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Loop Trails in United States

1,489 routes in United States qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 4.6 km and 97 m (318 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 270 km.

That is 16 percent of the 9,390 routes we map in United States. They are shorter than the local average, 4.6 km against 14.0 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 97 m (318 ft) against 281 m (922 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Circular routes: park once, finish where you started, and never walk the same section twice. The mix is broad: 1052 are rated easy and 62 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day. A good share of them are loops, so you can park once and finish where you started.

Trails

Hackelia mundula , pink stickseed, in Sequoia/Kings Canyon, Fresno County, California.
Expert

Rae Lakes Loop

California · United States

Distance
57.6 km
/ 35.8 mi
Elevation gain
2,081 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
Hackelia mundula , pink stickseed, in Sequoia/Kings Canyon, Fresno County, California.
Expert

Big SEKI Loop

California · United States

Distance
251 km
/ 156 mi
Elevation gain
9,009 m
Typical duration
72 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
the beast.
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
View east along U.S. Route 50 entering the eastbound bore of Cave Rock Tunnel in Douglas County, Nevada
Expert

Tahoe Rim Trail

California · United States

Distance
270 km
/ 168 mi
Elevation gain
4,808 m
Typical duration
71 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Cathedral Lakes in Yosemite National Park , October 2008.
Expert

High Sierra Camp Loop

California · United States

Distance
76.3 km
/ 47.4 mi
Elevation gain
2,125 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
The Little Missouri River viewed from the bridge to the Albert Pike area of Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas.
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
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 43.
Moderate

Bald Mountain Red Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
192 m
Typical duration
1 hr 10 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Geranium carolinianum, taken at the Kentucky River Palisades, Mercer County, KY, May 21 2016.
Moderate

Palisades Loop

Kentucky · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
31 m
Typical duration
8 min
  • Waterfall
  • River
  • Long-distance path
Trees of Castle Rock (2)
Moderate

Summit Rock Loop Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
228 m
Typical duration
59 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
view from fire watchtower at pack monadnock
Easy

Summit Loop

New Hampshire · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 43.
Moderate

Bald Mountain White Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
85 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hezekiah S. Ramsdell Farm , Thompson, Connecticut. This area includes foundational remnants, and is probably where the house stood.
Easy

Shoreline Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
6.5 km
/ 4.1 mi
Elevation gain
48 m
Typical duration
1 hr 26 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
A Fire Pink ( Silene virginica ) flowering along a path in Shades State Park, Indiana, USA.
Moderate

Trail 7

Indiana · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
49 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 43.
Moderate

Bald Mountain Green Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
22 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Eastern side of the Bear Lake Ranger Station on the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park in Larimer County , Colorado , United States . Built in 1923, the building was formerly listed on the National Register of Historic Places ; it
Easy

Bear Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
21 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Which Way?
Easy

White Oak Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
61 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
View east from the west end of Maryland State Route 768 (Dares Wharf Road) at Maryland State Route 402 (Dares Beach Road) in Dares Beach, Calvert County, Maryland
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
The Loch Raven Reservoir is a reservoir that provides drinking water for the City of Baltimore and most of Baltimore County, Maryland. Originally built in 1881 as a dam and water tunnel to channel water to Lake Montebello and Lake Clifton,
Easy

Meadow Trail (yellow)

Maryland · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.2 mi
Typical duration
5 min
  • Alpine meadow
  • Waymarked route
Geranium carolinianum, taken at the Kentucky River Palisades, Mercer County, KY, May 21 2016.
Easy

Meadow View

Kentucky · United States

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
85 m
Typical duration
54 min
  • Forest
  • Alpine meadow
  • Wildlife watching
Geranium carolinianum, taken at the Kentucky River Palisades, Mercer County, KY, May 21 2016.
Moderate

River Road

Kentucky · United States

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
176 m
Typical duration
1 hr 9 min
  • River
  • Coastal
A man fishing in the Indian Head River reservoir , on the border of Pembroke and Hanson in Massachusetts.
Easy

Indian Head River Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
48 m
Typical duration
1 hr 14 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Meeting House Hill Historic District , Guilford, Connecticut.
Easy

Munger Brook Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
19 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 59.
Easy

River Trail

Michigan · United States

Distance
4.6 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
58 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
The refuge's Falkner Island Unit. Refuge staff will soon head out to the refuge's other island units to assess damages. Credit: Tylar Greene/USFWS Stay informed www.facebook.com/usfwsnortheast www.twitter.com/usfwsnortheast
Easy

Spencers Creek Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Arthur J. DiTommaso Memorial Bridge, Twin Cities Rail Trail, Fitchburg Massachusetts
Easy

Woodland Path Loop

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
16 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Kīlauea Iki crater from above, Kīlauea, Hawaii, United States
Hard

Crater Rim Trail

Hawaii · United States

Distance
18.1 km
/ 11.3 mi
Elevation gain
288 m
Typical duration
4 hr 18 min
  • Volcano
Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) close, with face turned to camera. On grassy hillside pasture in winter, Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, California.
Moderate

Rocky Ridge Loop Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.9 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
434 m
Typical duration
2 hr 6 min
  • Mountain
Woodland Reservoir Pine Trees
Easy

Woodland Lake Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Typical duration
22 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
A Blooming Ocotillo
Moderate

Pass Mountain Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
11.7 km
/ 7.3 mi
Elevation gain
325 m
Typical duration
2 hr 56 min
  • Mountain
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area : Climbing The Fox (5.10d).
Moderate

Kraft Mountain Loop

Nevada · United States

Distance
5.7 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
196 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
  • Mountain
Possibly M. flavitarsis?
Moderate

Carr Peak Spur Trail #108

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
79 m
Typical duration
13 min
  • Mountain
Pemigewasset River, Flume Gorge, Lincoln
Moderate

Flume Gorge Trail

New Hampshire · United States

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
163 m
Typical duration
54 min
  • Canyon and gorge
A Limenitis arthemis astyanax in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, United States.
Moderate

Hot Springs Mountain Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
126 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Mountain
found at night in desert wash, with food item (honeybee)
Moderate

Mountain Palm Springs Loop

California · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
136 m
Typical duration
52 min
  • Mountain
Aptos Creek
Moderate

Oak Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
106 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Mountain
Sail Rock, the easternmost point in the United States of Alaska. Located in Quoddy Head State Park, Maine.
Moderate

Quoddy Coast Guard Trail

Maine · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Coastal
Pipe Spring National Monument is located in the U.S. state of Arizona, and is rich with American Indian, early explorer, and Mormon pioneer history. The National Monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15,
Moderate

Ridge Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
51 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Mountain
Woodland Reservoir Pine Trees
Moderate

Blue Ridge Trail

Arizona · United States

Distance
14.8 km
/ 9.2 mi
Elevation gain
210 m
Typical duration
3 hr 25 min
  • Mountain
Which Way?
Moderate

Black Locust Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
217 m
Typical duration
1 hr 19 min
  • Waymarked route
Lee Creek Bridge At Devil's Den State Park: The Autumn colors surround the Lee Creek Bridge at Devil's Den State Park near Winslow, AR. (from flickr)
Hard

Butterfield Hiking Trail

Arkansas · United States

Distance
23.7 km
/ 14.7 mi
Elevation gain
555 m
Typical duration
6 hr 2 min
  • Waymarked route
Sign to the Visitor Center of Catoctin Mountain Park
Moderate

Hog Rock Loop Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
7.2 km
/ 4.5 mi
Elevation gain
325 m
Typical duration
2 hr
  • Waymarked route
Sugarloaf Mountain Natural Area
Moderate

Northern Peaks Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
8.5 km
/ 5.3 mi
Elevation gain
349 m
Typical duration
2 hr 18 min
  • Waymarked route
Sign to the Visitor Center of Catoctin Mountain Park
Moderate

Orange Trail

Maryland · United States

Distance
5.7 km
/ 3.6 mi
Elevation gain
251 m
Typical duration
1 hr 34 min
  • Waymarked route

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
Rae Lakes LoopCalifornia57.6 km2,081 m16 hrExpertJuly to September
Big SEKI LoopCalifornia251 km9,009 m72 hrExpertJuly to September
Prescott Circle TrailArizona88.8 km1,160 m22 hrExpertJune to October
Tahoe Rim TrailCalifornia270 km4,808 m71 hrExpertJuly to September
High Sierra Camp LoopCalifornia76.3 km2,125 m20 hrExpertJuly to September
Highland Lakes - Arnot Creek LoopCalifornia32.2 km1,081 m8 hr 51 minExpertJuly to September
Eagle Rock LoopArkansas42.3 km1,058 m11 hrExpertApril to October
Bald Mountain Red TrailConnecticut4.2 km192 m1 hr 10 minModerateApril to October
Palisades LoopKentucky0.5 km31 m8 minModerateApril to October
Summit Rock Loop TrailCalifornia3.1 km228 m59 minModerateApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Rae Lakes Loop, Big SEKI Loop, Tahoe Rim Trail. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

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