My Top Hikes

I love hiking, and I have been blessed to take lots of great hikes!  These have been day hikes, which I prefer to backpacking.  Some of the best hikes I have been on have spoiled me for some of the lesser hikes.  For instance, I have learned that my favorite hikes involve both majestic mountains, water, and sweeping views - preferably all the way, not just at the end.  So though hiking in the Smoky Mountains in my backyard is fun, those hikes are not top on my list.

I've thought a lot about what makes a good hike.  To me the ultimate hike would have mountains, water (bonus if a waterfall), sweeping views, good weather (only sort of out of my control as I try to plan my visits when the weather has a strong probability of  being excellent), good company (I have never hiked alone), and a restaurant along the way (hey, a girl can dream).  And while I have a sense of accomplishment with a long and hard hike, I really appreciate a hike that gives similar views with way less effort.  

My top 40 hikes reflect my particular adventures on these trails.  Different weather or different company might give you a totally different experience. These hikes include mountains, lakes, ocean, waterfalls, canyons, desert, cool rock formations, villages, castles, and even several movie locations!   

So here is my list as of January 2026 (and except for #1, it is MY list, not Terry's).  Many of the hikes have their own blog posts and are linked. 

1.  Stairway to Heaven (Oahu, HI).  Terry and I have agreed that this will remain #1, as it was the first epic hike we took together.  And it is now illegal and comes with a huge fine to any who attempt it.  To be fair, it was also illegal when we took it, but a boy scout at a grocery store in Kailua recommended it and told us how to do it. I admit it being illegal did add to the thrill!  This hike goes up a rickety staircase to a radio tower used in WW2 and has almost continuous views of mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

2.  Four Mile/Panorama/Mist Trail (Yosemite,CA)  Also our longest hike at approximately 15 miles.  Truly epic scenery. One nice perk was having an entirely guilt-free breakfast buffet at Yosemite Lodge the next day.  

3.  Angel's Landing (Zion, UT)  Probably the best bang for the buck as it's a relatively short hike and totally legal, so it perhaps could have been #1

4.   PR8 – Vereda da Ponte de Sao Laurencios, aka “Dragon’s Tail” (Madeira, Portugal)  A totally awesome hike despite experiencing 50 mph winds and a brief rainstorm.  A pretty easy and relatively short hike with a continuous ocean view - sometimes on both sides.  Bonus features are a restaurant at the end of the trail and the possibility of taking a boat ride back to see the views from a different angle.  

5.  PR1 – Pico Areiro (Maderia, Portugal) A thrilling mountaintop hike with sheer dropoffs and an ocean view.  Hiking above the clouds part of the time was a bonus.  Nice restaurant on the top where I first tried Portuguese lemon tea. 

6.  Precipice/Beehive Trails (Acadia, ME) Two trails that are very similar, and you can do both in one day.  If you have to choose, take Precipice, but it is not open all year. 

7.  Cat Bells/Maiden Moor/High Spy (Lake District, UK) Such a special memory of this hike taken with my daughter!  I want to go back. 

8.  Hooker Valley Track (Mt. Cook, NZ)  So many great hikes in NZ.  But many of them were quite a challenge.  This one I could do over and over. 

9.  Roy's Peak (Wanaka, NZ)  - a hike with a continuous view!

10.  Rob Roy Glacier (Wanaka, NZ)  - my only glacier hike on the list

11.  Ben Lomond (Queenstown, NZ) - another continuous view hike

12.  Chapel Basin (Pictured Rocks, MI) on Lake Superior

13.  Monterosso/Vernazza/Corniglia (Cinque Terra,Italy) - a very unique hiking experience from village to village.  Wonderful food in each village, and very picturesque. 

14.  Skyline Trail (Mt. Ranier, WA) - lots of wildflowers!

15.  Mostnica Gorge/Voje Waterfall (Triglavski National Park, Slovenia) - not just good food for a hike, this was the best food we had on our entire trip 

16.  The Narrows (Zion, UT) - So fun to hike in a river!

1   17.  Ursa Beach from Cabo de Roca Lighthouse (Sintra, Portugal)  We were a bit rushed taking this hike as the sun was going down, but oh how gorgeous it was at the golden hour!

18.  PR1.2 Pico Ruivo (Madeira, Portugal)  We tried to take this hike twice.  The first time, it was socked in by fog and we almost did it anyway.  So glad we waited and tried again the next day. 

     19.  Levada Moinho/Nova (Madeira, Portugal)  Absolutely gorgeous hike with ocean view, mountain view, wildflowers, levada the whole way, and a tunnel and a cool double walk-behind waterfall!

     20.  PR9 – Levada da Caldeiro Verde (Madeira, Portugal)  This hike was 10 miles long but was an easy hike because the elevation change was so mild.  The water is a constant companion. 

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21.  Avalanche Peak (Yellowstone, WY)- This is the first alpine hike I ever took, and it was one that I took with my Dad.  A very special memory.  

1622.  Mt. Dickerman (Cascades, WA) - a hike a took with a guy I was dating (not Terry, LOL).  We ran into a thunderstorm on the way down and had to shelter in a cave of sorts.  

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1123.  Mt. Sunday (NZ) - LOTR fans will know this spot as Edoras, and here I am looking towards Helm's Deep.  We had this hike all to ourselves. 

1 24.  South Kaibab Trail (Grand Canyon, AZ)

 125.  Mt. Scott (Crater Lake, OR) - we took this hike a few months after Scott died

   26.  Taranaki Falls (Tongariro National Park, NZ) - in the shadow of Mt. Doom

27.  Lost Mine Trail (Big Bend, TX) - a hike with the whole family (Rebecca took the photo as she could not bear to get any closer to the edge)

     28.  Devil's Garden - (Arches, UT)

29.  Wapama Falls on Hetch Hetchy Lake (Yosemite, CA)

30.  Figure Eight Trail (Bryce Canyon, UT)

31.  Pipiwai Trail, Seven Sacred Pools (Haleakala, Maui, HI) - a series of waterfalls ending in the Pacific Ocean

32.  Falls on the N. Umpqua River – Clearwater, Susan Creek, Fall Creek, Toketee (OR) - I've hiked to lots of waterfalls in TN and AR, but there were just a series of falls one after another along this road in Oregon.  Plus the name "Susan Creek" gave this series of hikes some points!

2 33.  Mala Osojnica (Lake Bled, Slovenia)

2   34.  Delicate Arch (Arches, UT)

2 35.  Lake Como Greenbelt (Italy)  - an urban hike, lots of cobblestones, and an iconic scene from Star Wars

36.  Canyon Overlook Trail (Zion, UT) - great during the golden hour

   

   37.  Lake Marian Track (Fjiorlands National Park, NZ)

3 38.  Bruce Trail – Horse Lake to Halfway Log Dump (Ontario)

   39.  Chimney Tops (Smoky Mountains, TN) - My favorite hike in the Smokies.  The first hike I ever took with Terry.  Also took our Piney Flats youth group here.  And all our kids.  I'm bummed that they no longer allow you to climb on the rocks at the end. 

   40.  Mt. LeConte via Alum Cave (Smoky Mountains, TN) - I have a love/hate relationship with Mt. LeConte.  I have been up the Alum Cave Trail with Terry (fun and the most scenic route, but we locked ourselves out of our car on our return and it was very complicated to get home), the Trillium Gap trail with my sister-in-law (a very fun day), and hiking up a creek/bushwhacking with Terry, Carol, and the Eastman Hiking Club - worst hike ever with stinging nettles, blowdowns, and barely made it UP before dark.  

   41.  Carver’s Gap to Grassy Ridge (Roan Mountain, TN) - My favorite bald in the Appalachians because we have lots of good memories there.  Best when the rhododendrons are blooming.

3 42.  Max Patch (Smoky Mountains, TN) - easy hike, iconic view

   43.  Charlie’s Bunion (Smoky Mountains, TN)

3 44.  Cummins Falls (Cookeville, TN) - part of the hike is in the water

   45.  Laurel Falls (Hampton, TN) - one of the first hikes our kids took

4 46.  Yellow Rock Trail (Devil's Den, AR) - lots of memories on this trail in Arkansas.  Terry and I took a hike here with my sisters when we were dating.  The curly hair is really something. 

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