7 Epic Hikes to Enjoy Around the World
The Traveling American has explored a wide variety of destinations around the globe that offer great scenery and exercise for walkers and hikers. These have ranged from challenging guided treks into the wilderness of distant lands to pleasant walks in parks to view the local flora, fauna, and wildlife. Here are seven epic hikes which you can enjoy around the world in 2023 and beyond as part of your vacation plans:
Tongariro Alpine Crossing – New Zealand
The Tongariro National Park is a renowned hiking destination and World Heritage site on the north island of New Zealand which attracts over 60,000 hikers each year to the picturesque Tongariro Alpine Crossing. This twenty-kilometer hike includes three volcanoes and unique landscapes and usually takes six to eight hours to complete. It requires persistence and preparation, so I was fortunate to be able to hike it on a cool day with an experienced Māori guide from Tongariro Guided Walks.
The terrain for the crossing is quite varied and sometimes makes you feel like you are on a distant planet. Along the way you cross the slopes of Mt. Ngauruhoe which was used as Mt. Doom in the “Lord of the Rings” movie, view ancient lava flows, walk up steep slopes to the rim of the Red Crater, see stunning emerald and blue lakes colored by volcanic minerals, and pass through a forest on the long walk down to Lake Rotorua. While these volcanoes are not currently active, they erupt or vent gas periodically. The devastating power of nature is always at play in the region since the large super volcano at Lake Taupo located about forty miles to the north was the source of an eruption in 200 AD that was the largest eruption of the past 5000 years.
For more information on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, read the full article here.
Takaouchte Beach and Sidi Mbarek Falls - Morocco
Morocco’s coastline extends for almost 1500 miles along the Atlantic Ocean from crowded Tangiers in the north to the deserted Western Sahara region in the south. While there are some cities along the shore, most of the coast features quiet beaches and local villages with only a few resorts. One area that has become popular with hikers, surfers and water enthusiasts is the coast south of the exotic port and fishing town of Essaouira. The Traveling American explored this area on a four-hour hike which covered a wide variety of landscapes with an experienced guide from Be-in-Nature Tours.
The hike began with a drive south from Essaouira on the coastal road for a half hour. We then headed off across a desolate field with some argan trees towards the ocean. After passing through the field and a series of hilly dunes with soft sand, we reached a wide and clean beach that was completely deserted for miles in every direction. We walked south for an hour taking in the beauty of the rolling waves with no sign of life except for the recent footprints of a solitary horse in the sand. Turning inland, we climbed through the dunes and up the hill alongside a dry ravine that led to a waterfall that was reduced to a small stream in the fall. The final stop on our hike was at the house of a local Berber family where we had some tea, snacks, and pleasant conversation.
For more information on this fascinating Moroccan experience, read the full article here.
The Appian Way Outside of Rome – Italy
The Appian Way was one of original roads built by the Roman Empire in 312 BC to encourage commerce and facilitate the passage of Rome’s armies on a 330-mile route in a southeastern direction to the Adriatic Sea. Today, a well-preserved remnant of this stone road serves as the centerpiece of an archeological and nature park which extends for over five miles outside of the center city. Rarely crowded, it is an excellent place to feel like you are part of history and see some interesting sites.
The road is about twenty feet wide and is bordered by large trees on both sides. The many monuments and Roman ruins along the road include everything from a chariot racing stadium to some opulent villas and the forgotten tombs of various Senators, generals, and wealthy Romans. The Appian Way has been the location for many important historical events and just off the road are some unique attractions such as the Christian catacombs of Saint Sebastian and the ruins of one of Rome’s famous aqueducts. Cyclists, walkers and runners can all enjoy this road and on Sundays the road is closed to vehicles.
Provo Canyon Parkway – Utah, United States
The Provo Canyon Parkway is one of many trails in and around the greater Salt Lake City area. Popular for its accessibility and pleasant terrain, the Parkway runs along the Provo River for approximately six miles. It has a paved, lined and mostly shaded sixteen-foot-wide path and there are several parks with facilities for picnicking, fishing, or wading in the river alongside. These features make the Parkway suitable for running, biking, walking or skateboarding by both families and serious athletes. The Parkway also runs beneath Bridal Veil Falls where water flows down a cliff face over 600 feet in a double cascade. Visitors can view the falls from the pathway, climb up a field of boulders to the waterfall pool, or take a switchback path up the mountains leading right into the first cascade of the cold waterfall. The beautiful scenery of the area makes it an attractive spot for walking from April to October.
Great Wall at Jinshanling – China
The Great Wall of China extends for 2500 miles from Manchuria on China’s eastern coast to Mongolia in the west. Most tourists who visit the wall flock to carefully restored sections about 45 miles north of Beijing where it is easy to reach the top of wall by cable car and enjoy the countryside below. To capture the full majesty and enormity of the structure, however, it is best to drive about two hours northeast from Beijing to the Jinshanling section of the wall in the mountains and then hike along the wall with guide for about five miles across the top of both completed and unrestored sections of the wall.
The Traveling American was able to experience the wild wall” with the help of a guide from Great Wall Hiking on a sunny spring day. The weather ensured great views of the surrounding mountains and we could see the wall snaking over them for miles to the east and west. Constructed of rectangular slabs of stone on top of compressed earth, the wall is generally about 35 feet high and 25 feet wide and topped by a brick paved walkway. There are guard towers every quarter mile or so which were used to store supplies and shelter soldiers and archers at various times over the centuries. At Jinshanling, there are small sections of the wall which are too steep or disturbed to traverse. But you can still cross five mountain passes and see 67 watchtowers there while learning about the fascinating history of the wall and exploring some of the small villages in the region.
More information about the Great Wall experiencecan be found here.
Garden of the Gods- Colorado Springs, United States
The Garden of the Gods is a National Natural Landmark located in Colorado Springs that is known for its towering red sandstone formations, wildlife, and beautiful landscapes. Visited by an estimated four million people each year, the Garden has been ranked ninth in the world by Trip Advisor on its list of “Best Things to Do.” It is popular among rock climbers, cyclists, hikers, and nature lovers. However, the 480-acre public park also includes 21 miles of trails including several suitable for hikers of all skill levels that pass by clusters of rock formations and towering boulders. The Visitors Center and local tour operators provide many recreational activities such as horseback riding, nature walks, Segway tours and youth outings.
Cliff Walk at Newport - United States
The city of Newport in Rhode Island has been a resort location and leisure capital for wealthy people from around the United States since the late 1800s when New York society began to congregate there for the summer season. Several hundred mansions, including properties like The Breakers, Marble House and Rosecliff meant to rival the palaces of European royalty, were built in the vicinity of the ten mile long Ocean Drive that generally hugs the perimeter of island. One side benefit of this activity was the construction of a Cliff Walk by some mansion owners and community minded citizens in the early 1900s. This 3.5 mile walkway alongside the rocky promontories and crashing waves of the ocean provided spectacular views of the water and a peak at the grounds and mansions of the city’s wealthy residents.
Today, some of the city’s mansions are owned by the Newport Preservations Society and open to the public. They attract more than a million paid visitors each year. A large number of these visitors enjoy strolling a portion of the Cliff Walk for free. The first two miles of the walkway are over a flat paved surface that is about 10 feet wide, but the last mile and a half includes areas that require climbing over seaside rocks and boulders. Nevertheless, moderately fit adults will enjoy completing the entire walk or exiting at the end of the paved portion. The Cliff Walk still provides waterfront views and glimpses of some mansions and new waterfront homes on the route. The persistent ocean breeze keeps the walkway cool and as long as the fog doesn’t roll in the scenery creates a special experience.
Click here for more information on the Cliff Walk and Newport.