What do California’s most popular national park and a historic landmark in San Francisco have in common?
In their 2025 study of America’s most loved hiking trails, outdoor adventure website KÜHL found that Half Dome via the John Muir Trail in Yosemite National Park and Land’s End trail in Golden Gate National Park came out on top.
Out of 1,000 trails across the United States, Land’s End trails came in at #2 and the John Muir trail at #5.
KÜHL determined the rankings by analyzing Google search results, AllTrails ratings and Instagram hashtags.
The Land’s End trails, which wind through rocky cliffs above the ocean and through cypress and eucalyptus groves, treat hikers to spectacular views of the shore, headlands, and Golden Gate.
Land’s End trails had over 28,600 Instagram hashtags, making it one of the most scenic in the country, according to KÜHL.
It was searched over 7,200 times on Google in the past year and holds a 4.8-star rating on AllTrails from more than 11,600 reviewers.
The John Muir trail is 211 miles and stretches from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States.
The trail is 65th in Google searches nationally with 8,800 searches in the last year, according to KÜHL. It is the 43rd most Instagrammed trail with over 11,400 hashtags and has a 4.9-star rating from 14,357 reviews on AllTrails.
“Both Lands End and Half Dome capture what hikers crave today: spectacular natural beauty paired with an unforgettable experience,” said Oded Gross, from KÜHL. “From coastal vistas to iconic mountain climbs, these trails prove that world-class adventures can be found right here in California.”
A scenic view that tracks San Francisco history
Traversing Lands End trails is like trekking through a piece of San Francisco history.
The trails take hikers past the historic Cliff House, which has been on the site in one variation or another since 1863. The current Cliff House was returned to its original neoclassical design in 2005, when an adjacent Sutro Wing was added to improve access to ocean views above Seal Rocks.
The trails take in the ruins of the Sutro Baths, which were developed in 1894 as an ocean pool aquarium among the rocks north of the Cliff House before it was expanded into a three-acre public bathhouse.
Other landmarks include the USS San Francisco Memorial and Sutro Historic District.
A challenging trail for experienced hikers
The Half Dome hike via the John Muir Trail is a challenging hike that offers those who are equipped iconic views and rugged mountain scenery that Yosemite National Park is known for.
Covering 14 to 16 miles round‑trip, this hike winds through pine‑fringed subalpine meadows, waterfalls, and views of the valley before ascending the granite dome made famous by its cables.
A permit is required to hike to the Half Dome summit.
Top five hiking trails across the United States
This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: A trek through San Francisco landmark and a Yosemite trail are most popular in the U.S.
Reporting by Roseann Cattani, Salinas Californian / Salinas Californian
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
