If you love hiking, you have to visit the East Coast! From Acadia National Park in Maine to the White Mountains in New Hampshire to Upstate New York to the local hiking trails in New Jersey, there are so many amazing hiking trails in the Northeast. I’ve gotten to explore a bunch of hiking trails and wanted to share the best hikes in the Northeast that you can add to your bucket list!
Acadia National Park in Maine
Beehive Trail
The Beehive Trail is one of my favorite hikes in the Northeast! The trail is 2 miles and includes narrow paths and iron rungs to climb. It was fun and challenging climbing up. I felt so adventurous haha! It was super thrilling so I wouldn’t recommend it if you have a fear of heights.
As you’re hiking, you get the most amazing view of Sand Beach and the ocean. It’s so incredible and I was in awe the entire time. This is a popular hiking trail so I recommending getting there early in the morning to avoid the crowds.
If this sounds like a cool hike, I also recommend an even more challenging hike called the Precipice Trail.
Jordan Pond + South Bubble Trail
Another popular hike in Acadia National Park is the Jordan Pond Loop Trail and South Bubble trail. The Jordan Pond Loop is an easy walk around the pond. South Bubble is one of the two mountains at the end of Jordan Pond. There is also a North Bubble trail.
We parked near the Jordan Pond House and walked halfway around the Jordan pond and then hiked up South Bubble and walked the other half back to the car as one big loop.
I think the best views of Jordan Pond is the top of South Bubble trail. But you can actually hike both bubble mountains as one big trail! There is also a boulder called Bubble Rock where it is sitting on the edge of the cliff. It’s cool to see but it also gave me anxiety since it literally looks like it’s going to fall off any second haha.
Check out my Acadia National Park travel guide for more details!
New Hampshire
Artist Bluff
This is probably the most iconic hike in the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The view is absolutely beautiful. It is a moderate 1.5 mile hike and takes about an hour to complete. I recommend doing this hike in the fall – the fall foliage views on this hike are incredible!
Mount Willard
In Crawford Notch State Park, you will find the Mount Willard hiking trail. It is a 3.1 mile moderate hike and has stunning views over the valley.
Check out my New Hampshire travel guide for more details!
New York
Indian Trail Head in the Adirondacks
The Adirondack Mountains are filled with so many different hiking trails. One of the most popular hiking views in the Adirondacks is the Indian Head Trail located in Keene, New York.
This trail is a long moderate hike. It’s about 10 miles and can take 5-6 hours to complete. The views are so worth it! This is one of the best hikes in the Northeast that you can do in New York!
Check out my Adirondacks Travel Guide here!
Kaaterskill Falls in the Catskills
The Kaaterskill Falls is a beautiful two stage waterfall located in the eastern Catskill mountains. It is an easy 1.4 mile round trip. The trail starts at a viewing platform where you can look down to the waterfall and the next part of the trail takes you to the base of the falls.
Check out my Catskills travel guide here!
Minnewaska State Park
Minnewaska State Park is located on the Shawangunk Mountain ridge and only a 20 minute drive from New Paltz, New York. You will find over 50 different hiking trails that range in length and difficulty. The park is open from 9am to 8pm and there is a parking fee of $10 per car. I recommend arriving before 9am since there can be a long line of cars waiting to get in.
If you are looking for an easy scenic hike, I recommend doing the Minnewaska Lake Loop Trail. The trail is 1.9 miles and you get to see different beautiful viewpoints of the lake.
If you want to see a waterfall, check out Awosting Falls. This is an easy smooth trail that’s only 1.1 miles. This is a great trail to combine with the lake loop trail.
For a more challenging moderate hike, I recommend checking out Gertrude’s Nose Trail. This is an 8 mile loop trail. It takes about 4-5 hours to complete. It’s a long strenuous loop that has several steep sections. It is completely worth it because you get amazing views over the Hudson Valley! It’s also a great hike to do in the fall with all the beautiful fall foliage.
Labyrinth Trail
An awesome and unique hike in Mohonk Preserve is the Labyrinth Trail. It is a difficult 45 minute rock scramble where you have to go under and through various rock formations and climb ladders. The last part of the hike is the Lemon Squeeze where you walk through a narrow crevice and climb up to the top. You are rewarded with such an amazing view!
This is an awesome hike and I think it’s one of the most unique hiking trails in Upstate New York.
This is doable for most hikers as long as you are comfortable climbing up ladders and maneuvering up, around, and through rocks. Some parts of the hike, especially the Lemon Squeeze, are tight. If you have a backpack, you might need to take it off to fit through. If you decide this trail isn’t for you, there are side exits in the beginning if you change your mind. There are also alternate hiking trails to take where it will lead you to the same view point.
This is a pretty popular hike so I recommend doing this on a weekday or super early on the weekends or else you may be stuck waiting in line to go through the hike.
Check out my Upstate New York travel guide!
Breakneck Ridge
One of the best hikes in the Northeast that you can find near Hudson Valley, New York is the Breakneck Ridge Trail. It is a challenging 3.2 mile loop trail making it the hardest hike in the Hudson Highlands. The trail begins at sea level and scrambles up a little over 1,000 feet in less than 3/4 of a mile. At some points, it felt like I was rock climbing! It was a tough hike, but I loved it and the views are amazing!
Storm King Mountain
Another awesome trail in the Hudson Valley is Storm King Mountain. It is a moderate 2.4 mile loop trail where you will have 360 degree views of Hudson Valley. You get to scale up two mountains, Butter Hill and Storm King and throughout the hike, you will see a bunch of awesome viewpoints.
Bear Mountain State Park
Bear Mountain State Park is located in the Palisades Region in New York. You will find hiking trails, boat rentals, museums, and a zoo. A hiking trail I recommend checking out is the Bear Mountain Loop trail. It is a moderate 3.8 mile loop trail. This trail is a challenging uphill hike where you are rewarded with amazing views!
New Jersey
Mount Tammany
Mount Tammany is the most popular hike in New Jersey! It’s such an awesome hiking trail. The hike is 3.6 miles. It is challenging and literally just uphill, but the views are so worth it!
Stairway to Heaven
The Stairway to Heaven trail is one of the best trails that you can do in New Jersey. If you begin at Pochuck Valey, it is a total of 7.5 miles. The Pochuck Valley starts out flat for 2.5 miles where you walk through a boardwalk, suspension bridge, and a cow pasture. After that, you enter the “stairway to heaven” which is a steep windy incline over rocky terrain. It is definitely a workout!
Hope you enjoyed my post on the best hikes in the Northeast!
