10-mile Hikes You Can't Miss

A 10-mile hike is a full day in the outdoors, but it is much more than a day away from the quotidian grind. Such a foray farther afield can leave the crowds behind and traverse lesser-traveled terrain. Longer hikes bring the peaks closer, climb to higher vantages, and coax the wildlife into a bolder abundance.

The best part: It doesn’t take a whole weekend. There are infinite options, and they’re all at your doorstep, within 100 miles of everywhere. You don’t even need to have special skills. You don’t need to camp. You don’t need to pack specialized gear. Just bring yourself, your companions, and a nice camera.

For this installment of the #52WeekAdventureChallenge, find yourself a 10-mile trail to stretch your legs.

Seattle

• Mount Washington (solitude and views)
• Wallace Falls via the Greg Ball Trail (waterfalls and lakes)
• Gem Lake and Wright Mountain (boulder-hopping and views)
• Bear Lake and Deer Lakes (wild blueberries in late summer)
• Commonwealth Basin Trail to Red Pass (old-growth forest, views, and huckleberries)
• Lake Lillian and Margaret Lake (solitude and views)
• Josephine Lake (part of the Pacific Crest Trail)

Portland

• Zigzag Mountain via the Horseshoe Ridge Trail (peak-filled panoramas)
• Zigzag Mountain via Burnt Lake (Zigzag alternate with wildflowers)
• Elk Mountain Loop via Elk Creek (solitude in the Coast Range)
• Hunchback Mountain (Mount Hood views)
• Clackamas River Trail (237-foot waterfall)
• McNeil Point (wildflower meadows and up close to Mount Hood)
• Fish Creek Mountain (wildflowers and Mount Jefferson views)
• Paradise Park via Timberline Lodge (splendid spring wildflowers)
• Sheep Canyon (southern slope of Mount St. Helens)
• Elk Lake Creek (solitude and frigid swimming holes)
• Mount Margaret via Norway Pass (solitude before a brooding volcano)
• Dome Rock and Tumble Lake (huckleberries in the summer)
• Coldwater Lake (little elevation gain)

San Francisco

• Mount Diablo (rugged chaparral views and paragliders)
• Novato Hill (California poppies)
• Old Pedro Mountain (ocean views)

Los Angeles

• Bridge to Nowhere (abandoned arch bridge and swimming holes)
• Serrano Creek Trail (little elevation gain)
• Caspers Wilderness Park (easy access and endless trail variations)
• Icehouse Saddle (rising from a shady canyon into the Cucamonga Wilderness)

Denver

• Eldorado Mountain (solitude and scrambling)
• Long Lake, Lake Isabelle, and Pawnee Pass (Rocky Mountain views)
• Chasm Lake (rugged cliffs of Longs Peak)
• Ypsilon Lake (rewarding views of Ypsilon and Chipmunk lakes)
• Lumpy Ridge (easy access and quiet)
• Bear Lake to Fern Lake (an abundance of lakes and waterfalls)
• Andrews Glacier (classic Rocky Mountain alpine lake)

Elsewhere in the U.S.

• The Long Path, Gonzaga Park to Schunemunk State Park (New York, Hudson Valley overlooks)
• Mount Leconte (Tennessee, historic lodge in old-growth forest)
• Sassafras Mountain (South Carolina, state high point)