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Trails I've Hiked

Browse our collection of trail overviews to help decide which path to choose in the parks.

Trails I've Hiked/Video: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

September 4th, the popular National Park Exploration Video Series releases "The Great Smoky Mountains: Crown Jewel of the Appalachians." The video's on-camera guide is Randy Johnson, Traveler's travel editor and author of "Best Easy Day Hikes of Great Smokies." Our 10-minute video preview showcases why the Smokies is such a great place to hike.

Trails I've Hiked: The Great Smokies' Mountain Farm and Oconaluftee River Trails

The Smokies’ stellar Mountain Farm Museum at the new Oconaluftee Visitor Center may just be a stroll, but combine it with one of the Smokies best kept secret easy walks, the Oconaluftee River Trail, and you have one of the park’s best combinations of scenery and interpretation.

Trails I've Hiked: The Long Logs And Agate House Trails At Petrified Forest National Park

It's the heart of summer, the hottest time to visit Petrified Forest National Park, but that doesn't mean you still can't enjoy the Long Logs and Agate House trails near the park's south entrance. You just have to be strategic in planning when to do these companion hikes.

Trails I've Hiked: The Blue Mesa Trail At Petrified Forest National Park

There are, relative to other parks, only a handful of hikes for you to consider when you visit Petrified Forest National Park, but you still should come up with a pecking order, if only to plan your day. And if you like to hike first thing in the morning, then the Blue Mesa Trail should rise to the very top of your list.

Trails I've Hiked: Bechler River Trail In Yellowstone National Park

Thigh-deep in the strong, bracing currents of the Bechler River was not exactly what I expected when I set out to explore Yellowstone National Park's "Cascade Corner." But at least it was mid-September, and not mid-July, when the torrent surely would have been colder, deeper, and stronger.

Trails I've Hiked: Spruce Flat Falls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Spruce Flat Falls is one of the hidden gems of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The hike is about a mile each way, not too rugged, but with a bit of a climb. The trail passes through a thicket of Mountain Laurel, which will be in bloom the first week or two in May. It's also a wonderful spot for photography.

Trails I've Hiked: The Bloody Angle at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park

From his cabin, Willis Landram had a front-row perch to one of the bloodiest days of the Civil War. Today, a trail leads you across the landscape now recalled as the "Bloody Angle" at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.

Trails I've Hiked: Deep Creek/Martins Gap/Indian Creek Loop In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

This low-altitude hike in the Deep Creek section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park can be done any time of the year, but it shines in the fall when trees change color along the creek. The loop is also popular in winter once snow and ice close sections of the park that are much higher.

Easy Park Hikes – Boreal Forest Trail at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska—the largest area in the National Park System—is primarily a park for a superlative backcountry experience, but if your only chance to sample this amazing area is a stop at the park's excellent visitor center, you should also allow time for an easy hike on the Boreal Forest Trail.

Easy Park Hikes - Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site

Small historical parks are often overlooked as possible locations for easy park hikes, and that's a shame, because many of them offer some fine opportunities. That's definitely the case at Carl Sandburg Home National Historical Site in North Carolina, which includes both an easy hike or two plus just a little exercise on a nice network of trails.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.