About US Hikers

We compile trail facts from official sources — the National Park Service, US Forest Service and park permit systems — and cross-check distance, elevation gain and permit rules before publishing. Every guide shows the date it was last verified. We are hikers writing for hikers; we are not a government agency and our guides are planning references, not a substitute for current official trail and weather advisories.

How we verify trail facts

Trail numbers online are notoriously inconsistent — the same hike gets quoted at three different distances and two different elevation gains depending on who copied whom. We work the other way around: every figure on this site is checked against a primary source before it goes live.

Primary sources only for facts that change (fees, permits, closures): nps.gov, fs.usda.gov and official recreation.gov permit pages. We stamp every guide with a "last verified" date and re-check seasonal figures each year.

What “last verified” means

Each guide shows the date we last checked its facts. Fees, permit systems, timed-entry windows and seasonal closures change every year, so a date-stamp is more honest than pretending a page is permanently correct. If you spot something out of date, that stamp tells you how stale it might be — and we re-check seasonal figures annually.

Our limits (please read before you hike)

We are hikers, not a government agency, and these guides are planning references — not a substitute for current official advisories. Weather, water availability, trail damage and permit rules can change between our last check and your hike. Always confirm conditions and permits on the official park page (we link them on every guide) and carry the Ten Essentials. On exposed or strenuous routes, turn around when conditions or your own honest fitness say so. Summit pride has no place on a wet chain or an afternoon-storm ridgeline.

Affiliates & independence

Some outbound links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. That never changes which trails we cover or the facts we publish — permit rules and safety advice come from official sources, not sponsors.

Planning a wider trip

For where to stay and what else to see around these parks, our sister site Roam States covers US destinations and itineraries.