Once you’re a Backpacker editor, day by day is Nationwide Trails Day. We pulled collectively six dozen excellent summer time hikes that will help you ring within the season in fashion.
A hiker admiring the view (Photograph: Lauren Berger)
Revealed June 5, 2026 10:44AM
It’s not that we’ve something towards Nationwide Trails Day. Celebrating the locations the place so many people discover a lot pleasure and function, as we’ve each June for the reason that American Climbing Affiliation first established it in 1993, looks as if a fantastic thought to us. However if you’re the editors of Backpacker, day by day is in regards to the path, and narrowing down 1000’s of trails to at least one vacation hit checklist is troublesome, to say the least.
This 12 months, we determined to lean into the summer time vibe. These 73 hikes from our archives and 2026 protection are excellent for the summer time, from shaded forest treks to shoreline sojourns to waterfall missions, and embody each picks from deep in our archives to favorites we wrote about this 12 months. Add certainly one of these to your plans for this Saturday, or discover a path work day close to you and spend your weekend giving again to the locations that give a lot. (A reminder that path circumstances change rapidly, particularly in summer time. Be certain to examine for closures or detours earlier than you depart.)
Dayhike or a day on the seashore? You don’t want to decide on. You’ll go to distant stretches of shoreline, discover islands, and discover magnificence spots within the Grand Canyon on these six excellent trails, starting from 3 to fifteen miles.
Deep, darkish, and funky, forests are an ideal place to lose your self whereas getting out of the summer time solar. These six hikes run the gamut from historic redwood forests on the California coast to the thick oak woods of the southeast.
For Nationwide Summit Day 2025, we requested our editors a easy query: What’s the very best peak you’ve ever hiked to? Our solutions ranged from an iconic lengthy path terminus to an after-work hike that ends with sweeping views over our hometown. In the event you haven’t finished them, all are nonetheless worthy targets a 12 months later.
Waterfalls are ephemeral by nature: If you wish to see one in its full glory, it’s important to make the trek earlier than summer time warmth dries them out. We requested author Alisha McDarris to decide on the 50 finest in America–one in every state. From burbling brooks to sheer, highly effective drops, these are her picks.
Need to add somewhat extra colour into your season? Don your brightest layers and set out on certainly one of these 7 trails, all of which entry surroundings painted in gorgeous shades. Highlights embody cerulean alpine tarns, mineral-rich sizzling springs, and huge fields of wildflowers.
