The United States has the world’s most extensive national park system and one of the most diverse hiking landscapes on Earth — from the desert arches of Utah and the granite domes of Yosemite to the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, the volcanic peaks of the Cascades and the long-distance trail culture of the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails. With over 400 national park units and 193,000 miles of trails on public land, the USA offers a lifetime of hiking across every terrain, climate and difficulty level imaginable.
- Rocky Mountains — Grand Teton NP, Rocky Mountain NP (Colorado); dramatic peaks with excellent day hike infrastructure
- Sierra Nevada (California) — Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia; granite domes, waterfalls, the John Muir Trail (340km)
- Pacific Northwest — Mount Rainier, North Cascades, Olympic NP; volcanic peaks, temperate rainforest, Pacific coast
- Colorado Plateau / Southwest — Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands; extraordinary desert canyon landscapes
- Appalachian region — Great Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah; the 3,500km Appalachian Trail (Maine to Georgia)
- Alaska — Denali NP; Kenai Fjords; Wrangell-St. Elias; wilderness at continental scale; Denali (6,190m — North America’s highest)
America’s National Park annual pass (America the Beautiful Pass, USD 80) covers entrance fees at all 400+ NPS units for 12 months — extraordinary value if visiting more than 3 parks in a year. Available at any park entrance or recreation.gov.
- Colorado Plateau desert — dramatic red sandstone canyons, arches and mesas; Zion Narrows; Grand Canyon inner gorge
- Sierra Nevada granite — Half Dome, El Capitan, Cathedral Peak; glacially carved domes and valleys
- Cascade volcanic chain — Mount Rainier (4,392m), Mount Hood, Mount Shasta, Crater Lake; active and dormant volcanoes
- Appalachian hardwood forest — ancient mountains (oldest in North America); spectacular autumn foliage September–October
- Olympic rainforest — temperate rainforest receiving 3,500mm+ annual rain; Hoh Rainforest; Pacific coast beaches
- Alaska wilderness — continental-scale wilderness; glacier systems; bears; salmon rivers; aurora borealis
- Appalachian Trail — 3,500km; Maine to Georgia; 5–7 months thru-hike; the world’s most hiked long-distance trail
- Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) — 4,265km; Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington; 5–6 months thru-hike
- John Muir Trail — 340km; Yosemite to Mount Whitney (4,421m) through the Sierra Nevada; the finest section of the PCT
- Zion Narrows — wading through the Virgin River slot canyon in Zion NP; one of the USA’s most unique hikes
- Half Dome (Yosemite) — 24km return; 1,468m; the cable route up the granite dome; permit required
- Wonderland Trail (Mount Rainier) — 153km circuit of Rainier; 7–10 days; extraordinary volcanic and glacier scenery
- Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim — 35km; 1,370m descent and ascent; one of the world’s most dramatic day or multi-day hikes
Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim in summer is extremely dangerous — temperatures at the inner canyon can exceed 50°C. The NPS warns that hiking to the Colorado River and back in a single day is not recommended even for fit hikers in summer. Carry minimum 4 litres of water and start before dawn.
- Easy — most national park visitor center trails; Yosemite Valley Loop; Grand Canyon South Rim walk; Arches day hikes
- Moderate — Half Dome (cables required; permit-controlled); Wonderland Trail; John Muir Trail sections
- Hard — PCT/JMT thru-hikes; Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim; backcountry routes requiring navigation
- Technical — Cascades volcano summits (Mount Rainier requires glacier travel skills); Alaska wilderness routes
The USA has no national trail difficulty standard — each national park and land management agency (NPS, USFS, BLM) uses its own grading. AllTrails and Gaia GPS are the most widely used apps for route information and conditions.
National park entrance fees: USD 15–35 per vehicle; America the Beautiful annual pass (USD 80) covers all NPS, USFS and BLM fee sites.
Backcountry permits: required in most national parks; reservation systems vary; popular routes book out months ahead:
- Half Dome cables permit — lottery at recreation.gov; opens in late winter for following season
- John Muir Trail — YARTS permit for Yosemite entry; quota-controlled; book via recreation.gov
- Zion Narrows (overnight) — backcountry permit required; day wading from bottom is free
- Appalachian Trail shelters — free camping; some sections have permit requirements in high-use areas (Smokies)
- Leave No Trace (LNT) principles — enforced in all federal wilderness areas; pack out all waste
recreation.gov is the central booking platform for backcountry permits across all US national parks and national forests. Create an account and set up notifications for your target dates — many permits release additional slots after initial booking periods close.
- Bear canister — required in Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia and many Sierra Nevada wilderness areas; also recommended in Cascades and Alaska
- Bear spray — essential in Alaska, Wyoming (Grand Teton, Yellowstone) and all grizzly bear country
- Water filter — essential in all backcountry; giardia is present in virtually all US backcountry water sources
- Sun protection — extreme UV in Southwest desert canyon country; full sun exposure at altitude in Sierra and Rockies
- Emergency whistle and headlamp — standard backcountry essentials; always carry
- Satellite communicator (Garmin inReach) — strongly recommended for all remote routes outside cell coverage
AllTrails Pro and Gaia GPS Premium are the two most widely used trail navigation apps in the USA — both provide offline maps, user-generated trail conditions and emergency GPS tracking. Download maps for your region before departing cell coverage.
Emergency: 911 | NPS Emergency line: 1-888-653-0009 | Coast Guard: 1-800-424-8802
- Search and rescue coordinated by county sheriffs, NPS rangers and state agencies — generally well-organized in national parks
- Helicopter rescue available in most areas; generally free (unlike some other countries) though may be billed depending on state
- Cell coverage absent in most national park backcountry — satellite communicator recommended
- Hiker self-registration at trailheads is voluntary in most areas but essential for remote routes — leave a trip plan with a contact
In the USA, search and rescue is generally publicly funded — but some counties bill for rescue operations, particularly in Arizona, Colorado and California. Check your travel insurance to ensure SAR costs are covered for the states you are visiting.
- Southwest desert — summer heat (May–September) life-threatening; flash floods in slot canyons can be fatal without warning; spring (March–May) and autumn (October–November) are optimal
- Sierra Nevada — afternoon thunderstorms July–August; lightning on exposed granite ridges; wildfire smoke increasingly severe July–September
- Pacific Northwest — heavy rainfall October–April; volcanic hazard on Rainier, Hood and Shasta (check USGS Volcano Hazards Program)
- Appalachians — hurricane season affects the south (August–October); winter snowpack on higher sections November–April
- Alaska — hypothermia risk year-round; river flooding; wildlife (bear, moose, wolf) encounters in remote areas
Flash floods in Zion Narrows and Southwest canyon country occur when rain falls miles away — the sky above you may be clear. Always check the weather forecast for the entire upstream watershed before entering any slot canyon. Rangers close the Narrows for this reason regularly.
- Southwest (Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon) — March–May and October–November: ideal temperatures; avoid summer heat
- Sierra Nevada (Yosemite, JMT) — July–September: passes snow-free; wildflowers July; smoke risk increases August
- Pacific Northwest (Rainier, Olympics) — July–September: clearest weather; rainforest year-round accessible
- Appalachians — May–June (spring flowers) and September–October (fall foliage): the finest seasons
- Alaska — June–August: maximum daylight; accessible passes; bear activity high but manageable
October in the Eastern USA (Appalachians, New England) is one of the world’s great seasonal events — the fall foliage transforms the hardwood forests into an extraordinary display of red, orange and gold that attracts millions of visitors. Book accommodation weeks ahead.
- Major gateway airports: Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), Denver (DEN), Salt Lake City (SLC), Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS)
- Southwest parks — fly to Las Vegas (LAS) or Salt Lake City; rent a car; driving is the only realistic option
- Yosemite — fly to San Francisco or Los Angeles; YARTS bus from Merced or Fresno; car not required in valley
- Pacific Northwest — fly to Seattle; rental car for Rainier; Olympic accessible by bus from Port Angeles
- Appalachian Trail — served by Amtrak and Greyhound at many access points; no car required for thru-hikers
- Alaska — fly to Anchorage (ANC); Alaska Railroad or car for Denali (4hr north)
A rental car is essentially mandatory for most US national park hiking outside the Appalachian Trail corridor. Park shuttle systems (Yosemite, Zion, Acadia) operate in peak season and are the best way to access popular trailheads without driving into congested park roads.
- FAA Part 107 rules govern all US drone operations — registration required for all drones over 0.55 lbs (250g) at FAA DroneZone
- All national parks — drone use strictly prohibited; NPS enforces with significant fines (up to USD 5,000)
- National forests and BLM land — generally permitted but check specific area restrictions and airspace
- Controlled airspace (Class B/C/D) near airports — requires FAA LAANC authorization
- Wilderness areas — federal wilderness designation generally prohibits motorized equipment including drones
NPS strictly prohibits drones in all 400+ national park units. The most scenic areas in the USA — Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Zion, Yellowstone — are all NPS units where drone use results in immediate confiscation and significant fines. The prohibition applies to take-off and landing outside park boundaries to fly over park land.
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