USA 50 State HIKABLE High Points (No Mountaineering Required)

[@MurCurieux]

This would be an amazing book. Classic Class 1 Hikes of USA

[@BillandJulia615]

So glad you are going to do this series! We will be watching to see what is doable for us!

[@andrewlivingston7972]

You can go to Campbell Hill in Ohio. It's right next to Ohio Hi-Point Technical School, where my kids graduated from. Best time to visit is on the weekend, due to parking. Side note: when they hold graduation at the school they have the kids walk down from Campbell Hill to the ceremony. As far as hiking... it's only about 100 yards from the parking lot to the top.

[@kasai1575]

Good list! Though as somebody who spends a lot of time in the mountains in Idaho and doing research for trips, I can tell you Blackmon peak is definitely not a real trail. Both Gaia and Alltrails have put in false tracks that have misled hikers. It's not a hard peak, but the scramble to the summit is class 2. You can find it listed in the Idaho a Climbing Guidebook as a class 2 peak (page 224). Let me know if you want a picture or further evidence. I'd suggest Annie's Peak in the Lemhis (44.57199, -113.61455, 10,288 ft) or Lookout Mountain (44.19259, -114.75867, 9,954 ft) as I've mentioned previously.

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you for this, I appreciate it. I didn't have Idaho a Climbing Guidebook as a reference and used this video with the kids: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZ2YfHyBedqkp5I - but if it's C2, looks like Annie's Peak / Peak 10288 with the trail (confirmed a trail on sat photos) is the winner - big thanks again

[@kasai1575]

@@Hikingguy No problem! The video you sent does make it look like there's a use path in places! From other photos I've seen there are some off trail parts, but it's hard to tell. I'm not sure how recent the information in the book I have is either, but I do know there's no *official* trail. Looks more like rocky/grassy terrain that's relatively easy but not as nice as a constructed path. I haven't climbed the peak myself but I might check it out in a few weekends to confirm -- looks like a fun climb regardless.

[@marlo7218]

Thanks for this - a new way for me to plan some adventures! I have merch idea for you. A hanging list of all the hikes with a spot to color in once completed. Etsy has what I am thinking of for state parks, national parks, etc.

[@bryanbischof4351]

I’ve wondered about this. Thanks for putting this together.

[@Hikingguy]

Big thank you to Maxwell for sending this over re:Idaho. Looks like Iron Creek Point is the winner here: 1. Iron Creek Point (10740’) is the highest peak in Idaho with a motorized use trail. Like many Forest Service trails in this part of the Lemhis, it exists in theory but may not be maintained well in practice (Tom Lopez describes it as “deteriorating” - but even so, the trail shows up as FST 4193 on the current Forest Service interactive map. This is easily the highest peak in Idaho with an official trail running straight to the top. Class 1. 2. Inyo Benchmark (10614’), also in the Lemhis, is class 2 via the quickest route but there is a longer approach which is easily class 1. There is no official trail for this peak, as official trails leading to summits are rare in Idaho (not a single mountain about 11000’ has one); nevertheless, I think you’ll find that there is little tree cover on this SSW route (check the Rick Baugher trip report on LOJ for beta) and even that gives way to an obvious open ridge. This may be spicier than you’re looking for, given the long walk in, but it’s certainly class 1 and technically wouldn’t involve too much route finding. 3. In that vein, Smiley Peak (11508’) is a relatively obscure peak in the southern Pioneers, near a popular campground (named “Iron Bog”). It is virtually always summited from the south, which is class 2, but there is another possibility - you could come up the broad ridgeline from the north, starting in the Lake Creek basin. I haven’t done this myself, but you would be above treeline almost immediately, and it’s a fairly obvious route that would take you directly to the top of Smiley with no class 2 complications. I could tell you more once I’ve summited, as I’m heading up to hike it tomorrow with a fellow peakbagger, and I’ll have a good view of the one remotely steep section (of the north ridge) near the summit.

[@davidplotkin5173]

What a great idea, Cris, and thanks for putting so much thought and time into researching it. I have a suggestion for CALIFORNIA. You know, it's really 3 states in one: Northern, Southern, and Central (meaning JMT and Sierra area). While it's tough to get anything over 1,000 feet that isn't in someone's backyard in Ohio, that's a literal walk in the park in California. And since CA is so huge, with such varied geography, I think it's worthwhile to do 3 parts to it. I realize that New York or Texas may also claim that, but the peaks in Texas are few & far between, and you could stuff NY into So Cal. Alternatively you could simply do a Best Coastal Peak and Best Inland Peak since the geographies and hiking challenges/views may be far different. Anyway, just a thought from a Ventura County hiker. Thanks again.

[@Hikingguy]

Good suggestion, thank you! Will look into a state challenge. Could be cool to hit each county in CA too.

[@Protect-Privacy]

This is an excellent book idea! I’m surprised this list doesn’t already exist!

[@MLJ-k4s]

Great idea - I can envision several videos coming from this. I have completed a dozen or so state highpoints but I know that some will never happen for me, so I appreciate the list of alternatives.

[@WaltTaylorau]

Alabama is Mt Cheaha... You can hike some of the Pinhoti trial on your way up. It's in Cheaha State Park

[@ArbitraryLifestyle]

CalTopo map with a custom DEM shading layer can help you find highest points with trails easier. For the lower ones you could have a "Low Elevation" DEM layer with a range of 0-1,000 and every 100-feet in elevation is a different color. Then turn on "Public Lands" and the "MapBuilder Overlay" to weed out a lot of potentials.

[@MelissaMurphy-r5l]

Thanks so much for doing this!!! I've hit 15 of the state high points but wasn't sure what I was going to do for the states that required ice axes!

[@pmedic523]

I absolutely love this idea. Would love to add these trails to a bucket list! Sending this to my brother in Utah who does a lot of hiking and may be able to help you out there.

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you!

[@relmukneb]

I think Oregon's should be South Sister. 3rd highest peak in Oregon on PeakBagger, 600 ft higher than Steen's Mountain. It's definitely hikeable in late summer without stepping on snow at all. No scrambling, great trail the whole way except maybe 1/2 mile near the top it does get soft and gravel-y near the top and not a single well-defined trail at that point, but a braid of a bunch of equally travelled routes within ~ 20 ft of each other, but no routefinding needed and no dangerous scree.

[@kasai1575]

I was going to say this as well. Very short season but there is a trail all the way to the top! Steens mountain is also more of a service road than a real trail. I saw Eagle cap on the spreadsheet which is a great option if the season is too short for South Sister.

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you, I appreciate that, good to know. I did a lot of research and was on the fence about this one, having never done it and having seen mixed reports. What's the sweet spot? Late Aug / early Sep? Will update the sheet, thank you again.

[@robertjaycox8488]

@@Hikingguy The trail going up S Sister is on the south side, so July through Sept is usually snow free. It is class 1, but a lot of steep scree in places, that might be a bit hard for some, but like the others said, this should be on your list.

[@Hikingguy]

@@robertjaycox8488 Copy that thank you

[@mudhens4ever]

I agree: South Sister over Steens. I’ve done both, and if you’re in Oregon for more than a couple of days, it’s worth doing both. Incredibly but markedly different landscapes. Have even more time? Do Eagle cap in the Wallowa mountains of Northeast Oregon. Have even more time ….. oh, forget it. Three is enough.

[@curtiskupferschmid6102]

Thanks so much for this, this is so cool! What a great challenge/goal.

[@spartyhikerfromme5492]

I agree with your choices for the 6 New England states and New York. For ME, NH, VT, MA and NY there are multiple options. Some of the more popular trails do have a minor Class 2 feature or two. Many of the New England trails have some high step ups (2-3 feet), large boulders or exposed rock slabs or ledges that are relatively easy to navigate, but do require the use of hands for balance, which is technically a Class 2. I am working on completing the 100 highest peaks in New England, so have lots of info. Started a couple of weeks before 64th birthday and looking at number 72 this month. Completed 77 of the 100. I don't want to publish my contact info here, so if you would like my input, let me know how I can reach you.

[@Hikingguy]

I think for the NE hikes the minor class 2 is okay. I've done most of them over the years and looking back there's nothing so intense that I'd tell people to avoid. The Class 1 is more of a guideline than a hard rule. I appreciate the offer of help. If you have alternates that you feel strongly about, you can post it here and I'll take a look. Big thanks again, I appreciate it.

[@Al-S-NH]

I'm not sure if Baxter peak of Katahdin is accessible without at least some scrambling. If so, it's probably a route that passes first through Hamlin peak. The more direct trails usually go through slides and boulder fields.

[@cschoolf]

I did pioneer peak couple years ago. There’s a definite trail most of the way up till the last part. Which is definitely a scramble in some spots. The hard part is you can get “lost” as you go up to the peak because of all the crazy rocks. Absolutely beautiful hike though. Did it in 13h out and back

[@bg975]

Mt Adams in Washington. Non technical and can be done in one day (most folks choose two.). This time of year having micro spikes is super helpful.

[@benjamintryon813]

@@bg975 I did it earlier in the year, so I wouldn't know what it looks like in the fall, but it seemed like a class 2 regardless of the time

[@ChristyHikes]

Hi Hikingguy, the highest peak in Alabama is Cheaha Mountain at 2,413' in the Cheaha State Park. There isn't a trail that leads to it. The high point is a paved gated road with fenced in cell towers that's not accessible. I found this out while on the Pinhoti Trail two months ago. The highest point in South Carolina is said to be Sassafras Mountain on the Foothills Trail but Sassafras is splits it's border with North Carolina at 3,553'. The peak that is solely located in SC is Pinnacle Mountain at 3414' and it's trail starts in Table Rock State Park.

[@Hikingguy]

Big thank you!

[@GiuliaontheSummit]

great video !!!!!!

[@Sandra-dt4ec]

I would offer that many Midwest states just have a highest area! I’d recommend looking into the Loess Hills region in west Iowa. Hitchcock Nature Center is a great and there are some hiking trails with nice views of the Missouri Valley. It is close to Omaha, Nebraska and easy to find.

[@darosten]

When do you plan on Humphries (AZ)? I would love to hike it with you.

[@Petedabeat]

I think you need two lists to satisfy the fans of your channel: (1) Highest hike to a summit in the state, and (2) highest publicly-accessible location. For many states, those two lists will be the same. For flat states, #2 might actually be more in line with the 'sprit' of this challenge than #1. For #2, I think highest open-to-the-public area should count, don't limit yourself to parks. List #2 could include a spot on a sidewalk, a Walmart parking lot, or, or a private botanical garden that chargers a nominal admission fee to the public: anything safe and publicly-accessible is in play.

[@thelonehiker4698]

I seen a lot of 14ers in the eastern sierras that aren’t hikeable . I think MT Whitney is one of the few unless you do mount Langley

[@sanctusrimoradv]

You'll want to start Mauna Kea before the sun comes up. There is NO shade anywhere. Full exposure to sun and wind the entire way. If you make it over to Kauai, I'd be happy to suggest some epic trails.

[@Mdogbrown]

THIS is amazing!!!!

[@YoshiV819]

Yeah, I live in Ohio and it's tough here for high points. Lookout Ridge Overlook in the West Creek Reservation of the Cleveland Metropark ends with a cool view of the city and the other trails in this spot can fill a morning. Coming to the area would also give easy access to the Rock Hall and Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Metropark and CVNP offer a huge array of easy to access hikes. CVNP has the most difficult leg of the Buckeye Trail that has a cool waterfall and elevation gain to some nice overlooks of the valley. Hocking Hills is also nice but I never go there because I live in Cleveland with so much access to similar scenery.

[@Hikingguy]

Appreciate this, thank you

[@PFBM86]

For Ohio, there is a state forest named Ferwood State Forest, near Steubenville on the Eastern edge of the state, which has a pretty nice overlook a few hundred feet above the valley below. Only problem there is a parking lot right in front of it. This overlook isn't the highest point of the area however, IIRC it is fairly close to the overlook, requiring maybe a mile of total hiking including the return trip. It also doesn't appear to be a named point. The elevation looks to be around 1250ft, which is 300ft below the actual state highpoint, but given all of the restrictions I'm not sure if you'll be able to find a better option than this. (Granted, I am not familiar with any other parks or forests in the state besides Hocking Hills and Cuyahoga Valley, both of which I believe are at lower elevations.) For Connecticut, the highest point in the state actually is on a slope on Mount Frieselle (whose summit is in Massachusetts). Are you going to disqualify this for your Connecticut hike? There is a summit named Bear Mountain directly south of this in which would likely become your target for the highest hike to a named summit in the state.

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you for all of this, I really appreciate it. I'll dive deeper on the Ohio park. And good question on CT, will give it some thought. Will also check for a benchmark disc. Maybe if there's a disc at the high point that could qualify too.

[@PFBM86]

@@Hikingguy I found at least one better option for Ohio... check out Great Seal State Park in Ross County near Chillicothe (about 45 miles south of Columbus). The highest point in the park at 1296ft is named Sand Hill and is only accessible by trail.

[@sherriegentry9090]

Why did Alltrails do away with the USGS Topo? Seems they are removing features that are good and replacing them with things that provide info that I can get in other places.

[@Annie54343]

I was just in the area of the Illinois one (scales mound) last week 😊

[@xbalance]

I will be in New Mexico and my plan is to hike Wheeler Peak. If I make it, that will be 1 down

[@hikewithmike4673]

Being from Florida our highest point is a grueling 350 ft or so lol

[@wj7867]

You have Windy Peak for Washington, but there is a trail up Mt. St. Helens. Also, there his no trail to the peak of Mt. Adams, but it is a completely (but grueling) non-technical hike.

[@Hikingguy]

According to the USDA website you need a climbing permit for St Helens and also says "for both beginning and experienced mountaineers" - www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot/recarea/?recid=81369

[@wj7867]

@@Hikingguy You have Mount Whitney on your list. One needs a permit for Mt. Saint Helens in the same way that one needs it for Mt. Whitney. The standard Mt. St. Helens route (Monitor Ridge) is a hike. You're as likely to see a 5th grade class trip on that trail as anyone who would claim to be engaged in mountaineering (except to the extent that hiking on a mountain is mountaineering).

[@Hikingguy]

@@wj7867 Not quite the same at Whitney, which is a hiking permit, not a climbing permit. There is a difference. Also I've updated the peak to South Sister based on other user feedback.

[@caldwellcoug]

@@Hikingguy I would describe MSH as a hike, you need to be fit and there’s some uneven terrain and if you’re experienced on all the other hikes in Washington you still might have to turn back, but still a hike.

[@tonyxu113]

The link doesn't work for me anymore. I personally won't call St.Helens a climb. It's a very difficult hike, it's hard to say whether certain parts through the boulders can be called a scramble or not. In a similar note I'll also consider Little Annapurna as maybe the only non-technical summit in Enchantments, depending on how you view Aasgard Pass. The summit itself although I've seen listed as class2 I don't remember needing to use my hands at all.

[@peterbedford2610]

Nice

[@leannevandekew1996]

Depending on accumulated snow (even in summer), Mt. Whitney can require an ice axe and crampons to get to the summit.

[@davedillahunt1183]

Sand Hill in Great Seal State Park OH 1296ft. SE Ohio is your best bet for high points and trails.

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you!

[@Al-S-NH]

Mount Washington (NH) will need to be hiked from the West (Ammonoosuc ravine and Crawford path or Jewell and Gulfside trails) The trails from the East have scrambling.

[@Hikingguy]

Sorry maybe there's confusion, I should have added "hikable at some point during the year." I know Tuckerman is dangerous in the winter. I've done the approaches you mentioned several times (used to live on East Coast) - while Tuckerman is steep I'm not sure I'd call it a scramble when the snow is gone. I've seen people in flip flops, with little kids, etc. and I've seen the rangers at Pinkham Notch recommend it to tourists.

[@edwarddiekman5347]

Tempest mountain is a better peak for Montana as it is only a few hundred feet short of Granite and you can still get there by hiking. It is a long hike so not a one day hike but you can see Granite from Tempest.

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you appreciate it. Have you done the hike? Just looking through historical sat imagery and the approach looks very tame but I don't see any trail or worn route.

[@edwarddiekman5347]

@@Hikingguy when I hiked it, it was a good trail up to the plateau and then you follow cairns. Nice camp sites as this is the route when you climb Granite peak.

[@vincepoore9112]

I totally agree on this one. It may not fit the rules you've laid down, but it's definitely hikable. You can hike the entire way and never touch rock until the final hoist up a slightly higher than waist summit block. First is a fantastic 6 mile trail to above tree line, then cairns mark the way 3ish miles west across Froze-To-Death plateau. Finally as you turn south, the summit is in front of you the final few miles. No false summit, no scree, no scrambling, just lots and lots of rock hopping. Sure there is no yellow brick road like Whitney, but the mileage, elevation change, and challenge are very similar. Haven't done Whitney, but have seen enough to compare and I've done this car-to-car in a day 3 times and will do it again with anyone who wants to go. It's that fun.

[@LC444]

When are you coming to Wyoming?

[@Hikingguy]

Not sure, a lot is based on time and $$, planning the next few out now.

[@JimL2883]

What do you do for protection since traveling with bear spray, knives, firearms, etc may not be possible while flying to destinations?

[@Hikingguy]

If I'm in a park that recommends bear spray, I can usually pick it up at a local outfitter.

[@seekingsmol]

Are you coming to Iowa?

[@Hikingguy]

At some point, yes!

[@jeffreygodwin2026]

I grew up in Ohio. Check out Hocking Hills State Park

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you!

[@terryhikes]

don't waste your time/energy/resources for Indiana. It's literally a short walk in the woods, with no view. Just happens to be the highest point in the state, in a pretty flat landscape.

[@xaner1]

Is mount rainier a good hike? Planning on seeing if i can do it next year.

[@Hikingguy]

It's mountaineering, not hiking. - www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/climbing.htm

[@xaner1]

@@Hikingguy oh got it, thanks 😀

[@brad_marston]

Jerimoth Hill in RI used to be owned by Brown University, and we'd take astronomy classes there for dark sky viewing. The lawyers got worried when they found out, thinking it was some rocky crag. In reality it is nearly completely flat. There used to be a crazy guy with guns on adjacent property who would terrorize people trying to reach the "summit" but he is long gone: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerimoth_Hill Happy to join you for the hike!