With more and more people searching for ways to keep active during the pandemic, many are searching for hiking trails. Hiking allows for safe, social distancing while getting some fresh air and physical exercise. Let’s take a look at some top hiking trails for 2021.
The Long Coast Trail of California is a trail that spans 24.6 miles. It takes about 3-4 days to complete, and the town closest to it is Shelter Cove. You can hike this trail all year but the best time to go is in the fall, especially because of the redwood trees. Next is the Tonto Trail of Arizona in the Grand Canyon National Park. This trail is 70 miles long and takes about four days to complete. This trail is wonderful at all times of the year except for summer when it is unbearably hot. With this hike, you can enjoy spectacular views of the Colorado River and the red canyon rocks while also getting your exercise in.
The Trans-Catalina trail of California is 38.7 miles and is near the town of Avalon. This trail is accessible all year but beware that summertime can be excruciatingly hot; it will take you from 3-5 days to complete. This hike can be very intense but you do get a view of the beautiful Catalina Island. If you’re looking for an east coast spot, Mount Katahdin in Maine should do you well. The trail ranges from 2.4-9 miles and will only take you a day to complete. Since the northeast is known for being cold, summer is the best time to experience this trail. You’ll be able to have a stunning view of Maine’s tallest mountain and more epic scenery throughout the hike.
Moving away from the mainland, the Kalalau Trail in the Napali Coast of Hawaii is one of the best in the nation. It is 22 miles long and accessible all-year-round. It will take you around 2-3 days to complete and will present you with gorgeous beach scenes, waterfall swimming opportunities, rivers, mountains and more. The trail is very remote and rugged, but you will leave with memories to last a lifetime. Another popular Hawaii hike is the Mauna Loa Summit near Hilo, Hawaii. At 17 miles long, this trail will only take you a day to complete. Being stationed on the big island of Hawaii, this hike will show you amazing landscape views. You can hike this trail all year long, but sometimes it is closed due to volcanic activity.