This summer, go hiking under the light of the cosmos to see forests take on new personalities, watch unusual animals emerge from their daytime hiding spots and find unique perspectives on familiar landscapes.
Not sure where to start? We’ve put together this list of five awe-inspiring, guided night hikes from across the country.
Part of the thrill of night hiking is enjoying the sights and sounds of nature under the cover of darkness, and simply turning on a flashlight for a few seconds can affect your night vision for hours. Instead of bringing or using a flashlight, trust that your eyes will adjust to the darkness.
Deep in the wild, rolling forests of North Georgia, explore the rim of picturesque Tallulah Gorge and cross a nail-biting suspension bridge high above the canyon floor under the cover of moonlight. At Tallulah Gorge State Park, a guided, 1.5-mile suspension bridge hike happens every month on the full moon.
In the Arizona desert, fearsome scorpions creep out at night to hunt, offering the perfect opportunity to witness one of their most unusual feats: Glowing in the dark under UV lights. Rangers at Usery Mountain Regional Park, just outside Scottsdale, lead night hikes to spot these luminescent creatures most Wednesday and Friday nights throughout the summer.
At Utah’s Bryce Canyon, descend under the white light of the moon into the vast gardens of spooky hoodoo rock formations—the mammoth forests of sandstone spires that stretch across the canyon floor. Bryce Canyon National Park rangers lead full-moon hikes year round—no flashlights or headlamps allowed.
Crepuscular creatures are those animals that appear only in the fleeting hours between day and night. At Letchworth State Park—the “Grand Canyon of the East” in New York’s idyllic Finger Lakes region—naturalist Doug Bassett leads “Crepuscular Walks” along the Lower Falls of the Genesee River to spot owls, frogs and bats as they emerge in the twilight. Hikes generally happen once a month, or by request for groups of three or more.
Travis Marshall is a Los Angeles-based adventure-travel writer who gets his kicks island hopping tropical archipelagos, scuba diving with sharks and exploring the California backcountry.
MORE SUMMER TRAVEL QUESTS
28) Take a (Night) Hike