To celebrate the magnificence of mountains, we have put together this list of peaks to add to your hiking bucket list. Many of these peaks offer relatively easy or moderate hikes. A couple of hikes are challenging and require technical mountaineering skills. Whatever your hiking abilities, these mountains are worth a visit for their awe-inspiring beauty.
Read on to find a top mountain in your region.
Recommended: 6 Mountain Hiking Vacations to Add to Your Bucket List
1. Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina
Where to Stay: Grandfather Mountain State Park, North Carolina
Grandfather Mountain is the highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The mountain showcases a stunning landscapes known for severe weather and challenging terrain that has hikers scrambling along cliffs, gripping cables, and climbing up ladders. Grandfather Mountain State Park 14 miles of trails connect to the surrounding trails are managed by the National Park Service.
Grandfather Mountain State Park is the perfect place to stay to explore the beloved tall mountain of North Carolina. There are thirteen backcountry primitive campsites perfect for a multi-day basecamp.
2. Mount Hood, Oregon
Where to Stay: Milo McIver State Park, Oregon
Oregon’s fabled Mount Hood beckons hikers and nature-lovers from all over the country. There are hundreds of miles of scenic trails to explore the stunning terrain of meadows, rivers, waterfalls, temperate forests, and rich plant life. You can get closest to the craggy summit via the Cooper Spur hike. This takes you to a final elevation of 8,514 feet, making it the constructed trail on Mount Hood with the highest elevation. The trail begins at Cloud Cap and affords views of the stunning Eliot Glacier.
Milo McIver State Park is a nearby park, which serves as a beautiful destination in and of itself. The campgrounds are set near a winding river amidst the thick woods. It’s about an hour’s drive from Mount Hood and has 60 campsites for rent, as well as a disc golf course.
Recommended: Campgrounds with Hiking Trails
3. Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado
Where to Stay: Cheyenne Mountain State Park, Colorado
Situated just south of Colorado Springs and considered one of the “crown jewels” in Colorado’s extensive state park system, Cheyenne Mountain State Park represents the protection of one of the last significant open spaces along the southern section of the Colorado Front Range.
Cheyenne Mountain offers a first-class trail system consisting of 28 miles of hiking and biking trails. These pathways allow visitors ample opportunities to explore the park’s natural beauty and discover the park’s many wild inhabitants.
Along with great trails, the park offers superior facilities, boasting a Visitor Center with gift shop and interpretive displays, individual and group picnicking facilities, wildlife viewing, and a spectacular campground with lots of full-hookup sites. Every site includes a paved parking area, grill ring/fire pit, 10’x10′ tent pad, picnic table, and amazing views of Colorado Springs below with the majestic Cheyenne Mountain above.
4. Brasstown Bald, Georgia
Where to Stay: Smithgall Woods State Park, Georgia
Brasstown Bald is the tallest peak in Georgia that can be hiked in about an hour, making it a relatively easy way to say you hiked a state’s tallest mountain. The 1.4-mile out-and-back trail is picked up near the town of Young Harris. Despite its short length, the hike is considered moderately challenging thanks to a steady elevation gain. The climb on the paved trail takes you through a mossy forest up to the summit with truly stunning 360 degree views.
Just a half hour’s drive from the mountain is Smithgall Woods, a park that is considered to be an angler’s paradise. Smithgall Woods has one of the state’s premier trout streams, Dukes Creek, which courses through the wooded mountainous scenery. It’s a perfect mountain retreat with two pioneer campsites and six cottages.
5. Mount Davis, Pennsylvania
Where to Stay: Shawnee State Park, Pennsylvania
The highest point in Pennsylvania, Mount Davis can be hiked via a number of trails. There is the easy Highpoint Trail that is 2 miles in and out and takes you to Observation Tower with stunning 360 degree views at the summit. Another loop trail is moderately challenging and is close to 6 miles in length, also arriving at Observation Tower. The hikes take you through a forest composed mostly of oak and cherry trees, a part of the Laurel Highlands.
Just an hour’s drive to Mount Davis, Shawnee State Park is an expanse of protected lands encompassing the state’s scenic Ridge and Valley Province. The park has a lake and modern facilities that blend into the natural environment. There are 214 sites, including yurts, cottages, and a lodge.
Are you ready for your adventure? Plan your camping trip!