10 Most Dangerous Hiking Trails That Have Claimed Lives
Hiking is supposed to be the safe outdoor hobby — good boots, a granola bar, maybe a nice view at the end. But some trails have a nasty habit of turning a scenic walk into a search-and-rescue headline. Whether it’s sheer drops, sudden weather swings, or rock that crumbles the moment you trust it, these paths have claimed real hikers, not just cautionary-tale statistics.
We picked these ten trails based on documented fatalities, terrain that consistently trips up even experienced hikers, and a reputation among rangers and guides for being genuinely unforgiving. Lace up, but maybe don’t try these ones this weekend.
#10. Devil's Path, Catskills, New York
Don’t let the modest Catskill peaks fool you — Devil’s Path is routinely ranked among the toughest hikes in the eastern United States. The trail crosses several steep, rocky summits with sections that require scrambling over wet slabs and exposed ledges, and it has been the site of hiker deaths over the years, often from falls.
What makes it sneaky dangerous is the contrast between its unassuming elevation and its genuinely technical terrain. Hikers expecting an easy regional trail often get caught off guard by near-vertical scrambles late in the hike.
Interesting fact: some sections require hikers to use both hands and feet simultaneously, more akin to low-grade rock climbing than hiking.
#9. Injisuthi Traverse, Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa
The Drakensberg range is famous for jagged basalt cliffs and sudden, violent weather, and routes like the Injisuthi traverse have seen hikers die from exposure, falls, and flash flooding in narrow gorges. Thick fog can roll in within minutes, erasing visibility on narrow ridgelines with no guardrails.
Rescue can take hours given the remoteness, which turns manageable injuries into fatal situations. Local mountain clubs frequently warn hikers about underestimating how fast conditions change here.
Interesting fact: the range’s escarpment includes some of the tallest cliff faces in Africa, adding serious fall exposure to already unpredictable weather.
#8. Mist Trail, Yosemite National Park
Named for the fine spray from Vernal and Nevada Falls, the Mist Trail’s granite steps become dangerously slick when wet. Several hikers have died after slipping near the top of the falls, sometimes after climbing past safety railings to get a better photo near the edge.
The combination of smooth wet rock, strong currents, and a total lack of margin for error near the cliff edge makes this one of the deadliest short hikes in the American park system.
Interesting fact: the granite here can remain slippery even when it looks dry, because a thin invisible film of moisture and rock dust reduces traction.
#7. Kokoda Track, Papua New Guinea
Best known for its brutal World War II history, the Kokoda Track is also a grueling modern trek through dense jungle, steep mud slopes, and river crossings. Trekkers have died from heart attacks, heat exhaustion, and tropical illness, and the remoteness means medical help can be days away.
The trail’s reputation isn’t about cliffs or falls so much as sheer physical attrition — humidity, altitude changes, and relentless terrain wear hikers down fast.
Interesting fact: the track passes through terrain so rugged that supplies for trekking groups are often carried entirely by porters, much as they were during the wartime campaign.
#6. Kalalau Trail, Kauai, Hawaii
This stunning coastal trail along the Na Pali Coast includes a notorious section called Crawler’s Ledge, a narrow, exposed path with a sheer drop to the ocean below. Several hikers have died here from falls, and flash floods in the trail’s stream crossings have also proven fatal.
Despite warning signs, the trail’s jaw-dropping views draw hikers who underestimate how narrow and exposed the path becomes in its final miles.
Interesting fact: rescue crews on this trail often rely on helicopters, since the terrain is too steep and remote for standard ground evacuation.
#5. Maroon Bells, Colorado
Two of Colorado’s most photographed peaks are also nicknamed the ‘Deadly Bells’ for good reason. The rock here is loose, rotten volcanic sedimentary stone that gives way underfoot, and multiple climbers and hikers attempting the peaks have fallen to their deaths.
Unlike granite mountains where handholds are reliable, the Maroon Bells’ crumbly rock has fooled experienced mountaineers into false confidence, leading to fatal slips even on relatively gentle-looking slopes.
Interesting fact: forest service warning signs at the trailhead explicitly caution that the mountains have killed more people than their difficulty rating would suggest.
#4. Angel's Landing, Zion National Park
The final approach to this iconic overlook involves a narrow sandstone spine with chains bolted into the rock and drops of hundreds of feet on either side. Several hikers have fallen to their deaths here, often during crowded conditions or slick weather.
Its popularity is part of the danger — thousands attempt the chains section each year, and the narrow path creates bottlenecks where a single misstep has serious consequences.
Interesting fact: the National Park Service now requires a permit lottery for the chains section, partly introduced to manage overcrowding on the most exposed stretch.
#3. Huayna Picchu, Peru
Towering above Machu Picchu, this steep peak is climbed via ancient Inca stone steps so narrow and sheer that sections are nicknamed the ‘Stairs of Death.’ Several hikers have fallen fatally from the exposed, weathered steps, especially in wet conditions.
The combination of high altitude, thin stone footholds, and centuries-old construction not built with modern safety in mind makes this one of South America’s most feared short climbs.
Interesting fact: daily visitor numbers to the peak are strictly limited by Peru’s government, partly as a safety measure given the trail’s narrow single-file sections.
#2. Half Dome Cables, Yosemite National Park
The final 400 feet to Half Dome’s summit are climbed using two steel cables bolted into smooth granite at a steep angle. Numerous hikers have died here, mostly from losing their grip during descent or from lightning strikes during sudden storms on the exposed summit.
The granite becomes especially treacherous when wet, and the sheer number of hikers attempting the cables each season, combined with the total lack of margin for error, keeps it on rangers’ watch lists every year.
Interesting fact: a permit system now limits daily cable climbers, introduced specifically after a stretch of fatal accidents.
#1. Mount Washington, New Hampshire
Despite its modest elevation, Mount Washington has claimed more hiker lives than almost any other mountain in North America, largely due to weather that can shift from sunny to whiteout hurricane-force winds within minutes. Hypothermia and disorientation on exposed alpine ridgelines have proven fatal even to well-prepared hikers.
The summit’s observatory once held the world record for the strongest wind gust ever measured by a weather station, and it still logs some of the most extreme weather conditions in North America. Unprepared trekkers frequently underestimate how quickly Presidential Range weather can turn lethal.
Interesting fact: the mountain has recorded well over a hundred deaths since record-keeping began, many involving hikers caught in sudden storms — an extraordinary toll for a peak under 6,300 feet.
None of these trails are cursed or unbeatable — thousands of hikers finish them safely every year. What they share is a low tolerance for bad decisions, whether that’s ignoring a weather forecast, skipping a permit-mandated safety measure, or stepping past a chain for a better photo. Respect the terrain, check the conditions, and the view at the top stays a highlight instead of a headline.
