Prossautal — A Glacial Box Valley in Hohe Tauern

Deep within the Hohe Tauern National Park, the Prossautal is a valley that branches off the Kötschachtal near Bad Gastein. This long but mostly flat trail follows the Kötschach Ache river into a classic glacial box valley. The rock walls on either side rise significantly, with multiple thin waterfalls cascading down the granite faces. The trail ends at the Alpengasthof Prossau, a traditional alpine inn positioned near the base of the Tischler glacier.

The Skyline Trail in Mount Rainier National Park is the quintessential Pacific Northwest alpine experience. Starting from the historic Paradise Visitor Center, this stunning loop takes hikers high above the tree line directly onto the southern flanks of the massive, heavily glaciated Mount Rainier volcano (14,411 ft). The trail weaves through impossibly lush subalpine meadows that, in mid-summer, explode with knee-high wildflowers in every color. As you climb higher, the meadows give way to rugged, rocky moonscapes and permanent snowfields. The apex of the hike, Panorama Point (6,800 ft), lives up to its name, offering sweeping, unobstructed views of the Cascade Range, including Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, and even Mount Hood in Oregon on a clear day.