World’s Best Hikes: Epic Trails

On National Geographic, Doug Schnitzspahn posted an excellent list of the best of the best:

• Mount Kailash Pilgrimage, Tibet
• Israel National Trail, Israel
• North Drakensberg Traverse, South Africa/Lesotho, uKhahlamba/ Drakensberg Park
• Cinque Terre, Sentiero Azzuro, Italy
• Yoshida Trail, Mount Fuji, Japan
• Santa Cruz Trek, Cordillera Blanca, Peru
• Hayduke Trail, Utah and Arizona
• Laugavegurinn/Fimmvörðuháls Pass, Iceland
• The Way of St. James via the French Way, Spain
• Continental Divide Trail, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico
• Bibbulmun Track, Australia
• West Highland Way, Scotland (the weakest of the list)
• Shackleton’s Route, South Georgia Island, South Atlantic/Antarctica
• Shipwreck Coast/Shi Shi Beach, Olympic Peninsula, Washington
• GR 20, Corsica, France
• Copper Canyon/Tararecua Canyon, Mexico
• Great Himalaya Trail, Nepal
• Benton MacKaye Trail, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina
• The Snowman Trek, Bhutan
• International Appalachian Trail, U.S., Canada, Greenland, Scotland, Spain, Morocco

Here’s his list of the “most thrilling” treks:

• Besseggen Ridge, Norway
• El Caminito del Rey (The King’s Pathway), Spain
• Leukerbad Via Ferrata, Switzerland
• Devil’s Path, New York State
• Stromboli, Aeolian Islands, Italy
• Aonach Eagach Ridge, Scotland
• Huntington Ravine, Mount Washington, New Hampshire
• Kokoda Trail, Papua New Guinea
• Dry Fork Coyote Gulch, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
• Black Hole of White Canyon, Utah
• Granite Peak, Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, Montana
• Búri Cave, Iceland
• Crypt Lake Trail, Waterton Lakes National Park, Canada
• Pacaya Volcano National Park, Antigua, Guatemala
• Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu, Peru
• Mount Huashan, China
• Lion’s Head, Table Mountain National Park, South Africa
• Kakum Canopy Walk, Ghana
• Low’s Peak Via Ferrata, Malaysia
• Chadar Trek, Zanskar River Valley, India