Simonside and Dove Crag Loop (England)
A few of my picks are from AllTrails’ travel-worthy trails list for the year, and this U.K. gem is one of them. It’s a moderately challenging loop that crosses two summits in the eastern portion of Northumberland National Park. The varied terrain mixes wooded forest and jagged rocky outcrops with panoramic valley views, making this a great introduction to the park.
- Location: Northumberland National Park, England
- Trail Length: 5.1 miles
- Est. Time to Complete: 2.5 to 3 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
Ben Lomond Track via Skyline Gondola (New Zealand)
Take the Skyline Gondola to the start of this challenging ridge-to-summit trail that offers some of the best panoramic views of Queenstown. On a good day, you might even meet a Kea at the peak!
- Location: Queenstown, Otago, New Zealand
- Trail Length: 6.9 miles
- Est. Time to Complete: 2.5 to 3 hours
- Difficulty: Hard
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The Corniches of Méjan and Tarn (France)
The reference hike in France’s Cévennes National Park traces a steep, vertigo-inspiring climb along the limestone cliffs of Causse Méjan. The payoff? Stunning views of the Jonte and Tarn Gorges and the area’s unique vase-shaped rock formations.
- Location: Cévennes National Park, France
- Trail Length: 4.9 miles
- Est. Time to Complete: 3 to 3.5 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
Kumano Kodō Pilgrimage (Japan)
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the world’s oldest and most sacred pilgrimage treks, tracing more than a thousand years of history, including ancient shrines, temples, and sacred sites along Japan’s Kii Peninsula.
- Location: Kii Peninsula, Japan
- Trail Length: Roughly 50 miles
- Est. Time to Complete: 4 to 6 days
- Difficulty: Moderate
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Angels Landing (Utah)
Utah’s premier day hike combines steep vertical climbs, dizzying drop-offs, and a last-push technical scramble to the landing itself at an elevation of 5,790 feet, with jaw-dropping views of Zion National Park. This one’s not for the faint of heart.
- Location: Zion National Park, Utah
- Trail Length: 4.7 miles
- Est. Time to Complete: 4 to 4.5 hours
- Difficulty: Strenuous
Patagonia W Trek (Chile)
Chile’s most iconic multi-day hike traverses nearly 50 miles along a “W” path through some of Patagonia’s most stunning landscapes. Hikers cross three valleys filled with dramatic granite rock faces, pristine alpine lakes, and million-year-old glaciers.
- Location: Torres del Paine, Chile
- Trail Length: 47 miles
- Est. Time to Complete: 5 days
- Difficulty: Hard
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Franconia Ridge Loop (New Hampshire)
Among the most stunning day hikes in the White Mountains, this steep loop bags three peaks with breathtaking views of some of the best mountainous landscapes in the eastern U.S. along the way. The 4,000-foot ascent makes this one of the more challenging hikes in the Northeast.
- Location: White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire
- Trail Length: 8.5 miles
- Est. Time to Complete: 6 to 7 hours
- Difficulty: Hard
Three Peaks of Lavaredo (Italy)
If you’re going to hike just one trail in Italy’s Sexten Dolomites, this is the one to do. It’s a non-technical, but stunning loop around the three UNESCO-recognized peaks that offers one of the best payoff-to-effort ratios in the range.
- Location: Tre Cime di Lavaredo Nature Park, Italy
- Trail Length: 6.3 miles
- Est. Time to Complete: 3.5 to 4 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
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The Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Hike (Arizona)
It’s the most iconic trail in one of America’s most iconic National Parks. The 14-mile descent drops 6,000 feet to the canyon floor before climbing 4,500 feet over 10 miles out the other side—all through a stunning landscape that’s found virtually nowhere else on Earth.
- Location: Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
- Trail Length: 24 miles (one way)
- Est. Time to Complete: 12 hours (one way)
- Difficulty: Strenuous
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He’s kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South Africa, and survived a near-miss great white shark attack in Mexico. His travel advice has appeared on the websites for Forbes, Travel + Leisure, CNET, and National Geographic. He loves the great outdoors and good bourbon, and (usually) calls Tulsa, Oklahoma home. Mike also enjoys speaking in the third person.
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