The John Muir Trail covers some of the most beautiful mountains in the world, from stunning, glacier-chiseled Yosemite, to the jagged spires of the Minarets, to the highest mountain peak in the contiguous USA. Hikers climb over numerous high mountain passes, pass ancient glaciers, cross fast-moving mountain streams while surrounded by giant peaks. Construction on the trail began in 1915 – a year after Muir’s death – and took 46 years to complete. Elevation gain: 46,700 ft.