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When it comes to breathtaking hikes, New York isn’t just holding its own—it’s climbing to the top.
According to USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2025, two of the top five hiking trails in the entire country are right here in the Empire State: the Trapps Trail at Mohonk Preserve and the Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen State Park.
Coming in at No. 2 is the Trapps Trail, a serene, five-mile loop tucked in the Shawangunk Mountains (a.k.a. “the Gunks”) just outside New Paltz. This stunning trail offers forest strolls, dramatic cliff views and rock formations that resemble nature's abstract sculptures. It’s wide and flat enough for a stroller but still packed with visual drama: golden light through the maples, moss-covered staircases and climbers scaling the cliffs beside you like it’s no big deal. The trail is also part of one of North America’s premier climbing zones, so don’t toss anything from the overlooks—someone might be clinging to the rock face below.
Not far behind at No. 3 is the Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen State Park, a Finger Lakes favorite that crams 19 waterfalls, stone bridges and misty staircases into a cinematic 2.2-mile trek. You’ll wind through narrow rock corridors, duck under cascades and snap photos at Rainbow Falls, where you can literally walk behind the waterfall. Pro tip: Visit early on a weekday for fewer crowds and better light.
(If you’re planning a visit, note that, starting July 7, the main tunnel entrance and Sentry Bridge at Watkins Glen will be closed for repairs. However, the trail remains accessible via alternate entrances. Shuttle service will remain in operation and the waterfalls are just as wow-worthy from any direction.)
Both trails earned high praise for being scenic, family-friendly and just the right amount of challenging. And bonus—they’re also ideal summer day trips: The Trapps is just 90 miles from New York City, while Watkins Glen offers luxury glamping and small-town charm just a few hours upstate.
Lace up your boots, grab your camera and get ready to see why New York hikes are officially among the best in the nation. You don’t have to fly west for waterfall magic or sweeping vistas—they’re already in your backyard.