571 Best Sights in USA

A gradual uphill trail (4 miles round-trip) winds through the smoothly polished, marbleized limestone walls of this narrow canyon. There are dry falls to climb at the upper end. Moderate.

This short hike (0.8 mile) has a little bit of everything you might be looking for in Bryce: the sound of rushing water, a small waterfall, a grotto, and hoodoos. The trailhead is on Highway 12, north and east of the main entrance, and it follows an irrigation ditch dug in the 1920s by farmers from the nearby town of Tropic looking to divert water from the Sevier River for agriculture. Since the dig predates the park, the water right-of-way belongs to the farmers. This is an especially fun hike in winter, when the waterfall transforms into a display of dazzling icicles. Easy.

Traveling up and over West Mountain from Prospect Avenue to Whittington Avenue, this wooded trail is 1.5 miles one-way. Street parking is available on either end. For a longer hike, combine this route with the West Mountain and Canyon trails to make a loop around the summit before heading back down the same way you came up. If you end your hike on Whittington Avenue, you can refill your water bottle and quench your thirst at the cold-water filling station just west of the trailhead. Moderate–Difficult.

Just past Rhodes Cabin on the right side of the visitor center, this short and easy trail (0.3 mile) through pinyon pine and juniper trees is marked with signs describing the plants. The path passes the original entrance to Lehman Caves and loops back to the visitor center. It’s a great way to spend a half hour or so while you wait for your cave tour to start. Easy.

Spend enough time around the Smokies and you'll see pictures of an octagonal stone building atop a mountain. This is the fire lookout atop Mt. Cammerer, and it's open to the public if you're willing to walk the 11.1-mile round trip (and 3,000 feet of elevation gain) up the Low Gap Trail from Cosby Campground. The effort is worth it for panoramic 360-degree views of the eastern half of the park. Adding to the wonder, the summit is on a windblown ridge, creating an otherworldly habitat of trees that only grow head high. For the truly adventurous, the Lower Mt. Cammerer Trail lets you turn the hike into a 16.2-mile loop. Difficult  

An offshoot from some of the park entrance's tamer trails, this rugged route best suited to experienced hikers comprises native plants, rocks, and roots. Footing can be challenging on the steep portions and the switchbacks. It gains 1,700 feet in 2.5 miles and takes about four hours round-trip, with outstanding views of the Nenana River and the Alaska Range, including the upper slopes of Denali. You are permitted to hike the ridge, but it's not maintained and can be dangerous. From the top hikers can take in the view of the park entrance and area to the south. It's often cold and windy at the summit, so wear appropriate clothing. Difficult.

The most popular route to the summit, the Mt. Whitney Trail can be conquered by very fit and experienced hikers. If there's snow on the mountain, this is a challenge for expert mountaineers only. All overnighters must have a permit, as must day hikers on the trail beyond Lone Pine Lake, about 2½ miles from the trailhead. From May through October, permits are distributed via a lottery run each February. The Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center ( 760/876–6200), on Route 136 at U.S. 395 about a mile south of Lone Pine, is a good resource for information about permits and hiking.

This 0.6-mile loop winds past some of Yellowstone’s most sulfurous features. The Mud Volcano once stood as a cone before it blew apart in the 1800s, leaving the steaming crater you see today. Dragon’s Mouth Spring, a cave-like vent that gurgles and bellows, gave rise to tales of a dragon trapped underground. Other stops, like Sizzling Basin and Black Dragon’s Caldron, bubble with acidic waters that have dissolved the surrounding earth. Easy.

Set on a former 1930s dude ranch, this complex of historic log buildings is sometimes credited as being the home of America's conservation movement—the work of its former owners, the Muries, led to passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act. You can hike the grounds and view interpretive signs on an easy 1-mile round-trip stroll from the nearby Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. Part of the property is used as a satellite campus of the superb Teton Science School, which offers conservation and educational programs about the park.

From the west end of Biscuit Basin boardwalk, this 2.4-mile round-trip trail climbs gently for a mile through heavily burned forest to the lava-rock base of 70-foot Mystic Falls. It then switchbacks up Madison Plateau to a lookout with the park's least-crowded view of Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin. Easy–Moderate.

Providing insight into Nantucket's African American history, the self-guided trail is divided into two parts, Downtown and New Guinea (an African American community in the 18th and 19th centuries). There are ten stops on the trail including the African Meeting House and the Seneca Boston Florence Higginbotham House.

A rough 2-mile access road from Badwater Road leads to a trailhead. From there, set off to see interesting geological features in addition to the bridge, which is a half-mile away. The one-way trail continues for a few hundred yards, but scenic returns diminish quickly, and eventually you're confronted with climbing boulders. Easy.

Between Solana Beach and Encinitas, this is the most complex of the estuary systems in San Diego North County. A 7-mile network of trails surrounds the 979-acre reserve, where more than 700 species of plants, fish, and birds (many of them migratory) live. In 2021, Nature Collective began a $120 million restoration project that included new mudflats and tidal dredging in basins of San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve. Their efforts have restored habitats for wildlife and waterfowl. Be sure to stop by the San Elijo Lagoon Nature Centre. The center, open 9 to 5 daily, offers museum-quality exhibits about the region and a viewing deck overlooking the estuary. 

One of Bryce's most popular and dramatic attractions is this steep descent via a series of switchbacks leading to Wall Street, a slightly claustrophobic hallway of rock only 20 feet wide in places, with walls 100 feet high. After a walk through The Silent City, the northern end of the trail brings Thor's Hammer into view. A well-marked intersection offers a shorter way back via the Two Bridges Trail or continuing on the Queen's Garden Trail to Sunrise Point. For the short version, allow at least an hour on this 1.3-mile trail, with 515 feet of elevation change. Moderate.

Five miles south of Cloudcroft on Highway 6563, take Forest Road 64 (paved) to Nelson Canyon Vista Trail for a well-marked walking trail with absolutely breathtaking views of White Sands. This ¼-mile walk among the shade of tall trees is made all the more sweet if you've recently spent time down in the blazing summer heat of the Tularosa desert.

Equally popular in summer and winter, this trail is a 1¼-mile round-trip through subalpine meadows to an overlook point for Nisqually Glacier. The gradually sloping path is a favorite venue for cross-country skiers in winter; in summer, listen for the shrill alarm calls of the area's marmots. As one of the few paved trails in the park, it's stroller-accessible, making it a favorite for families. Easy.

At 8,241 feet, this trail leads into the canyon and down to Phantom Ranch. It is recommended for experienced hikers only, who should allow four days for the round-trip hike. The long, steep path drops 5,840 feet over a distance of 14½ miles to Phantom Ranch and the Colorado River, so the National Park Service suggests that day hikers not go farther than Roaring Springs (5,020 feet) before turning to hike back up out of the canyon. After about 7 miles, Cottonwood Campground (4,080 feet) has drinking water in summer, restrooms, shade trees, and a ranger. A free shuttle takes hikers to the North Kaibab trailhead twice daily from Grand Canyon Lodge; reserve a spot the day before. Difficult.

An 1867 granite lighthouse on the northern tip of Block Island (the fourth lighthouse on this site), North Light also serves as a maritime museum. The surrounding Block Island National Wildlife Refuge is home to American oystercatchers, piping plovers, and other rare migrating birds. From a parking lot at the end of Corn Neck Road, it's a ½-mile hike over sand to the lighthouse. Seals sun themselves on nearby Sandy Point in winter, and some even summer here.

Offering great views of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, the 3-mile (each way) North Rim Trail runs from Inspiration Point to Chittenden Bridge. Particularly fetching is the ½-mile section of the North Rim Trail from the Brink of the Upper Falls parking area to Chittenden Bridge that hugs the rushing Yellowstone River as it approaches the canyon. This trail is paved and fully accessible between Lookout Point and Grand View, and it can be accessed at numerous points along North Rim Drive. Moderate.

The round-trip hike to Exclamation Point is 3 miles; a more difficult foray to the top of 8,563-foot Green Mountain (a mesa, really) is 7 miles. The trail leads you along the North Rim; keep an eye out for especially gnarled pinyon pines—the North Rim is the site of some of the oldest groves of pinyons in North America, between 700 and 900 years old. Difficult.

One of the park's more interesting hikes, this 1½-mile round-trip trail takes you over moderately difficult terrain and up a ladder. Winds at the notch can be fierce, but it's worth lingering for the view of the White River Valley and the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. With breaks to enjoy the views, you'll probably spend more than an hour on this hike. Moderate–Difficult.

There are six trails in this area that allow visitors a look into the once-thriving coal mining town of Nuttallburg. A best bet is the moderate 1.4-mile round-trip hike on the Headhouse Trail, which is 3½ miles southeast of the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. Here you'll see the 1920's era coal mine and historic headhouse used for moving coal.

This 2-mile loop is the most demanding of the South Rim hikes, as it brings you about 400 feet below the canyon rim. In places, the trail is narrow and crosses some steep slopes, but you won't have to navigate any steep drop-offs. Oak Flat is the shadiest of all the South Rim trails; small groves of aspen and thick stands of Douglas fir along the loop offer some respite from the sun. Difficult.

This rugged 7-mile loop carries you deep into the Congaree's swampy wilds. The path requires creek crossings, and even at lower water levels, you may wade through 6-inch deep muddy low spots. The experience of solitude and adventure is worth the effort, but bring gaiters and waterproof boots. Difficult.

One of a few Voyageurs trails that can be reached without a boat, this 1.6-mile round-trip loop provides access to forest and wetland environments. It also has two scenic overlooks. Easy.

The 18-mile trail is open to pedestrians, joggers, equestrians, bikers, and others on nonmotorized vehicles. You can access it anywhere along its route.

Meandering a little more than 3½ miles one-way on steadily descending terrain (elevation gain is about 750 feet), the trail dips sharply toward its end at Whites City campground. Give yourself four to five hours to complete the round-trip walk. The high desert sun can make this hike a bit taxing any time of year, especially in summer. Moderate.

Consisting of some of the oldest roads in Texas, the Old Spanish Trail (OST) links cities of Spanish-conquest settlement from St. Augustine, Florida, to San Diego, California, and is commemorated by the 0-mile marker stone on the lawn of San Antonio's city hall. As the trail meanders through the city, a decorative stone bench recognizing the trail is at 3400 Fredericksburg Road. The Old Spanish Trail Centennial Celebration Association (OST100) was organized to promote and preserve the sights along the OST. They plan to end their decade-long celebration with a motorcade grand finale from St. Augustine to San Diego in 2029. 

Eventually, 140 miles of nonmotorized trail will lead from Port Townsend west to the Pacific Coast. As of this writing, 90 miles of the paved trail are complete and available for use by hikers, bikers, equestrians, and disabled users. The trail has been conceived as the northern portion of a route that will eventually encircle the entire Olympic Peninsula.