For travelers who love to hike, these places offer spectacular trails, breathtaking landscapes, and endless adventures on foot.
As surprising as it may sound, there are people in this world who only ever want to hike. They go on trips not to unwind, but to put their bodies through the grueling task of traversing muddy trails or scaling mountains.
If you are, like so many, starting to become one of these people (thank you, gorpcore, thank you Salomon), you’d be happy to know there are destinations that cater to this specific obsession. It doesn’t matter if you’re good at it or not—these places will bring out the hiker in you and leave you wanting more.
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Australia’s Cradle Mountain & the Tasmanian Wilderness
Tasmania’s central highlands and western wilderness are a wonderland for hikers who want to experience different environments, from glacial peaks to plains to ancient temperate rainforests. As challenging as it is to reach, it is Australia’s base for a trip dedicated to hiking.
Adventure seekers can tackle the Overland Track in Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park, a 40-mile multi-day trek that weaves past craggy alpine peaks, waterfalls, and glacial tarns, or venture into the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park on the challenging 29-mile Frenchman’s Cap Track, known for its steep ascents and cliffside views across Tasmania’s quartz-dominated interior. If you’re feeling more daring, try the shorter but notoriously steep granite scramble on Mount Amos in Freycinet National Park or navigate the Bible-themed landmarks on the alpine plateaus of the Walls of Jerusalem.
New Zealand’s Fiordland & The Southern Lakes
New Zealand’s South Island is a hiker’s paradise. If you’re keen on exploring this region, make Queenstown or Te Anau your base to get access to the country’s world-famous “Great Walks.” In Fiordland National Park, the legendary 33-mile Milford Track guides trekkers across suspension bridges, rainforest valleys, and the soaring McKinnon Pass.
Meanwhile, the nearby 37-mile Kepler Track offers dramatic ridge walks above Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri. There’s also the 20-mile Routeburn Track, which traverses both Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks. For an easy but super rewarding day trip, try the Rob Roy Glacier track, which takes you into a dramatic alpine landscape and culminates with views of the glacier.
California’s Sierra Nevada Range
If you follow hiking influencers on Instagram, you probably already know that most of them are based in Lake Tahoe or Yosemite National Park, which are both in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Stretching along eastern California, this area has endless granite peaks, alpine lakes, and perfect mountain weather.
Within Yosemite National Park is the infamous Half Dome—a bucket-list climb for most hikers. If you’re into mountaineering, the Mount Whitney Trail is right in Inyo National Forest. It’s best to visit from July to September, when the mountain passes are clear of snow and it’s generally warm and dry.
The Mont Blanc region across France, Italy, and Switzerland
For experienced hikers who are looking for longer journeys, the Mont Blanc region is the perfect area. Its interconnected high-altitude trails are serviced by mountain huts that offer shelter, communal meals, and amenities. The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is the region’s crown jewel, a 105-mile trek circuiting the entire Mont Blanc massif across three countries, weaving through deep glacial valleys and mountain passes.
If you want an even longer trek, the Walker’s Haute Route is a 125-mile trail connecting Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn (yes, the Toblerone logo) via mountain passes and Swiss alpine villages. These hikes can be strenuous and relentless, so train for strength and endurance beforehand.
Japan’s Kii Peninsula in Kansai
Hiking in Japan can be a very different experience from hiking in Western countries. A sense of reverence and quiet veil even the busiest routes and there’s always a vending machine not too far away. For hikers looking for some cultural immersion, Japan’s Kii Peninsula is the place to visit. Walk the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kumano Kodo, a popular pilgrimage route that most hikers take before embarking on the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
The Nakahechi Route in particular winds through cedar forests, traditional villages, and sacred shrines. The historic Choishi Michi trail, on the other hand, leads up to the sacred Buddhist monastery settlement atop Mount Koya. A more isolated trail, the Omine Okugakedo is for more experienced hikers who can navigate steep scrambles and remote mountain ridges. During cherry blossom season or autumn, explore the scenic Mount Yoshino Trails lined with temples, shrines, and panoramic mountain views.
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