As an outdoors fanatic, I strive to find the best hikes across the United States. Hiking across a flat trail is always enjoyable, but climbing through canyons on cables is a whole different game. Luckily, Today, there are 412 units of the National Park system, which includes national parks, national monuments, national preserves, and national recreation areas (NRAs) for all to enjoy. With this article, I would like to give you my opinion on what the three best NRA hikes in the United States are to trek. If you can only hike through one or two of these gorgeous trails, you can visit the best of the best. Here are three of my favorite places from the heart of Arizona to the Arizona Strip.
3. White Cloud Mountains
Once proposed to be a National Park, White Cloud Mountains is located in the heart of Idaho. With a 32.5-mile round-trip trail, these mountains offer wonderful scenery of America’s wildlife, ranging from buffalo to elk to black bears. It is a long, and difficult, hike. It is best advised to split the hike in either two or three days with camping interposed. While on the trail, you will witness snow-covered Castle and Merriam peaks, as well as the Salmon River, a very well known rafting river also known as "The River of No Return".
2. Waterholes Canyon
Waterholes Canyon is off of US-89, near Page Arizona, and is 2.6 miles away from Horseshoe Bend. You may start at the Water Canyon trailhead. This hike is unique in that every time I complete it, I have never seen another person. It is very quiet, secluded, and breath-taking. As you descend in the canyon, you will think you are in Antelope Canyon with curved sandstone walls. In fact, it is just as beautiful as Antelope Canyon, and is free to hike through. It is recommended to hike until you see the power cables, at which point you can either turn around or ascend to the top of the canyon. From here, you may walk along the canyon and observe a new view of the desert panoramas and sandstone structures.
1. The Wave
The Wave is situated in the Arizona Strip, specifically in the North Coyote Buttes. The iconic “Wave” is a 5.2-mile round-trip journey, and requires a permit, of which 10 are given daily through a lottery. During the summer, over 150 people apply for permits. During the non-busy months, around 30 apply every day. If you cannot win a permit, you should drive to the South Coyote Buttes, and explore other popular trails. However, if you have the opportunity to see the Wave, you must take it.