Why you might roll your eyes:
As the most renowned day hike in the Mid-Atlantic, this Shenandoah National Park trek draws thousands of leaf peepers each autumn to see the foliage from the mountain’s rocky peak.
Why you’ll love it:
Late April to early June, the trail is less crowded but no less beautiful—it comes alive with wildflowers. The nine-mile round-trip hike threads through woods abloom with white and pink blossoms—azalea, trillium, and mountain laurel, which grows only near the tops of mountains. At times, the trail feels like a tunnel of flowers. As the forest gives way to bald mountaintop, a series of fun rock scrambles lead to a panoramic view of the ridgeline of Shenandoah National Park and the verdant countryside.
For more information, see nps.gov/shen.
