Lost cities, active volcanoes, stunning coasts: this is not an adventure movie, it’s your next great hike.
We’ve asked some of Lonely Planet’s seasoned hikers to recount their most thrilling experiences on foot in the Americas, whether trekking in Chile or reaching the heights of Alaska.
Lonely Planet’s Epic Hikes of the Americas celebrates the American continents as a veritable hiker’s adventure playground. The new guidebook features the vast variety of terrain, climate, and landscape that can be found in such a compact area, not to mention the fascinating cultures, histories, and people you encounter along the way.
Here are some highlights from the book; a few hikes that will inspire you to reach for your boots and strike out somewhere new.
Explore Volcanoes on These Epic Hikes
Devastation Trail, Hawai‘i
Start/Finish: Devastation Trail parking lot
Distance: 1 mile (1.6km)
Duration: 1 to 2 hours
This short but impactful hike in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park gets you up close and personal with the spectacular eruption of Kīlauea Iki. In 1959, this 400ft (122m) crater regularly spewed molten lava nearly 2000ft (610m) into the sky, forming a new cinder cone almost overnight. Geologists knew that the magma was coming because in the months leading up to the eruption, thousands of earthquakes were recorded daily. Today, interpretive signs point out notable features of the still-recovering landscape, more than 60 years later. If you’re up for a longer hike, continue to the Kīlauea Iki trailhead, located on nearby Crater Rim Drive, for a different view of this otherworldly location.
Timberline Trail, Oregon
Start/Finish: Timberline Lodge
Distance: 38 miles (61km)
Duration: 4 to 5 days
Permits: You might need a Northwest Forest Pass to park at some trailheads; a free, self-issued wilderness permit is required for backpacking
A shorter yet challenging loop hike with several possible starting points, the Timberline Trail circles volcanic Mt Hood, just outside Portland, Oregon. The trail, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, passes through various glacial drainages, requiring hikers to ford several streams along the way, with distant views of the jagged Cascade Range as a backdrop. Start from the historic Timberline Lodge and make your way clockwise through widely varying terrain, from the deep forest surrounding delightful Ramona Falls to craggy, weather-beaten peaks and alpine meadows. The total elevation change is about 9000ft (2743m).
Cinder Cone Trail, California
Start/Finish: Butte Lake
Distance: 4 miles (6.4km)
Duration: 3 hours
This dramatic trail around a volcanic cone at Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California gives hikers the chance to explore a cinder cone up close. A cinder cone is not the main volcano; instead, it’s a conical formation that forms after the eruption of a smaller vent. While this trail is most often completed as a day hike, through-hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail sometimes pass by as well. An initially gentle climb takes you past the Fantastic Lava Beds and Painted Dunes before continuing up the side of the cinder cone, while Mt Lassen looms large in the distance. From the top, at 6907ft (2105m), you can follow a short trail down into the crater. Shade is limited, so bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and a hat.
Trace the Paths of Ancient Glaciers on These Day Hikes
Basin Rim Trail, New Hampshire
Start: Wild River Campground
Finish: Rim Junction Distance
Distance: 4.7 miles (7.6km)
Duration: 4 hours
In the remote eastern reaches of White Mountain National Forest in Evans Notch, you can see how ancient glaciers once shaped the landscape along the Basin Rim Trail. This wooded path follows the gurgling Blue Brook, leading you up through dense hardwood forest with occasional glimpses over the vast tree-covered valley. At the top, you will reach a cliff-lined overlook with impressive views over a glacial cirque, a bowl-shaped ravine carved by glaciers during the last Ice Age. From here, you can retrace your steps or continue another 1.5 miles (2.4km) to Basin Pond, a peaceful setting that belies the geological drama that shaped the landscape during the Illinoian Stage some 130,000 years ago.
Old Speck Mountain Trail, Maine
Start/Finish: Rte 26
Distance: 7.3 miles (11.7km)
Duration: 5 hours
You won’t have to look far to see evidence of the last glaciation along Old Speck Mountain Trail, an uphill stretch of the Appalachian Trail tucked away in Grafton Notch State Park. Here, you will encounter erratic boulders, scoured bedrock, and even a tarn (a pond formed by glacier-carved depressions). One of the trail’s highlights is the ascent to the Eyebrow Cliffs, featuring an 800ft (244m) vertical drop, likely formed by the freezing of meltwater in rock fissures, leading to the shearing off of massive chunks of bedrock. From there, you will have magnificent views looking east along the Bear River Valley, whose dramatic U shape resulted from the erosion of the continental ice sheet.
Umatilla Rock Trail, Washington
Start/Finish: Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park
Distance: 2.7 miles (4.3km)
Duration: 1 hour
In the arid scrubland of eastern Washington state, you will find clues from a significant geological event. About 15,000 years ago, an ice dam burst, sending Ice Age floodwaters tearing westward and creating a spectacular 50-mile (80km) chasm known as the Grand Coulee, which shot over a cliff-face, resulting in a waterfall four times the size of Niagara Falls. Today, this once-flooded landscape resembles a desert oasis, with small lakes and scattered wildlife, and the cliffs (Dry Falls) where a mighty waterfall roared are now dry and barren. The path follows the ancient riverbed, passing beneath Umatilla Rock, a towering rock formation downstream of Dry Falls, and huge basalt pillars scattered by powerful floods.
Discover the Lost Cities of the Americas by Foot
Calakmul, Mexico
Start/Finish: The parking lot at the entrance
Distance: 3 miles (5km)
Duration: 3 hours
The Mayan sites of Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula are often busy with tourists, but if you travel south through the neighboring state of Campeche towards the Guatemala border, you will reach Calakmul, an extraordinary UNESCO-recognized archaeological site located in the heart of the vast, untrammeled Reserva de la Biosfera Calakmul. Few visitors venture here, allowing you to explore this pivotal city, once home to the Kaan Mayan dynasty until around the 10th century, in relative peace. The ruins are surrounded by rainforest, with a seemingly endless canopy of vegetation. You might glimpse ocellated turkeys, parrots, toucans, and around 350 bird species that either reside or pass through here. You will also see or hear spider and howler monkeys. A 5km hike loops around some key ruins, including the Gran Acrópolis and the Plaza del Jaguar.
Camino del Inca, Ecuador
Start: The village of Achupallas
Finish: Ingapirca
Distance: 25 miles (40km)
Duration: 3 days
You can visit Ecuador’s most impressive archaeological site by vehicle, but it’s far more rewarding to hike along the original Inca royal road that once connected Cuzco with Tomebamba (present-day Cuenca) and Quito. This three-day trek takes you through high-altitude grasslands (paramó), past mirror-like lagoons, and alongside sparkling mountain rivers. With views of chiseled Andean peaks, you will reach altitudes of 13,780ft (4200m)—among the highest points on the royal road in the entire Inca Empire. You will also see other ruins before arriving at the magnificent site of Ingapirca, a stone complex once used as a fortress and storehouse (complete with an underground aqueduct) featuring an impressive temple used for ceremonies and solar observation, built flawlessly without mortar in the Inca manner.
The Pueblo Alto Loop, New Mexico
Start/Finish: Pueblo del Arroyo Trailhead, accessible from Albuquerque
Distance: 5 miles (8km)
Duration: 2 hours
New Mexico’s remote Chaco Canyon is home to the most extensive collection of pueblos in the American Southwest. Built between the 9th and 13th centuries, they were among the largest buildings in North America until well into the 19th century. They are now preserved under the desert sun in one of UNESCO’s most underappreciated World Heritage Sites. The Pueblo Alto Loop through Chaco Culture National Historical Park offers the perfect introduction to the Chaco world. Climb steps hewn into rock to the mesa above to take in panoramic views of Pueblo Bonito and other Chacoan buildings visible from the canyon rim. Then visit the trail’s namesake Pueblo Alto, an 89-room ‘great house’ probably used for ceremonial rituals. Complete the circuit by tramping through the rust-red dirt and descending back into the canyon where more great houses await.
The Best Paths are Ones that Lead to Good Food: Hikes for Foodies
Gatineau Park, Québec
Start/Finish: Gatineau Park Distance
Distance: 2.8 miles (4.5km)
Duration: 90 minutes
In Gatineau Park just outside Ottawa, pair a hike through the forests and along the lakeshores with a stop for afternoon tea at the Mackenzie King Estate, a country home that once belonged to former prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. A 2.8-mile (4.5km) loop through the forest takes you past Mulvihill Lake and Lauriault Falls. A short detour takes you to King’s former home and gardens, now home to a tearoom.
Prince Edward County, Ontario
Start: Station Rd, Hillier
Finish: West St, Wellington
Distance: 6 miles (10km)
Duration: 2 to 5 hours
Hiking Ontario’s Millennium Trail, a multi-use rail-trail through the winemaking region east of Toronto, includes stops at farm stands, cider makers, and wineries. The entire Prince Edward County trail spans 29 miles (46km). One option for a roughly six-mile (10km) day hike, with delicious stopping points en route, would start in Hillier and follow the trail into Wellington, where various restaurants, cafes, craft breweries, and wineries await.
Charlevoix, Québec
Start: Charlevoix Tourist Information Office
Finish: Parc du Gouffre, Baie-Saint-Paul
Distance: 7.5 miles (12km)
Duration: 3 hours
The Charlevoix region, just north of Québec City, is home to the Route des Saveurs, featuring cheesemakers, craft brewers, cideries, and bakeries. Here, you might sample wine made from tomatoes, try vodka distilled from whey, or indulge in unique dishes. A number of hiking trails crisscross the region, including the De La Baie route, a 7.5-mile (12km) trail with lookout points overlooking the Éboulements mountains and the St Lawrence River. End your hike in Baie St Paul, where diverse culinary options abound.
Go Far and Go Wide: The Best Heli-Hiking Routes
Canada
Several heli-hiking operators offer trips in British Columbia, Canada’s westernmost province. In addition to the Bugaboos trip, Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH) runs heli-hiking adventures in two other BC destinations. Multiday trips based at its 26-room Bobbie Burns Lodge, north of Bugaboo Provincial Park, allow guests to trek near the Conrad Glacier or tackle North America’s longest via ferrata. The newest CMH trip, from the 28-room Cariboos Lodge, takes hikers into the more remote Cariboo Mountains, west of Jasper National Park. If you aren’t ready to commit to a multiday heli-hiking adventure, you can try out the sport in Whistler, a two-hour drive from Vancouver. This mountain community is renowned for its skiing, yet it is a year-round destination for outdoor adventures, including Blackcomb Helicopters’ half and full-day heli-hiking excursions. For more options, contact Glacier Helicopters or Heli Canada Adventures, both based in Revelstoke, in eastern BC’s Selkirk and Monashee mountains.
Chile
While the Chilean Andes have grown into a center for winter heli-skiing, heli-hiking in this South American adventure destination is still emerging. If the idea of heli-hiking in the world’s longest mountain range excites you, here are a couple of operators in Chile that organize helicopter-based hiking experiences. Lodge Andino el Ingenio, a small adventure lodge 40 miles (65km) southeast of Santiago, offers guests an optional day of heli-hiking. A 15-minute flight takes you into the Piuquenes Valley, where you can hike for views of turquoise lakes and the towering Andes. Located in the Andes, 95 miles (150km) southeast of Chile’s capital, NOI Puma Lodge enables its guests to heli-hike into the nearby mountains. These day treks reward you with vistas across valleys, glaciers, and snow-capped volcanoes.
Alaska
America’s largest state features some spectacularly remote areas that are nearly impossible to access on your own. From mid-May to mid-September, Temsco offers helicopter tours to the edge of Denali National Park. A 15-minute flight brings you to a lofty ridgeline overlooking the undulating peaks of the Alaska Range, with views of Denali (at 20,310ft/6190m, the highest peak in North America) on clear days. From there, you will embark on a three-hour hike led by a naturalist guide, offering insights into the surrounding plant and animal life. With luck, you may spot moose, curly-horned Dall sheep, or even bears. For a longer glacier experience, book a trip out of Seward with Exit Glacier Guides, which takes you by helicopter to a remote glaciated valley for a two-hour hike across Godwin Glacier (gear provided).
Non-stop Awe on the Best Coastline Hikes of the Americas
Kalalau Trail: Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i
Start/Finish: Ke‘e Beach
Distance: 22 miles (35km) round trip (6 miles/9km) and Kalalau (11 miles/18km) provide opportunities to break the journey
Permits: camping.ehawaii.gov/camping
Duration: 3 to 5 days
One of the world’s great coastal walks, this exquisitely beautiful trail along Kaua‘i’s Na Pali Coast embodies the rare beauty of the Hawai‘i Islands. The path winds its way between patches of lush tropical jungle, mountains streaked with waterfalls, and idyllic coves backed by deeply fluted, colorful cliffs. The contrasting turquoise seas against brilliant greens and oranges of the shoreline create a stunning visual, but hikers should not be lulled into complacency by the trail’s beauty or relatively short length. This is a rugged, physically challenging hike with substantial elevation changes, best undertaken by those in excellent physical condition.
Fairy Head Loop Trail: Maine
Start/Finish: Cutler Bold Coast trailhead, Hwy 191
Distance: 10.4 miles (16.7km)
Duration: 7 hours
Acadia National Park in Down East Maine is renowned for its dramatic walks that follow shoreline cliffs above the crashing waves. Two hours’ drive northeast of Mt Desert Island, however, you can find equally majestic scenery without the heavy crowds clogging the trails. Part of the little-known Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land, the Fairy Head Loop Trail guides you through lush cedar swamp and maritime spruce-fir forest thick with moss and ferns, past blueberry barrens, and across jagged headlands overlooking hidden coves and rocky beaches. The windswept views from seaside promontories are nothing short of mesmerizing. As the trail turns inland, you’ll meander through open meadows, traverse wooden planks over bogs, and might spot wildlife in a nearby beaver pond.
Superior Hiking Trail: Minnesota
Start: Jay Cooke State Park, Minnesota
Finish: Minnesota/Ontario border
Distance: 310 miles (499km)
Duration: 2 to 4 weeks
Not all coastal hikes follow the ocean. As any North American geography student can tell you, Lake Superior is one of the world’s largest bodies of freshwater, making it fitting for it to have its own trail—a 310-mile (499km) wonder that roughly parallels the lake’s Minnesota shoreline from the Wisconsin border to Canada. Skirting the clifftops and ridgelines above the lake, the trail crosses through seven state parks and offers nearly 100 fee-free campsites for hikers. Much of the route is heavily forested with northern species such as birches, aspens, fir, cedar, and pine, interspersed with stream and river crossings, and occasional paths leading down to lake level to take in scenic attractions like the century-old Split Rock Lighthouse.
This article was first published Jul 12, 2022, and updated Jul 29, 2022.
