nationalgeographic:

From the deserts of Arizona to the rocky coastline of Maine, from the sandy shores of Florida to the peaks of Colorado, the United States offers a breathtaking range of natural landscapes. The new National Geographic book Great Outdoors USA: 1,000 Adventures Across All 50 States reveals how to hike, raft, climb, surf, and bike through some of the best of them. Here are 50 of its top picks, one in each state. Maine: Hike to amazing views—with no crowds For a coastal hike that rivals any in Acadia National Park (minus the tourist hordes), Bald Mountain Trail is a 3.4-mile, lollipop-shaped loop to the summit for 180-degree views over Penobscot Bay. On a clear day, you can see Rockport to the south, Acadia to the east, and dozens of islands.New Hampshire: Hike from hut to hut
High in the White Mountains of the Granite State, eight backcountry hostels welcome hikers with warm meals and comfy bunks. Open for more than a century, the huts spread from Franconia Notch State Park to the slopes of the Carter-Moriah Range, serving as waystations amid alpine tundra, ridge trails, and waterfalls.
Vermont: Ice-skate through a lakeside winter wonderland, Each winter, trail builders from Lake Morey Resort near the town of Fairlee, Vermont, create the Lake Morey Skate Trail, a 4.3-mile icy path that skirts the shoreline past a pine forest, where bald eagles are known to roost. Bring your own skates or rent a pair from the resort.
New Jersey: Follow birds and butterflies in Cape MayIn September and October, the Victorian beach town of Cape May, New Jersey, sees tens of thousands of monarch butterflies wing through on their journey to Mexico for the winter. See them from the Garrett Family Preserve, also a prime spot to witness fall and spring bird migrations. Connecticut: Ski in the birthplace of artificial snow,With 650 feet of vertical drop, Connecticut’s Mohawk Mountain Ski Area might look modest, but its eight chairlifts provide access to 26 sidewinding, plunging trails, many of which can be skied after dark thanks to night lighting. Toward the summit, several trails connect with snowshoe and cross-country ski paths that go deeper into Mohawk State Forest.Rhode Island: Sail like an America’s Cup racer, In Rhode Island, the home of the America’s Cup, visitors can earn their sea legs with chartered sails by America’s Cup Charters in Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay. On a two-hour outing you can raise the sails and help navigate, or sit back as you pass sandy coves, estuaries, and mansions along the shore. The three-hour outing reenacts the world-famous sailing race with a practice session and a rip across the water toward the finish.Massachusetts: Spend the night in a lighthouse Book an overnight stay at the Borden Flats Lighthouse in Massachusetts’ Taunton River for a taste of lightkeeper life. The striped, sparkplug-style tower was built in 1881 to steer ships through the relatively shallow Mount Hope Bay, near the town of Fall River. Book months in advance for this self-catering apartment with terrific views.New York State: Pedal to vines in the Finger Lakes, Formed by glaciers 10,000 years ago, New York State’s Finger Lakes are at the heart of a region known for wine and water views. Cyclists can plot their own routes amid dozens of wineries or go with a guided tour operator such as Carolina Tailwinds or Wilderness Voyageurs. Delaware: Experience a crabby convention Delaware Bay has the largest concentration of horseshoe crabs in the world. Each spring—in May and June—these aquatic arachnids emerge from their wintry sleep on submerged continental shelves to lay eggs around the surrounding shores of Delaware. For the best view, try Woodland Beach and Bowers Beach (both located in Kent County) when high tide, sunset, and a new or full moon all coincide. Pennsylvania: Get a bird’s-eye view of migrating hawks Each fall, some 18,000 raptors pass through Pennsylvania’s Hawk Mountain area on their way south. At Hawk Mountain Sanctuary—the world’s first sanctuary for birds of prey—hiking trails connect 10 lookouts, where observer-interpreters help visitors identify different species. The rocky ledges at the North Lookout are some of the best seats, while Silhouette Trail is an ADA-accessible route to South Lookout. Windy days tend to be most productive, with birds flying from dawn to dusk. Southwest New Mexico: Soak in the warm waters of Jemez Springs
The “Land of Enchantment” is rich in thermal waters, including the bubbling mineral-rich pools at Jemez Springs Bath House. Nearby, Spence Hot Springs offers a more rugged experience at a natural rock pool nestled in a pine forest.Spreading over 7,811 square miles in the northern part of the state, the vast Arizona Strip has few paved roads but many canyons and desert landscapes. The best way to explore much of the region is by foot, four-wheel drive, or often both, as many of the trailheads are at the end of rough roads. Veer into remote Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument for views of the Grand Canyon from Whitmore Canyon, Kelly Point, and Twin Point overlooks. Oklahoma’s Alabaster Caverns State Park is formed from a rare type of gypsum—the only such cave in the U.S. Guided tours take visitors into the depths, where selenite crystals twinkle like stars and a stream trickles through the length of the cave. Tours take place from April through October to protect hibernating bats. The more experienced can explore the park’s four “wild” caves (permits required), ranging in length from 550 to 1,600 feet.
The Lone Star State is home to six International Dark Sky Parks, two Dark Sky Sanctuaries, and even a Dark Sky Community (Dripping Springs). For the best night views, head to Big Bend National Park, where you can take the Hot Springs Canyon Trail overlooking the Chihuahuan Desert, or the wheelchair-accessible Rio Grande Village Nature Trail. The Milky Way glimmers above during summer months, while the Perseid meteor shower streaks across the heavens mid-July to mid-August. Montana: Mountain bike along the Continental Divide
Helena, Montana’s laid-back capital, is often overlooked. But its location, at 3,875 feet of elevation on the eastern slope of the Continental Divide, makes it a mountain biker’s dream. Seventy-five miles of trails include the Mount Helena Ridge Trail, where you’ll get views of the valley below. Bonus: You might spot wildflowers or a black bear.California: Walk among living giants See seven percent of all the old-growth redwoods left in the world at California’s Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, the northernmost of the four parks that make up the UNESCO-recognized Redwood National and State Parks. Some of the world’s tallest trees flank the Smith River as it flows through the heart of the park. Among great hikes in this area is the Boy Scout Tree Trail (2.8 miles one way to Fern Falls). Adventurous souls can drive the unpaved Howland Hill Road, an old stagecoach route, to the National Tribute Grove.