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Best Forest Hikes in United States

The directory currently contains 417 quality-checked routes matching this guide in United States. Their average mapped distance is 8.6 km and average recorded ascent is 288 m (945 ft); the longest route in the set is 164 km.

This subset represents 7% of the 5,699 quality-checked routes in United States. Its average distance is 8.6 km, compared with 14.1 km across the full local set.

These routes carry the forest tag. The data does not quantify canopy cover or guarantee shade along every section. Within this set, 146 routes (35%) are rated easy, 66 (16%) are rated hard or expert, and 63 (15%) 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

Trails

Expert

Bartram Trail

Georgia · United States

Distance
164 km
/ 102 mi
Elevation gain
4,533 m
Typical duration
45 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Geneva Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
37.5 km
/ 23.3 mi
Elevation gain
2,175 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Expert

Mattabesett Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
95.2 km
/ 59.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,205 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Metacomet Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
95.1 km
/ 59.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,550 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Yale-Myers Forest Research Site off Nipmuck Trail.
Expert

Nipmuck Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
45.9 km
/ 28.5 mi
Elevation gain
633 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Maroon Bells 7-4
Hard

Maroon-Snowmass Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
26.4 km
/ 16.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,078 m
Typical duration
7 hr 28 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Expert

Gabrielino Trail

California · United States

Distance
52.7 km
/ 32.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,498 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Expert

Highline Trail #31

Arizona · United States

Distance
93.2 km
/ 57.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,536 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Prescott is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 39,843. The city is the county seat of Yavapai County. In 1864 Prescott was designated as the capital of the Arizona T
Expert

Prescott Circle Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
88.8 km
/ 55.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,160 m
Typical duration
22 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Round Hill Brook, Webb Mountain Park, Paugussett Trail, Monroe, CT.
Hard

Paugussett Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
20.9 km
/ 13.0 mi
Elevation gain
508 m
Typical duration
5 hr 17 min
  • River
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Huachuca Mountains, Arizona.
Moderate

Hamburg Trail #122

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.1 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
81 m
Typical duration
1 hr 11 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Expert

North/South Trail

Kentucky · United States

Distance
91.1 km
/ 56.6 mi
Elevation gain
585 m
Typical duration
22 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
View north up the Trail Canyon Trail in the Mount Charleston Wilderness, Nevada from about 1.0 miles north of the trailhead
Moderate

Trail Canyon

Nevada · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
471 m
Typical duration
1 hr 22 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Moderate

See Canyon Trail #184

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.8 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
585 m
Typical duration
1 hr 53 min
  • Lake
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Expert

Eagle Rock Loop

Arkansas · United States

Distance
42.3 km
/ 26.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,058 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Expert

Quinnipiac Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
31.5 km
/ 19.6 mi
Elevation gain
848 m
Typical duration
8 hr 20 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Menunkatuck Blue-Blazed (CFPA) Trail. Vernal pond along the Menunkatuck Trail in the Timberlands near the Iron Stream. Timberlands is forested preserved open space owned by the Town of Guilford Connecticut and managed by the Town's Conserva
Hard

Menunkatuck Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
25.8 km
/ 16.0 mi
Elevation gain
277 m
Typical duration
6 hr 7 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Upper Lookout Canyon Trail #120

Arizona · United States

Distance
18.1 km
/ 11.2 mi
Elevation gain
138 m
Typical duration
4 hr 4 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Expert

West Divide Trail #289

Arizona · United States

Distance
41.7 km
/ 25.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,788 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Expert

Barr Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
19.1 km
/ 11.9 mi
Elevation gain
2,303 m
Typical duration
7 hr 34 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Hard

Gibson Canyon Trail #308

Arizona · United States

Distance
14.1 km
/ 8.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,908 m
Typical duration
5 hr 47 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Moderate

Middle Lookout Canyon Trail #121

Arizona · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.5 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
52 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Expert

East Divide Trail #287

Arizona · United States

Distance
62.2 km
/ 38.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,549 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Snake Gulch Trail #59

Arizona · United States

Distance
83.5 km
/ 51.9 mi
Elevation gain
687 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Brookside-McCurdy Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
48.1 km
/ 29.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,836 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Hard

South Fork Trail #243

Arizona · United States

Distance
22.2 km
/ 13.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,060 m
Typical duration
6 hr 25 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Expert

North Sylamore Creek Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
36.1 km
/ 22.4 mi
Elevation gain
658 m
Typical duration
9 hr 8 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Golden Trout Wilderness , August 2008. One day after a rainstorm, just south of Farewell Gap.
Expert

Farewell Gap Trail

California · United States

Distance
25.5 km
/ 15.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,556 m
Typical duration
7 hr 58 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Salmon River Trail Comstock Covered Bridge from state forest parking lot side.
Moderate

Salmon River Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
7.5 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
136 m
Typical duration
1 hr 45 min
  • River
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Kearsarge Fire Tower
Moderate

Kearsarge North Trail

New Hampshire · United States

Distance
4.6 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
808 m
Typical duration
2 hr 10 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Easy

Branch Brook Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • River
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Bassett Peak Trail #287C

Arizona · United States

Distance
9.6 km
/ 5.9 mi
Elevation gain
353 m
Typical duration
2 hr 31 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Moderate

Brule Lake Trail

Minnesota · United States

Distance
10.5 km
/ 6.5 mi
Elevation gain
185 m
Typical duration
2 hr 28 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Skelton Lake, Mammoth Lakes, California
Moderate

Woods Lakes Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
86 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Bull Basin Trail #40

Arizona · United States

Distance
6.2 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
679 m
Typical duration
2 hr 19 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Bear Mountain, Sedona, Arizona
Moderate

Bear Mountain #54

Arizona · United States

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
695 m
Typical duration
1 hr 48 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Loy Canyon Trail, Sedona, Arizona
Moderate

Loy Canyon #5

Arizona · United States

Distance
7.8 km
/ 4.8 mi
Elevation gain
603 m
Typical duration
2 hr 32 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
On the Ranger Trail viewing Sowats Point. North Kaibab Ranger District.10-3-15. Photo by Paul Grimm. Credit the U.S. Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Kaibab National Forest.
Expert

Ranger Trail #41

Arizona · United States

Distance
40.7 km
/ 25.3 mi
Elevation gain
392 m
Typical duration
9 hr 50 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Huachuca Mountains, Coronado National Forest.
Moderate

Ida Canyon Trail #110

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
695 m
Typical duration
2 hr 13 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Hard

Bear Canyon Trail #299

Arizona · United States

Distance
8.2 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,286 m
Typical duration
3 hr 38 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Long Canyon Trail, Sedona, Arizona
Moderate

Long Canyon #122

Arizona · United States

Distance
5.8 km
/ 3.6 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
1 hr 14 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest

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
Bartram TrailGeorgia164 km4,533 m45 hrExpertJune to October
Geneva Lake TrailColorado37.5 km2,175 m11 hrExpertJuly to September
Eagle National Recreation TrailArizona37.5 km1,987 m11 hrExpertJuly to September
Mattabesett TrailConnecticut95.2 km1,205 m24 hrExpertApril to October
Metacomet TrailConnecticut95.1 km1,550 m24 hrExpertApril to October
Bay de Noc – Grand Island National Recreation TrailMichigan71.4 km227 m16 hrExpertApril to October
Nipmuck TrailConnecticut45.9 km633 m11 hrExpertApril to October
Charleston Peak Trail South LoopNevada13.5 km1,504 m5 hr 4 minHardJuly to September
Maroon-Snowmass TrailColorado26.4 km1,078 m7 hr 28 minHardJuly to September
Gabrielino TrailCalifornia52.7 km2,498 m15 hrExpertApril to October

Bartram Trail, Geneva Lake Trail, Mattabesett Trail 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

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