571 Best Sights in USA

The first mile of the historic original trail—at first called the Seward-to-Nome Mail Trail—runs along the beach and makes for a nice, easy stroll.

One of the joys of hiking here is arriving in South Addison, a fishing hamlet on a remote neck west of Jonesport. The wide harbor views in this sleepy spot make you feel like you've discovered the real Maine. More magical moments of discovery await at this 145-acre Downeast Coastal Conservancy preserve, which has a 3.4-mile trail network that winds through the woods before hitting the coast at Carrying Place Cove and Wahoa Bay. The trailhead is at South Addison Community of Christ Church parking lot; hikers are allowed to park at the back of the church.

This 1½-mile hike along flat terrain takes in most of East Anacapa. There are great views from Inspiration Point and Cathedral Cove. Easy.

You can walk to Hidden Falls from Jenny Lake Visitor Center by following the mostly level trail around the south shore of the lake to Cascade Canyon Trail. Jenny Lake Trail continues around the lake for a total of 6½ miles. It's an easily managed though somewhat long trail hike if you circumnavigate the whole lake—allow three hours, not counting any forays into Cascade Canyon on the west side of the lake. You'll walk through a lodgepole-pine forest, have expansive views of the lake and the land to the east, and hug the shoulder of the massive Teton range itself. Along the way you may see elk, foxes, pikas, golden-mantled ground squirrels, and a variety of ducks and waterbirds. In the winter, it's a popular trail to snowshoe. Moderate.

This out-and-back 7-mile trail runs east-west along the South Unit's Jones Creek with close-up views of the vegetation on the badlands floor. For a longer trek (11 miles), head south on the Lower Talkington trail, from Jones Creek, to the Badlands Spur trail and then head northwest on the Lower Paddock Creek trail, which loops back to the park road on the west. Moderate.

A dreamy 3¼-mile hike through the forest leads to 42-foot-tall cascading Jones Run Falls. As you close in on the falls, the trail rubs up against Jones Run. Continue past the main falls to reach smaller falls and cascades. As you proceed, you'll spy several swimming holes for a refreshing splash on a warm day. Retrace your steps to the parking area, but take it slow, it will be all uphill on the return. Hiking time is three hours. Moderate.

This is the trailhead for wilderness hiking at Petrified Forest National Park. A 1-mile trail leads to the Wilderness Area, but from there you're on your own. There are no developed trails, so hiking here is cross-country style. Expect to see strange formations, beautifully colored landscapes, and maybe, just maybe, a pronghorn antelope. Difficult.

People take this short hike, 1.6 miles round-trip, to see faded human footprints, fossilized in hardened volcanic ash. Easy.

This primitive trail, one of the longest on the North Rim, travels 10 miles one-way (allow six hours each way) from the trailhead at 8,250 feet to Point Imperial at 8,803 feet. It crosses drainages and occasionally detours around fallen trees. The end of the road, at Point Imperial, brings the highest views from either rim. Note that there is no water along this trail. Difficult.

A 4.2-mile round-trip woodland trail named for Horace Kephart, a writer and early promoter of the park, wanders beside a stream to the remains of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp. Close by, the trail takes a moderate slope to Mt. Kephart, gaining more than 900 feet in elevation. Moderate.

This challenging trail, 7 miles round trip, is the shortest, but steepest, route to the top of Wasson Peak in Saguaro West. It meets the Hugh Norris Trail less than half a mile from the summit. The trail, which begins across from the Arizona–Sonora Desert Museum, is named after the Copper King Mine and leads past many scars from the quest for mineral wealth. Wear shoes with good ankle support for this hike. Look for petroglyphs in this area. Difficult.

A steady 700-foot ascent on this 2.3-mile loop hike through forests dotted with wildflowers leads to the spectacular falls, which many visitors find worth the effort despite fire damage visible in spots.  The trail can be slippery, so watch your step. Moderate.

This narrow 6-mile path offers the easiest trail access to the most remote parts of the park. The trail spurs off of the Weston Lake Loop and parallels Cedar Creek before jutting south, and then turns to rejoin the creek at the South Cedar Creek Canoe Landing. This trail is not a loop, so either drop a car for a shuttle or plan an out-and-back hike. Moderate.

Perfect for a sunset stroll, this easy 2-mile (round-trip) walk around the north rim of the park leads to an overlook of the Montezuma Valley. If you stop at all the flora identification points that the trail pamphlet suggests, the hike takes about 1½ to 2 hours. The patches of asphalt you spot along the way are leftovers from old Knife Edge Road, built in 1914 as the main entryway into the park. Easy.

Throughout the South Shore, you'll find brass plaques with details of historical stops along the 10-mile Koloa Heritage Trail. Start at Spouting Horn in Poipu and bike it, hike it, or drive it—your choice. You'll learn about Koloa's whaling history, sugar industry, ancient Hawaiian cultural sites, the island's volcanic formation, and more. Pick up a free self-guided trail map at shops in Koloa Town or download a PDF from  poipubeach.org.

This ½-mile trail takes you from the Kipahulu Visitor Center down to the pools of Oheo at Kuloa Point, where the freshwater pools and ocean meet. On the trail, you pass native trees and precontact Hawaiian sites. Easy. Tempting as it is, swimming in the ocean is strongly discouraged. While it may seem calm near sea level, unpredictable conditions at higher elevations cause flash flooding and other dangers.

If you've been driving too long and want a place to stretch your legs, unbeatable views of the Smokies, and an ecological lesson, take the ½-mile (1-mile round-trip) trail from the Kuwohi Visitor Center parking lot to the observation tower at the top of Kuwohi, the highest peak in the Smokies. The tower itself is a spiraling, concrete architectural marvel. While paved, the trail is fairly steep, and at 6,643 feet of elevation, you'll probably be gasping for air. Previously known as "Clingmans Dome," the mountain was formally renamed Kuwohi—its original Cherokee name, meaning "mulberry place"—in 2024. Many of the fir trees here are dead, killed by an alien invader—the balsam woolly adelgid. There's a small visitor information station on the trail. In the parking lot, often full in season, there are restrooms. Moderate. If the paved trail isn't appealing, you can use the Kuwohi Bypass Trail and the Appalachian Trail as an alternative, or make it a loop.

In the park’s northwest corner, this 14-mile round-trip hike with an elevation gain of a little over 1,000 feet leads to one of the largest freestanding arches ever discovered. Kolob Arch spans nearly the length of a football field (287 feet) and is reached via this pleasant trail alongside La Verkin Creek and beneath the vivid red cliffs of Shuntavi Butte and Timber Top Mountain. Multiple campsites are available to make this an overnight itinerary (a wilderness permit is required for overnight stays). You can connect with the Hop Valley Trail to head into the main section of Zion National Park. Difficult.

In the corridor that was once a historic canal vital to the city's transportation system, today this 2.6-mile bike and walking path connects the city from Armstrong Park to City Park. Along the way are green spaces, breakfast stops, community gardens, basketball courts, and playgrounds. The path is lit at night, but is still safest to explore during the day. The trail begins at Basin Street, in the northwest corner of Armstrong Park. On Thursday at 3 pm, there is a farmers' market along the Greenway at 500 N. Norman C. Francis Parkway.

This relaxing, mostly level 3-mile ramble alongside Lake Creek leads through a verdant forest to the southern shore of Phelps Lake, where you're rewarded with grand views up into Death Canyon. Easy.

This hike begins with a boat ride across the lake from Fontana Marina. Your captain will give you directions on how to get from the docking point to the trailhead. A half-mile on the Lakeshore Trail will take you to the old lumber and mining town of Proctor. From there, walk 4.4 miles to Eagle Creek, where you can get picked up by the ferry or continue hiking. It's 5.2 miles more on the Lakeshore Trail to Fontana Dam, or you can climb the 2.7 miles up the Lost Cove Trail to Shuckstack, a peak with a climbable fire tower and sensational views of Fontana Lake. Then it's a 3.7-mile descent on the Appalachian Trail to the dam. Moderate--Difficult.

Looking for a place to stroll with a view? These nine labyrinths ranging in length from 25 to 55 feet blanket a hill overlooking the casinos and the Colorado River. Watch for a small sign and parking area halfway between Bruce Woodbury and South Casino drives.

This 1,106-acre preserve devoted to conversation includes miles of trails. You can access it via the Valley Trail, 1¾ miles north of the Granite Canyon trailhead and ½ mile south of the Death Canyon turnoff. Hikers can admire the Phelps Lake shoreline from a loop trail beginning at the preserve's sleek, contemporary interpretive center (open June through late September), or climb a ridgeline with beautiful views of aspens, wildflowers, and regional birds.

Up the road about ½ mile from Long Key State Park, beginning at a close-to-the-ground marker, is a free trail that leads through a tropical-hardwood forest to a rocky Florida Bay shoreline overlooking shallow grass flats. It takes about 20 minutes to walk the ¼-mile route.

This short but strenuous 2-mile hike leads up a spectacular canyon filled with waterfalls and lush native plants. At the end of a steep climb to the top of a peak, views of the historic Lester Ranch and the Cabrillo Monument await. If you plan to hike beyond the Lester Ranch, you'll need a hiking permit in addition to an island-access permit. Difficult.

This ½-mile jaunt loops past a small lake and through a wooded area, ending at a pond filled with yellow water lilies in summer. Marked with interpretive signs, it's a good choice for families. Easy.

This mostly flat, crushed greenstone walkway winds visitors along a forested 1¼-mile loop trail, then over wooden boardwalk and foot bridges. Well-placed benches allow for a break on this stroller-friendly trail. Cross over gentle Whiteoak Canyon Run, then pause for a columnar jointing (a geological structure formed by basalt lava flows). Hiking time is one hour. No pets allowed on this trail. For more steps, turn right onto the Crescent Rock Trail near the ½-mile mark to reach sweeping mountain views from the Crescent Rock Overlook. Easy.

Following alongside its namesake river, this 3.4-mile loop navigates forest, prairie, and a ravine. It's accessed from the parking lot for the Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm. Moderate.

No other hike in the Smokies offers a cultural and historic experience quite like this one. In the early 20th century, Cataloochee Cove had the largest population of any place in the Smokies, around 1,200 people. Most of the original structures have been torn down or have succumbed to the elements, but a few historic frame buildings remain along this remote trail. Some have been restored by the park staff, such as the Cook Log Cabin near Davidson Gap, an apple house, and a church. You'll see several of these, along with rock walls and other artifacts, on the Little Cataloochee Trail. The trail is 6 miles each way, including a mile-long section of Pretty Hollow Gap Trail. Allow at least six hours for this hike. Moderate.

The trailhead for the moderate 6-mile Little Devils Stairs hike cannot be found on Skyline Drive, but rather at the park boundary near Sperryville. This forested loop wows with a flowing waterfall, numerous water crossings, a scenic mountain overlook, and a family cemetery enclosed by a wrought-iron gate. An elevation gain of 1,500 feet is well worth the effort for the views of cascading falls. Hiking time is about four hours. Moderate.