America’s Best Day Hikes: Spectacular Single-Day Hikes Across the States

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50 of the greatest hikes in the country, for all abilities and in all landscapes

Beautifully illustrated, this best-of compendium features the most memorable one-day hikes in every region of the United States from Sierra Buttes Lookout in Tahoe National Forest to Grinnell Glacier Trail in Montana’s Glacier National Park to Giant Mountain in Adirondack Park and beyond.

Organized by region, this guide goes into detail about what makes each hike so remarkable and why it might be worth a detour or even a special journey for someone looking to broaden their horizons. All of the hikes are doable during daylight hours and none require camping.

America’s Best Day Hikes comes with all the information anyone would need to experience these unique locations, including details about the hike itself―difficulty, duration, seasonal hazards, and more.―as well as traveling, planning, and packing suggestions. All this paired with Derek Dellinger’s stunning photography makes this incredible volume a must-have for any lover of the outdoors.

100 color photographs, 50 maps

From the Publisher

GRINNELL GLACIER TRAIL—Glacier National Park, Montana

Grinnell Lake from the trail to Grinnell Glacier

DISTANCE: 10.5 milesELEVATION GAIN: 1,840 feetTIME COMMITMENT: 5 to 7 hoursFEE: National Park Pass or entrance feeDOGS: Not permittedCAMPING ALONG TRAIL: NoDIFFICULTY: Strenuous but manageable grade, challenges may arise with trail conditions at higher elevations

Snow often persists at higher elevations in the park well into the summer, and hikers attempting the Grinnell Glacier Trail in June and July will most likely encounter snow bridges and potentially difficult snow crossings. Hiking poles can help a great deal with keeping your balance in slick, slippery spots. Traction devices are also recommended early or late in the season when ice may be present.

FISHER TOWERS—Castle Valley, Utah

The Fisher Towers from the final viewpoint

DISTANCE: 4.6 milesELEVATION GAIN: 1,760 feetTIME COMMITMENT: 3 to 4 hoursFEE: NoneDOGS: PermittedCAMPING ALONG TRAIL: NoDIFFICULTY: Rugged trail with moderate ups and downs, made challenging by the lack of shade and extreme heat in summer months

While the crowds congregate in vast numbers at Arches National Park, visitors to the Moab area can find another stunning natural rock formation just a short drive away that few tourists are aware of. This hike below Fisher Towers is probably the best day hike in the area, an always interesting, swerving path through desert washes and gullies, under the base of staggeringly huge rock towers, and finally up to a ridge, where the towers themselves are framed dramatically against a sprawling valley, a panorama of mesas, hills, and mountains. As far as desert hikes go, it doesn’t get much better than this, and even with the competition posed by Utah’s varied scenery and many famous landmarks, the Fisher Towers trek remains one of my favorite hikes in all of the American Southwest.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Countryman Press; Illustrated edition (October 22, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 328 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 168268265X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1682682654
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.99 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.4 x 1.2 x 10.4 inches