hikers near the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
hikers on the Tour De Mont Blanc trail, Chamonix Valley, France
hikers hiking on the Pacific Coast Trail
a hiker looking at the Khumbu Glacier see from Everest Base Camp, Nepal
a backpacker on Overland Track Trail, Tasmania
a hiker on the Franconia Ridge Trail in Franconia State Park, New Hampshire
a hiker on the Sierra High Route, California
a hiker in Olympic National Park, Washington
hikers in the Brooks Range of the Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska
hikers on the Long Range Mountains trail, Newfoundland, Canada
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Te Araroa Trail in New ZealandHiker: Dan Ransom, filmmaker In His Words: What puts the Te Araroa on the top of my dream list is the variety. New Zealand is famous for its diverse landscapes, and the Te Araroa links close to 2,000 miles of coastal sand, alpine ridges, and jungle bushwhacks traversing national parks and farmland and winding past volcanoes. After bagging the Triple Crown of long trails in the U.S., the Te Araroa would be the obvious target for that next big thru-hike. Distance: 1,864 miles Why You Should Go: Maori for “the long pathway,” the Te Araroa, which is split into 160 tracks and typically takes five months to finish, cuts through the heart of New Zealand from Cape Reinga at the North Island’s tip to Bluff on the South Island’s edge. Amble along bays flanking the South Island’s Queen Charlotte Track, explore river valleys bursting with Maori culture in the North Island’s Whanganui National Park, tramp over slopes of the active Tongariro volcano, or meander through the otherworldly Takitimu Forest. When to Go: October through April About Ransom: Landscape photographer, adventurer, and filmmaker Dan Ransom is well known for his striking work on Last of the Great Unknown, a documentary detailing the escapades of explorers Rich Rudow and Todd Martin as they attempt numerous technical first-descents of slots in the Grand Canyon. In addition to exploring slot canyons of the Colorado Plateau, this Utah resident enjoys long backpacking trips in the Utah’s Uinta Mountains and Wyoming’s Wind River Range. When he’s not out adventuring, he uses words, videos, images, and graphics to tell stories for a variety of clients.
Photograph by Robert Harding/Alamy

These 10 Hiking Trails Will Blow Your Mind

Top experts—from trail runners to CEOs to beloved authors—reveal the trails that fuel their dreams.

Original reporting byDoug Schnitzspahn
April 19, 2017
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