Features: Forests, meadows, and some surprising inclines along the way.
Florida
Wekiwa Springs Loop TrailWhere: Apopka
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 13 miles
Features: Lengthy, extremely accessible, and not too far from Disney World.
Georgia
Blood MountainWhere: Blairsville
Difficulty: Extremely Strenuous
Length: 8.4 miles
Features: Scary name, even scarier terrain; Georgia end of the Appalachian Trail; experts only.
Hawaii
Diamond HeadWhere: Honolulu
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 1.6 miles
Features: A quick, tropical trek with tremendous vantage points.
Idaho
Tubbs HillWhere: Coeur d'Alene
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 2 miles
Features: Laid back, popular trek with plenty of wildlife.
Illinois
Cap Sauers and Swallow Cliff LoopWhere: Palos Park
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 4.8 miles
Features: Well-maintained, beautiful scenery; close to Chicago.
Indiana
Clifty Falls State ParkWhere: Madison
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 14 miles
Features: Extensive, gorgeous trails with awesome caves and killer views.
Iowa
Ledges State ParkWhere: Boone
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 4.5 miles
Features: Very well-traversed trails with beautiful bluffs.
Kansas
Elk River HikingWhere: Elk City
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 15 miles
Features: Scenic, rugged, and a far cry from the Prairie.
Kentucky
Natural Bridge and Hood Branch TrailWhere: Slade
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 5.4 miles
Features: Cool views, rustic bridges, and interesting rock formations abound.
Louisiana
Hooper Road ParkWhere: 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 MountainWhere: Weld
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 4.3 miles
Features: Short, semi-leisurely trek with gorgeous lake views.
Maryland
Billy Goat TrailWhere: Potomac
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 4 miles
Features: Interesting rock scrambles and a stellar view of the Potomac River.
Massachusetts
Purgatory Chasm TrailWhere: Sutton
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 1 mile
Features: Quick, scenic route littered with amazing chasms and plenty of picnic spots.
Michigan
Potawatomi TrailWhere: Gregory
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 17.5 miles
Features: Lakefront views; a scenic beach.
Minnesota
Lebanon Hills Regional ParkWhere: 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 TrailWhere: Woodville
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 2.6 miles
Features: Multiple beautiful waterfalls; leashed dogs allowed.
Missouri
Lone Wolf Trail at Castlewood State ParkWhere: Ballwin
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 1.5 miles
Features: Panoramic views from the top of the bluffs.
Montana
Grinnell Glacier TrailWhere: West Glacier
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 5.5 miles
Features: Sweeping views of the glacier; wildflowers galore.
Nebraska
Indian Cave State ParkWhere: 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 TrailWhere: Red Rock Canyon
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 2.5 miles
Features: Stunning views; a ton of rocks.
New Hampshire
Mount Major TrailWhere: 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 TrailWhere: Alpine
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 5 miles
Features: Views, waterfalls, and ruins.
New Mexico
Tent Rocks Slot Canyon TrailWhere: Cochiti Pueblo
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 3 miles
Features: It's a sacred religious site filled with wild rock formations.
New York
Breakneck Ridge TrailWhere: 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 TrailWhere: Pisgah Forest
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 6.4 miles
Features: Great for both views and dogs.
North Dakota
Maah Daah Hey TrailWhere: Sentinel Butte
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 99 miles
Features: Rivers, wildflowers, and lots of wildlife.
Ohio
Grandma Gatewood TrailWhere: Logan
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 10 miles
Features: Caves and a waterfall.
Oklahoma
Turkey Mountain Yellow TrailWhere: Tulsa
Difficulty: Easy to Strenuous
Length: 4.5 miles
Features: Great views and a mix of alternate trail options.
Oregon
Multnomah Falls TrailWhere: Bridal Veil
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 2.6 miles
Features: Magnificent views and a variety of trails along the gorge.
Pennsylvania
Glen Onoko Run TrailWhere: Jim Thorpe
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length: 2.1 miles
Features: Impressive waterfalls and caves.
Rhode Island
Breakheart LoopWhere: Exeter
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 6.3 miles
Features: Pond views and incredible foliage.
South Carolina
Table Rock TrailWhere: Pickens
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 4 miles
Features: Breathtaking views and great waterfalls.
South Dakota
Sylvan Lake Harney TrailWhere: Custer
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 7 miles
Features: Miles-long views from the top of majestic rock formations.
Tennessee
Alum Cave Bluffs TrailWhere: Gatlinburg
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 5.5 miles
Features: Lots of interesting rock formations, including a concave cliff.
Texas
North Shore TrailWhere: Flower Mound
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 12 miles
Features: Well-maintained grounds, lake views, and a variety of terrain.
Utah
Donut Falls TrailWhere: Sandy
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 2.9 miles
Features: A beautiful waterfall at the end.
Vermont
Sunset Ridge at Mansfield MountainWhere: Underhill
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Length: 5.7 miles
Features: Fantastic views of Lake Champlain and the Green Mountain range.
Virginia
Old Rag TrailWhere: Sperryville
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 8.9 miles
Features: Like a "jungle gym for adults," with crazy awesome views at the top.
Washington
Rattlesnake LedgeWhere: North Bend
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Length: 4 miles
Features: Great views of Rattlesnake Lake.
West Virginia
Maryland HeightsWhere: 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 ParkWhere: Baraboo
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 6 miles
Features: Fascinating geological formations and a spectacular lake view.
Wyoming
North Rim At The Grand Canyon At YellowstoneWhere: Yellowstone National Park
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 3.8 miles
Features: Breathtaking views of the canyon and waterfalls.