Most people see a bucket list as a collection of places to take a photo, see a historic landmark, or enjoy a meal. My list is a little different: a collection of trails where you can completely bury yourself in the pain cave, forget about emails, nearly run out of snacks, and have one of the best days of your life.
I built this list from my personal experience, running in over 50 countries around the world, plus writing a book about the Fifty Classic Trails of America.
I’ve completed all but two of the trails below, and am planning to visit the final two in the next couple years, so they sit at the top of my personal bucket list as well. Some of them are relatively short and can be completed by lunchtime. Others are full-day epics or three-week fastpacks, as big projects to be treasured or even broken up into segments over multiple years, making them great for runners of all abilities.
What’s important is that this list comes from a realization that the most beautiful places on Earth are only accessible with sweat equity. It’s a belief that experiencing a new culture is best done on foot, whether it’s climbing limestone ridges in New Zealand or mountain huts in Corsica or tea with shepherds in Jordan. This isn’t just a list of coordinates, it’s a roadmap for a deeper connection with the world around you.
Likewise, the ecology and geology of these trails range significantly—from rock hopping in New Hampshire to loamy tundra in Iceland to slick red clay of the Hawaii coast—but all of them have one thing in common: the memories will live on, well beyond when the mud, dirt, and sand have been washed away.
Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim, Arizona
If author Andy Cochrane could pick one trail in the U.S., this would be it. (Photo: Andy Cochrane)
Distance: 42-46 miles
Trailhead: Grand Canyon Village, Arizona
Permit: No (yes for overnight)
Route (for Rim-to-Rim; double the distance and vert for Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim)
If I had to pick just one trail in the U.S., this would be it. The Big Ditch has a way of humbling even the best athletes. Most people, myself included, start on the South Rim in the chilly pre-dawn hours, using headlamps to drop into the canyon. By the time you hit Phantom Ranch at the bottom, temperatures will have swung 30+ degrees, thanks to the lower elevation, dense air, and heat trapped in the rocks.
As you climb up to the North Rim you’ll pass through nearly 2 billion years of history—around 40,000 years for every step you take—visible in the rock layers next to the trail. The return trip is where things get interesting, retracing your footsteps down to the river and up a vertical mile to the trailhead. (Although, of course, you can hop on a shuttle, if it’s running, car shuttle, or scoop a ride at the North Rim for a slightly less taxing Rim-to-Rim—you’ll just have to endure the 4-hour drive back.) The best time to go is the spring or fall; just remember to check which spigots are still on, so you don’t run out of water.
GR20, Corsica
What makes the GR20 special is the remote nature of the trail. (Photo: Andy Cochrane)
Distance: 112 miles
Trailhead: Calenzana, Corsica
Permit: No
Regarded as the toughest trek in Europe, the Grande Randonnée 20 (GR20) follows a granite spine across the Mediterranean island from north to south, making it perfect for adventurous trail runners. From sea level, you’ll climb 6,000 feet straight up, a fitting beginning to an unrelenting 112 miles of sun-baked granite slabs, seas of boulders, and an occasional class-four scramble where route-finding is critical.
What makes the GR20 special is the remote nature of the trail, especially compared to other hut-to-hut routes in Europe. It has limited cell service, no ATMs, and just one small town for resupplies, turning the 20 mountain refuges along the way into hidden sanctuaries. At night, you’ll enjoy hearty stews, cheap beer, and chocolate bars before crashing out in shared bunkrooms with a few dozen weary hikers.
Wonderland Trail, Washington
Running the loop around a massive stratovolcano is a religious experience, complete with moments of extreme doubt, altered consciousness, and pure bliss. (Photo: Andy Cochrane)
Distance: 93 miles
Trailhead: Longmire, Mount Rainier National Park
Permit: Yes
Circumnavigating Mt. Rainier, the fifth-highest mountain in the Lower 48, the Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile masterclass in vert. With 25,000 feet of climbing, there are only a handful of flat miles along the entire trail. Fortunately, with views of hanging glaciers, rich smells of hemlock, and vast fields of wildflowers, you’ll have plenty of ways to distract yourself from the dread of another big climb.
Running the loop around a massive stratovolcano is a religious experience, complete with moments of extreme doubt, altered consciousness, and pure bliss. With 25 glaciers perched high above the trail, you’ll essentially be moving across the drainage system of each one, diving deep into river valleys and climbing up rugged volcanic ridges. It’s a 360-degree portrait of a transcendent sleeping giant.
Laugavegur Trail, Iceland
Although the full length is just 34 miles, Laugavegur is remarkably diverse, with sprawling glaciers, steam vents, hot springs, freezing rivers, and volcanic deserts, a geological buffet unlike any other trail. (Photo: Martin Zwick/REDA/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Distance: 34 miles
Trailhead: Landmannalaugar, Fjallabak Nature Reserve
Permit: No, but advanced bookings for huts and camp sites are recommended.
If you have never been to the Arctic, running in Iceland will likely feel like a fever dream. One minute you’re navigating rainbow-colored rhyolite mountains, the next you’re crossing a black sand lunar desert, and an hour later you’re pulling off your shoes to cross a glacial river, hoping you make it to the other side before your feet go numb. Even more surreal, you’ll have 24 hours of daylight during the mid-summer months.
Although the full length is just 34 miles, Laugavegur is remarkably diverse, with sprawling glaciers, steam vents, hot springs, freezing rivers, and volcanic deserts, a geological buffet unlike any other trail. Just don’t forget to pack a good raincoat, because storms hit a little differently on the wide open tundra, with waves of sideways rain and fierce winds that can take you off your feet.
Presidential Traverse, New Hampshire
With engaging terrain and equally stunning views, the Presidential Traverse is a high-value day outing. (Photo: Ian MacLellan)
Distance: 19 miles
Trailhead: Appalachia, White Mountain National Forest
Permit: No
Let me go on record to say that running the White Mountains is more challenging, mile for mile, than any trail out West. Don’t believe me? Try the Presi Traverse. It’s a jagged and technical route that redefines what a “run” is by forcing you to parkour over boulder after boulder—a fitting journey across some of the oldest, grumpiest, and gnarliest mountains in the country.
Just 19 miles from end to end, the traverse spends around two-thirds of its length above the treeline, including a truly epic stretch between Adams and Jefferson, with spicy exposure and stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean on a clear day.
Refill bottles (and soak in the view) at spigots outside of the Madison Spring and Lake of the Clouds huts. And grab a quick snack at the top of Mount Washington if you can handle the crowds, or just enjoy the final few miles cruising past small lakes to the terminus.
Jordan Trail, Jordan
The landscape along the Jordan Trail is constantly changing, starting in lush, olive groves of the north all the way to the martian sands of the desolate south. (Photo: Frédéric Soltan/Getty Images)
Distance: 400 miles
Trailhead: Umm Qais, Jordan
Permit: No
Opened in 2017, the Jordan Trail runs 400 miles from tip to tail of the country, from the ruins of Petra to the red sands of Wadi Rum. Because of its length, most runners will do the trail over many trips, which is easy thanks to more than 50 towns along it. The landscape is constantly changing, starting in lush, olive groves of the north all the way to the martian sands of the desolate south.
Along the way, you’ll run past Roman ruins, ancient Nabataean buildings carved into the rock walls, and Bedouin camps in wadis, or dry riverbeds. It’s common to be invited in for tea, a welcomed break from the harshness of the trail, a mix of canyon labyrinths, vast plateaus, and sand dunes. While most of the route is soul-stirringly empty, the hospitality of the locals you’ll meet is legendary.
Kalalau Trail, Hawaii
The only way to reach pristine Kalalau Beach is via this 11-mile trail clinging to a series of fluted ridges above the churning ocean. (Photo: Rickey Gates)
Distance: 22 miles (round-trip)
Trailhead: Kalalau Trailhead, Hā’ena State Park
Permit: Yes
In most places around the world, a coastal trail is a flat boardwalk, manicured path, or sandy beach. On the Na’pali Coast on the north side of Kauai, it’s a red-dirt ribbon that clings to a series of fluted ridges above the churning ocean. The Kalalau is a 22-mile out-and-back that oscillates between neon green prehistoric valleys and scrambles up slippery roots and rocks to reach the cathedral-like cliffs above.
When it rains—which it does a lot—the red dirt turns into peanut butter-esk mud that’s incredibly slick. As you approach Crawler’s Ledge, a narrow notch carved into the cliff, this becomes quite dangerous. The path narrows to a foot-wide with a sheer 300-foot drop into the Pacific below. This crux is the only access to Kalalau Beach, on a mile-long stretch of white sand, flanked by cliffs and sea caves.
Annapurna Circuit, Nepal
At Thorong La Pass, sitting at 17,769 feet, the air is so thin it feels like you’re breathing through a straw. (Photo: Frank Bienewald/Getty Images)
Distance: 118 miles
Trailhead: Besisahar, Nepal
Permit: Yes, Annapurna Conservation Area Permit and Trekkers’ Information Management System Card
This is the ultimate high-altitude sufferfest, and also the ultimate way for runners to experience the Himalaya. The Annapurna Circuit starts in tropical banana groves in the Marsyangdi Valley and reaches the lunar landscape of the Himalayan alpine. Running below 8,000-meter peaks like Dhaulagiri and Annapurna will test what your lungs and legs are able to handle, with the air at Thorong La Pass, 17,769 feet, so thin it feels like you’re breathing through a straw.
The true magic of Annapurna isn’t the altitude, but the warm and cozy teahouses you’ll stop at along the way. You’ll learn to love the smell of yak dung fires, the taste of dal bhat after long days, and huddling around a stove with new friends. It’s a cultural immersion that just happens to involve a lot of climbing. You are more than a visitor on this circuit; you’re part of each village for a night.
Teton Crest Trail, Wyoming
The Teton Crest is the gold standard of American sky running. (Photo: Andy Cochrane)
Distance: 40 miles
Trailhead: Phillips Pass Trailhead, Wilson, Wyoming
Permit: Yes
As my old backyard, I may be biased, but the Teton Crest is the gold standard of American sky running. Other than a handful of miles at the beginning and end, all 42 miles of the trail are above 9,000 feet. You’ll be following the spine of the Tetons, flanked by some of the most iconic granite spires in the world. Thanks to the lack of interior roads in Grand Teton National Park, there are very few people around, too.
The four best miles of trail running in the entire country (you can quote me on that) are along Death Canyon Shelf, cruising a flat, limestone bench with metaphoric cliffs to your left and a sheer drop on the right. A few miles later you’ll crest Hurricane Pass and suddenly see the Grand, Middle, and South Teton so close that you’ll feel like you can touch them. It’s an unforgettable moment for any runner.
Paparoa Track, New Zealand
The newest addition to New Zealand’s Great Walks, Paparoa, was opened in 2019 but still manages to fly under the radar. (Photo: Andy Cochrane)
Distance: 35 miles
Trailhead: Smoke-ho car park, Paparoa National Park
Permit: No
The newest addition to New Zealand’s Great Walks, Paparoa, was opened in 2019 but still manages to fly under the radar. It’s a 35-mile point-to-point across an entire mountain range on the West Coast of the South Island that had only been explored by local gold miners until recently. Thanks to this trail, hikers, runners, and even mountain bikers are able to explore this rugged landscape.
Paparoa begins in a beech forest, steadily climbing into the alpine and up to the escarpment, a craggy spine with views of the Tasman Sea to the west, winding six miles through misty, wind-scoured tussocks. Then you’ll drop into the limestone river canyons of the Pororari River, a temperate rainforest with nikau palm, giant ferns, and towering walls that look like stacks of pancakes, before ending at the ocean. You can elect to run the whole trail in one go, or break it up into two or three days thanks to three mountain huts along the way, which must be booked in advance.
