What better way to get out into the fresh air than to go for a walk, see some wildlife, blooming flowers, amazing views, and experience everything spring has to offer? Well, PlayFame were thinking the exact same thing, and they have done the heavy lifting, creating this amazing study that ranks the best hikes in every state across America.
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The ranking was created by analyzing spring hike-themed keywords in TripAdvisor hike trail reviews. This was then combined with both the average spring temperature and average spring precipitation in the location of the hike to create an overall score for each trail.
Key Findings:
- Diamond Head Trail, Hawaii, is the best spring hike in the U.S., scoring an almost perfect 9.9/10 on the spring hike score ranking.
- The Hurricane Ridge Trail, Washington, was the best-performing hike in the keyword category.
- The Diamond Head Trail and Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail, Hawaii, topped the temperature charts with an average spring temperature of 76.1 degrees Fahrenheit.
- It rarely rains at Historic Railroad Trail in Nevada. This time of year, there is only a 6.5% chance of precipitation, the least of any hike in the study.
2 Arizona trails rank among 20 best hikes in the U.S. for 2026
| Rank | Hike name | State | Average spring temperature (Degrees Fahrenheit) | Average chance of spring precipitation | Keyword total | Spring hike score /10 |
| 1 | Diamond Head Trail | Hawaii | 76.1 | 14.50% | 469 | 9.9 |
| 2 | Anhinga Trail | Florida | 74.3 | 33% | 686 | 8.87 |
| 3 | Hanging Lake Trail | Colorado | 50 | 15% | 776 | 8.3 |
| 4 | The Narrows Trail | Utah | 60.8 | 11.50% | 355 | 7.48 |
| 5 | Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail | Hawaii | 76.1 | 14.50% | 84 | 7.45 |
| 6 | Historic Railroad Trail | Nevada | 68.9 | 6.50% | 66 | 7.32 |
| 7 | Starved Rock Trail | Illinois | 52.7 | 29% | 766 | 6.96 |
| 8 | Lady Bird Lake Hike Trail | Texas | 69.8 | 27.50% | 363 | 6.86 |
| 9 | West Fork Oak Creek Trail | Arizona | 62.8 | 12.50% | 137 | 6.22 |
| 10 | La Luz Trail | New Mexico | 60.8 | 7.50% | 69 | 6.14 |
| 11 | Hurricane Ridge Trail | Washington | 50 | 38% | 827 | 5.93 |
| 11 | Angel’s Landing Trail | Utah | 60.8 | 11.50% | 111 | 5.93 |
| 13 | Lost Mine Trail | Texas | 64.4 | 14% | 80 | 5.92 |
| 14 | Devil’s Bridge Trail | Arizona | 62.6 | 12.50% | 85 | 5.89 |
| 15 | Lands End Trail | California | 59 | 17.50% | 140 | 5.17 |
| 16 | Boise River Greenbelt Trail | Idaho | 55.4 | 19.50% | 226 | 5.00 |
| 17 | Raven Cliff Falls Trail | Georgia | 67.1 | 29.50% | 139 | 4.84 |
| 18 | Grotto Falls Trail | Tennessee | 57.2 | 37% | 474 | 4.77 |
| 19 | Dukes Creek Falls Trail | Georgia | 67.1 | 29.50% | 126 | 4.76 |
| 20 | Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail | Florida | 69.8 | 32.50% | 100 | 4.6 |
The Diamond Head Trail in Honolulu, Hawaii, is crowned the best spring hike in America in 2026. The steep hike, which offers panoramic views of Honolulu from the top, scored 9.9 out of a possible ten on the spring hike score.
This hike scored so highly due to the high average spring temperatures of 76.1 degrees Fahrenheit and just a 14.5% chance of any precipitation during a hike at this time of year. The trail also had 469 unique results for the spring-themed keywords in its TripAdvisor reviews, which ranks the 7th highest in the study. Making the Diamond Head Trail the best spring hike in America.
However, if you don’t fancy getting on a flight to Hawaii just for a hike, there are some amazing hiking alternatives all around the U.S., including the Anhinga Trail in Florida. On this trail, you will have the opportunity to spot some of the best wildlife in America, and it scored an 8.87 out of ten.
The Hanging Lake Trail, Colorado, The Narrows Trail, Utah and Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail, Hawaii, rounded off the top 5 hikes scoring 8.3, 7.48 and 7.45 out of ten, respectively.
But which hikes performed the best in each category?
The Hurricane Ridge Trail, Washington, was the best performing hike in the keyword category, with 827 unique reviews with the spring-themed keywords mentioned.
The Diamond Head Trail and Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail, which are both located in Honolulu, Hawaii, topped the temperature charts as the average spring temperature is 76.1 degrees Fahrenheit in Honolulu.
Finally, the Historic Railroad Trail in Nevada is where you have the best chance of no adverse weather this spring. This time of year, there is only a 6.5% chance of precipitation, which means you would be very unlucky to get wet on this hike in springtime.
