Top Ten Hikes

Going to break up the Park synopses a little bit with this blog post. Tara and I love to go on a hike in every park we visit. I decided to list the Top Ten Hikes that we have done in our National Parks. There was some heated debate between Tara and I on this so she is probably going to make her own list soon. 😉 Anyway, I decided to not include any kind of guided tour as a "hike" for purposes of this list (sorry to Balcony House Tour in Mesa Verde, which was tons of fun and very adventurous). All the mileage is round-trip (unless otherwise noted).

Let's start with some honorable mentions.

Burroughs Mountain, Mt. Rainier NP (Sunrise area, 4.8 miles)

great views of Mt. Rainier along the Burroughs Mountain Trail

Sol Duc Falls, Olympic NP (Sol Duc area, 1.6 miles)

a rather bland hike, but the reward at the end...amazing

Ooh Aah Point, Grand Canyon NP (South Kaibab Trail, 1.8 miles)

a good preview of Grand Canyon if you don't want to go all the way down to the Colorado River. This would probably be on the Top 10 list if we hadn't done it in August. Getting back up to the rim just about killed us. 😊

And now without further adieu, the Top 10:

#10     Hidden Valley, Joshua Tree NP

1 mile.

Desert hiking is usually pretty punishing, but this pleasant hike offers a nice respite from the scorching sun. Hidden Valley is a loop trail in a small, rock-enclosed valley. You can do a lot of rock climbing, or at least watch others climb 😊 Slowly work your way through the shadows of the rock walls as you view hundreds and hundreds of Joshua Trees. An easy and fun family hike.

#9     Alum Bluffs Trail, Great Smoky Mountains NP

4.4 miles

Also called Alum Cave Trail. This lovely trail goes halfway up Mt. LeConte in the Smokies. The first half of the trail goes through a heavily wooded area along Alum Cave Creek. After 1.4 miles, you hit the first major landmark, Arch Rock. Then you start to climb the mountain and you get some great, expansive views of the Smokies. Finally, you'll get to the "cave" (it's actually a concaved bluff). Back in the 1800s, they used to mine epsom salt from the cave, which was used to dye clothing. During the Civil War, salt peter was mined, which was used for gunpowder. If you want you can continue for another 2 miles to the top of Mt. LeConte, but stopping at the bluffs is rewarding enough.

#8     Delicate Arch, Arches NP

3 miles

This is a great "destination" hike. The hike to Delicate Arch isn't really anything to write home about. But the reward at the end...is one of the best views in the country. There's a reason why the arch is featured on Utah license plates. Go early in the morning to avoid the crowds and to avoid the sun (there is basically no shade at all along the trail) Or go late afternoon for the best views of the sunlight on the arch.

#7     Avalanche Lake, Glacier NP

2 miles.

Located in the Lake McDonald region of the park, this short (but not too short) hike follows along a gushing, gorging river until you get to a quiet pristine lake that is fed by melting glaciers. To get amazing views like this you usually have got to go on a pretty strenuous hike, but this trail is really pleasant and has a very small elevation change.

#6     Queen's Garden-Navajo Loop, Bryce Canyon NP

3 miles.

Absolute must-do if you visit Bryce Canyon. But don't do it the way we did. We did the loop clockwise (starting at Sunrise Point and going to Sunset Point), the hike is easier if you do it counter-clockwise. The hike offers unprecedented views of hundreds of hoodoos, fabulous and otherworldly rock formations that make Bryce Canyon the unique natural wonder that it is. At the halfway mark is the rock formation that looks very much like Queen Victoria, giving the trail it's name.

#5 Observation Point, Zion NP

8 miles.

This is a tough, strenuous hike (with an elevation gain of over 2,100 ft), but it is well worth it. It's also less crowded than the other trails in Zion. The trail (which starts at the Weeping Rock Shuttle Stop) starts climbing up lots of switchbacks right away until it flattens out at beautiful Echo Canyon.

This eerie, shaded canyon is a welcome respite from the endless switchbacks. Enjoy your time here, maybe take a snack break, and then continue upward and upward until you finally get to the top. The reward is a jaw-dropping, spectacular view of nearly the entire valley, including Angel's Landing.

#4 Beehive Trail, Acadia NP

1.6 miles

Although it's one of the shortest hikes on this list, it is one of the most adventurous. You'll climb 450 ft in about half a mile. There's lots of iron rungs and ladders to help you get up the mountain. At some points, the trail gets very narrow that you'll basically be hugging the cliff side to avoid the steep drop offs. Don't look down and keep pressing on. This is a really fun hike, but not for small children or people who are afraid of heights.

I'll admit, it was about here where I mildly started to freak out. 😊 But just keep pressing forward, and keep saying in your head "I don't go down this way." That will help. Once you get to the top, the way back down is on the opposite side of the Beehive and is a MUCH easier hike. So, if you can't bring yourself to do the iron rungs and ladders, you can still get to the top of Beehive up the back way. But don't be scared, it's not that bad. It's lots of fun and you'll be rewarded with awesome views of Mount Desert Island and Frenchman Bay.

#3     Natural Entrance - Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns NP

2.5 miles (one way, you can take the elevator to get back to the surface)

Descending into this gigantic cave through the natural entrance is truly one of the most amazing experiences I have had in the National Parks. Unlike most caves in the NPS, this is an entirely self-guided tour/hike.

The Natural Entrance trail is 1.25 miles and descends 800 ft. There are lots of cool cave formations as you go down, such as Witch's Finger. No need to bring a flashlight, the cave is well-lit and the sheer magnitude of the cave will take your breath away. It's like being in another world. Once you get to the bottom, take the additional 1.25 miles to explore the Big Room for some of the most incredible cave formations you'll ever see. The cave is so massive you'll hardly believe you're underground.

Once you're done you can hike back up through the natural entrance (if you're crazy) or just take the elevator back to the surface.

#2     The Narrows, Zion NP

as long as you want (it's 1.1 miles one way from the Temple of Sinawava Shuttle Stop along the Riverside Walk to the beginning of the Narrows. Then another 1.5 one way to Orderville Canyon. This is the farthest you can go up the river without a permit. You can hike from the Chamberlain Ranch and go downstream through the Narrows to the Temple of Sinawava with a permit, the hike is 11 miles)

You'll need to do some preparation before you brave the Narrows. The best time to hike is late spring/early summer. The hike is closed from about mid-March to mid-May. Also, if there is rain or bad weather, they will close the trail. YOU WILL GET WET. No matter what. You will have to wade in the river as you go upstream. There's no avoiding it. But it's what makes this hike unique and adventurous. You'll want to have some kind of pole or walking stick to help you navigate the river. We went in early November, so the water temperature was very cold. We visited one of the outfitters just outside the park boundaries to rent the proper gear (pants, shoes, socks, walking stick, etc.) We rented all our gear the night before, so we could start bright and early in the morning.

We did see a few people just hiking in their regular clothes and sandals the day we went. I think these people are pretty crazy. I would definitely rent gear unless you are going in the middle of the hot summer. 

Anyway, enough technical stuff. This hike is simply amazing. So awesome! If you went to Zion and only did one thing, this would be the thing to do. Each bend in the river brought a new adventure. All the other hikers we interacted with were just in awe with the amazing scenery. This was an absolute adventure. So fun. I thought that going downstream would be easier than upstream, but it ended up being the opposite.

#1     Skyline Loop, Mt. Rainier NP

Myrtle Falls

5.5 miles (but you can make it shorter or longer depending on which parts of the loop you take. I would recommend taking the full loop, going counter-clockwise)

Some people just take the west side of the loop trail, starting at the Paradise Visitor Center, to get to Panorama Point and then go back down. But if you really want to experience the majesty of Mt. Rainier, head towards Myrtle Falls first and take the loop counterclockwise to get to the top at Panorama Point.

This hike is simply amazing. It was tough (about 1,700 ft elevation gain), but very rewarding. It starts pleasantly enough (the trail is paved for the first half mile to Myrtle Falls) and then it starts to climb gradually until you get above the tree-line into the alpine wonderland of Mt. Rainier. Here you'll really start huffing and puffing until you get to Panorama Point. From this vantage, Mt. Rainier will be behind you, and gazing to the south you can see Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Hood (in Oregon) all in one fantastic view! The mountain air is very refreshing. You'll see waterfalls, glaciers, wildflowers, maybe even a marmot or two. This is my favorite hike that we have done in our quest to visit all the National Parks. It was so beautiful and we felt very accomplished after completing this strenuous hike.

pictures don't do justice to the view. Mt. Adams on the left, Mt. St. Helens on the right. Mt. Hood is slightly to the right of Mt. Adams but you can barely see it in this photo.

The one hike we haven't done but really want to is Angel's Landing at Zion. But we're a little apprehensive about the death-defying nature of it. Next time we will conquer our fears and do it! 😊

What do you think of my list? What are your favorite hikes that you have done in our National Parks?