You can’t throw a rock without hitting a hiking trail in Northern California. Put yourself somewhere like Eureka, and you could head north into Redwood National and State Parks, east to Shasta Lake, and south to the Lost Coast. (Don’t go west unless you’ve got your floaties—that’s the Pacific Ocean.) Hiking tours throughout Northern California abound—and some reward their trekkers with adventures through wine country.

While Yellowstone National Park is fabulous for hiking tours, it sees about a million visitors per month in summer—and as far as hiking in Wyoming goes, it’s far from the only destination. Wyoming’s Wind River Range, about 90 minutes from Yellowstone, offers 1,600 lakes (plus a few glaciers), 40 peaks over 13,000 feet (3,900 meters), and endless high-elevation adventure for those who are no strangers to a backpack and boots.

For wilderness hiking vacations in the US, look no further than Denali National Park. This Alaska spot has only a few designated, readerboard-line trails. The rest are simple social trails, aka paths worn by humans (and wildlife!) through the wilderness. For overnight adventure, you’ll need to pick a unit and obtain a backpacking permit; of 87 units, 12 and 13 are two of Denali’s most popular (they offer access to Sunrise/Sunset glaciers), but units 9–13 are all great, including for beginners.

Northern Arizona is king of desert-hiking delight. Let’s start with the most obvious spot: Grand Canyon National Park. Serious hikers can go just a few miles on Bright Angel Trail and get a far more serene experience. Just be sure to bring plenty of water, and mind the trek back up. (It’ll take about twice as long.) Another Northern Arizona gem is Antelope Canyon. Tours with the Navajo tribe are the only way to access this fabulous slot canyon and tour groups are limited to 15.

Yep, the largest park in the contiguous US is in New York. Covering a whopping 1/5th of the state, the Adirondacks’ 6 million acres would be three Yellowstones combined. There are hundreds of miles of hiking trails, thousands of lakes and rivers, and even 46 “High Peaks.” Hike ‘em all, and you’re officially a “46er.” Mt. Arab is a great New York hike for families—it’s just a mile up to the top, where trekkers will find a museum and a fire tower for views across Tupper Lake.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the country, but its surroundings—like the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest—are just as spectacular. Skip the crowds (and the parking woes) and head to the border of North Carolina and Virginia, where there’s everything from hidden waterfalls off the Blue Ridge Parkway to sections of the Appalachian Trail. Hiking through Grayson Highlands State Park, you might even spot wild ponies.

Teddy Roosevelt used North Dakota to get away from the city, and you can, too. The national park that bears his name—Theodore Roosevelt National Park—is a good place to start, especially if you’ve got the kids in tow. If you’re looking for a more remote North Dakota adventure, though, check out the 144-mile (231-kilometer) Maah Dah Hey Trail. No, you won’t be crossing cornfields—you’ll be traversing majestic plateaus, colorfully rugged peaks, and river valleys in shades of gold.

The Golden State is one of the most popular hiking destinations in America. Take Yosemite National Park, which offers more than 4,000 miles (6,437 kilometers) of hiking trails—and that’s not including the nearby Sierra National Forest, which boasts hundreds more. This one can be fun for the whole family. Those with kids can scope out hiking tours that stick to the beautiful Yosemite Valley, while those with calories to burn and dust to trod should consider epic landmarks like Half Dome.

Northwest Arkansas, home to the 1.2-million acre (485,640-hectare) Ozark–St. Francis National Forest, might be one of the country’s most overlooked hiking destinations. With scores of high bluffs, dense forests, and scenic spots like the Buffalo River, there are countless hiking spots for all skill levels. Another hidden gem in the Ozarks? The area’s cave-like springs. Home to some of the largest freshwater springs in the country, northwest Arkansas is where hikers can stumble upon blue pools.