My husband and I have been out west several times. By far our favorite hike was in GNP Iceburg lake hike. There is no other feeling in the world as you crest the hill before the lake and finally see it for the first time. I nearly cried and both of us just stood there in awe. It is also our most remembered because we got caught in a torrential downpour and thunderstorm on our way back to the car. What a hike.

Mist trail in yosemite along with yosemite falls.

Pihea Trail in Waimea Canyon/Koke'e State Park on the Island of Kaua'i.

Kal, thanks for the comic relief, it was getting way too heavy!!! That would be the extent of my "hiking", but admire all those who have done these spectacular hikes. My favorite vacation is Gods handiwork. I love the natural wonders, all those listed are wonderful, even if I've never hiked them. I have seen most of them by car and felt the same way the person that said they were brought to tears. I am thankful to whomever made sure we still have those areas.Probably Roosevelt and Muir.I didn't really hike much, but did walk a lot and Muir Woods was a great "walk". When we saw a fawn sitting in a small circle of trees with the sun streaming down on her, it was awesome!!!

Grove of the Patriarchs, Mt. Rainier Ntl Park.

Via Panoramica, Bregaglia Valley, Switzerland

Dales Way, Dent, Cumbria, England

Blood Mountain Trail, Blairsville, GA

Amicalola River Trail, Dawson Wildlife Management Area, GA

Wildcat Creek Trail, Dawson Wildlife Management Area, GA

Tapanti National Park, Costa Rica

Arches-Delicate Arch, Devils Garden Trail, Krill Canyon Canyoneering in the Fiery Furnace is my all time favorite

Carlsbad Caverns- Hall of the White Giants (only 10 people per week allowed on this one)

Lost Valley Trail-along Buffalo National River in Arkansas

You didn't say U.S. sooo

Mannlichen to Klein Scheidegg in the Berner Oberland of Switzerland. As you go around the corner you get a view of the Monk, Eiger and Jungfrau mountain peaks.

I don't consider them day hikes but I hiked S. Kaibab down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and Bright Angel back up. It did take me a day to do each!

Half Dome

In the US, Mt. Ranier. We hiked up as far as the snow. It was early August and the sky was totally clear (I actually got one of the worst sunburns of my life!). There were wild flowers and babbling brooks around every turn. It looked like we were in a calendar. Simply gorgeous.

cyclenana..
We are more into urban hiking.
One of the best was from the Arc de Triumph out to Sacre Coeur and back via different sides of the Seine.

And any walk around Rome or SF.

I hike regularly at Malibu Creek State Park in Calabasas, CA. The views are gorgeous. When I lived in Connecticut, I enjoyed Sleeping Giant State Park (there was even a castle at the top of one of the trails).

Great topic!

Kassandra Vaughn, the ROI Coach

I'm surprised there has been no mention of Alaska yet! The Harding Ice Field Trail near Exit Glacier at Kenai Fjords NP is a great trail. Also, Winner Creek Trail in Girdwood is a bit easier but very worthwhile once you get to the gorge.

Other favorites
The Narrows- Zion NP
Old Rag-Shenandoah NP
Bright Angel Trail-Grand Canyon
Mt. Mansfield=Stowe,VT

Crypt Lake Trail in Waterton, and Highline Trail in Glacier Park Montana.

"It looked like we were in a calendar". Great line missypie!!

Mt. Sneffels in the San Juan Range in SW Colorado is a big one and family members have made it to the top - it's spectacular to see from any vantage point.

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/r...-sneffels.html

Bookmarking - We love hiking but haven't yet had the opportunity to hit most of these fabulous spots!

Here in the Southeast, we really enjoyed hiking Talullah Gorge in Georgia.

Temple Mountain at Moraine Lake, Alberta. Have to do it in group of 6 or more because of the Grizzlies.

The Tongariro Crossing on the North Island of New Zealand. The Kiwis, often given to hyperbole, style it "the best one day walk in the world". It's had to argue when you walk across a volcano crater that looks like (pictures I've seen of) the moon, with an active volcano to one side, views of Mt Egmont in the distance, emerald green lakes due to the copper content below you and then thermal springs to ease the feet at the end of the day.

http://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz

I just returned from a week of hiking in the Beartooth-Absaroka Wilderness area. We didn't take a bad hike, but my favorite would have to be the gorgeous hike to Elk Lake. Splendid area.

I've organized and indexed many of these suggestions by region/state at:

Fodorites' Most Spectacular U.S. Day Hikes: The List

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35132986

When I get the time, I'll try to update the list.

* the easiest gorgeous hike: one hour circling Mirror Lake, in Utah

* too many trails to mention around Sedona, Arizona

* Varenna, Lake Como, Italy

* Napali Coast trail, North Shore, Kauai

* Daintree Rainforest, Australia

* Chitwan jungle, Nepal