The Top Spots to Hike During Spring Break

There is no better way to become one with nature then to go hiking. Some hiking trails are better than others, and I will give you the 5 best hiking trails the U.S. has to offer. Keep in mind that not all the trails will be the same. Some are very challenging, and will require you to stay at or near the trail overnight, but I have omitted these trails since most people will not challenge them.

I will base my scores on beauty and difficulty of the hiking trail.

Difficulty is scaled 0 to 100, 0 being the Easiest/ 100 being Extremely Difficult

Beauty is scaled 0 to 100, 100 being the Most Beautiful

The Grandview Trail, the Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

I think that the Grandview Trail is best way of completely seeing the Grand Canyon National Park. The trail is listed at 6.4 miles (roundtrip) and should take you a better half of a day to complete. I remember going on this trail and seeing things you only see on postcards at the Grand Canyon Nat'l Park. The views are amazing, but keep in mind that this trail is fairly steep. 6.4 miles on paper results in a very long hike, but if you truly want to appreciate the beauty of the Grand Canyons, this is the way to go. Have plenty of water at hand, and try not to hike during the hotter parts of the day (noon to 3 pm). I recommend this for the experienced hikers.

Difficulty: 90/100

Beauty: 87/100

Rainbow Falls Trail, Great Smoky Mountains, TN

This trail offers you a very picturesque view of Rainbow Falls. It's quite high at 80 feet, and this is a very good trail to pursue during the spring time. As the water melts from the mountain tops, you can encounter many creeks and streams that disappear before the summer. This trail is moderately long at 5.4 miles (roundtrip) but it is well worth the effort with the beauty of Rainbow Falls. I recommend this for anyone - you can even bring the children along!

Difficulty: 75/100

Beauty: 80/100

Lake Tahoe Rim Trail, Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada

There is no denying the beauty of Lake Tahoe, and there is no better way to experience it then to take the Lake Tahoe Rim Trail. In its entirety, this trail spans a total of 150 miles, but you only have to do a small portion of that to experience the true beauty of the magnificent place. The hike is moderately difficult with the steepness, but you will enjoy the vistas that surround you. This is a trail that can be challenged by just about anybody, so there shouldn't be anything stopping you from checking this one out.

Difficulty: 82/100

Beauty: 85/100

Nevada Falls Trail, Yosemite National Park, California

I find this trail to be the very fulfilling. You will encounter roughly 5 points of interest on the way to Nevada Falls, each as enjoyable as the previous one. This trail is quite long (7 miles roundtrip) and will take you roughly 6 hours to complete, but it's definitely worth the effort. You will encounter beds of water near the end of waterfalls that will reward you for the challenge. There isn't a better feeling then jumping into a waterfall bed while you are sweating from the trail! It takes a lot of effort, but the final view of Nevada Falls at the end of the trail will be breathtaking. I recommend this for most adults and teenagers. I fear that this trail will be too difficult for younger children.

Difficulty: 89/100

Beauty: 87/100

Angels Landing, Zion National Park, Utah

I feel that I have saved the best trail for last. I have travelled all over the United States, and I have yet to find a park as beautiful as Zion. I have told my family and friends that this is the best National Park in the country numerous times. Most people don't even know that this park even exists. I think that this trail was strenuous, but definitely worth the effort. While the Grand Canyons get most of the praise for its beautiful canyons, I think that Zion brings it closer to the individual. You won't see canyons from miles away, but you will be climbing them. This hiking trail spanned 5.0 miles, but the small number can be very deceiving. This trail was very steep at times (especially at the end of the trail), but there shouldn't be anything the average adult couldn't handle. It will take the average person 4 hours to complete the trail, but there is so much to do on the way to the top of Zion Canyon that it'll take a couple more hours to complete. The view from the top of Angels Landing was one of the most beautiful views things you will ever see. You will come down from the trail a humble individual. This may not be the most popular National Park, but everyone I recommend to go check it out has come back fascinated by Zion's beauty.

Difficulty: 92/100

Beauty: 98/100

GENERAL TIPS ON HIKING:

-Make sure you wear the proper attire for hiking. You may want to look into hiking boots if you plan on hiking a steeper trail

-Bring plenty of water. On average, bring 5-6 bottles of water per person. This may seem like a lot now, but you will never regret bringing more water than needed.

-Hike with a friend. Never hike alone because accidents could happen at any time. Just play it safe.

-Take frequent breaks. Never stress yourself out. Take it extra easy when it becomes very sunny or hot.

Most Importantly, Have Fun!!

Sources:

"Grand Canyon National Park - Day Hiking (U.S. National Park Service)." National Park Service - Experience Your America. 05 Feb. 2009 .

"Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Waterfalls (U.S. National Park Service)." National Park Service - Experience Your America. 05 Feb. 2009 .

"Hiking Guide." Zion National Park. 05 Feb. 2009 .

"Lake Tahoe Vacation Guide Over 50 Hiking Trails Around Lake Tahoe Including Tahoe Rim Trail Where To Play And Where To Stay At Lake Tahoe Accommodations and Lodging Vacation Rentals Tahoe Keys Resort Lake Tahoe Reservation Bureau." Lake Tahoe Vacation Rentals, Lake Tahoe Cabin, Condo or House Rental, Lodging and Accommodations in Cabins, Condos, and Houses. 05 Feb. 2009 .

"Yosemite National Park - Day Hikes in Yosemite Valley (U.S. National Park Service)." National Park Service - Experience Your America. 05 Feb. 2009 .