Well, better late than never? We are now halfway into 2025, but, alas, work and other priorities produced a heavy backlog of blog posts from hikes in 2024 that I was only able to complete in the past few months. Yet the tradition of looking back on the year’s best hikes continues for a ninth consecutive year. (See 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.)

My production rate in 2024—a mere 20 posts—was relatively sparse (though I have had 22 additional posts to date in 2025 that covered hikes from last year). Site visitation was slightly down relative to past years, reverting more or less to the pre-Covid average. The most-visited posts covered hikes completed in prior years: (1) The New Wave Loop (Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, AZ); (2) Point Lobos Loop (Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, CA); (3) Scorpion Canyon Loop Trail (Channel Islands National Park, CA); (4) Cavern Point – Potato Harbor Loop (Channel Islands National Park, CA); and (5) Fire Wave Trail – Seven Wonders Loop (Valley of Fire State Park, NV).

The most significant change in 2024 was my cross-country move, in which I sadly said goodbye to California after five years and returned to the Washington, DC area. Fortunately, I was able to turn the move into another blockbuster road trip, taking a winding route in which I hiked and camped in Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Iowa. Many of my favorite hikes for the year were from this 24-day journey. Highlights included the Columbia River Gorge, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Black Hills area, and Badlands National Park.

Prior to the move in August, I was out of the country in East Africa for PhD fieldwork for much of the spring. But on the margins, I squeezed in some day trips and a few multi-day journeys in California. I tested out a new model of collecting multiple hikes from nearby parks in the East Bay (though they merely scratch the surface of the places I explored during five years in the Bay Area). I also spent three days in Humboldt Redwoods State Park in northwest California in June and travelled with my parents for four scorching-hot days of day hiking in July in Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks, my swan song for the beloved Sierra Nevada for now. Opportunities to get away for hiking after my return to DC in August, alas, were relatively limited in the fall (although it has picked up again this spring/summer, so stay tuned).

In keeping with tradition from past years, see below for a list of my favorite hikes of the year:

10. Twin Falls & Upper Two Medicine Lake (Glacier National Park, MT)

A pleasant and relatively tame walk in the Two Medicine area of Montana’s Glacier National Park, this jaunt passes a double waterfall en route to a scenic lake set against the backdrop of the Continental Divide. A round-trip boat ride on Lower Two Medicine Lake cuts off several miles from the hike, reducing it to a mere 4.4-mile out-and-back stroll.

See my post on February 23, 2025 for a full trail description.

9. Mount Saint Helena (Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, CA)

One of the most prominent peaks in northern California’s Mayacamas Mountains, Mount Saint Helena towers above the Napa Valley and has historical significance as the residence of famed author Robert Louis Stevenson in 1880. The 2,100-foot climb feels rather mild as it is stretched out over the course of five miles. Visit on a sunny day for the best experience, and expect snow in the wintertime—as I experienced when I made the trek in February 2024.

See my post on December 14, 2024 for a full trail description.

8. Bull Creek Flats Loop (Humboldt Redwoods State Park, CA)

Arguably the premier hike in California’s Humboldt Redwoods State Park, the Bull Creek Flats Loop offers close-up views of the park’s monster-sized coastal redwoods. At 8.1 miles, the route is relatively long but mild, staying largely in the creek-fed floodplain that harbors the massive trees. This hike can be done year-around, though winter and spring can be relentlessly rainy.

See my post on July 3, 2024 for a full trail description.

7. Bunsen Peak Loop (Yellowstone National Park, WY)

For such a popular and iconic destination, the hiking trails at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming are surprisingly sparse. Even in early August—peak season—I found the relatively well-known Bunsen Peak Trail to be mostly deserted, allowing for a peaceful and serene climb to a summit with 360-degree views of the surrounding peaks, valleys, and canyons. Expect to get a workout on this 7.2-mile loop, although the last few miles are largely level and easy.

See my post on March 9, 2025 for a full trail description.

6. Wahkeena – Multnomah Falls Loop (Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, OR)

Northern Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge is waterfall country, and this 4.8-mile circuit visits six of them, including the world-famous Multnomah Falls, the highest in the state. Climb from Wahkeena Falls to views of the gorge, then pass the lesser-known Fairy, Ecola, Wiesendanger, and Dutchman Falls en route to Multnomah.

See my post on January 4, 2025 for a full trail description.

5. Eagle Lake (Sequoia National Park, CA)

Nestled in Sequoia National Park’s remote Mineral King area, Eagle Lake is a subalpine tarn situated 2,000 feet from the valley floor. The best part of the 7-mile out-and-back hike is the expansive views of the Great Western Divide, which boasts several 11- to 12,000-foot peaks in a particularly spectacular section of California’s Sierra Nevada.

See my post on November 28, 2024 for a full trail description.

4. Black Elk Peak Loop (Black Elk Wilderness, SD)

The journey to South Dakota’s highest point—and tallest U.S. peak east of the Rocky Mountains—is one of the best in the state and passes through fresh pine forests and wily pinnacles over the course of a 7-mile loop. Views from the summit reach to neighboring states and across the Black Hills to the vast Great Plains beyond.

See my post on May 31, 2025 for a full trail description.

3. Mist Falls (Kings Canyon National Park, CA)

A terrific day hike in Kings Canyon, Sequoia’s sister park, the 7-mile out-and-back to Mist Falls follows a pair of valleys to a thundering waterfall. But the highlight is the awesome look back down the canyon to the granite tops of the Sphinx and other peaks. Adventurous hikers can continue farther up to Paradise Valley and beyond.

See my post on August 25, 2024 for a full trail description.

2. Deer Haven (Badlands National Park, SD)

The lush stand of junipers at Deer Haven stands out amidst the desolate landscape of South Dakota’s Badlands National Park and can be reached on a scenic 5-mile out-and-back in the park’s lesser-visited Sage Creek Wilderness. The level and easy hike suddenly gives way to a challenging scramble at the end, culminating in the forest where backpackers can overnight.

See my post on June 9, 2025 for a full trail description.

1. Grinnell Glacier (Glacier National Park, MT)

The easy winner for 2024, Grinnell Glacier is set in a spectacular corner of Glacier National Park, replete with stunning alpine waterfalls and turquoise lakes. This 11-mile out-and-back is very popular (especially among those who take the boat shuttle to cut off four miles of hiking) but packs a punch every step of the way. It’s well worth seeing the glacier and glacier-fed lakes before climate change wipes it all way in the coming decades.

See my post on February 21, 2025 for a full trail description.

Honorable Mention:

• Baker Lake (Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, MT)
• Barry’s Island Trail (Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, MT)
• Cape Falcon Trail (Oswald West State Park, OR)
• Cottonwood Creek Trail to Melody Falls (Bureau of Land Management, WY)
• Drury-Chaney Loop (Humboldt Redwoods State Park, CA)
• Hidden Lake Overlook (Glacier National Park, MT)
• Little Baldy Trail (Sequoia National Park, CA)
• Maquoketa Caves Loop (Maquoketa Caves State Park, IA)
• Saddle Pass Trail to Castle-Medicine Root Trail Loop (Badlands National Park, SD)
• Wahclella Falls (Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, OR)