Home / U.S. State Travel Guides / U.S. Vacations / U.S. National Parks / U.S. State Highpoints / U.S. Road Trip Planning

TOP 25 DAY HIKES IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST

Wire Pass en route to Buckskin Gulch, Arizona

Welcome to the Bigroads.com guide to the top 25 day hikes in the American Southwest!

We are obsessed with the American Southwest, but we aren't the only ones. The monumental scenery found here is unlike anything else in the world, so hikers from all over the globe come here in droves each year.

With thousands of miles of trails in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Utah and a chunk of California, it can be tough to figure out which trails are the very best in the Southwest. We've done that homework for you, and as such, we are proud to present what we feel are the top 25 day hikes in the Southwest. If you have the opportunity to hike any of these trails, you absolutely should.

Share this page / follow us on Facebook!

/

STATE	HIKE / TRAIL NAME	PARK	TOTAL ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE
Arizona	Coyote Buttes North / The Wave	Vermillion Cliffs National Monument	5.5 miles
Arizona	Horseshoe Bend	Glen Canyon National Recreation Area	1.5 miles
Arizona	Humphrey's Peak / Humphrey's Trail	Coconino National Forest / Kachina Peaks Wilderness	9.0 miles (longer options are available)
Arizona	South Kaibab Trail	Grand Canyon National Park	minimum of 3.0 miles (longer options are available)
Arizona	White Pocket	Vermillion Cliffs National Monument	1-2 miles
Nevada	Fire Wave	Valley of Fire State Park	1.25 miles
New Mexico	Alkali Flats Trail	White Sands National Monument	4.6 mile loop
New Mexico	Cave Loop Trail / Slot Canyon Trail	Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument	3.6 miles
New Mexico	Wheeler Peak	Carson National Forest	14.0 miles
Texas	Emory Peak Trail / Emory Peak	Big Bend National Park	9.0 miles
Texas	Guadalupe Peak Trail / Guadalupe Peak	Guadalupe Mountains National Park	8.4 miles
Utah	Angels Landing	Zion National Park	5.0 miles
Utah	Buckskin Gulch (via Wire Pass)	Vermillion Cliffs National Monument	minimum of 3.4 miles (longer options are available)
Utah	Corona Arch	BLM-land	3.0 miles
Utah	Delicate Arch	Arches National Park	3.0 miles
Utah	Devil's Garden Loop	Arches National Park	7.2 mile loop
Utah	Druid Arch	Canyonlands National Park	10.8 miles (longer options are available)
Utah	Fairyland Loop	Bryce Canyon National Park	8.6 mile loop
Utah	Lower Calf Creek Falls	Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument	6.2 miles
Utah	Observation Point	Zion National Park	8.0 miles
Utah	Peekaboo Loop	Bryce Canyon National Park	5.5 miles (longer options are available)
Utah	Peek-a-Boo Canyon & Spooky Gulch Loop	Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument	3.5 mile loop
Utah	Queens Garden / Navajo Loop Trail	Bryce Canyon National Park	3.0 mile loop (longer options are available)
Utah	Wahweap Hoodoos	Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument	9.2 miles
Utah	Zion Narrows / Virgin River Narrows	Zion National Park	up to 6 miles (upstream) or 16 miles (downstream)

The Wave, Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona

Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona

South Kaibab Trail, South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Alkali Flats Loop, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Slot Canyon Trail, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, New Mexico

Emory Peak, Big Bend National Park, Texas

Guadalupe Peak Trail, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

Angels Landing, Zion National Park, Utah

Wire Pass on the way to Buckskin Gulch, Utah

Corona Arch, BLM-land, Moab, Utah

Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah

Devils Garden Loop, Arches National Park, Utah

Druid Arch, Needles District, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Lower Calf Creek Falls, Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument, Utah

Peekaboo Loop, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Navajo Loop Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Zion Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah

RUNNER-UPS: HIKES ALMOST GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE THE TOP 25 LIST

Here are a list of other fantastic hikes in the American Southwest that we considered for the top 25 list above. We highly recommend each and every one of these hikes (in other words, make sure they are all placed on your bucket list). Please send us an email @ gparsons66@hotmail.com if you know of any hikes worthy of being on this list.

STATE	HIKE / TRAIL NAME	PARK
Arizona	Arizona Hot Springs	Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Arizona	Camelback Mountain	Echo Canyon Recreation Area
Arizona	Cobra Arch	Vermillion Cliffs National Monument
Arizona	Bright Angel Trail	Grand Canyon National Park
Arizona	Devil's Bridge / Devil's Bridge Trail	Coconino National Forest
Arizona	Flatiron	Lost Dutchman State Park
Arizona	Heart of Rocks	Chiricahua National Monument
Arizona	Hugh Norris Trail / Wasson Peak	Saguaro National Park
Arizona	Hunter Trail / Picacho Peak	Picacho Peak State Park
Arizona	North Kaibab Trail	Grand Canyon National Park
Arizona	Rim Trail	Grand Canyon National Park
Arizona	Piestewa Park	Phoenix Mountains Preserve
Arizona	West Fork Trail / Oak Creek Canyon	Coconino National Forest
Arizona	Wilson Mountain	Coconino National Forest
California	Badwater Basin	Death Valley National Park
California	Fall Canyon	Death Valley National Park
California	Golden Canyon / Gower Gulch	Death Valley National Park
California	Grotto Canyon	Death Valley National Park
California	Palm Canyon	Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
California	Ryan Mountain Trail / Ryan Mountain	Joshua Tree National Park
California	Wildrose Peak Trail	Death Valley National Park
New Mexico	Alcove House / Main Loop Trail	Bandelier National Monument
New Mexico	Bisti Badlands	Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness
New Mexico	Kitchen Mesa	Ghost Ranch (privately owned)
New Mexico	Ruins Trail	Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Nevada	Ice Box Canyon	Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Nevada	Little Finland	BLM-land
Nevada	White Domes Loop	Valley of Fire State Park
Texas	Hot Springs	Big Bend National Park
Texas	Lighthouse Trail / The Lighthouse	Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Texas	McKittrick Canyon Trail	Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Utah	Cassidy Arch	Capitol Reef National Park
Utah	Chesler Park	Canyonlands National Park
Utah	Escalante River Trail	Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Utah	Fiery Furnace	Arches National Park
Utah	Fisher Towers	BLM-land
Utah	Golden Cathedral / Neon Canyon	Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Utah	Hickman Bridge	Capitol Reef National Park
Utah	Horseshoe Canyon	Canyonlands National Park
Utah	Kanarra Creek	BLM-land
Utah	Little Wildhorse Canyon / Bell Canyon Loop	BLM-land
Utah	Mesa Arch	Canyonlands National Park
Utah	Moon House Ruins	BLM-land
Utah	Natural Bridges Loop	National Bridges National Monument
Utah	Navajo Knobs / Rim Overlook	Capitol Reef National Park
Utah	Rim Trail	Bryce Canyon National Park
Utah	Robbers Roost	BLM-land
Utah	Syncline Loop	Canyonlands National Park
Utah	Tower Arch	Arches National Park
Utah	Willis Creek	Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Utah	Yellow Rock	Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

As an Amazon Associates affiliate, this website contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any products after clicking any Amazon.com link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only endorse products that I have personally used or those that come highly recommended by trusted peers.

Home / U.S. State Travel Guides / U.S. Vacations / U.S. National Parks / U.S. State Highpoints / U.S. Road Trip Planning

Travel & outdoor activities can be extremely dangerous. Use of this website and all of its information is at your own risk! We strongly believe in personal responsibility when it comes to staying safe. We will not be held liable for any injuries and/or death that occur.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------