13 Bucket List Hikes in the U.S., Ranked From Easy to Epic

In a nation as big as ours, the hiking options are boundless—which makes distilling a short list of bucket list hikes a challenge. I, however, enjoy a challenge, and had almost as much fun curating this list of hikes as I would out on the trail. Here's a baker's dozen of hikes from across the country that belong on your bucket list, starting with some easier ones and ending with a few trails you may need to train for before you hike them. Enjoy!

1. Old Man's Cave Trail - Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

The trail to Old Man's Cave is the most popular hike in Ohio's Hocking Hills State Park. Although you'll encounter some stairs and moderate elevation gains (about 65 feet), the trail is a short, 0.8-mile loop with a big payoff for just a little bit of effort. You'll pass through a deep sandstone gorge, encountering waterfalls, recessed caves, and unique rock formations like the Devil’s Bathtub along the way. Stone bridges and tunnels carved into the rock lead you to the eponymous cave.

2. Toadstool Geologic Park Trail - Nebraska

The 0.8-mile Toadstool Geologic Park Trail is an easy, interpretive loop that transports hikers to a moonscape of badlands and rock formations. The trail winds through eroded clay and sandstone carved by the elements into shapes resembling toadstools. Interpretive signs explain the region's prehistoric environment and the fossils found here. It's a stark, dry, and visually fascinating landscape that stands in sharp contrast to Nebraska’s rolling prairies, and this easy trail is the best way to experience this fascinating corner of the Oglala National Grassland.

3. Little Talbot Island Nature Trail - Little Talbot Island State Park, Florida

The Little Talbot Island Nature Trail is a barrier island hike north of Jacksonville that showcases Florida’s unique coastal ecosystems. The 1-mile, flat, level nature trail winds its way among ancient dune ridges and Little Talbot Island State Park's maritime forests of live oaks and magnolias before emerging onto a gorgeous strand of driftwood-scattered beach. The skeletal remains of fallen trees along the shoreline, a so-called boneyard beach, create a surreal and photogenic landscape against the Atlantic Ocean.

4. Bean and Bear Loop - Superior National Forest, Minnesota

A highlight of the Superior Hiking Trail, the popular, 7-mile Bean and Bear Lakes Loop offers dramatic views of Minnesota's Superior National Forest. The trail climbs steep, rocky ridges to overlooks that gaze down upon twin lakes nestled in a deep Northwoods bowl. The payoff view of the two lakes for which the trail is named, framed by the forested ridges of the Lake Superior Highlands, is one of the most iconic images of the Minnesota wilderness.

5. Trail of Ten Falls - Silver Falls State Park, Oregon

The 7.6-mile Trail of Ten Falls loop in Oregon's Silver Falls State Park delivers on its name, taking hikers past 10 spectacular waterfalls, including the stunning bowl of South Falls, where the path actually goes behind the curtain of water. The route is moderately challenging, passing through a temperate rainforest of ferns and mossy maples, and gaining about 1,200 feet of elevation along the way. The beauty of this hike is you don't have to wait until the end for a payoff—you'll be rewarded for your efforts all along the way.

6. Chapel Loop Trail - Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Located in Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the 10.5-mile Chapel Loop is a showcase of Lake Superior’s beauty. Hikers pass two waterfalls, Chapel Falls and Mosquito Falls, before the trail reaches the high cliffs above the big lake. The route follows the ruggedly beautiful Pictured Rocks shoreline, offering sweeping views of the turquoise water and unique sandstone formations, including Chapel Rock and the ancient white pine atop it.

7. Looking Glass Rock Trail - Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina

You'll find the trailhead for Looking Glass Rock Trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina. The 5.6-mile route leads up the side of a massive granite pluton that glistens like a mirror in the sun, giving the monolith its name. The switchbacks are numerous and steady, resulting in almost 1,00 feet of elevation gain, as they wind through the forest before reaching the exposed granite face at the top. The summit offers a precarious but spectacular view of the Parkway and the rolling green hills of the Pisgah National Forest.

8. Devil's Doorway Loop - Devil's Lake State Park, Wisconsin

The 2.1-mile Devil's Doorway Loop at Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin boasts some of the most dramatic scenery in the Midwest. You'll climb 500-foot quartzite bluffs that surround a deep, spring-fed lake. The trail skirts the edge of the cliffs, passing unique rock formations, like the Devil's Doorway for which the trail is named. The views of the eponymous lake below and the ancient geology make it a stunning and rugged hike.

9. Mina Sauk Falls Trail - Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, Missouri

Mina Sauk Falls Trail is a rugged, 2.9-mile loop in Taum Sauk Mountain State Park that leads to both the state's highest point above sea level and the tallest waterfall in Missouri. During wet seasons, the falls cascade 132 feet over a series of rocky ledges. Along its rocky, uneven route, the trail crosses open outcrops of volcanic rhyolite that offer expansive views of the St. Francois Mountains and provides a genuine wilderness experience for hikers who set out upon it.

10. Avalanche Lake Trail - Glacier National Park, Montana

Avalanche Lake Trail, Glacier National Park’s classic day hike, begins along the Trail of the Cedars boardwalk before climbing through a mossy, old-growth hemlock forest. The 6-mile, out-and-back trail follows the rushing course of Avalanche Creek up a gorge before reaching the shore of Avalanche Lake, a pristine alpine basin surrounded by virgin forest, steep cliffs, and waterfalls streaming down from Sperry Glacier above. This hike is a wonderful way to experience much of Glacier's iconic beauty on a single hike.

11. Skyline Loop - Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Located in the Paradise area on the south side of Mount Rainier National Park, the Skyline Loop is a hike offering one of the best ways to get up close and personal with the massive, glaciated volcano for which the park is named. The 5.7-mile trail climbs through subalpine meadows exploding with wildflowers in summer, passing whistling marmots, and waterfalls—while gaining nearly 1,800 feet of elevation along the way. The proximity to Mount Rainier’s glaciers, along with panoramic views of the Tatoosh Range and Mount St. Helens make this a world-class alpine hike.

12. Precipice Loop - Acadia National Park, Maine

Acadia National Park’s most thrilling hike is not for those with a fear of heights. This strenuous iron-rung route of the Precipice Loop climbs the vertical east face of Champlain Mountain, gaining more than 1,000 feet over 2.7 miles. Hikers haul themselves up exposed cliffs using metal handholds and ladders. The ascent is nearly vertical, but the views of Frenchman Bay and the Porcupine Islands from the open cliffside are unparalleled in the Northeast.

13. Angel's Landing Trail - Zion National Park, Utah

Zion National Park’s most infamous hike, the trail to Angel's Landing, is a test of nerves. Although it's only 4.7 miles out and back, the arduous trail is essentially a 2-plus-mile vertical climb, gaining more than 1,700 feet of elevation. After a steep series of switchbacks called Walter’s Wiggles, the hike culminates on a narrow fin of sandstone with thousand-foot drop-offs on both sides. To navigate the final spine to the summit, you must hold onto chains along the trail—then you get to do it all in reverse on the way back down. The 360-degree views of Zion Canyon are iconic, but the climb is the real story. Permits are required to hike any portion of the Angel's Landing Trail, and you can apply for them through Recreation.gov.

For more outdoor adventures across our amazing country, check out Only In Your State’s itinerary planner. You may find yourself inspired!