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Best Alpine Meadow Hikes in United States

The directory currently contains 77 quality-checked routes matching this guide in United States. Their average mapped distance is 5.3 km and average recorded ascent is 150 m (492 ft); the longest route in the set is 41.9 km.

This subset represents 1% of the 5,699 quality-checked routes in United States. Its average distance is 5.3 km, compared with 14.1 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 150 m (492 ft), versus 264 m (866 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the alpine-meadow tag. Flowering periods, grazing and seasonal access are not live fields in this directory. Within this set, 39 routes (51%) are rated easy, 5 (6%) are rated hard or expert, and 15 (19%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

1.6 km

Griffin Meadow Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

9 m

Griffin Meadow Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

1 recorded loop

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Easy

Meadow Mountain Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
5.4 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
86 m
Typical duration
1 hr 15 min
  • Lake
  • River
  • Mountain
Moderate

Summit Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
4.3 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
457 m
Typical duration
1 hr 35 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Spooky Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.0 km
/ 3.7 mi
Elevation gain
645 m
Typical duration
2 hr 13 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Griffin Meadow Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
9 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Meadow Trail (yellow)

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.2 mi
Typical duration
5 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Prairie View Trail

Illinois · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Lake
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Meadow View

Kentucky · United States

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
85 m
Typical duration
54 min
  • Lake
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Alpine Garden Trail

New Hampshire · United States

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
92 m
Typical duration
42 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Long Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
176 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Barn Meadow Loop

Maine · United States

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
48 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

East Prairie Loop

Iowa · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
11 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Great Meadow Loop

Maine · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
17 m
Typical duration
38 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Mashamoquet Meadow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
10 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Meadow Walk

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
8 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

West Prairie Loop

Iowa · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Meadow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Summit Meadow - Holcomb Cutoff

California · United States

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
174 m
Typical duration
54 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Alpine meadow
Hard

Meadow Mountain Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
18.9 km
/ 11.7 mi
Elevation gain
343 m
Typical duration
4 hr 34 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Long Meadow Lake Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.1 mi
Typical duration
1 hr 43 min
  • Lake
  • Alpine meadow
Hard

String Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
14.0 km
/ 8.7 mi
Elevation gain
598 m
Typical duration
3 hr 48 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Nature Trail

Florida · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
9 min
  • Forest
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Meadow Trail 505

Arizona · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Typical duration
33 min
  • Forest
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Meadow Loop

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
10 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Alpine Way Trail

Idaho · United States

Distance
28.5 km
/ 17.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,042 m
Typical duration
7 hr 55 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Prairie Trail

Iowa · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Typical duration
11 min
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Volcano Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.7 km
/ 4.1 mi
Elevation gain
261 m
Typical duration
1 hr 47 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
  • Volcano
Moderate

Doe Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
9.6 km
/ 5.9 mi
Elevation gain
579 m
Typical duration
2 hr 51 min
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Meadow Brook Trail

California · United States

Distance
9.3 km
/ 5.8 mi
Elevation gain
750 m
Typical duration
3 hr 4 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Prairie Trail

Nebraska · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
65 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Forest
  • Alpine meadow
Well-exposed natural outcrop of the Cottonwood Limestone alongside the Konza Prairie Nature Trail .
Moderate

Konza Prairie Nature Trail

Kansas · United States

Distance
11.3 km
/ 7.0 mi
Elevation gain
170 m
Typical duration
2 hr 36 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Meadow Mouse Trail

Michigan · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
9 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Mule Deer Meadow Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
30 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Skunk Prairie Trail

Missouri · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Typical duration
12 min
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Boone Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
207 m
Typical duration
55 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
Hard

Lion Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
27.5 km
/ 17.1 mi
Elevation gain
430 m
Typical duration
6 hr 45 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Redrock Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
7.4 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
754 m
Typical duration
2 hr 40 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
Easy

Meadow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
12 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Bear Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
9.3 km
/ 5.8 mi
Elevation gain
359 m
Typical duration
2 hr 29 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Helms Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
11.3 km
/ 7.0 mi
Elevation gain
335 m
Typical duration
2 hr 52 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Bear Trap Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
277 m
Typical duration
54 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Lost Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
5.1 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
40 m
Typical duration
1 hr 7 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

Milk Ranch Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.2 mi
Elevation gain
375 m
Typical duration
2 hr 18 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Meadow Mountain TrailMaryland5.4 km86 m1 hr 15 minEasyApril to October
Meadow Creek National Recreation TrailIdaho41.9 km567 m10 hrExpertJune to October
Iowa River Trail - Terry Trueblood to Waterworks Prairie ParkIowa12.2 km26 m2 hr 34 minModerateApril to October
Summit Meadow TrailCalifornia4.3 km457 m1 hr 35 minModerateJuly to September
Spooky Meadow TrailCalifornia6.0 km645 m2 hr 13 minModerateJuly to September
Griffin Meadow TrailMaryland1.6 km9 m21 minEasyApril to October
Meadow Trail (yellow)Maryland0.4 km0 m5 minEasyApril to October
Prairie View TrailIllinois1.3 km7 m16 minEasyApril to October
Meadow ViewKentucky3.7 km85 m54 minEasyApril to October
Alpine Garden TrailNew Hampshire2.7 km92 m42 minModerateJune to October

Meadow Mountain Trail, Meadow Creek National Recreation Trail, Iowa River Trail - Terry Trueblood to Waterworks Prairie Park currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

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Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

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