A relatively short and easy walk in the Grant Grove area of Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Big Baldy offers some stunning views over the Sierra Mountains and out towards Fresno. Continue along the ridge beyond the summit for the best views.
It’s not one of the most spectacular hikes in Red Rock Canyon – but Ice Box Canyon is a good choice on a hot day, as part of the trail is through a shaded and cool canyon.
A short hike in the Kolob Canyons section of Zion National Park, the Timber Creek Overlook delivers some big, sweeping views from the end of the trail.
The very short Pink Ledges Trail loop in Dixie National Forest (Utah) provides some up-close views of weathered hoodoos and spires.
A very short and increasingly popular Bryce Canyon hike, the Mossy Cave Trail passes a small waterfall on the way to a not-very-exciting rock overhang.
The longest trail in Kodachrome Basin State Park, the Panorama Trail visits Panorama Point and Cool Cave, as well as some of the 67 monolithic stone spires for which the park is known.
A popular, short hike in Capitol Reef National Park, the Hickman Bridge Trail ascends from the trailhead on the highway to a natural bridge. It’s a self-guided nature trail, and a guide available at the trailhead explains what you’ll see along the way.
The Devils Garden Trail traverses one of the most spectacular sections of Arches National Park, to the Dark Angel rock formation at the end. Along the trail are eight arches, including Landscape Arch – the longest natural arch in America.
Zion Narrows is a spectacular hike up the Virgin River from the Temple of Sinawava. For most of the hike you’re wading in the river below the towering walls of the Zion Canyon. (It can also be done as a longer one-way trip down the river, which requires a permit.)
Considered one of the most iconic hikes in Zion, Angels Landing involves a steep climp up to the end of a narrow ridge, which has a sheer drop on both sides. A permit system has been in place from April 2022 to manage numbers and improve safety.