10 AMAZING TRAILS WITH REWARDS OF EXTRAORDINARY BEAUTY FOR OBSESSED HIKERS NOW

Find out why adventurous hikers are obsessed with these 10 amazing trails. Hint: Extraordinary beauty and thrill. See them all below… and get out there!

1. WEST COAST TRAIL -- BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

An obsessed backpacking hiker’s dream, the West Coast Trail is located on the southwestern side of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It lies within the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

Only the deeply committed brave this 75 km trail, with steep cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other -- with precarious suspension bridges and ladders to take you across thousands of creeks and hundreds of canyons -- all through the never ending rain.

Along the journey, you will encounter astonishing beauty, as you walk past some of the most enormous trees on the planet.

2. MOUNT KAILASH -- TIBET

Located at the Kailash range in Tibet China, this mountain is considered a sacred place for four religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Bön, and Jainism. The Tibetan name for the mountain is Gangs Rin-po-che, which can be translated as "precious jewel of snows."

Mount Kailash has a peak that looks like a 4-sided pyramid piercing the sky. Pilgrims come here mainly for its spiritual side. While many have been obsessed with reaching the top, in fact, there have been no recorded attempts to climb Mount Kailash due to its near perpendicular wall faces and often life-threatening weather.

3. CERRO TORRE

Cerro Torre has been considered by many as the most beautiful peak in the world, standing at 10,262 ft. (3,128m). Located near the Argentine-Chile border, it is also one of the most dangerous to traverse. The top of the mountain often capped with a dome of hard rime ice, formed by frozen fog, blown in by constant strong winds.

4. MOUNT HUA SHAN

You have to be obsessed to want to take the “Danger Trail” to reach the summit of Mount Hua Shan, in Shaanxi, China, because you will be navigating one of the world’s most dangerous man-made walkways, with little in the way of safety measures and a 1,000m (3,280 ft.) drop if you misstep. But the obsessed are rewarded with the best mountain scenery in China.

Many Chinese have traditionally climbed at night time, in order to reach the East Peak by dawn, but now there are also some hotels along the way, where you can spend the night so you can meet the dawn more comfortably.

5. MIST TRAIL, HALF DOME -- YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA

The Mist Trail will lead you up a veritable vertical staircase, 1,463 meters of tough climb, before you face steel cables that lead you up that last 400 feet to the top of the beautiful 8,836 foot high Half Dome peak, in Yosemite National Park, in California. Many who try, don’t make it.

But those who dare will walk through thick pine forests, past jaw-dropping waterfalls, and to incredible breathtaking vistas that make it all worth the effort.

6. SKYLINE/MUIR SNOWFIELD TRAIL -- MOUNT RAINIER, WASHINGTON

The Skyline/Muir Snowfield Trail might be the most beautiful trail to grace this list. Named after renowned naturalist and Sierra Club founder John Muir, the trail is located on Mount Rainier, an active volcano in Washington State.

You will begin with a 9 mile hike through a dreamy forest, filled with gorgeous wildflowers, and free-flowing lakes. That’s the easy part. Then, brace yourself a 2,800 foot vertical climb up the Snowfield, and be prepared for flash snowstorms. For many obsessed hikers, this is nirvana. But many don’t make it out of here alive.

7. DEVIL’S PATH -- CATSKILLS, NEW YORK

Filled with danger and intrigue, the Devil’s Path, in the northern Catskill Mountains, in New York State, is a fantastic 25 mile hike, that delivers stunning scenery --  shared by hungry black bears. The breathtaking vistas, lush waterfalls and magnificent forests are your reward after a steep, sometime slippery ascent.

8. THE HAYDUKE TRAIL -- UTAH & ARIZONA

The Hayduke Trail offers a spectacular 812 mile hike that spans southern Utah and northern Arizona. The trek is undeniably beautiful, but it is highly strenuous, as you make your way through deep desert canyons, over high mountains, across rivers and precarious ridges. The highest point is Mount Ellen at 11,419 feet above sea level.

Start your journey at Arches National Park, near Moab, Utah before heading through the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, the Grand Canyon National Park and end at Zion National Park.

9. K2 -- GILGIT BALTISTAN -- PAKISTAN

K2, the second highest mountain in the world is also one of the most beautiful to behold. Located between the Chinese-Pakistani border, K2 is more steep and technically challenging to climb than the more famous Everest. And the weather is far worse.

The obsessed faced real danger. More than 30% of all attempts to reach the top have incurred fatalities. But those who make it are rewarded with staggering beauty, not to mention, bragging rights.

10. DESOLATION PEAK -- WASHINGTON STATE

Located in the North Cascade Mountains of Washington state, Desolation Peak comes with a steep 3,500 foot climb hike, leading to extraordinarily beautiful high meadows and an iconic fire lookout with killer views. Author Jack Kerouac, spent 63 days during the summer of 1956. He wrote about his experiences in Lonesome Traveler, The Dharma Bums, and Desolation Angels.

Read more about Beautiful Obsessions, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including Crazy or Badass? Beautiful Obsessions Are Happening Now!, Beautiful Biophilia Now, Playing With Food is a Beautiful Obsession Now, Beautiful Art Obsessions Now and Check Out Ravenna a City Beautifully Obsessed.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Paxson Woelber. A Wild Cave Dance. West Coast Trail, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada.
2. Image: Courtesy of Our World. West Coast Trail. Vancouver Island. BC, Canada.
3. Image: by Paxson Woelber. Canadian Cave Explorer. West Coast Trail, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada.
4. Image: by Cain Doherty. Kailash (6,638 m) Sunrise. Mount Kailash Kora.
5. Image: Courtesy of  Sundaram + Annam. Mount Kailash in W.Tibet, China.
6. Image: by Alex Proimos. Cerro Torre.
7. Image: by strudelt. Chess Pavilion, Hua Shan.
8. Image: by Luke Kwiatkowski. Huashan.
9. Image: by Brad Spiess. Waiting to head up “The Cables” at the Saddle to Half Dome. Yosemite National Park, California.
10. Image: Courtesy of Sierra Club. Muir Snowfield Trail at Mount Rainier, Washington.
11. Image: by Alex Ford. Muir Snowfield.
12. Image: by Eric A Ortner. Devil's Path Range. Catskills, New York.
13. Image: Courtesy of Ryan Choi, of Hayduke Trail. Tonto Beach. The Hayduke Trail.
14. Image: by Maria Ly. K2. Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.
15. Image: by Scott Rinckenberger. Dawn Breaks at the Hidden Lake Peaks Lookout in the North Cascades.
16. Image: by chensiyuan. Hua Shan China Panorama.
17. Image: by Paxson Woelber. Darling River Waterfall. West Coast Trail, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada.
18. Image: by BN App - Download now!
19. Image: by Jonathan.s.kt. A View of the Rough Pacific coast from the West Coast Trail.