The Best Hikes: Classic Trails

There are many famous hiking trails across the globe and we have covered a few in our Top 5 Most Challenging Thru Hikes and The World's Scariest Hiking Trails posts, but what about other classic trails? Here's a few of our favourites...  

 #5 Fitz Roy Trek, Patagonia, Argentina

The Fitz Roy Trek is a great route for all hikers. It's located in Parque Nacional Los Glaciares and is accessible from the small town of El Chalten in Southern Argentina. Depending on the route you take this trail can take between 2 and 5 days to complete. Your starting elevation is 1380 ft and the maximum elevation is 2900 ft at Lago Del Los Tres. The prime time to hike this trail is from November to April, although the weather can be unpredictable so just remember that when it comes to planning your trek. Along the trail you will see incredible diverse scenery, the sunrise view of Mount Fitzroy and Cerro Torre, and if you have time; take a day hike to Lago Del Los Tres and Laguna Sucia.

#4 Yosemite Grand Traverse, California

This 60 mile long trek is a very popular route for hikers. The trail takes you though the Ansel Adams Wilderness, across Post Peak pass and then ends up in Yosemite National Park. At this point you can follow the Merced River down towards Tuolumne Meadows. The trail's highest point is a massive 12,00 feet! On the route you will see the Minarets, the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountain range and the historic John Muir trail. The trail takes up to a week to complete and is open from the middle of July to mid September. As you would have guessed the trip can be challenging. To make things easier, hike the trail with a Southern Yosemite Mountain Guide who have mastered the route from start to finish.

#3 Tonquin Valley, Alberta

The Tonquin Valley is a network of five trails: Astoria River, Maccarib Pass, Eremite Valley, Moat Lake and the ACC Chrome Lake trail. With all those route combined you have over 70km of trails to explore; which, depending on the trails can take between 2 and 7 days to hike. Throughout the trails there are sections for campsites, one horse/camp site and the Wates Gibson ACC Hut. The route itself offers stunning scenery from Jasper National Park. The trail is best visited mid to late Summer into the Autumn to avoid high periods of rain, and it is advised to wear high cut boots and gaiters. The last thing to look out for is grizzly bears! There are bear warnings scattered over the trails so just keep your wits about you.

#2 Bay of Fires, Tasmania

Now for something a little different. The Bay of Fires follows the coast of Binalong Bay in the South, to Eddystone Point in the North. It's no surprise that it's one of Lonely Planet's hottest travel destination on Earth because it ticks all the boxes for everyone from hikers to beach goers. Due to the mixture of people travelling to the Bay of Fires you will find everything from luxurious spas and hotels to a hiker's favourite... the campsite. You can walk for miles along the sugar white sandy beaches, take a dip in the clear ocean and feel like you're in paradise. The total hike can take up to 4 days depending on how far you want to go.... just don't forget the sunscreen!

#1 Kalalau Trail, Hawaii

The Kalalau trail is a very popular short trail built in the late 1800s to link early Hawaiian settlements along the coastline. The trail is only 11 miles long and can be walked in a day. It's very popular to camp overnight once you reach the end and then walk back to the starting point the following day, making the overall hike 22 miles. The trail traverses 5 valleys before ending on the beautiful Kalalau Beach. The best time to hike the trail is in the Summer time between May to October which brings steady trade winds and the occasional shower, the weather during the Winter is less predictable. Although it is only a day hike don't forget to plan the route and check your permits if you're travelling beyond Hanakapi'ai. You also need a permit to camp at the Napali coast as this is a very popular spot for hikers, so purchase the permit well in advance.   Have you hiked any of these trails? Are there any others you would recommend?