Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Outdoors

Explore these scenic hiking trails this winter

Explore these amazing US winter hiking trails

By
solo hiker taking in the view along trail in winter
Greg Shield / Unsplash

Don’t equate wintertime with hiking? You don’t know what you’re missing. Don’t let the cold temperatures and the lure of burrowing into your couch with a blanket to hibernate keep you from hiking. If hiking is your passion or if you’ve wanted to give it a go, don’t wait until spring. Winter is actually a perfect time to go hiking. Trails are just as stunning in the wintertime, and you’ll love that the trails are less congested. Winter hiking is also an amazing workout, and it helps beat those winter doldrums. If you need some more incentive, the United States boasts spectacular winter hiking trails for all levels of hikers. Here are ten you should put on your must-hike list this winter.

winter camping hiking snow mountain
Ahmad Raza Qazafi / Shutterstock

Winter hiking trails

When winter rolls in, activities like hiking often fall to the wayside because of the temperatures. Winter can be just as much fun outdoors as in. A winter hike brings challenges, beauty, spectacular views, and peacefulness. The United States is home to a multitude of awe-inspiring hiking trails. Not all of them close during the winter, either. Winter can actually be the perfect time to hike since you won’t be battling crowds. Popular trails can get overrun during prime hiking seasons like fall and spring. If you’re looking to plan a winter hike, set your sights on these trails.

Recommended Videos

Donut Falls, Utah

For hikers new to winter hiking, this trail is a perfect pick. It’s a relatively easy hike, but it does get a bit challenging at the end, where you climb up to a cave. The climb is worth it, though, to see the icicles glistening in all their glory. Usually, the hike is a mile and a half, but in winter, the length is more like three and a half miles from start to finish.

Related

Coopers Rock Loop, West Virginia

For a longer hike chock full of beautiful scenery, head to Coopers Rock State Forest near Morgantown, West Virginia. Coopers Rock Loop is considered a mildly challenging hike. The trail is 6.8 miles in length and takes almost three hours to complete. A perk of this trail besides the views is that it is dog friendly. Just keep your pooch on a leash.

Silver Falls State Park, Oregon

This park is an extremely popular spot. Winter is definitely its downtime, though, making it the ideal place for hiking. The Trail of 10 Falls takes you past all of Silver Falls State Park’s waterfalls. It’s nine miles long, and you’ll need about five hours to complete it. So, get an early start. As with any winter hike, dress properly. Be prepared for muddy and ice spots along the trail.

Tallulah Gorge, Georgia

For a Southern winter trail, check out Tallulah Gorge. This Georgia state park houses a two-mile-long gorge that is 1,000 feet deep. Trails of varying degrees of difficulty wind the gorge’s rim. Permits are required to access the gorge’s floor but depend on weather and water flow conditions. The Stoneplace Trail is the longest, with a 10-mile roundtrip hike. It is considered a challenging hike with a moderate to difficult rating. For an easy trail, try the three-mile Bill and Dustie MacKay. The South Rim Trail includes five overlooks and is a short but moderately challenging hike.

High Point State Park, New Jersey

The Garden State may be known for its Jersey Shore, but it also has quite a few hiking trails that are worth the trip. High Point State Park offers 50 trails ranging in distance from one to 4.4 miles. A hike through the park also includes 18 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Scenery includes a cedar swamp, forests, mountain ridges, fields, and wetlands.

Whiteface Mountain, New York

Experience winter hikers looking for a challenge may want to hike Whiteface Mountain. Whiteface is known for its skiing, with nearby Lake Placid serving as a winter wonderland. A winter hike on Whiteface Mountain will include snow and severe temps. Gear and extras such as snowshoes and microspikes are a must. Winter hikes typically begin from the Atmospheric Science and Research Center and are over six miles round trip.

Battle Creek Regional Park, Minnesota

Native Minnesotans embrace the winter months, meaning there is quite a bit of year-round hiking. Battle Creek Regional Park has 92 miles of trails. Most of the trails are rated as steep. Trails vary between packed and paved. During the winter, it also offers a winter recreation area that is popular with sledders. This area is free for hikers and snowshoers.

Yosemite Valley Loop, California

National Parks are popular destinations in the summer but not so much in the winter. Winter is a beautiful time to explore California’s stunning Yosemite National Park. Some of the more difficult Yosemite hiking trails are closed during the winter, but the Yosemite Valley Loop offers a scenic hiking opportunity. The Valley Loop is almost six miles long and meanders along the valley’s floor, giving hikers a different perspective on the iconic national park. Even though the look is rated as an easy hike, poles are recommended since the trail is typically icy in winter.

Great Smokey Mountain National Park, Tennessee, and North Carolina

This is another national park that gets a lot of visitors during prime times like summer, spring, and fall. Great Smokey Mountain National Park also offers a multitude of hiking trails. Trails vary in difficulty and length. In winter, hikers are treated to frozen falls, stunning mountain views, and more. Hiking in Great Smokey Mountain National Park does offer some challenges. Weather can change dramatically and quickly during the day. So, hikers need to be prepared.

Ozark Highlands Trail, Arkansas

Fans of the Netflix series Ozark may want to head down to Arkansas to explore the Ozark Highlands Trail. Since it’s located in the mid-South, the Ozark Highland Trails is a popular destination for hikers beginning in fall and stretching through spring. The trail features over 250 miles of hiking through the Boston Mountains and Buffalo River. Hiking trails are over rough terrain and feature fantastic scenery. This trail is recommended for experienced hikers.

winter camping hiking snow backpack gear
Background expert / Shutterstock

Winter hiking destinations

For outdoor lovers, any time of year is ideal for hiking. Winter hiking presents different obstacles because of the temperatures and the changes in terrain. So, ensure you’re prepared and appropriately dressed in the right hiking gear. To expand your hiking horizons this winter, look at these ten popular winter hiking destinations. There is something for every hiker, from the novice to the seasoned winter hiker looking for a challenge.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Dawn Miller
Dawn Miller
Contributor
Dawn Miller began her professional life as an elementary school teacher before returning to her first love, writing. In…
These are the essential outdoor knots every outdoorsman should know
A well-versed arsenal of knots is a must-have for any outdoorsman
A reef knot is tied against a tree

There's almost no end to what you can achieve armed with a length of rope and an arsenal of outdoor knots to tie it together. If heading into the backcountry, you should always be prepared for survival. While part of that is carrying the right gear, you must know how to use it effectively. You wouldn't take your woodcutting axe without giving it a few practice swings at home, so why would you expect to tie the right knot without practice?

There is an adage among those who don't know what to do with rope: if you can't tie knots, tie lots. If you don't know what you're doing, keep tying until your rope feels secure. It works, sometimes. But in a significant way, these people are missing out. Knots, like backcountry navigation skills or making a fire, are part of being an outdoorsman. Outdoor knots come in different shapes and perform various tasks; some are quick, some secure, and others are designed to be untied quickly. These eight are the essential outdoor knots to learn first, so grab a rope and upskill your outdoor self.
Bowline knot

Read more
Ditch the GPS: How to navigate using a map and compass
Don't worry, it's really not that difficult to find your way or location the old-school way
Fingers holding a map and compass in the outdoors

GPS devices and GPS apps for your phone and even navigation watches with GPX files are nearly foolproof today. But what about when you run out of battery or your waterproof device isn't as waterproof as you had hoped? Even worse, what if you spend your entire trip with your head buried in your GPS without taking the time to get to know your surroundings?

Here at The Manual, our number-one backpacking essential for every outdoor adventure is the humble map and compass. It's no use just buying these items and stuffing them into your backpack. First, you need to learn how to read a topographic map and know what all the twisting bits do and what the numbers mean on your compass. It can all look quite confusing, so we're going to demystify the art of how to navigate using a map and compass and let you go old school, ditch the GPS, and get to know your surroundings intimately.
Know the parts of the compass

Read more
6 exhilarating hiking movies to inspire your next trek
Check out these films that will scratch your itch to get out on a hike
Hiking in France

There is no adequate substitute for spending time in the great outdoors. Hiking, climbing, camping -- anyone who spends hours -- or days -- out in nature knows that the wilderness is both restorative and addicting. But unless you want to become a park ranger or a professional hermit, you can't spend all your time traveling.
When you're stuck inside, you can at least get a bit of that wild charm by watching a movie that puts the natural world front and center. Today, we're looking at six hiking movies that anyone who loves a good trek will thoroughly enjoy -- that is, unless living vicariously through these on-screen adventures backfires completely and you end up more frustrated than before. If that happens, then you really need to get outside.

The Way (2010)

Read more