National parks with front-country hiking

Great Head Trial provides visitors a chance to hike a shorter trail and get amazing views of the ocean and forest in the same hike. Enjoy the views while relaxing on the beach afterward.

If looking for a way to relax, to take in some magnificent views, or to just burn some of the calories from the popovers consumed at the Jordan Pond house, the Jordan Pond Path is a great choice. Even just walking along…

Ocean Path follows atop Acadia’s granite cliffs along the Atlantic Ocean. While exploring the Ocean Path, visitors can enjoy scenic vistas and iconic park locations including Sand beach, Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs.

This short, moderately sloped trail offers visitors a chance to brush up on local flora with guideposts describing the various plants along the way.

This short loop trail breaks out of the pinyon/juniper forest at the North Chasm View to provide excellent views of Painted Wall and Serpent Point.

Deadhorse Trail takes hikers into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison Wilderness Area. It offers good views of Deadhorse Gulch and East Portal on the Gunnison River, as well as good birding.

The Rim Trail hike meanders along the rim of the iconic Bryce Canyon Amphitheater, giving you views of the hoodoos below. This portion of the Rim Trail, from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point, is the only paved section of…

The Bristlecone Loop, an easy 1 mile hike, meanders through the forest atop this highest portion of the park, reaching elevations over 9,100 feet (2778 m). Here you will pass by bristlecone pines up to 1,800-years-old…

Mossy Cave trail is one of the lowest elevation hikes in the park as well as one of the only hikes that begins with a climb and ends with a descent. This trail provides access to Water Canyon in one direction and to a…

Hike a strenuous trail to view dramatic geologic formations and spectacular vistas.

Hike an easy or moderate trail to see panoramic views or to experience a deep sandstone canyon.

Watch the sunset from various scenic points in Capitol Reef. Take an easy stroll or a strenuous hike as the sun goes down. Don't forget to bring a headlamp.

Denali is home to a beautiful variety of plant species, from tall Aspen trees to short Moss campion. With a diversity of habitat types that support water-loving to drought-tolerant plants, Denali is an excellent place…

At 6 million acres in size, Denali is incredibly vast, and hiking is possible almost anywhere in the park. However, there are only a handful of established trails in the park, and here you'll find a few suggestions for…

Horseshoe Lake is a lovely destination about 2 miles from the Denali Visitor Center. A trail loops around the entire lake, which is occasionally home to moose, beavers and a variety of bird-life. An early-morning visit…

The famous Anhinga Trail is a self-guided pavement and boardwalk trail winding through and over sawgrass marsh and freshwater slough. A paved path leads you along the water and to a looping boardwalk, providing views…

Just above the dunefield are montane woodlands of pinon and ponderosa pine, subalpine aspen and conifer forests, alpine lakes and rugged mountains over 13,000 feet (4,000 m) in elevation. The easiest access to forest in…

Explore the tallest dunes in North America! The centerpiece of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is the 30-square-mile (78-square-km) dunefield, featuring the tallest dunes in North America. Because there are…

The Albert Stoll Jr. Memorial Trail is a relatively easy hiking trail that captures the majesty of Lake Superior and engages with the wilderness character of Isle Royale National Park.

Walk the Windigo Nature Trail and immerse yourself in the deciduous forest on the western end of Isle Royale.

Take a leisurely walk along a boardwalk through the spruce bog on Raspberry Island accessible by private boat, vessel rental, or a tour on the MV SANDY from Rock Harbor on Isle Royale’s east end.

The 8.2-mile round trip Harding Icefield Trail is a spectacular day hike. Travel from the valley floor, through forests, meadows and the alpine, finishing with a breath-taking view of the Harding Icefield. The top of…

Would you like to visit the Exit Glacier area, but only have a couple of hours? These are some suggestions for what you might do with that time.

Epic elevation, heart-pumping exercise and stellar views. Discover the wild from Port Alsworth as you hike the trail to the top of Tanalian Mountain.

A short and relatively flat walk offers views of Lassen Peak and Chaos Crags volcanoes, often seen reflecting in the water. The trailhead is across the road from the Loomis Museum.

Visitors to Mammoth Cave National Park Marvel over the Green River Valley while visiting the popular overlook, Sunset Point.

Stunning rock faces, cave springs, and geological panoramas, you will experience a wide array of seasonal wildflowers and biodiversity.

Madison Falls is a stunning 60-foot waterfall near the Elwha River. It's also one of the most accessible destinations at the park, making it a great stop for families and visitors of all abilities.

Near the Olympic National Park Visitor Center, two short loop hikes take visitors through peaceful, green lowland forests.

Take a peaceful stroll at Barnes Point on Lake Crescent on the Moments in Time Trail.

The 3/4 -mile paved Puerco Pueblo Trail features the remnants of a hundred room masonry pueblo.

Walk Crystal Forest Trail for one of the best opportunities to experience the petrified wood deposits as it loops through rolling gray and purple badlands.

This unpaved trail winds 1-mile round trip through the rim woodland, a place for chance encounters of many species of plants and animals and spectacular views of the Painted Desert.

If you are traveling with a furry friend, Wind Cave has two pet friendly trails. Both are close to the visitor center and about one mile in length.

Hiking in Wrangell-St. Elias can be spectacular and we encourage you to go, but be prepared! Most of the front country hiking trails are maintained for the first few miles and then become routes into the backcountry,…

Explore the four major types of hydrothermal features along this short, popular, boardwalk trail.

Norris Geyser Basin is one of the hottest and most acidic of Yellowstone’s hydrothermal areas. It is part of one of the world’s largest active volcanoes. Many hot springs and fumaroles here have temperatures above the…

From 1886 to 1918, the US Army managed Yellowstone National Park. Starting in 1890, the US Army constructed Fort Yellowstone as a more permanent base of operations.