If you want to really feel a place—its wild edges, its untamed heart—you don’t drive through it. You walk. And when it comes to world-class hiking, the U.S. cannot be beat . From desert vortexes to alpine epics, mossy East Coast ridgelines to black sand coastlines, this country is laced with trails that go way beyond basic. In this guide, we’re breaking it down two ways: First, we’re spotlighting some of our favorite hiking hotspots —compact zones where you can stay in one pl

Welcome to California’s wild heart — the Sierra Nevadas , where sheer granite cliffs meet towering sequoias and roaring waterfalls echo through glacier-carved valleys.   In Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks, nature roars, sparkles, and soars. Wander beneath the world’s largest trees , stand before El Capitan’s dizzying face, and trace alpine trails that feel like walking through a living postcard.   The best part? These three icons sit side by side, maki

There’s something primal—and downright luxurious—about sleeping under the stars without sacrificing creature comforts. Under Canvas camps...

Sometimes the best way to see a place is from the middle of the river or lake. Whether you're gliding through calm stretches or crashing...

Mountain biking in the U.S. is as varied and vast as the landscape itself. From the slickrock playgrounds of Moab to the forested...

A National Geographic Voyage is for those of us who dream in compass points and chase the raw, untamed edge of the map. Alaska’s not...

Grand Canyon National Park may be known for its staggering scale and striated walls, but it’s the river that carved it—and still defines...