You might love nature, but you should probably avoid these dangerous US hikes!
Hiking is one of the most popular activities in the US. In fact, more than 58 million Americans went hiking just last year, and there are hundreds of thousands of miles of beautiful trails across the nation. But, not every hike is a leisurely stroll through the woods with stunning views that make you appreciate being a part of this Earth.
The United States is home to some of the planet’s most brutal and dangerous hikes. With its varied terrain, from tropical forests flush with wildlife to barren deserts, many dangerous US hikes are no joke. And some hiking trails are so intense that they’re responsible for many injuries and even fatalities yearly.
The following 7 dangerous US hikes offer backpackers a thrilling escape into nature and otherworldly beauty. But keep in mind that they can also be lethal. So hike at your own risk and make sure you’re extra prepared if you ever decide to try your fate on one of these perilous trails.
Dangerous US hike: Angel’s Landing, Zion National Park, Utah
Possibly the most famous trek through the brutal, phenomenal red rock landscape of Zion National Park, Angel’s Landing is also clearly its most hair-raising.
The two-and-a-half-mile path leading to Angel is lovely enough for almost any level of hiker, with smooth paved sections. It’s only after you’ve defeated Walter’s Wiggles, which is a series of 21 switchbacks, and then Scout Lookout, when you’ve reached the last turnaround point.
From then on, which is the final half mile, this dangerous US hike is a tight squeeze through steep and narrow ridges, carved rock, and points only accessible with the use of support chains that are bolted to the rock walls.
But I’ll admit that after you make it through, you’ll be rewarded with a magnificent view from almost 6,000 feet.
Dangerous US hike: Mount McKinley, Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
You’ve probably already figured this out, but the Alaskan wilderness has a different ranking than most places on Earth. It’s sprawling and remote. And it’s truly wild and populated by very few humans. All you’ll find here are primarily large, powerful animals. Denali, a.k.a. Mount McKinley, totally expresses it all.
Even though there are quite a few bus routes and comfort stations for relaxed hikes, to attempt the continent’s highest peak requires a difficult journey hacking your way through the bush and then often dangerous ice and winds, the possibility of altitude sickness, not to mention the likelihood of encounters with Grizzly and Black bears and moose among other wild creatures.
Despite a banner year of successful climbs last year, just over 50% of aspiring climbers generally make it to the top on average, and more than 100 have perished trying this dangerous US hike over the past century.
Dangerous US hike: Maroon Bells Trail, White River National Forest, Colorado
The US Forest Service is proud of the fact that these awe-inspiring twin peaks just south of Aspen are the most photographed mountains on the continent. And it’s easy to see why. They’re magnificent and postcard-perfect, especially when reflected in Maroon Lake on a crisp night or clear day.
But that being said, the Forest Service’s moniker for this dangerous US hike is a bit less peachy: “The Deadly Bells.”
While thousands successfully hike the Bells on a yearly basis, that nickname was inspired by the tragic casualties of a series of climbers in the 1960s and has stuck thanks to the peaks’ built-in risks when you get above 11,000 feet, like steep slopes unstable, loose terrain, and exposure to extreme weather conditions, including snowfields. Understandably, the Service warns that the Bells aren’t the right “place for a novice climber.”
Dangerous US hike: Mount Washington, New Hampshire
Even though this peak boasts the moniker of “Home of the World’s Worst Weather,” careless visitors learn the hard way that Mount Washington is certainly a competitor for that title every year.
In fact, even when it’s a sunny and hot day in the region, shorts-wearing explorers will discover that the summit is most likely freezing. On average, you’ll be greeted by a frigid 27 degrees, and the thermometer has never even seen a temperature above 72.
As a result, over the years, over a hundred climbers have met their fate due to weather-related mishaps, avalanches, exposure, or being blown off a cliff. The mountain also holds the wind-speed record of 231 mph.
Dangerous US hike: The Maze, Canyonlands National Park, Utah
For those who don’t know about it, Canyonlands National Park in Utah is quite simply breathtaking. And the Maze is its most isolated and difficult offering. Picture a Martian landscape of sculptured dust and rock.
From the nearest ranger station, this place is a few-hour drive by four-wheel drive, and you won’t find any sources of food or water anywhere inside. The Park Service says that the 2,000 visitors it gets annually spend about three days or more, so they should be fully self-sufficient.
That’s just getting to the beginning of the Maze, though. As its name suggests, navigating through is tough, with plenty of dead-ends and the constant threat of falling rocks, extreme heat, and the potential for flash floods, too. Amazingly, to date, there have been no fatalities here yet.
Dangerous US hike: Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Now, the fact that the Grand Canyon could present visitors with some challenges shouldn’t surprise anyone. But until you’ve actually made the visit and then made your way down in, you might not appreciate how severe the environment can actually get.
The most infamous hike is the nine-and-a-half-mile Bright Angel Trail that runs between the North and South rims. On paper, it’s not a bad trek until you think about the fact that temperatures regularly go over 110 and that the approach is a long, steady, draining uphill grind.
But even though there are warnings everywhere, more than 250 people a year must be rescued from the trail for heat-related ailments. There have actually been so many that the National Park Service assigns a specific crew just to keep tabs on visitors at Bright Angel.
Dangerous US hike: Mount Rainier, Washington
Towering over the entire state of Washington about 14,000 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier is one of the nation’s most iconic natural sites, attracting tens of thousands of climbers and hikers of all skill levels each year. It’s also one of the most fatal playgrounds in the world.
Besides the fact that it’s an active volcano, its height and relation to the coastline subject the mountain to chaotic weather that can drop the mercury through the floor within a couple of hours.
So it’s not surprising then that over 400 people have met their end in the region, one as recent as this past month, from any manner of natural hazards like rock falls, avalanches, slips off peaks and cliffs, heart attack, hypothermia, drowning, and every possible mix in between.
Still, for many, the risk has been worth the reward, with access to 26 major glaciers and some of the most incredible views in the Pacific Northwest. So make sure you pack a camera if you dare trying your luck on this dangerous US hike!
Would you ever consider trying your luck on any of these dangerous US hikes? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below. But don’t leave yet!
Must See Places has many more fantastic reads I think you’ll enjoy. For example, I highly recommend also reading about the 7 Charming Small Towns Our Readers Love to Visit, and One That Shocked Our Editor
