SLOW TRAVEL
Beyond Cruising: Best Mountain Climbing In The USA
New research has revealed that Mount Rainier is America’s best mountain climbing destination.
The study by family vacation experts Family Destinations Guide analyzed Instagram hashtag data, TripAdvisor ratings, and TripAdvisor reviews of 600 mountainous destinations in America to assign every mountain a ‘Peak Score’ to reveal the best mountain climbing destinations in the country.
Mount Rainier in Washington ranks with a peak score of 22 out of 30. It has 439,039 Instagram posts with the hashtag #mountrainier and a 5-star rating on TripAdvisor. The 14,410-foot elevation has 1,796 reviews on TripAdvisor, with visitors describing their mountain climbing experience as “a must-do”.
Visitors can tuck into meals at the Summit House Restaurant and the National Park Inn Dining Room and spend the night in the Ata Crystal Resort or the National Park Inn after the trek.
Haleakala Crater in Hawaii is the second-best destination for mountain climbing, scoring 19 out of 30 points. The 10,023-foot mountain has 8,071 reviews on TripAdvisor and is rated 4.5 by visitors on the platform. There are 22,580 Instagram posts associated with the hashtag #haleakalacrater. Visitors tagged their visit as “incredible views” and “something you must see in person”.
Coming third is Lookout Mountain, Georgia, earning a peak score of 18.7 out of 30 points. 4,328 visitors have recorded their reviews of the 2,392-foot phenomenon on TripAdvisor and have rated it 4.5 stars. The mountain ridge has three scenic attractions: Ruby Falls, Rock City, and the Incline Railway, and it has pulled in 190,778 Instagram posts with the hashtag #lookoutmountain.
Grand Tetonranks as the fourth best mountain climbing destination in the US with 18.4 out of 30 points. Situated in Wyoming, the hashtag #grandteton has 221,091 posts featuring icy peaks, wildlife, and sunsetting views of the 13,775-foot beauty. A visit to the 5-starred pinnacle left one of the 2,784 reviewed climbers describing it as ‘beautiful awesome mountains.’
Rounding out the top five is Arizona’s Camelback Mountain, with a peak score of 17.2 points, garnering 2,548 reviews and a 4.5-star rating on TripAdvisor, together with 221,091 Instagram posts under the hashtag #camelbackmountain.
The Best Mountain Climbing Destinations in the US
| Rank | Mountain | TripAdvisor Review | Instagram Hashtags | Average TripAdvisor Rating | Peak Score |
| 1 | Mount Rainier | 1,796 | 439,039 | 5 | 22 |
| 2 | Haleakala Crater | 8,071 | 22,580 | 4.5 | 19 |
| 3 | Lookout Mountain | 4,328 | 190,778 | 4.5 | 18.7 |
| 4 | Grand Teton | 2,784 | 221,091 | 5 | 18.4 |
| 5 | Camelback Mountain | 2,548 | 221,493 | 4.5 | 17.2 |
| 6 | Mount Washington | 3,029 | 193,533 | 4.5 | 17.1 |
| 7 | Maroon Bells | 2,609 | 165,220 | 5 | 16.9 |
| 8 | Cadillac Mountain | 3,662 | 74,117 | 5 | 16.2 |
| 9 | Mauna Kea Summit | 4,610 | 7,263 | 4.5 | 14.8 |
| 10 | Clingmans Dome | 3,088 | 61,621 | 4.5 | 14.2 |
Following behind is Mount Washington, Pennsylvania, in sixth place with a 17.1 peak score. The 4.5-rated mountain has 3,029 reviews on TripAdvisor and 192,533 Instagram posts with the hashtag #mountwashington.
In seventh place is Colorado’s Maroon Bells, scoring 16.9 points with 165,220 Instagram posts and 2,609 reviews for the 5-star mountain on TripAdvisor.
Cadillac Mountain in Maine is eighth with 16.2 points, and Mauna Kea Summit in Hawaii places
