Top Hiking Cities

Fitness, Healthy Travel
on March 15, 2012

Hiking is a healthy pastime that offers scenery, exercise and surprises around every switchback. What could be more sublime than mixing a great vacation with a great activity? Find out a few of the top hiking cities, according to National Geographic, and plan a getaway to adventure.

Salt Lake City, Utah. Brighton Lakes Trail, Big Cottonwood Canyon offers soaring heights to hike and climb — as much as 10,000 feet tall. A notoriously outdoorsy, sport-lovers' paradise, Salt Lake City is a mere 20 minutes away from these amazing hiking spots. The Brighton Lakes and Lake Mary trails offer scenery that’s remained untouched and wild. Lakes, peaks, wildflower meadows, soaring mountain tops and cozy valleys — what more could a hiker ask for?

Portland, Oregon. A rainforest in the United States? Yes. There is a real rainforest tucked into the hills and swales of Portland, Oregon. There are so many great hikes to choose from, you’re bound to find just the right level of difficulty, whether you’re looking for a challenge or a breezy stroll. Triple Falls is an exciting hike through a canyon forest aside the Columbia River, finally culminating in an astounding waterfall. All this natural glory is shockingly located a mere half-hour from the city of Portland.

Las Vegas, Nev. Looking for a heck of an exciting place to hike? It’s Vegas, baby. Yes, a mere 17 miles west of the glitz and glam of the strip is an enclave of bright, red rock cliffs, canyons and trails. Turtle Head Peak from Sandstone Quarry will lead you through 2,000 vertical feet. The apex offers you an unfettered view of the entirety of the Vegas strip. A show and maybe a smidgen of blackjack? Nothing better after a long day spent on a challenging hike.

Phoenix, Ariz. Hiking on the grand scale is available at the South Mountain Park — reportedly the largest municipal park in the world at 17,000 acres. This gargantuan park offers 58 miles of trails for hiking amidst the blooming cacti and an occasional coyote. The Pima Canyon Trailhead is a good spot to start and is full of well-marked trails. The hiking payoff is a few soaring, uplifting lookouts over Phoenix and another great hiking spot, Camelback Mountain.

New York, N.Y. As shocking as it sounds, there are many great trails for the hiking in the Big Apple area. From the gorgeous Palisades, the historical Hudson River and the Bear Mountain passages provide the most scenic strolls imaginable. A 4-mile loop is located on part of the famous Appalachian Trail. Try the Major Welch trails that take you along the Hudson, Iona Island and Westchester hills.