Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

By Kate Siber

Ice Age National Scenic Trail

Eskers, kames, and potholes are a few of the trippy things you might see on Wisconsin’s 1,000-mile-long Ice Age Trail. (Translation: the elongated ridges, small marshes, and teardrop-shaped hills that the last continental ice shelf left behind.) And one section of it, in the northern unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, is located just 53 miles north of Milwaukee.

Get Hiking: Tick off an out-and-back on any part of the state forest’s 31 miles of trail—the scenery is similar between sections—to see a glimpse of the vestiges of prehistoric America.

Après Hike: On the way back to Milwaukee, stop at Cafe Sourette in West Bend. Chef Jodi Janisse whips up a seasonal farm-to-table menu with items such as rhubarb-brie crostini and rabbit-and-morel pasta with local mascarpone.

More Info: Kettle Moraine State Forest North (dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/kmn) and Cafe Sourette (cafe-soeurette.com)

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Photograph by RWP/Alamy

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Los Angeles, California

By Kate Siber

Sandstone Peak

Hollywood’s star power easily mesmerizes most of Los Angeles’s visitors, which is good news for hikers. For a big city, trails can be relatively unfrequented, and with a dramatic seaside locale, several mountain ranges, and canyons, L.A. has a surprising menu of scenic hikes, like those in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, about 40 miles from downtown.

Get Hiking: One must-do hike, the six-mile Mishe Mokwa loop, climbs 1,400 vertical feet to the top of Sandstone Peak, the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, where hikers gaze over the Pacific Coast, the Channel Islands, and the sparkle of Los Angeles far below.

Après Hike: Heading straight south on Yerba Buena Road, you’ll eventually dead-end at the beach. After a cool-off dip, sidle up to Neptune’s Net, a beloved local joint that has served Pacific oysters, lobster, and other seafood to surfers since 1958.

More Info: Santa Catalina Mountains National Recreation Area (http://nps.gov/samo) and Neptune’s Net (neptunesnet.com)

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Photograph by Tim Hauf

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Boston, Massachusetts

 By Kate Siber 

Middlesex Fells Reservation

From downtown Boston, it takes approximately 16 minutes to drive to Middlesex Fells Reservation, a 2,500-acre swath of hills, ponds, meadows, wetlands, and hemlock groves. Though located only nine miles north of the city, it can feel a planet away, particularly the southeast corner, free of the dog walkers and stroller pushers ubiquitous in most urban parks.

Get Hiking: The 3.7-mile Rock Circuit Trail can take over four hours to complete thanks to its rugged forest terrain and steep rocky scrambles. Just when you’ve forgotten your proximity to the city, you’ll top out at Pinnacle Rock, which has views over the Boston skyline and the tree-speckled New England landscape.

Après Hike: Moulton’s Surf and Turf Restaurant, an inexpensive, family-run hole-in-the-wall just a few miles away in Medford, serves up excellent creamy New England clam chowder and fresh local seafood at recession-friendly prices.

More Info: Friends of Middlesex Fells (fells.org) and Moulton’s (moultons.net)

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Photograph by Krista Guenin

 

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Miami, Florida

By Kate Siber

Everglades National Park

Even on the outskirts of the Everglades, the country’s largest subtropical wilderness, there is absolutely no indication that the city of Miami and some seven million people live within an hour of the park. Though only about 59 miles of unpaved trails wind through these 1.4 million acres of primordial swamps, grasslands, and forests, it’s still easy to find people-free spots.

Get Hiking: Try the Long Pine Key Trails, a seven-mile nest of paths through pine forest and saw palmetto, haunted by birds, lumbering alligators, and even the elusive Florida panther.

Après Hike: Just outside the park in Homestead, Florida, stop at the Robert Is Here Fruit Stand, where purveyor Robert Moehling has sold fresh local veggies, honeys, jams, and exotic fruit like mango, papaya, and soursop since 1959. The key-lime milkshake is a must.

More Info: Everglades National Park (nps.gov/ever) and Robert Is Here (robertishere.com)

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Photograph by Kenny Williams, Alamy

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Chicago, Illinois

By Kate Siber

Indiana Dunes State Park
Indiana Dunes State Park, about 50 miles southeast of Chicago, is a sliver of wilderness in the unlikeliest of places: It’s surrounded by one of the heaviest concentrations of industry in the country. “It’s incredibly dramatic for the prairie state,” says Ted Villaire, author of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Chicago. “It feels isolated and remote.”

Get Hiking: Happily, there’s little reminder of nearby urbanity on the 4.5-mile loop (trails two, ten, and nine) that winds through forests, wetlands, and the 200-foot-tall dunes that have formed over millennia.

Après Hike: In nearby Chesterton, Indiana, stop at The Port Drive-In—a local institution since 1953—for chili dogs and homemade root beer floats.

More Info: Indiana Dunes State Park (in.gov/dnr/parklake/2980.htm) and The Port Drive-In (theportdrivein.com)

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Photograph by Alex C. Zaideman

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Austin, Texas

By Kate Siber

Wolf Mountain Trail

For non-Texans, Hill Country comes as a surprise: A verdant rolling landscape of oak-dotted hills and vineyards, it sooner resembles California wine country than the arid Texas of Western lore. Within 45 miles of Austin, hikers can walk through lush forests and past springs at Pedernales Falls State Park.

Get Hiking: The park’s Wolf Mountain Trail is one of the region’s most beloved hikes, winding past fern-lined canyons, the ruins of a settler’s house, beautiful views over the Pedernales River Valley, and finally to the mother of all Hill Country vistas at the peak.

Après Hike: Just west of Pedernales Falls, the stretch of Highway 290 between Johnson City and Fredericksburg is dotted with wineries and farm stands selling fresh peaches and other produce. Stop at Pedernales Cellars, one of the best Hill Country wineries, for tastings of their famed tempranillo. 

More Info: Pedernales Falls State Park (tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/pedernales_falls) and Pedernales Cellars (pedernalescellars.com).

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Photograph by Tim Wright/Alamy

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

By Kate Siber

Wissahickon Gorge
An astounding 10 percent of Philadelphia is parkland, and the cherry on top of the 9,200-acre network of green is the Wissahickon, a beloved overgrown gorge that plunges deep beneath the clamor of the city. “The Wissahickon is the best thing in Philadelphia,” says Sidney Goldstein, a local Meetup.com hiking group leader. “It feels like you’re in wilderness." With 57 miles of trails, there are plenty of opportunities to get lost.

Get Hiking: Pick up a map at Valley Green Inn, then head up the yellow trail to a nest of less-frequented loops through evergreen and deciduous forests frequented by deer, fox, and some 125 species of birds.

Après Hike: Dating to 1850, the Valley Green Inn welcomes hikers with a wood fireplace in winter and breezy porches in summer. Stop in the restaurant for stick-to-your-ribs American comfort food, like grilled cheese with brie, gruyere, caramelized onions, and applewood-smoked bacon.

More Info: Friends of the Wissahickon (fow.org) and Valley Green Inn (valleygreeninn.com)

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Photograph by Steve Weinik

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Phoenix, Arizona

By Kate Siber

South Mountain Park
At 17,000 acres, South Mountain Park is the largest municipal park in the world, a veritable wilderness within the city of Phoenix. Javelinas and coyotes prowl the 58 miles of trails studded with saguaros, spindly ocotillos, and cholla cacti that bloom lipstick-pink in spring.

Get Hiking: Park at the Pima Canyon Trailhead and wander a nest of well-mapped trails, or tackle all or part of the 14.3-mile National Trail, which leads to spectacular lookouts on South Mountain over Phoenix and Camelback Mountain, another classic local summit hike.

Après Hike: For more views without the work, head down the street to Rustler’s Rooste, a mountaintop restaurant at the nearby Arizona Grand Resort. Watch the city lights blink on over a dinner of chili and mesquite-broiled steak before two-stepping to a live country-western band.

More Info: City of Phoenix (phoenix.gov/recreation) and Arizona Grand Resort (arizonagrandresort.com)

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Photograph by Brian Leddy

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Seattle, Washington

By Kate Siber

Mount Si

Right on the kayaker-friendly Puget Sound and just a hop from the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Seattle is famed as a big-city outdoor haven. The best hikes travel through old-growth forest and pay off with views over Washington’s ultragreen landscape, like Mount Si. About 40 miles east of the city, it’s practically a rite of passage for Seattle hikers.

Get Hiking: This popular four-mile hike has a large measure of challenge (3,700 vertical feet of climbing) with an equal payoff (views of Mount Rainier, Seattle, and the Olympics on a clear day). The journey isn’t so bad either: Along the way, hikers pass classic Pacific Northwest conifer and fir forests, streams, and views over the valley.

Après Hike: In nearby North Bend, stop at Boxley’s Place, a renowned jazz club that also serves dinner—try the salmon cakes—accompanied by an impressive wine list.

More Info: Mount Si Natural Resources Conservation Area (mountsi.com) and Boxley’s Place (boxleysplace.com)

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Photograph by Kurt Swanson

Best U.S. Hiking Cities: Las Vegas, Nevada

By Kate Siber

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Las Vegas wilderness might seem like an oxymoron, but a mere 17 miles west of the megawattage of the Strip, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is a wild enclave of red-rock cliffs, peaks, and canyons that attract rock climbers, horseback riders, and hikers.

Get Hiking: Try the strenuous five-mile round trip to Turtle Head Peak from Sandstone Quarry. You’ll hike 2,000 vertical feet through flats covered in blackbrush, Joshua trees, and yuccas; along a ridge; and finally to the 6,300-foot summit with a hawk’s-eye view over Sin City.

Après Hike: You can’t leave Las Vegas without at least a perfunctory game of blackjack. Try the Red Rock Casino Resort Spa, where there’s not only a game floor but also a spa that offers guided local activities like rock climbing and mountain biking—not to mention post-hike massages.

More Info: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (blm.gov) and Red Rock Casino Resort Spa (redrocklasvegas.com)

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Photograph by Jared McMillen, Aurora