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Hike, bike and enjoy the 10 best recreational trails in the US
These 10 recreational trails, voted as the best in the U.S. by USA TODAY 10Best readers, are great spots to get some fresh air and exercise.
- Hocking Hills State Park has the Best Hiking Trail in the nation, according to USA TODAY’s 10Best readers.
- The park, located near Logan in Southeast Ohio, also was named one of the top destinations worldwide, according to Forbes.
Hocking Hills State Park keeps racking up the honors.
The park has the Best Hiking Trail in the nation, as decided by readers in USA TODAY’S 10Best ranking.
Hocking Hills State Park, located near Logan in Southeast Ohio, was named one of the top destinations worldwide in Forbes’ Best Places to Travel in 2023 list. It topped U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Visit in Ohio the same year.
Whispering Cave trail named Best Hiking Trail in USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice 2024
Whispering Cave is one of several trails at the park. According to the 10Best article, the 5-mile loop takes hikers over a swinging bridge and features the second-largest cave in the region, with a 105-foot seasonal waterfall flowing to the floor below.
Whispering Cave beat out trails in Yellowstone National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the trail to the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, a fact the Ohio Department of Natural Resources bragged about on Facebook. “Well, well, well…Hocking Hills State Park beat out some impressive hikes to claim the top spot for USA TODAY’s 2024 Readers’ Choice for 10 Best Hiking Trails!”
Things to do at Hocking Hills
Hocking Hills offers seven hiking trails, according to its website, with Whispering Cave being the longest. The other trails range from a quarter mile to two miles in length, and from easy to difficult.
Apart from hiking, Hocking Hills offers boating and fishing at Rose Lake, mountain biking on two 2-mile trails, hunting in designated areas, stargazing at John Glenn Astronomy Park, and an archery range, among others.
Snap a selfie: Hocking Hills named the top Instagram landmark in Ohio. See the list.
Hocking Hills Lodge and Conference Center
The newest state park lodge in Ohio, Hocking Hills State Park Lodge offers modern accommodations in a rustic setting, according to its website.
It has 81 guestrooms as well as 40 cabins (some pet-friendly) available to rent, as well as several restaurants and pubs. The venue is also available for weddings, retreats, meetings and other events.
The lodge is among seven named Best in Lodging in Midwest Living magazine’s 2024 Best of the Midwest list, which lists the 25 best Midwest spots for lodging, food and drink, and more.
“As the first new state park lodge in Ohio in more than 30 years, it’s a transformative addition to a region known for hiking but not big hotels,” the magazine wrote.
